Week 11

Monday, May 4, 2015

Mom!!!!

I want to thank you and everyone for their prayers this week and their faith in those prayers. I have had the best week in my mission so far, and it has been wonderful!!!!! 

So two Saturdays ago, we had National Day of Service. SOOOO much fun. I love giving service, and being able to do something helpful. We cleaned up trash off the sides of the streets. It was really fun! We did it with the ward, so I got to talk to them a little bit! 

Then on Tuesday this week we planted brown rice! Holy cows! SOOOOOO Much fun! So hot and so tiring, but it was so worth it. We watched the restoration videos in Tagalog that night with some investigators. Guys, the church is true in every language. I know it. I love it, I love being able to share it with these wonderful people!

Wednesday was good too! We taught a wonderful lesson to Sister Malou. We taught it about Joseph Smith and the BoM. the Spirit was sooooo strong! I loved it. I hope that she continues. She has an 8 year old son and has a crush on me. When we did exchanges Saturday, he wouldn't come into the house because I wasn't there..... 

Esther and her family are good!!!!! They ask questions when we teach, and they are willing to answer questions that we ask! The dad isn't really home, he is always busy with the farm, rice field, but he doesn't mind when we are there. They are amazing people. Last time when we visited, I could see them, dressing in white, at the temple. It was wonderful, and I hope that they have the faith to be baptized and to change. 

We also met with our other new investigator. Her name is Lorna. she has 4 little kids that are so cute! She is also very receptive to our teaching. She understood about Prophets and about the Apostasy. It was wonderful! 

Sister Vicky is never home anymore, so we haven't been able to teach her  again. It makes me sad, but oh well....

Oh! So two Mondays ago, we bought a cake for a less active sister in our area because it was her 59 birthday! It was sooooo much fun! She has the cute little grandson, Rain, that reminds me of Andrew. I love her, and am so grateful that I got to meet her!

We have district meeting every week. There are 4 sisters and 8 Elders total in our district. Elder Key is in my District, and an elder from the Manila MTC is too. They both have American companions from Utah. Then the Zone leaders and Sister Training Leaders are in the district too! I live with the STLs and they are sooo amazing and awesome! We have district activity next week and I am really excited!!! 

We had zone interviews this week. So I got to meet with President again. It was exactly what I needed. So My mission is like someone hands you a baby and tells you to take care of it. You have no clue what a baby is. You have only seen pictures of them and think that you are really cute! You are so excited! But after like a week, you are so tired. You had no idea that a baby was supposed to cry, you have no idea that the baby needed to be burped, and changed. So you go to the doctor, and start asking all of these questions and the doctor is like... that's normal for a baby. You are doing a great job taking care of this baby! That is pretty much how this interview went. It was so good! I was told I was ok to be homesick, and that it is one of the blessings of a mission for the missionary and family. Because it makes all of us love each other even more. It was so good! Ah it was so amazing!

We went on exchanges Saturday too. I got to go with sister Cabatuan. She is an amazing sister. Her sister is a member but less active. She was baptized two ish years ago. and is so amazing. She goes home in 16 days. I am so sad. She really helped build my confidence in speaking the language, and in teaching. I am grateful for that experience. 

I love the book of Mormon. I know that it is true! I am in the Book of Mormon, and it makes me sad that the Nephites are so wicked. It is a good reminder to me to stay humble, and to always remember the Lord. As we teach about the Book of Mormon, I know that it will help these people so much, because I know that it is true! I love bearing my testimony about it. 

Thank you for the quotes! They will help me so much this week. I am so grateful for all of you at home! You make things easier to handle. I really didn't want to put all of your pictures up on my wall because I felt bad because sister Gregorio doesn't have any, but I realized that I needed to see those who are always right beside me, and always have my back. I love looking at your smiling faces when I have my studies. 

I realized that these are going to be the fastest 15ish months of my life! It will be so hard for me to come home because of how much I love these people! 

Ayaw ko yung spoilers mula kay Avengers!!!!!! Huwag send them!!!!! Hehehehhe I am so funny.......

I am glad that church was good! I am glad that you are doing well. How was Spencers talk? Longhorn..... I get legit Philippino food..... hindi ko alam kung mabuti trade off..... Hehehehe really funny....

You are amazing and I am so glad that you are my mom! I wasn't as homesick as I thought I would be about missing your b-day.... YAY! 

We have velveta cheese, and butter, gravy would be good too. Don't worry about like journal binders or anything.... maybe some more paper. I am almost done with my first one. um.... don't send the contacts right now either. Actually, if you can, send them back, I don't really want them. I have enough contacts for a year with me now. So I am ok. I bought a whole bunch of individually raped mentos that I carry around with me. I get a lot of little kids looking at me and saying hi. Last week one was like, "hi sexy" like this 7 year old kid. I just laughed the rest of the way home!!!!!!!

I like the shoes, send them in blue please! Also are you tagging me on Facebook so that my friends can see it too?

I love and miss you all tons!!!!  I pray for you all everyday!

Love, Sister Emma Nelson