Hi! Welcome to another episode of "Sister Green's life is Completely Bonkers". I'm your host, Sister Green. This week we join your favorite red-headed puti in her new area, Malilipot!
I made it through my first transfer unscathed (well, mostly). I was a bouncing ball of anxiety on Tuesday morning, trying to close suitcases that weighed way more than they should and sitting down knowing my new companion was in the same room unawares. But, since God is so very mindful of me, He once again hooked me up with an amazing companion, Sister Sanchez! I had already hung out with her multiple times, so my anxiety melted away completely. Sister Sanchez is a sassy 21yrold Filipina who loves Angelina Jolie movies and thinks it is unacceptable to go through a day without eating rice. She loves laughing, she loves the gospel, and she's going to help me grow so much. Having a Filipina companion is going to help my language skills and my confidence as a missionary. Although I was terrified to transfer, now I see that it really was the inspiration of God that brought me here to Malilipot to be with Sister Sanchez. We've already had a blast together - we got matching dusters, which are like nightgowns. We picked the most pangit ones, but dang it I love them.
My "meant to be here" feeling was solidified in my mind on my third day here. We were hiking down a bundok (mountain) and I was sort of just lagging behind Sis Sanchez and a ward missionary when I looked at a random house and felt that familiar tug toward it as I occasionally do while walking. So I stopped our caravan and walked up to the house. The 16 year old told us we could share, and after the three of us broke her bench (not my fault this time!), the mother showed up and we easily made friends. She told us she had just been talking about Mormons the other day and "now you're here!" We later found out that her husband is a less active member, she is so interested in the church, and she referred us to her sister down the road who we also taught and have a return appointment with. I was just so thankful that God transferred me here. To think that maybe I wasn't? I wouldn't have been on that road at that exact time to feel that prompting at the exactly right moment. We've had many more experience in the past seven days that have just made me so thankful for the Holy Ghost and that if I can keep myself worthy of it, I can see miracles happen.
Malilipot is so different from Daraga. It's a jungle. I thought Daraga was one, but nope, Malilipot is legitimately a jungle. It's a tiny town ten minutes from Tabaco City, which is literally directly on the other side of Mt. Mayon from Daraga. Our area is HUGE, way bigger than my old one but significantly less populated. I'm trekking through the jungle every day. A new adventure indeed. My new house is different, but I like it. It's just us two in there, we sleep on the main room floor because the bedroom is too hot, we only have water sometimes, and the bathroom is definitely a new experience. But dang it, I love it here.
There's only a branch here with about sixty people in attendance, but the members are kind. People actually want to work with us here. The area is waiting to be cracked open since our teaching pool is very small, so I'm so excited to work hard here. We got 38 lessons this week, three more than the Standard, and five more than Sister Sanchez says has been gotten here in a long time. I'm so thankful to Heavenly Father for helping us so much this week! What a crazy awesome blessing!
I hit my seventh month mark this week. Talk about bonkers. We're going to stop talking about it now.
I'm still trying to kick my cough. It's getting ridiculous how long I've been sick!
We have a new winner at pick up lines too. While weaving our way through jungle roads, we passes a group of young men. Thy wigged out (as usual) when they saw me, and one said in his strained English, "Ah! Welcome to the Philippines!" I thanked him and we kept walking, but this kids called after me, "Watch your step!...you might fall in love with me." Ahahhaah, progressing! Sister Sanchez and I couldn't stop laughing. Golden.
Happy Mother's Day too, to all the mommas! I love you all so much, but siyempre, I love my own mom the most. She's literally the best person I know, and I am so thankful to have her in my life. She's gone through so much, she's such an example to me, and here in the mission field I'm really seeing how much she's affected my life to bring me to this point. Thank you to the mothers! A girl in sacrament meeting quoted something she saw on facebook and it made me smile: "My mom never taught me how to straighten my hair, but she taught me how to straighten my soul".
POWER TO THE MOTHERS! You are all so wonderful, and you are loved so much by your children!
I hope you all have a brilliant week everyone. Party on, metaphorically speaking.
Always,
Sister Green
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