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 -