Sister Pike goes to the PHILIPPINES!: Week 8

Maupay na Kolop!

Well, This is going to be much shorter cause I have less time, but things are going great! And I even have some pictures!! Highlights: The Ordonez Family got baptized on Saturday! Yay! And we are just making sure they have their sights set on the temple for next year. So, it's interesting, I feel like I know the language pretty well considering I've only been here like a week, but whenever I have the chance to talk, I just smile because I don't know what to say! Not because I don't know how to translate it, I just literally don't know what to say haha And everything I can think of saying is not worth translating haha so I need to work on that. The baptism was pretty crazy because it was supposed to start at 4 but it didn't really start until 5 and even though we told the Ward Mission leader to organize the program (who is speaking and everything) a few days before, literally 5 minutes before it started he was asking people. And then they jokingly asked me if I would talk and I laughed and said "No, I've been feeling sick" and I don't know anything and I thought I was off the hook. Nope, they start and call me as the first speaker. WHAT?!?!?! Luckily, Sister Somera is a saint and took over me because I literally felt like a was about to fall over. And I could've said something, but I felt like they deserved something better than 5 sentences for their baptism. But in church they asked me to bear my testimony and it went really well! They said it was perfect Waray-waray and I definitely have the gift of tongues because they've never seen someone pick up the language so fast. I just really feel like it was a result of the change in the MTC program because even though it's a different language, the grammar was the same and a lot of the gospel terms are similar and I had a really firm foundation in that coming out of the MTC so it's been really good. Today, we went to beach! Most of the time, I forget we are on an island so close to an ocean, but it was so beautiful! Hopefully my pictures to it justice. I honestly don't think it's that hot here, there is always a nice a breeze and we are in the shade most of the time. I really don't think I'll ever get sun burnt ever. It has rained quite a bit this week, and it comes down HARD, but it hasn't been too bad. Filipinos avoid rain like the plague, it's kinda funny. I don't think I mentioned this before, but people stare at me all the time! We were teaching a lesson to a recent convert this past week, she was like 17 and she told me I was beautiful then just kept staring at me through the whole lesson haha It's pretty great especially since I wear no makeup and my hair is a mess all the time. I basically discovered braids are the only way. And the other day we were walking down the street and this little boy yelled, "Hello Sister Pike!!" And I looked at my companion and said, "do you know him?" She said, "Nope, looks like you're famous!" haha Hmm... I love talking to my companion cause I never realize how blessed I am. She asks about how close the temple was and if I've ever seen the prophet. When she found out I've been to General Conference like 4 times and went to the temple every week for years, she always says, "you are so blessed!" She had never been to the temple until she went in the MTC in Manila and received her endowments. And she didn't learn any language at the MTC so even though she knew illongo and tagalog, she had learn the languages here! And she was telling me about her other companion that was from Pakistan and learned English, all the characters, Cebuano and Waray-waray all in the field, no formal education at all! I cannot even imagine!!!! I feel really blessed! Nahigugma ako sa inyo!!!!

Sister Pike

Leftovers from the MTC

Our Elders with our teacher, Brother Elmer

Our whole district with our teachers, Brother Pasikala and Johnson

Our District goal: "Don't let Pike shoot the 3 in your eye."

With a few other sisters from our zone headed to Iloilo, Hiligaynon speaking.

The last time I'll see Sister (Kristin) Ricks for 16 months!

Now Entering the Philippines!

Staying at the hotel in Tacloban

View from the hotel, didn't really do it justice! The whole sky was bright pink!

My MTC companions on the day of transfer

Our batch of new sisters

Sister Somera and President and Sister Andaya! They're just the greatest.

Ordonez Family with the Elders in our district and the sisters in our apartment.

The Ordonez Family baptism!!! They are just the cutest.

Revelation and Elton John Ordonez, can you believe he is 9?!? They are all so tiny!

Sister Somera and I, so pretty!

Jumping pictures, can you believe it wasn't even my idea?!

Sister Somera and I at the beach

Nahigugma ako sa Dios (I love God.)

Sister Somera and the outside of the trike. It's pretty tiny! On the way to the baptism, we fit the Ordonez family of 10 with us in one that size! It was crazy! Luckily the kids are pretty small so they packed in.