#1's Weekly Email: Week #37

I have become so lax in my own blogging. I knew if I missed one day with my ten random minute streak that I'd be done for awhile. Well, it happened, and yup, I knew it. Ugh! With #1's current email, she doesn't get too much into the explanation of the title. That might just be a good thing. She has finally complained about someone, but that will remain between #1 and me. It's funny. She really loves people…all people, but there is one personality trait that she just cannot abide. It's also funny how a mission is somewhat like a mini version of life--such a concentrated amount of learning takes place in such a short period of time. It's like you run into the hardest things for your own personality and learn to rub off those rough edges while coming into contact with all of these difficult things. So far, her learning has been pretty smooth, but she is now getting some real "sand paper" experiences. I look forward to what she will learn from this and how she will deal with it. I know it will enrich the rest of her life and help her in the future when she deals with this again once home. I love this young woman so much! Even if she wasn't my daughter, I'm sure we'd be best friends. I have to share this week's tender mercy (Ah, the blessings of being mom to a missionary!)…. I'm working on sending a package to the brother of #1's last companion. He is also a missionary but in a mission WAY down south in the Philippines. I don't think they send foreigners to this particular mission. In order to send the package, I needed a contact phone number but couldn't find one on the mission website, so I found a Facebook page for the mission. The page specified that it was only for the years from 2011 to 2013, so I wasn't sure I'd get a response at all. I went ahead and messaged asking for the mission phone number. I received a reply the next morning with the phone number and inquiring which missionary I was sending the package to. I replied and received another response. Here's what it said: "Sister Julie, are you the mother of Sister Hesss who was assigned in our branch in Lubao, Pampanga?. I came in that lovely branch, that's my homebranch. And I'm so grateful for the work of Sister Hess there and her companion….." What are the chances that I'd just happen to contact this random mission and run into someone who knows my daughter from WAYYY far up north?! Craziness! He shared a few more things, and it just did my heart so good to hear it….Just what I needed. I'm grateful for a Father who knows my needs and puts people in my path just when I need them. I love being a missionary mom! Here's the email for the week. Enjoy! Keep Calm and Don't Become a Nazi

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haha this week has been super duper interesting. It was transfer week and guess what! None of us got transferred. We're still here in San Agustin. The only thing that changed in our zone is that one of our zone leaders became an assistant to the president and then we got two new ones. That's.... fun. So yeah, crazy crazy crazy week over here. Monday: We had a Family Home Evening at one of the members houses and it was super fun. We played a whole bunch of games and they all involved water :) Tuesday: We went out and tracted and worked with the members and waited for the text announcing who was transferring. We were almost home and then Elder C called and said that no one was transferring. Not exactly the most exciting of transfer days. Wednesday: We went around our area again and taught a bunch of people. Our last appointment was with Brother D. And he told us that he had relapsed and was super super discouraged. He told us that he wanted to give up. So we taught him a really encouraging lesson about David and Goliath and he got a priesthood blessing. That is some powerful stuff. Thursday: We had a zone meeting where we met our new Zone Leaders. They're an interesting pair. This is gonna be an interesting transfer... Afterwards we taught J (who was getting baptized on Saturday) and that was super fun because we joke around with him a lot. We also went and taught one of our recently returned less-actives who is also a really big joker. And then he told us that we was going to work with us on Friday. Alright, that's good with us.We went and visited D again and he seemed to be doing a little bit better but he was still a bit discouraged. Friday! We had MLC again and that was awesome. We went to the mission home and I got to see everyone I love because Sister C is now an STL as well! YAY! Reunions are sooooo happy. And I learned a lot too. And I'm definitely going to apply them to my calling as an STL. After the MLC, we went home. There I found out that all the branch missionaries had had a huge bunch of drama happen and while I was gone the other sisters here had fixed it. Ah I love these sisters... And then we had a baptism. Brother J got baptized and he was so happy. He says he wants to serve a mission. YES! After the baptism we went and taught all the recent converts that we have in Balintabog who are a bunch of kids that are awesome. We always play a really short game afterwards with them as a reward for listening to us. We played Hair Fight this time hehe Saturday: This day was really successful. We got 3 new investigators and they were all referrals. We taught Sister B (16 years old) and gave her a baptism date but she says she can't come to church because she goes to church with her Grandma at the Catholic church. That's gonna change pretty soon. And then we went and found another referral and taught them too. Then we went and taught the S family who are recent converts. They're awesome and say they're gonna prepare a lot of referrals for us :) Sunday: We went to church and it was good. We went and taught the O family again and Brother D worked with us along with Brother W and Brother Jo. It was a really fun time. And then we went and taught the kids in Balintabog again and then went to the Su family's house and had dinner. Nanay Su is awesome and she loves cooking for us. So yeah. This week was good and fun. I learned a lot and I plan on changing a lot. Thank you for all your prayers and support. I love you all. Have a great week! Until next time. Mahal ko kayo! -Sister Hess