I Think It's February!!!!

Kamusta Mo?!

First off, thank you to all of my wonderful, WONDERFUL friends who sent me messages about their lives and what they did on Valentines Day!!!  That was a really nice surprise!!!!

My first Valentines Day in the mission was quite the experience :D it was a Friday, so we had weekly planning and not as much proselyting time.  Also, here in Lacion it's currently Sarok Festival!  I think it's based off of this type of hat and it's not a religious celebration as far as I'm aware...  Anyways, so Friday night in the plaza area (just a big field) tons of people gathered to celebrate Sarok.  We were teaching a lesson right next to it and saw some of it happening. Then, just as we went to close our lesson - Fireworks!  Yeah, a HUGE firework show!  It was like the 4th of July in America!  Tons of massive fireworks!  So we had to yell to close the lesson because it was so loud... then there was so much traffic because people stopped driving where they were and just watched the fireworks.  We watched while we were walking home :D

Then Saturday we went to Cebu for the Conference. WOW! That was absolutely amazing! First, I got to see Sister Palu and Elder Archibald and my brother from another mother - Elder Pole'o again, which was so great! I really miss all of my batch who are over in Cebu.  Hope that where ever you're assigned right now, you're loving the mission and working hard and finding success!  The speakers were amazing, too.  First it was Sister McConkie - First Counselor in the YW General Presidency, then Sister Burton, the Relief Society General President. Both of them were so amazing.   It was so great.  Then, it was concluded by Elder Ardern - He's in the Philippines Area Presidency, I think. Anyways, he's this crazy awesome/hilarious guy from New Zealand and his talk was awesome! The whole thing was just super great :D

Well, it's been almost a week since transfers - my new companion is so awesome! She's actually from California...San Diego Area, but I forgot the name of the place specifically. When she told me that, I thought of my dear Sister Gamez over there!  Shout out to you, Sister Gamez - I hope you're loving the mission!

So...some crazy stuff this week :D 

1) Weird Foods: This week I had the opportunity to eat shark, a chicken foot and a chicken head. Yeah, the picture attached is of my dinner from last night...so 3 Puso (the awesome rice thingys) a chicken wing, a chicken head and a chicken foot! It was...well, I'm glad it was breaded so that I didn't have to look at it too much. All I can say is that I know that chickens also have white brains...are all brains white? It was...definitely the most exotic thing I've eaten...

2) Cool experience. So Sister Lange and I were out teaching and we were panted by two people. So we told the kids to tell their parents that we'd be coming back later and we went and taught others. So on our way back to them at 5, we were walking down this street and we hear a little kid crying. And we look over and we see a really, really nice house (big gate in the front, and it's like bigger than my house at home) and there's a couple standing in the driveway(which actually was a driveway with cars and everything) holding their little boy, who is crying. So we stop and we're talking to them through the fence to find out if he's okay and what happens? They invite us in. And we taught them. And it was amazing. When we went to share a scripture from the Book of Mormon, we asked the father to read it and after he read it, he started asking tons of questions about it. So we taught him about the Book of Mormon and gave them that copy. I don't know what will become of that family, but I see great things ahead for them. And I know that God prepares a way for us to find those who are ready.

Anyways, it's been a great week. I've loved the work and I love Lacion. For about a week now I've been super worried about the work and the language and it was kind of stressful. But yesterday morning, I realized that God will help me. Even if sometimes my companion and I just sit in silence in lessons because none of us can communicate, God will help me. Eventually, I will be Bisdak! Just gotta keep working hard. He didn't call me here to not learn Visaya. And he'll provide a way for me to learn it. Just keep swimmin :D  

Here is a picture of me with Sister Palu and Elder Pole'o.  

Love you all. God loves you all :D I KNOW He loves you all! Take care, be safe, work hard, love life. Life is SO good, so enjoy it!

- Sister Warner -

TRANSFERS!!!!

Hey everyone!

So this week is transfers and...*drumroll* I GET TO STAY IN LACION!!!! Sister Yap will be transferred back to Bohol where she will finish the training of Sister Lupisan. Sister Lange will be my new companion and I will be meeting her tomorrow. I'm excited to have a new companion, but she's my senior batch...and I'm not Bisdak yet...so I'm a little worried. But the Lord qualifies whom He calls, right??? I'm so happy I get to stay in Lacion. I seriously love it here. Siguro I'll just stay here the rest of my mission. There's so much work to be done and I love the area!

This week has been one of the neatest weeks ever. Monday night at our dinner appointment, one of our investigators asked me when he could start working with us. Whaaat?! Yeah. He's super curious about missionary work!!!

Then yesterday (Tuesday) yeah....coolest thing. So Sister Yap and I attained permission from President Tanner to head to the Temple and be present for the Temple Sealing of one of Sister Yap's best friends. WOW! Let me tell ya. That's the first time I've witnessed a live sealing and wow. I'm speechless. I didn't know anyone there - all friends of Sister Yap - but there is NO replacement for a temple marriage. "As long as you both shall live" is the saddest phrase I've ever heard. Anyways, it was a beautiful experience that I will always treasure.

