4/25/12

Spiritual:  In Jesus the Christ Ch 27, Elder Talmage comments on the parables of the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and The Prodigal Son.  He says this of the three:  one was lost because they wandered, one was lost not necessarily because of what they did, but because it was not properly cared for and looked after, and the third willfully severed his ties.  This draws powerful parallels to our less actives, and how important it is to not only look for those who are lost, but to take preventative action by diligently caring for the flock and making sure there is no neglect.  This falls under establishing the Church, not just helping it grow.  The careful and structure growth of a vineyard is far more useful than that of a wild patch that just continues to grow, no matter how fast it is growing!  The one will continue to produce while the other will eventually turn into unfruitful wilderness

 

No, I was not transferred, and neither was Sister Roper!  Kami pa rin sa darating transfer (it is still us this coming transfer)!  I am so grateful.  We have in no way reached even a part of our potential together.  I am excited to achieve that this transfer, especially because I think I am going to keep my pattern--two with each companion!  It is now or never!

My behavior on Sunday will serve as a funny (because it was pretty darn funny).  Another funny is that on Friday I straightened my hair for fun just to see what it would look like.  Not bad actually.  It about reaches my shoulders when it is straight--it is genuinely much longer now.  I even have a real pony tail, even if it is short.  Back to the story.  So I was also curious to see what my straight hair would so in the humidity.  By the end of the day it was in really big soft curls, as if I had taken a big barreled curling iron to it.  It was pretty nice looking.  So the funny.....my shadow looked like Darth Vader, he he.  So I made Darth Vader noises.  That was fun.

About pictures....I will try really hard next week.  Promise.

I love you all so, so much!  Have a great week! 

4/4/2012

Family!

Spiritual: Helaman 12:1-2.  Here Mormon is lamenting, but I want to focus on the good part--the evidence that when we really do put our trust in the Lord and obey Him, He literally will provide EVERYTHING for our happiness and welfare.  The promise in the scriptures really is true, and our for the taking.  The Lord is waiting on us--when are we going to do something about it?

I am so excited about General Conference!  So special!  Our Bishop watched it this weekend on their computer at home.  And that the MTC choir sang.  Wow.  We are so jealous of the MTC choir--when we were there we wanted to sing for Gen Conf too! 

The only plans we have for Easter right now are making chicken curry and s'mores at Bishop's house.  Yes, we still have squatter's area.  It is pretty much unavoidable here, unfortunately.  But I have definitely gone a step up!  It is not ALL squatter's area!  It is cushy too because my area is the closest to the apartment (in all my other areas it was not) and it has the grocery stores and fast food.  I have eaten more McDonald's in the past 3 weeks than I have in the past 5 years!  About us both being blond, etc.:  we don't get too much more attention actually (from my standpoint anyway, from hers we are getting more--I guess she never got this much when she was with Filipino companions.  That is what happens when your companion is Barbie).  It just means people try to speak English to us more and try to cheat us more too....which is a bit frustrating.  Oh well.  Good thing we have been here long enough to know when we are being cheated, and it doesn't take too long to get them to speak Tagalog to us (the English usually is not very good, and the conversation is much easier in Tagalog).

Thanks for telling that funny story about Jac.  So cute! he he he.  I love cute little stories like that.  Is she still carrying the White Handbook around?

News!  So last week we found out we may have been exposed to TB (tuberculosis), so our entire apartment got to go to the health center and get a skin test.  All of us except Sister Shumway (myself, Sister Roper and Sister Shumway's companion, Sister Sarmiento) had positive skin tests.   Because of this we had the great privilege of having our chests x-rayed to make sure we did not have TB.  Blessedly, none of us do.  All clear on the chest x-ray!   Needless to say it has been a bit of a tough week especially because all of these events occurred over about 5 days.  Sigh.  All done now. 

Well, time is up!  I love you lots family!  Enjoy the upcoming week, and enjoy Easter! wahooo!

PS Michael, I am so excited for your baptism, and your awesome companionship!  They don't have all the hymns in Tagalog, either.  Maybe that will help Elder Gonzalez feel better