13 April 2015

Letter 76: Q&A with Sister Smith

Dearest Family and Friends,

I hope you're doing well :) This Q&A is provided by Mom (and a few from Elder Simmons). Thank you for your participation. 

How was your week?
It was great! I loved it :) We lost a few days because of choir practice and running errands for moving houses. But we still had good things happen (also. I've requested to my housemates they they just move when they become a trio next week. They've agreed. it will be way easier for everyone)

What was your favorite day this past week?
I really liked Wednesday because we had exchanges, and I got to spend one more day with Sister Scicluna (and I got to lead the area. so that was fun) But this time she's the STL. haha. She gave me some great advice. "Just be bold! You've got one last week to cry repentance, do it boldly and with love."

And Conference was WAY good on Saturday. I loved it

But Friday wins :) because Sister Rumpella got baptized. She's a Child Not of Record (as you could say) and it was a pleasure to teach her. She'll be confirmed next Sunday, and really I think the reason she was baptized Friday instead of next Saturday is because her Dad needed to be there to witness it before going to Manila. 
Family :)
What are you doing today?
Later today we'll be Singing in the Capiztahan Festival. I'm excited to get it over with. It has been so drama-drama and all of the missionaries in the choir are just DONE because it's been eating at our proselyting time.

What are you doing this week?
Finding. Teaching. Picking up Rumpella for church to make SURE she gets confirmed. Write letters to RCs and LAs from old areas. Also  Packing (ugh. I want to die). How is it that I feel like I'm giving everything away but I have so much stuff left? (souvenirs. . haha. ) And books are heavy. More ugh. I'm sorry if I have heavy luggage fees. 

What are you doing next Monday?
I'll be in Iloilo and I really have no Idea. I think I email one more time? I'll be hanging out with my Batch. I think I have my final interview with President. I really have no idea. Everyone else going home with me is in Iloilo. . I'm the only one far away! If I don't get time really to email, I'll ask my friend (the AP :]) to give me five minutes to send a "See you in a few days!" on his computer.

What was your favorite thing you ate this week?
Sister Menor makes a really Good Sinigang. yumyum. Also had fried rice for breakfast this morning (talk about healthy haha)

What's the best native food you've had?  
EVERYTHING.  Ube. Langka. Sinigang, Mongo kag gata. Saging. Menudo

What's one of your favorite Ilonggo words?
Basta. it means . . . "Just as long as" like if your at a food court and you're companion doesn't know what to choose, and you're just like, "I don't care what we eat. Basta Food." there are other uses. . but their hard to explain. like. . when it's hard to explain something and you're just like, "Basta it was nice." Like saying. . "Basically" 

Or Palagpat. It's like Ridiculous. or annoying. or kinda like having a rebelious streak in your personality, you can be palagpat. 

Tell me 5 phrases in Ilonggo
"Indi sia basta-basta" It's not something to be taken lightly!
"Palangga kita sang aton Amay sa Langit" Our Father in Heaven Loves us.
"Ta!" Let's Go! or in Tagalog "Tara!"
"Ambot Sa imo!" I don't know about you! (you're a little weird. or I don't understand you)
"Te!" It's like "See, I told you so!." 

Who was your favorite speaker in conference/ favorite one liner?
ALL OF IT. As in. I absolutely loved it. But Elder Pearson pulled a great one on me "To all missionaries past and present: Elders and Sisters, you simply cannot return from your mission [and] do a swan-dive back into Babylon." I did a sort of salute to the screen and was like, "Alright. Noted. Thanks For the Warning"

What miracles did you see this week?
Had a great lesson with an RC gone LA about Repentance and Change. It really followed the Spirit. And then he came to conference on Saturday :)

Tell me about some of the people you visited this week
The RC/LA mentioned above has a great brother that I love teaching. He's absolutely Hilarious. Unfortunately he's stopped progressing :( and I don't think he'll be baptized soon. . . but he knows the church is true. He just needs more time. 

We normally visit Rhodey, and he's way great and interested in the Gospel. I loved what he said after he finally came to church. "I Liked it! and I've started so I might as well keep going" but this week he was sick, so we haven't seen him.  :( but......  He'll be baptized in May :)

What made you laugh?
When you're companions with Sister Robertson. . Everything is funny. :) 

Actually, whenever we're home I love it. Sister Scicluna is a great story teller, Sister Menor and I just mess with each-other, and Sister Robertson can make anything funny. Sometimes we'll be out walking, and we'll see something humorous, but then Sister Robertson thinks is so funny she can't even continue walking. I love it. :)

What made you cry?
The Talk "Waiting for the Prodigal" made me tear up.I'm sure the crying will come on Sunday when I get on a Ceres and head for Iloilo. I dunno. Maybe on the plane.  

What were your successes?
This week? not loosing my patience at choir practice. This Transfer? Cleaning out that hideous area book. My mission? Learning what it really means to become converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What's your favorite part of missionary work? 
Everything. EVERYTHING. I love the Schedule (our schedule actually changed. No more Language study if you're long time in the mission. out by 11am not by 12nn. and then Pday ends at 5 instead of 6) and just the consistency of two hours of study. Having to do lists, and to be lists and stuff. I used to hate planning, but now I love it. I even don't mind exercising now. haha

What things do you not want to forget?
Ilonggo. The people I've met, the Spiritual moments, the Companions, the Things I learned, just how much I LOVE being a missionary and being on the Lord's Errand. 

What's one of your favorite things you've seen?
I've loved seeing people changing their lives for the better. :) Seriously, it's so cool to see someone go from being addicted to smoking and then never want to touch a cigarette again. Or to see families become more united just because they start going to church together, or because they're praying. 

I've also loved seeing changes in myself too. I hope I'm a bit more Christlike now :) 

Thank you! Now that was a much easier letter to write :) hahaha. 

Anyway. It's hard to think how fast the time has flown. 

See you in. . I don't know how many days. Ya'll can do the counting. I'm not gonna think about it. 

The Church is True

I love this Work, 
I Love the Lord, 

Mabuhay,
Sister Smith
You know I love Sunsets

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