Week Dalawampu-​Tatlo: CONSTANT VIGILANCE

Let me tell you something - missionary work is tiring. Like, I have never been more tired in my entire life. We work all day and we have to be one hundred percent aware of everything happening around us. We walk all day, we have to be professional and personable, and we have to strive to listen for the Spirit to guide us every second. Sometimes I collapse on our cool, tile, ant-covered floor just for a moment to breathe. I want to rest so bad sometimes, just have an hour to zone out and turn off my brain, but I comically employ the phrase, "We can sleep when we're dead." Of course, we never run faster than we have strength, but we have to dig deep for that strength all the time, and by the time P-Day rolls around, we're scraping the bottom of the barrel. I almost suggested abandoning internet time today for a nap. I'm mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted.

So tell me, why am I so wonderfully happy?

I have a headache the size of Mount Mayon and it's so hot all I want to do is curl up in the office and sleep with the air-conditioning, but I somehow have the strength to keep going, a drive that I didn't know I had. Being a missionary? Stressful. Tough. Draining. You get rejected 60% of the time and then disappointed the other 35. But that last 5 percent? That tiny little window of success is enough to make me want to push harder, to feel that wonderful five percent again. Yeah, I'm tired. But man, I love being a successful missionary too. 

We got the Standard of Excellence again for the second week in a row. And wow, it felt good to do it again. Like, we've got it down now. We've set the bar and there is no way I'm sinking below it again. We want to prove that we're here to work. The first week was the proof it was possible, the second week was Sister Siola'a and I stating to the other missionaries that we weren't going to let up. Our leaders are proud of us, we're happy with the progress, and despite the interrupting desires for a week long nap, we'll keep on exercising one of my favorite sayings from a fictional character, as quoted in the title. 

I don't have much to report today, other than they've cut our internet time, so my emails and replies might be significantly shorter. We had a District Activity today. We went to a place called "Wildlife", which is basically a zoo. Tragically, it didn't have any elephants, so I wouldn't even really constitute it as such. But it was fun. I geeked out about animals and we were laughing about how cool God's creations were. It was hotter than Hades outside, but it was fun playing with the District and having a good, ol', sweaty time. We all went to a buffet afterwards, but the sisters and I vetoed it for reasons, and since the tricey (a motorcycle with a size cabby) was wanting to charge 80 pesos to take us back to Daraga, we walked. We walked in the heat probably 45 minutes to an hour back to Daraga from Legazpi, a 20 minute trip by car. Man, I was sweating buckets. 

As far as the week goes, it was simply busy. We convinced a very very very less active member to host a Family Home Evening this next Wednesday. We were telling a ward missionary and inviting her to his house and she just raised her eyebrows in a "oh sweetie" sort of way, like we must be mistaken and she said, "He never entertains anyone, sisters." Oh, he does now!!! He even promised to cook for us!

Melinda agreed to a baptismal date in August, and she's attending church again. She's really finding answers for her questions in the Book of Mormon. Hooray! I love her so much and she's really solidifying her faith. She says she wants her children to be baptized too, because she knows it'll make a better life for them. 

Also, in Annie's prayer this week, she prayed for strength to accept a baptismal date, and we prayed for strength to act on her faith. It was so touching and beautiful. She also prayed, to my surprise, that I wouldn't be transferred from Daraga yet, since transfers are next week. Ugh, I'll be so sad if I leave. I just need one more transfer here. Things are finally changing in this area. I want to leave it better than I found it!

It rained this week. That makes me happy. Though someone told me that the rain was the last rain before it gets the hottest yet. So that's hindi mabuti. But I'll survive. I'm putting my shoulder to the wheel!

Everyone have a glorious week. I'm so sorry it's short. I'll be better next week! Back to the field to harvest!

Love, love, love,

Sister Greensies

Earworms:

1)"He Ain't Heavy"

2) "All You Need is Love"