Sister Pike goes to the PHILIPPINES!: Week 46

It's officially been 1 month since the typhoon! So crazy. It's crazy how much life can change! I've been sick... just a littler stomach virus or something that the other sisters got too. But it was nice because Sister Webber was sick too so we were able to stay home together while our companions worked. Sister Webber was kinda having a hard time because she's still new and has never missed work before and it was just cool to see how far I've come! I remember when I was first sick, it was just so frustrating and I was so impatient. I thought this is the Lord's work, why can I not do it! And then after sickness after sickness, blessing after blessing, I've been changed and now I don't even care! Of course I would like to work instead of just sitting, but it's all in his hands and his timing and complaining won't change any of that. I don't know if you can notice a change in me just through emails, but I can for sure notice a change in myself and it feels so good. Trials make you grow, that's for sure!

In other news, President and Sister Schmutz (mission president) visited on Saturday! They just showed up our apartment and had companion study! It was pretty cool especially since we got to tell them about our investigators and their problems and he gave us advice so it's great! And he invited us to go to a Christmas concert and to invite our investigators because he really wanted to meet Daniel- the super prepared American! (ironic that mark is teaching Filipinos and I'm teaching an American haha) So we did and he came and he loved it! And he met president who talked to us later, "I talked to him, he's changing his life, you better baptize him!" I think he'll baptize himself if we don't do it for him. He made huge steps in repentance, going to institute, when people ask him what he thinks about the church, he says things like, "It's so important!" or "It's life-changing!" or "I'm planning on getting baptized hopefully really soon!" Is this real life? Do people ever say stuff like that ever? No, they don't but it's so great! I thought it would be so hard teaching in English, but it's actually not! Weird. Sister Mendoza jokes that her nose is bleeding the whole time (it's a Filipino thing when they're around too much English, something about their brain working too hard so it bleeds out their nose) but she's way good at English so it's all good! And my branch just took a rescue party to Biliran Island! (My old area) which makes me so happy! Seriously the out-pouring of love has been so great and perfect reminder of the real meaning of Christmas.

Oh, I almost forgot! Sister Webber's mom is the best because they gathered tons and tons of donated clothes- from various people and even from desert book, down east and sister missionary mall and sent us a TON of new stuff! It's mostly for those sisters who lost all their luggage in Tacloban but there was more than plenty, literally hundreds of dollars’ worth of brand new cute stuff! So she got a whole suitcase full and we thought, whoa, this is soooooo much stuff! And then Sister Schmutz came and said there are like 5 more just like it in the mission home! Wow! People are so great and I feel so blessed! Merry Christmas! So I got new clothes, switched out the ones I'm tired of and it just worked out so well! And that's all! I can't believe Christmas is so soon! It still is July in my mind haha Love you!

Love, Sister Pike