First Baptism

So in The Philippines we get to watch conference a week late...haha!!! So thanks for spoiling the news, Mom, about the temple...haha! Its okay, I am sooo excited, we brought S. Alma to watch the GRS Broadcast and it was AMAZING, her first time seeing the Prophet!! She loved it. I was brought to tears when we sang with the choir during the intermediate hymn. TO see that the Church is actually the same all over the World and to feel soo connected with everyone was such an amazing experience.

So S. Alma's baptism-AMAZING!! S. Person and I sang love at home in Tongan, it sounded super cool actually. It took 3 times to get her baptism right, B. Sevilla is a new convert and was very nervous, but it just made the baptism all the more sweet. Afterwards in the bathroom I asked S. Alma how she was feeling and she said "I AM SOO HAPPY" (in english...haha) so cute, I was soo happy for her. Then we walked her to the jeepney and it was just soo amazing...how truly great is your joy when you bring souls into the gospel. The next day she was supposed to get confirmed but she didn't show up at church. There is a very long story but her boss is really mad at the Mormons and wouldn't give her permission to go to church. Soo sad, but she is faithful and going strong, when we take her to GC this Sunday I told her we would open the day with a fast so she could make a decision whether or not to quit her job. Pray for her it is a very difficult situation, and very complicated. She is still soo happy to be a member of the church and is continuing to read and pray. I just love her!

As for conference we have many investigators coming, I am sooo excited!!! Oh by the way we have 3 investigators with Baptismal dates. One is super ready, S. Erwina who I found my second week, I don't know if you remember the story...she is super excited, her baptism is scheduled for the 23rd this month. Its truly amazing since Mabolo has seen few baptisms and this month there is 2 maybe 3!! and next month there should be more!!! S. Erwina is a single mother from a broken family and has found happiness and hope from the Gospel. I found her when I was on splits and we opened up with a hymn while we were teaching her neighbors (less active) "Families can be together forever" she found me afterward and in tears asked me about the hymn and I made a return appointment. I just love her, too! We took her to the temple tour that we now have every Thursday and she was soo touched and excited to enter the temple someday. Amazing spirit!!

So yes we are doing temple tours now every Thursday, its amazing to be in the city actually. We had one last Thursday though that kind of bombed, it was in the morning and 70 engineering students from Bohol were touring the temple to see how it worked, and we missionaries were in charge of the spiritual aspect. Well that FAILED huge! I tried to talk to them about the temple (all boys) and they only wanted to know if I had a boy friend and then asked me to get married after the mission, well lets just say my face turned bright red and I went and hid behind the elders. haha.

So I have been trying to wait to say this news but it is just too exciting!! Elder Cook is speaking to us on Oct. 14 but only 3 zones near the city and we are one of them!!! We all get the privilege of shaking his hand and talking to him!! AHHH!! I cant wait!!!

Oh yes Mom...I love the Food, I ate belut again!! I just love it!! Dont think I'm weird, it was fried this time and I think like 18 days old, feathers, beak head-delicious kaayoo!! haha. There are soo many foods I love, just about everything. The bread, there are bakeries just about every other shop, and people are always frying and barbecuing on the street there is just food everywhere and tindahans (little stores on every corner) don't worry I'm good for clothes, we have two malls in our area, and the spiders and slugs have disappeared. I have a shower now, which is freezing, I really don't like showering...but dont worry I still do it-everyday!! haha. Oh we experience a lot of brown outs, thats when the whole city loses power...happens often, those are fun.

So you probably always love to hear about our crazy investigators. We found one B. Marshall...severely on drugs...haha. S. Person gave him some of her food b/c he has no money since he has noo job. And he was just spitting on me the whole time while he talked....crumbs all over...soo gross. I was squatting (my legs are getting really strong...haha) b/c he had no chairs except for two and S. Person and our Ward member sat on the chairs. He was confessing about all the drugs he uses and we taught him about the word of wisdom..haha. Another Investigator, B. Donatu devoted seventh day Adventist. Oh he TRIES my patience. He is always preaching to us...I barely get a word in. And he was talking about the Sabbath being on Saturday blah blah blah. And I was like okay I have the perfect scripture Amos 20:7 about the apostles taking the sacrament on the First day. It was perfect, I was like I totally have him! So I asked him if he could read it, and he read from his own bible and he reads "and the apostles broke bread on the sabbath which is saturday" HAHA I'm like "WHAT?" haha his version is like written for his religion, he totally got me there haha. He is really hard to teach though you tell him something and he raises his hand in front of you and says "DILI DILI!" (NO! NO!) and shakes his hand, oh I just want to break it off sometimes...haha. But God is trying to teach me patience i know. PLus we teach him in the hottest room ever with no fan. Our teaching situations are funny we are usually squatting or crammed in a little area, never like in other countries where you sit on a couch in a living room...haha. no that never happens.

Also, I'm reading the Old Testament, its weird, haha, I am trying to love it but it has soo many weird things...happen. But I love being a missionary, S. Person is amazing. I have learned soo much from her. We are really trying to perfect our companionship and sacrifice everything to the Lord. Like I love eating while I'm walking, B/c we walk A LOT! But we decided to give that up soo we can look more professional, also we are never going to speak bad about others, which is difficult b/c many people can be frustrating...but I have noticed such a different and better spirit now!! I feel soo blessed as I know the Lord is perfecting and refining me!!

Hillary do not Dear John me!! I wrote you a letter its on its way!!

By the way you need to all stop being soo boring, and make yourselves do something interesting, so that I have one exciting thing to read...haha. just kidding I love every piece of news I hear. and Mom the Ipod charger is like the same thing we have that you plug into the wall, the white thing. I need more crystal light, its like S. persons favorite thing, we drink it all the time. Oh also...what missionary did you see a picture of me?

Well I love you all....and am glad your well and safe!!! I am happy always!!

Love,
Cari