#1's Weekly Email: Week #19

I give up on the Tagalog to English translation. Sheesh. I'm going to have to go to the new missionary in our ward to see if she can translate for me. For now, sorry. You're going to have to suffer through it like I do.

I completely agree with #1 about what she says about the gift of tongues. How in the world would someone be able to speak a new language in a matter of months without it? I remember each day I woke up in Japan, on my mission, wondering if the language would still be with me that day. It was granted way beyond what was earned.

I'm so happy for m'girl. So glad she's loving life.

I have to share also that we received a phone call this week from one of the senior missionaries who lives near #1. He said a number of things that made me very happy. Can I share them here at the risk of sounding too braggy? He shared that #1 tells things how they are....Hmm....I don't know where she'd get a trait like that. He also said, "That girl of yours has the gift of tongues. She can speak Tagalog!" He also said that she was very obedient. I think of all the things he said, that one made me happiest. If she's obedient, I know she'll be safe and that she'll reap the blessings for her obedience.

Enjoy!

So this week started out the way it normally does. P-day, working, teaching.

Tuesday - Working and anticipating finding out what's gonna happen. The text was supposed to come at 6. 6 comes around, no text. 7, no text. 7:30, text! Eeep! Freaking out over here. Sister Ja and Sister C are being transferred and Sister Je, Sister Ja, and I are all training! We walked home very fast and began packing. Sister Je and I were both freaking out. We just finished our 12 weeks and we're already training?! Paano yen?

Wednesday - We get up at 5 and travel to the mission home. In Iba, Sister C gets off at the bus station. She is now the Sister Training Leader in [another zone]. We then continue to the mission home. Surprise surprise, Sister S, Sister T, Sister P, and Sister W are all training too! :D Happy day. Family reunion at the mission home. It's amazing to think that all of us just finished our 12 weeks and we're training already. Astig talaga yen. Sobrang masaya kami. We got paired up with our trainees. Sister L is my trainee and she is awesome. She's happy all the time like me and she learns so fast. She was quiet at first but now we're really good friends and she's not quiet anymore.

Wednesday -  first day of work. Because I'm the trainer now, I have to do all the talking. Everyone is amazed that I can speak the language as well as I can. They always ask me how long I've been here in the Philippines and then they're shocked when I say only 3 months. Hahaha I love the looks on their faces. I am so grateful for the gift of tongues. I'd never be able to do this without my Heavenly Father. 

Thursday and Friday - pantid days, meaning that no one is home because there is an election going on right now. I learned yesterday that the candidates go from house to house.... Wow.

Saturday - Baptism! Sister E got baptized. Before the baptism we asked her how she felt about it and she would always say "normal-lang." but after her baptism she said she felt really happy. YAY!

Sunday - We were worried that Sister E wouldn't get to the church on time because she has two little boys and she is usually late. We prayed so hard that she would get there on time and when we got there, she was already there. Heavenly Father answers prayers and she knows that the church is true :D Happy happy day.

So yeah. That was this week. Hopefully this next week, people will be home. The election ends today.

I'm still happy and so glad to be serving my mission here. Missions are the most awesomest things ever :) 

So yup. Yun lang.

Inaro kata mo haliban (I love you all in Sambal. I'm trying to learn Sambal. There are a lot of different dialects here and Sambal is what the natives speak here. Pretty darned cool)

Have a great week! Thank you for all your prayers and support.

-Sister Hess