Maayong aga, my loved ones!
How the heck are ya'll? I'm doing so great. They often talk here about the first 90 day adjustment, how awful it can sometimes be and how difficult to adjust to so many different things but the Lord has been blessing me more than I even can comprehend. I haven't felt homesick, I haven't gotten really sick, and I've been enjoying the work here, even though it's hard. We are having a hard time with investigators keeping commitments, especially working with less actives, but we are doing our best to let the Spirit work through us, and that is a satisfying feeling.
It's always hard to know where to start in these emails, and they end up being so scattered, but that's okay. Letters and Dear Elders seem to come through in a couple weeks here, and everyone I've talked to has been fine with getting all the packages their families have sent, even within 3 weeks, so the mail is more reliable than we thought. (That is not a hint to send packages, just thought I would let you know :) )
It's hot here but its better that I never know what the temperature really is. Its just hot and humid all the time, but at nights lately its been cooler. Surprisingly it's only rained like 3 times, but I love when it rains. Elder Andersen coming was SO cool. Elder Whitney Clayton came too, and it was a few days of awesomeness. Yesterday we had a stake conference with Elder Clayton and the day before was when we met with Elder Andersen. So much to learn! He suggested to President Lopez that the First Presidency now wants missionaries to stay in their areas for longer amounts of time, with companions for a longer time in order to build the church. It's true! Building less actives, working with investigators, and building testimonies takes time. Even people we're meeting now I'm hoping to stick around long enough to see them enter the waters of baptism. We're working for our Weekly Baptism goal, but since it was just 2 transfers ago that Sister Fitz and Sister Bendoy (her last comp) whitewashed the area, we haven't had a ton of progressing investigators. Which means we get to do a lot of finding! It's fun. On Friday they celebrated "All Saints Day" which means they all go to graveyards and set up tents and food and picnic and party all day there. Think Utah Arts Festival, and that's sort of the atmosphere there. It sounds creepy, I know, but it's really cool. They celebrate their dead relatives lives and light candles on the graves. Its beautiful, and we talked to a lot of people about the Plan of Salvation and the Restoration. A really good finding opportunity. We got a few solid referrals and handed out a lot of pamphlets. We also got FED the MOST. Like 4 times, 4 full meals in 2 hours. Aye. But I had a few classic Pinoy foods and they were all DELICIOUS. I've been eating mostly a college diet since neither Sister F or I know how to make food with the ingredients available here but we have a healthier list this week! We'll be going to the market later.
We also got PIG from a member! She's had this pig she's been raising for like a year, and on November 1st in the morning we went to her house and they slaughtered it and gave us a bag of pork. So. That was real. We have yet to cook it but I have a feeling it'll taste pretty darn good.
We just found the E. family a few nights ago using something Pres. Lopez likes us to do called Finding Through Prayer. I know Aubs uses kind of the same thing in Georgia. Basically you go talk to the people, get to know them, and then ask if you can pray for them and their family. Usually it leads to a lesson, and sometimes it just leads to some awkward staring contests, but such is the life. Anyway, they (mom, grandma, and daugher, about 9 years old) were outside their house by another house of one of our investigators, and we asked to pray with them. They invited us in and we gave a short message about the resoration and a pamphlet. We told them we'd return and talk more with them. When we went to the graveyard later that week we ran into the little girl, and she said she'd read the whole pamphlet! We went to their house last night and taught the girl, her mom and dad. The dad asked a LOT of questions and sort of rambled a lot, but we got most of our message across. I'm supposed to go on exchanges tonight with the STL's and we'll teach them again. It's an amazing feeling to feel the Spirit testify through you, and and even more amazing feeling when you realize they are feeling it too! We found another family and the mom A. and her husband are especially receptive. We find a lot of uniterested people, but there are truly so many prepared. We have high hopes to get them progressing. That's the trick! We find a lot of people, but it's hard to help them understand the importance of keeping commitments.
Our little 11 year old investigator, J., is the sweetest little thing you'll ever find. She wants to be baptized so bad, but her dad isnt too excited about it, but we're praying that the Lord will soften his heart. Seeing such a strong testimony in such a small person is inspiring. There is so much I still need to learn. The Lord shows me that every day.
I love you all so much. I am going to try to send pictures on here, I hope they get to you. The sunsets here are amazing, I'm blessed to be in a beautiful place, with beautiful people. The weeks are already speeding by! The MOST love to you, and remember, the work is working!
Sister Luke
P.S. 3 Nephi 13:21- My treasure is here! My treasure is in the Philippines, teaching the Restored gospel to these treasured people. My heart is here!
Laundry by hand!
Sister Fitz and I before Elder Andersen
Our baptism
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