Road Trips, Hotels, General Conference!

ANOTHER GREAT WEEK! Wow I bet you're shocked, as if we hear anything else at the beginning of missionary emails ;) But hey we are just happy sharing the gospel, don't judge. 

Highlights:

-We had our MLC (missionary leader correlation meeting) in Baguio this week! So the AP's drove us up the mountain to a hotel that President reserved for our meeting.

There we discussed how the mission is going and what new directions we need to set. It was fun to have a big sleepover with all the STL's even though president made us tally surveys from all the missionaries until one in the morning haha :)

- Sister Barbante had her birthday on sunday!! Over the course of a couple burnt ones, I ended up making her some presentable birthday pancakes for breakfast :) And hey at least we know the fire alarm works. 

- We got a call from President on our way home from Conference and he said we would be getting a new kasama that night! Her name is Sister Aurello and now we are a threesome and it's actually pretty fun. She is a super awesome missionary. We feel like we just conquer the street now with three of us talking to literally EVERYONE we pass by. 

- Another fun finding experience. I just LOVE when we ask if we can introduce ourselves to someone and they just say "Bakit?!" (Why?) It's like "Hey we are missionaries!" "Bakit?" or "What's your name?" "Bakit?" It's a little harsh but I just smile a little knowing they don't know about our gospel magic and then I proceed getting to know them, sharing a little about our church, and pretty soon they can't resist and we are in their house singing I am A Child of God and she is crying telling us about her husband that passed away. Then you teach the plan of salvation and it's wonderful. At least that's what happened to Auntie Eldie this week :) 

Missionaries can Laugh Too...

-You know in the movies where someone is standing on the side of the road in the rain and to make the picture more miserable a huge van passes by and showers them with dirty water? That happened to sister Barbante while she valiantly covered me with her payong (umbrella). I owe my life to her now cause I just laughed my head off. And of course offered to help ;) 

You Know You're in the Philippines When...

- You shower(pour a bucket over your head) three times a day, morning, when you come home for lunch, and before you sleep because you sweat SO much from the heat. (pour a bucket over your head) 

Ilocano / Tagalog / English

Agyaman / Salamat / Thank You 

Spiritual Thought:

Wasn't conference incredible? It really is like christmas as a missionary because you love your investigators SO much but always feel unqualified for the perfect missionary that they need so you just hunger for any sources that can teach you how to be better. and what better opportunity than to hear from Apostles of the Lord? Although I am a little distraught I didn't get to hear from Elder Holland in General Conference (you're lucky all you priesthood!) I received so many answers from each of the speakers that I have been praying and fasting for. My note taking was a different this time and I am excited to apply it to my life. After each talk I just wrote down a question of self-evaluation that I will study until the next conference. Each week working on one by one. I forgot to bring my notebook to the computer shop but I will type the questions next week for you to see if any of them might strike you as well. But I know whatever you felt from conference is direct revelation for YOU and I know it is not meant to be left as pretty handwriting in a notebook in our closets. STUDY your notes. Use them side by side with your scripture study. And try to see self-evaluation questions there as well as you review, to make more clear the path you need to follow personally to come closer to our Savior Jesus Christ and become firmer and firmer in the faith. 

I love you all!!

Ate Walters