Letter 13: Here Comes The Sun

Dearest Panimalay kag Mga Abyan,

The Sun has come out, and it's been A WONDERFUL WEEK!

(guess who's stuck on the computer with the sticking "L" key again? *sigh* Gotta love internet cafes)

Well, anyway! The sun came out literally! Grab-i! The weather has been so nice! I love it!

It also came out in a more figurative sense as well! Sister Massé and I have been dropping non-progressing investigators and last week we discovered a neighborhood in our area! (We normally stay in. . on the right end of our area, this week we went "Left") We tracked most of it, and found so many people willing to listen to our message! We're very happy with some of them actually, and really think that we'll know within the next two weeks who is progressing and who's not. But we're patient, and in all just very excited.

The other Sisters in our ward had a baptism on Saturday! It's really strange, I think Saturday was the first day I really realized that THAT is what I'm trying to help people reach. 

We had exchanges this week! Sister Massé got to go to Guimaras and work there for a day, and I was with Sister Nelson in my area. I learned so much from her (There's a lot to learn, and this is her last transfer, she's such a great example of what I could be as a missionary)

After exchanges I improved so much. I think it taught me what while I still know NOTHING, I at least can hold my own in teaching, and that I can really speak this language.

(Ortiz Warf. Grab-i! You would NOT believe the sunsets at the Warf, it's unreal It Looks like I'm in front of a  fake backdrop or something. Basically it's absolutely beautiful)

Sunset of Beauty

The Dinagiyan festival started the day we had exchanges. Basically it's a . . . festival? I think every main city or province has one here, and this one is Iloilo's (Guimaras's is a Mango Festival in April. Wouldn't that be great to go to?) but that means that there weren't many people home in our area for a few days. But for exchanges, Sister Nelson and I prayed for a miracle, and we got one! We had people to teach! We even taught an investigator that Sister Massé and I have been trying to teach for 2 weeks, but he's been so busy with work he hasn't been able to listen to us. It was great, I could tell he's just so kapoy (exhausted) from work and life, and after our lesson he had energy again. It's amazing what the Gospel can do for you!

Because of the Dinagiyan festival, there were no jeepneys to the warf for Sister Nelson to get back. As she would say, "Heavenly Father is a Great Dad." because he provided us with a Less Active member who got us a C-cab :) But then it took Sister Massé and I 2 HOURS to get home, instead of the normal 30 minutes. Traffic was crazy. But I got to see the fireworks on the way home because it took so long :)

I gave a talk on Sunday. And yes, it was in English. Basi next time it will be more in Ilonggo. Basi (Maybe) I promised that I at least gave my testimony in Ilonggo. And yes, it was short, because I'm still really bad at talking in front of people by myself (Give me a companion, :) and then I'm fine)

My first spider experience was this week. . . pulled my towel off the bar it hangs on, and behind it was THE SPIDER. It's not MASSIVE, but was the size of the circle my fingers make with the tips of my thumbs and first fingers touching.I made Sister Massé kill it. Grab-i, it was FAST.  I'm sure our Pinay housemates heard us all the way upstairs and were just shaking their heads going "Kanas. . ." There was also a cockroach outside the bathroom on the door-pane. Yeah, it's time for us to sanitize the house and spray it to keep the bugs out again. I can handle little ants and little bugs, but this morning I had little worms crawling on my feet while I did laundry. That one I was not happy with.

The Not-so-Itsy-Bitsy-Spider

So. . Palangga ko kamo! kag Kabalo ako nga matuod ang ebanghelyo! Halong kamo! 

(I love (plural) You!  And I know the Gospel is true! Take Care!)

 Madamo Pagpalangga, 

-Sister Smith