Week 39 - 10/27/2013

So, this week I hit my 9 month mark, scary huh? I can't believe how time flies! This was a good week because Aneliza and Mary Ann got baptized! And they are just the cutest. We had their program(talks and such) at the meetinghouse then we all piled in the truck and drove to the beach about 10 minutes away and they were baptized then we drove back and heard their testimonies, it was so cute. They actually had the program all printed and ready a week before which is unreal! but then we started 45 minutes late and not a single person on the program was there. When it's up to you, it's so stressful and frustrating! But President Ang, the branch president, took care of everything and we didn't even worry about a thing so that was so nice! Their testimonies were so cute. Most just say thank you but theirs was a real testimony. Super simple but you knew they believed every word. My favorite was Mary Ann (10) said I know Thomas S. Monson is the living promise and I promise that he chooses where the missionaries are assigned to serve through the power of the Holy Ghost. haha They had asked the other day how we decided our missions so we answered, she is so smart! Then we taught the english class which is so hard because so many members are so interested and they say they're coming but then they don't! There are a faithful two but we can't teach just them, they're needs to be others so it just gets complicated, but whoever is there it is always fun even if it takes up our whole night waiting for people. 

I think that's one of the hardest things about being here is as missionary, time is so important! But there are days you spend 3 hours just sitting waiting and if you had known it would take that long you could have been finding and teaching! but to come late just encourages it to continue. And a quote from Sister Estes, "Filipino time is never on your side." Whenever you are late, they start on time, when you are on time, you sit around forever! But there's nothing you can do, but learn patience haha. So that was our day yesterday- waiting for 2 hours to help the branch with the choir and then they ended up cancelling. And then it's too late to teach anyone! such is life. 

I'm trying to think what else has happened but I think that about covers it! Our investigators have been disappearing for various reasons so we're basically starting over and finding! all the time! It's definitely a first for me, we never really found before, they kinda just found us! But I'm excited to get better at it. This area is harder because a lot of the referrals from members are ready to accept our message but they live so far away that it's basically impossible for them to go to church. It's such a big area and includes so much of the mountains so it's soo different from Catarman, but even then it was so hard for them! 

Oh, we went to Ormoc(2 hours) for zone conference and I saw a bunch of missionaries from the MTC! It was great seeing everyone and getting the training's from our leaders, they always help so much! So that took a full day but it's always fun to switch things up. And that's about it! I love you!

Sister Pike

p.s. we fit 8 sisters in this tiny trike.we were so squished! 

p.p.s. elections are today so we can't go out again tonight but I love seeing all the political posters because they literally look like fugitives. All of them. What a different world!