A Wedding and a New Kasama

We had a wedding this week we went to the Reception and the Pilipino culture is to drape the dancing couple with money as they dance. It was fun. The wedding of the Sibling of our investigator Julios Mendaros! 

So Transfer day was looooong because there was a nationwide brown out that made the plane late so they extended the meeting until the new ones arrived. It was good though. So I am taking over Solano with a Kasama from Kitabati and she has only been out for 6 months and I have only been out 3 hahah so it is like we are in the MTC all over again but it is good she is an answer to my prayers.
She is super chill and I know that once we get her to know everyone that we teach that she will be amazing!  It is slow going getting Sister Newere out to meet all the ones that we teach but we are getting there. Solano area is big!!! People here in the branch always ask where you are.  

I think this new Kasama is just for me just to pull thru and actually study language instead of have a trainer to lean on. I love it.

My Kasama told me that this week that she felt the spirit teaching Nanay Vasquez and she spoke pure Tagalog. she is super willing to speak Tagalog to any one and it helps me because I use English once I know they understand it. 

I have this responsibility now to get sister Newere comfortable in our apartment and to get to know all those that we teach and I am taking that step by step. I love you all!! Mahal ko kayo sister Perkins

Good-bye to Sister Diola

Hello Sister Newere

Running on the rock quary? Why, yes I am. Haha

I WIN! I found honey in the Philippines (which is impossible)!

Wedding in the PH

A Rock Band, Community Service Project, Branch Activity, and Snow in the Philippines!

Branch Activity. Sister Diola Pretty much just organized the whole thing! It was amazing to see her go!!! It was way fun too. We had the little kids do a dance and when we shut off the music they had to stand still. These kids are amazing! They would stop so suddenly and wouldn't move. So to even it out we threw some candy in and they all scattered to get the candy but the truly obedient ones it was funny. We also had a game fill in the blanks (it’s with the chairs. it's like missionary Tag with musical chairs mixed together!) with the RS and the youth, and balloon popping Challenge for the Elders vs. the RS.

We had Community Service Project and we worked in the rice fields. It was really good work! Like we had only 4 lessons but they were all heart to heart.

My Kasama is getting transferred. 

I just hope and pray that now that sister Diola is gone that I will be able to take care of these people. I love them so much. I am sad that she will be leaving and I am happy to see who's next. I will miss her leadership, spirit, testimony and love that she brings to our lessons

The earthquake was way south of us so I didn’t feel it.

Brother Magapans collection hahah some of our members are in a band together and it is amazing!!

there is our Branch Prez rocking out on the drums, He is the main singer though in the band

This is if I was short

I hate ants

Meet sister Diolas new Kasama Elder Perkins hahahah Sister Manylins nephew.  

We got to plant RICE! not really it was already planted but we were filling in the gaps to the rows. it was fun  we got all muddy! 

our Branch president tried some new shampoo. 

Also Tatay Reyes is the bomb he knows some kicking Spanish Guitar. 

Decorations

 Branch Coordinator. Brother Marcos He is so funny! and he is  a pro Cook. made all the food for the Activity! 

Balik- Tanaw Return to the Past. Balik- return Tanaw-looking behind you. 

Dance by the youth

 A musical number by Brother Lemuel 

Games by the RS

Crazy week!

General Conference and Lots of Pictures!

I listened to General Conference in English it was amazing! I loved how most of the talks (at least to me) where about the Atonement. I couldn't see anyone that I knew except for in the MoTab I Laura Larsen, her hair is getting longer. I loved the talks by the international people Like Dube and Ochoa!  Bawled like a baby in some of them. Man Conference just feels like home no matter where you are at England, Philippines or Hawaii. I loved it.

Man it is weird to think that it is fall there. Here they are done harvesting and now planting a new batch of rice it is cool to see them out there planting super straight rows.  They don't have Halloween here, but they do have all souls day and the weeks building up to it is filled with Street shops and a mini fair. 

Friday: New INVESTIGATOR! Sister Fe. Very Catholic but has opened her door to many different missionaries. Hopefully the spirit will testify to her that this is the truth! Work was good. Then to Sister Ang's house her husband died years ago and we asked her to make it a goal to go to the temple and be sealed with him. She now has motivation to come to church.
Saturday: Another "Typhoon" it was just rain again. But we stayed in until General Conference.

Sunday: General Conference, Sister Diola Cooked for us then we Worked it was good. We went to Tayag Family he is the Leather worker. He thinks it's too hard to quit smoking. But we have already asked him to try the WoW twice. So we were sneaky and talked to his family about Hope and that you can hope to change and that he can. 

What happens when your hair is too long and there are sisters around you...

 Planting rice season

Batad...

Batad

Rice Terraces

Waterfall of Batad

Blisters of Batad

Playing with the drum set of Bro. Magapan

Miracles and a Hike to Batad

So Transfer day is in 2 weeks and I might be training Scary! But oh well the lord has my back. We will know if I am training next week.  One thing we know for kind of sure is that sister Diola will be transferred she has stayed in Solano for 4 transfers and that is usually the limit (some exceptions)  I hope she gets a normal companion she has trained for her whole mission!! Wow.

Also small Miracle sister Diola has a pen that sometimes annoys us because it won't stay clicked so she has to slam it down. So I thought in my head "she really needs a new pen" during Comp study and during walking she found the same pen on the side of the road in amazing condition (it wasn't even dirty!)  What! Miracle!

Another weakness I don't know how to ask Inspired questions, especially in a different language. But on Saturday we had one lesson, and I just took the lead and asked her inspired questions, read the scripture verse in Tagalog, and it was a really good lesson and she came to church on Sunday!!! It was so good!!!  The reason we had one lesson was we watched the RS General Broadcast! IT was so good! It was all about Baptismal covenants Which really struck me that less actives really need to be reminded of all that they promised to do and that they have the tools to do it and that our investigators really need to be converted to Christ because he gave them the Way and he is who we are promising to Follow. (oh and BTW they had a room where it was in English there was only us and the other missionaries from our ward and a mom with 4 kids in there hahah oh English)

Monday Batad Hike with the Whole Zone! IT was amazing! So beautiful. That is why I didn't E-mail then. It is rice terraces and a water fall at the end and then a 412 step hike back up. A sister had a leg cramp in the middle of the stairs and our huge zone leader from Fiji picked her up and just whipped her up half way. It was amazing. I love to Hike I am so glad for the beautiful place that the Lord has created and I really bonded with our zone it was fun.

This Wednesday people are coming from Manila to take all the foreigners fingerprints so that we don't have to leave right away on Monday when our visas expire.