Week 5

Kumusta Friends and Family!!
Kumusta ka?? This week has been BUSY!! Wednesday we had the oppotunity to clean the temple, we get to wear white scrubs (legit). I cleaned the furniture and the cubbies in the rental area and some of the initiatory. It was fun! Thursday we had our last TRC lesson in English. It went well, we taught in unity, the spirit was strong and we focused on the needs of the investigator. Tomorrow we have to teach a FULL 45 minute lesson in Cebuano, I'm super nervous but I have been studying Faith all week and I know that the Lord will help me know what to say.

Saturday was fun, we went outside to study and listened to Carrie Underwood practice for the Stadium of Fire (probably not a good idea-serious distraction for the Elders....haha) Then Saturday night we got to watch the Fireworks, which was amazing b/c as I looked at all the Missionaries around me watching the fireworks, it was amazing knowing that in a couple of weeks we would all be around the world, excercising our religious freedoms and teaching the people all around the world about the Gospel. It was an amazing experience, plus the english elders sang "Im Proud to be an American" which was pretty funny.

Sunday, we got to go on a temple walk and I got to hang out and take a lot of pictures with my favorite English District that left on Monday, soo sad!! I've missed them, defninitely not as much laughs without them. The cantonese sisters I roomed with and their district left too!! So were a little empty here right now. But I've been showing around an Austrailian sister that arrived yesterday and is in my branch. I got to hang out with all the international missionaries Tuesday morning. One was from Norway, another Germany, 3 from Australia and one from England....ya I felt pretty cool. Today we get a whole new district of 10 missionaries going to Arizona and Hawaii that we can bring in.

Although this week was fun, it was hard for me. I have been feeling super inadequate. As a solo sister you get a lot of rap because your in a unique situation and to others on the outside, they might not understand. I have just been feeling like everything I do is wrong, and although I try my best I keep falling short. Its hard being a solo sister b/c I'm with my Elders all day and they are who I am closest to here at the MTC. We rely on eachother for everything and we're with eachother all the time, but its a hard situation trying to learn to be in a companionship because of the boundaries between Elders and Sisters and not looking bad to other missionaries. My Elders were trying to make me feel better all day. Then Brother Latimer, had me be the spot light-where we go around and say everything we love about that person. He must of had inspiration because I felt soo much better afterwards b/c they all said such nice things. He said afterwards, that usually solo Sisters arent able to get along as well with the Elders as I do and that I am working soo hard and doing an amazing job.

This experience has helped me grow in soo many ways and I have soo much to work on still...But I am trying my very best. I have learned to fully turn to the Lord and allow him to help me make my weaknesses into strengths. I have noticed such a change in me and my Elders, and we are all doing great and working soo well together. I have met people that have changed my life and I learn from everyone in my district everyday. We can receive answers to our prayers if we pray sincerely to the Lord. I have been learning to contemplate my prayers before hand and allow the spirit to let me know what to say to my Father in Heaven. This week lets all work on Charity together. No judging, no talking bad about others and truly loving everyone for who they are-their strengths AND their weaknesses. Look at everyone the way Christ would and that you can learn important attributes and characteristics from everyone. So lets read in the scriputers about Charity this week, and also pray for it and make a conscious effort to love everyone around us.
Gugma ko kanamo!!!!
Love, Cari