Then, on the way out, I ran into a couple people! The first was Elder Warner, from the Cebu Mission. Finally, we cleared it all up and we are like 95% sure we're not related. At least not closely. Probably distantly...Then the second was a nindot couple of Elders who just happened to be Sister Riimai's Zone Leaders! It was great to get the update on her, but sad to hear that she went home about two weeks ago... :'(

The last person I ran into on my way out of the temple gates...the one and only ELDER ARCHIBALD!!!! The temple is apparently his area!!! It was great to see him and catch up with him a bit. It really made me miss my MTC District, though :/ 

Then an awesome time at the Bishop's house! The picture attached is from the party-party that went on there :D It was so awesome and Sister Olayo made this delicious squash flan that tasted similar to pumpkin pie, but better :D

And today...TEMPLE DAY!!! Temple twice in a row! Yeah, buddy!!! Probably the coolest temple session I've ever been a part of. Yeah, if you've been lately, you probably know why ;) It's awesome.

Later, we're going to print some pictures, go to an SA activity (farewell party to Sister Yap) and then a dinner appointment at our beloved President Asuncion's house. Oh, did I forget to mention that he met David Archuleta?! Yeah, that's right. I saw the pictures ;D

This Saturday I'm headed back down to Lahug for the YSA Conference here in Cebu. So to all of you awesome missionaries in the Cebu Mission, I hope to see you there!

Sorry, only have gamay time to email due to the busy schedule we have for today. But I love you all!

Amping,

Sister Warner

 

Kamusta Kamo!!!

Kamusta Kamo?!

This week has been a blast and a half! Pastilan, I really love Lacion. Next week is transfers, and it's more than likely that I will stay here and Sister Yap will move on to her next adventure. And I really hope that's the case because I don't want to transfer! I've worked hard to memorize the area so that I can stay here! 

Alright. First the questions. 

1.What was a testimony building experience this week?  

This past week....my testimony has increased in so many ways. It does every day. But I guess my favorite was church on Sunday. When we had two investigators come! One of them, we've been waiting for for a long time. And they came! The whole family! And it was Fast and Testimony meeting - wow :D those are my favorite. Let me tell you, the Lacion 3rd Ward is amazing. Full of strong and amazing people. And as for our investigators, I hope it was exactly what they needed. I really hope. 

2.  What was a favorite moment this week?

My favorite moment...I got to play the violin! It's in the attached picture. That's me, with Sister A and her violin, and Brother G. One of our investigators. This kid is amazing, let me tell you. He got here just over a week ago from Ilo-Ilo and he only speaks Ilonggo! And some Tagalog, too. And he speaks less Cebuano than I do. Teaching him is quite interesting - Sister Yap teaches in Tagalog and I teach in English...and we just pray that he understand. Most of the time he does :D He's very receptive! And he's living with his cousins now, who are very active in the church and RM's. I guess this also sort of answers question 3.

3.  What was a trial this week and how did you overcome it?

Our first lesson with Brother G. The trial was not him, because he's amazing. The trial was the language barrier! How did we overcome it?! Pen, paper and LOTS of pictures. Yeah :D put my second-grade art skills to the test! And I think it passed :D

So we got a couple of new investigators...two of them were stolen from the Lacion 2 Sisters. It's a couple that moved over to our area from their area. Anyways, the guy is Dutch. Yeah, he's from Holland. And his primary language is Dutch! Followed closely by German (Where is Sister Hamson when you need her?!?! Oh yeah, she's in the Cebu Mission! Pastilan!) And then English. No Visaya. It's good, though, because when we teach in English, I can help a lot more. His partner is a Pinay, so we teach her sa Visaya. And then Gerald. But we were able to track down some ward members who speak Ilonggo, so hopefully language won't be a barrier there any more. 

Other than that, the work just continues to progress! But man it goes by so fast. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. It's very true. The harder you work, the faster you go. And the transfer call comes in just a few days! NOOO! I'm really going to miss Sister Yap. She is so amazing. 

Anyways...I guess my interesting food of the week is Keso flavored Ice Cream. Yeah it was interesting. Actually it was pretty good! Especially when it's mixed with Ube or Strawberry. How do I know this? Because we were invited to a party-party this past Sunday at one of the members houses! A birthday party! Complete with cake and ice cream!

After eating tons there, we went to the Mondarte's for dinner! Yeah - lami kaayo siya! There was...eggplant? Yeah, I think it was eggplant, and it was sliced up just right that it looked like a bird - the stem looked just like a beak. So I asked what kind of bird it was and everyone was laughing - lol! Even me, especially once I found out that it wasn't actually a bird. After dinner, Sister M asked me: "Lami ang bird?" Haha they're so funny. I love them so much! Love the members here :D

Sorry about all the weird formatting that's going one. I don't remember how to work computers very well, so I can't fix it :/

Alright. Best wishes to everyone! Love you all :D

- Sister Warner -