Sister Pike goes to the PHILIPPINES!: Week 17

Hello family!

I'm so excited I got to see you and talk to you!! Mom, if you sent me headphones, I'm pretty sure it still wouldn't have worked. I was pretty convinced that the universe was conspiring against me talking to my family. Especially what happened when I was trying to call from the airport on the way here...grabi! Craziness. But it really does feel like a dream! haha It was great. I loved how you were playing charades and I will never forget David dancing on the couch in the background. This week so adventurous! I'm actually really happy I got to talk to you on that specific day so I could tell you the crazy story about eating shark and being locked out. We were finally able to return to our apartment thursday night (we were locked out tuesday morning) and we were so happy! On Thursday I also showered in the rain. As in I literally stood out on the roof (UEP Sisters apartment) and they gave me shampoo and I washed my hair in the rain. It was raining hard enough that it got wet, but to rinse, I had to let a bucket fill up. All the while Sister Nelson and Sister Robinson were just watching from the door laughing and Sister Somera was cooking like "oh it's no big deal" haha Friday was unique because we stayed inside until 6 and did nothing but clean. I don't know how often this happens, but it's not very often. We even bought floor wax and waxed the floor.

Saturday, we went on exchanges! And Sister Karagdag was my companion! I know her really well so it was pretty great. She's so funny. I told her it was my goal to learn Tagalog as soon as I knew Waray-waray and she said, "You can start now! You know waray-waray!" haha that's funny. Cause I don't. I am able to understand a lot but there are still sometimes that I just stare at them blankly and wait for Sister Somera to explain it to me. She explains it Waray-waray gihapon but for some reason I'm able to understand her and not them... anyway, we taught a ton of lessons together and it was a really great day of work! And we had lunch with a member in Catarman 1st ward. That night, there was a brownout (no power) from 6 to 10!! It was so hot!!! You'd think it'd be okay since it's at night so it cools down, our apartment was so stuffy and we ate and planned via lantern. My catch phrase for my mission I've decided is, "It's like we're camping!" haha I seriously say it so much! It's hilarious.

Sunday was a really good day even though like zero of our investigators came... I played the piano in sacrament, it's truly amazing how it isn't even a big deal to me any more! Two of the songs I didn't know at all but I'm okay with playing with just one hand. I have come SO FAR. And then we were invited to a birthday party of a little girl who's dad is inactive and we just met them yesterday so they had tons of delicious food. Always a bonus and they LOVE missionaries. Then we went to a lesson of an investigator, we invited two ward missionaries to join, when we showed up, there were 5! It was a little crazy with so many people but after we were able to sent half of them to visit someone who needed them and then we went with the others to another investigator and they invited her to a Singles Ward Retreat! It was like every missionary's dream come true! Then we went to visit the Ordonez Family to find out why they weren't at church, Sister Somera's so worried they are going inactive, but they've just visited relatives the last two weeks. We taught them a lesson then at the very end, Nay walked in with a Sting ray and we asked if we could try it so we joined them for dinner too, it was so fun! I love playing with their kids. And this week I ate shark and stingray. "It's more fun in the Philippines" haha And that's about it! Me and Sister Somera have one weekish left as companions which is crazy! But nice because usually you don't know, but since we do, we are able to make every second count. We are going to spend this time getting to know all the members so that we will be able to work with them with my new companion. And I also realize that I better start figuring out what I'm gonna cook. I'm going to try to figure out how to make French Toast this week for them and thinking of what other American things I can make for them without an oven, cheese, and all the other little things that you don't even realize. And that's my week! I hope to hear from you all! Mark, you should tell me about your experience in the temple! and use this time to email me before you are as busy as I am in the mission! And I love you all!

Gugma,

Sister Pike

During the brown out: