Sister Pike goes to the PHILIPPINES!: Week 33

Family!

I am doing so good! My eye is 1000x better, I can open it, it's not red, it doesn't hurt, thank goodness for medicine! I went to Tacloban for a checkup and she said continue the medicine for 2 more weeks because there is still signs of the infection but it is sooo much better. I also don't really take naps anymore during the day even though I'm by myself all the time in the apartment so that's really some great progress. Don't worry though, I will for sure not push myself, I will take it nice and easy! This week was so good, I love my companions so much and we had such an amazing unique experience at church yesterday! And the Cebuano is coming back quite nicely, I'm so amazed how quickly it replaced waray-waray as my natural reaction! Especially since I don't even use it all day. I will never not need the gift of tongues here, such a huge blessing!

I've officially started learning new language # 4 and I did not expect this in the slightest! American Sign Language! Yesterday a deaf man came to church so me with my one semester of high school ASL and my companion who took one semester at BYU were talking to him. He's talked to the elders a bunch and has come to church sometimes even though he can't really understand it and has been reading the English Book of Mormon. We taught our first lesson to him in a classroom after church using sign language, finger-spelling, the chalk board to write down english and a gospel principles so he could read the basics then ask us questions if he had any! He would teach us the various signs as we went and I was amazed how much we remembered from our previous classes and of what he taught us. It was also so cool because we were so focused on making sure he understood (which is how all lessons should be but sometimes missionaries forget!) and it was so active and interactive and he was so excited! He wants to get baptized! Just like a sponge, wanting to learn everything. He wants us to stay so he can continue learning! That's one problem if he does get baptized is after we transfer, who will talk to him? But he came to church multiple times without us and can read so that's a good sign. This is just another reason why I know for a fact I'm supposed to be here right now. What are the odds that both of us have a background of ASL and we're companions here? I've met some deaf people before who were doing sign language but it must have been some filipino sign language because I didn't recognize a thing so the fact that he knows it and English? Such a blessing!

And then last night it was soooo rainy the night before so our apartment was infested with cockroaches! Luckily I'm a pro at killing them and it's actually pretty fun, not gonna lie. I killed 12 in like 10 minutes! We've never seen that many ever! It was quite the adventure. Oh and earlier this week our toliet was clogged for 3 days... that was interesting. Luckily there are members who live down the street that have a huge house and let us use it whenever. I don't know what we would've done!

I think it's amazing that even though I spent the whole week inside, I loved it so much! I love being back on a normal study schedule with companions... I've missed it, President Andaya was so inspired to let me come here! I just read and study and sister Estes' ipod is full of general conference talks so I learn so much and haven't even gotten bored yet! This week I'm still taking it easy and resting, but it's only a matter of time before I'll be able to start teaching again. I seriously feel so much better it's unreal! Oh and while I was in Tacloban, I got I really awesome native scripture case! So legit.