Week 58 - 3/2/2014

Wow, I can't believe it's almost been a month since I came back! And I also can't believe I was in Cebu a month ago, feels like a million years! I don't have anything super exciting but it was a pretty great week. Last week on P-day just as we were going to get on the bus to head home, we ran into the other sisters and they told us Sister Ralph is transferring so they want to go to the zoo and we decided to go along! It was very spontaneous and really fun! It was just small and in the front yard of the mayor and just free but they had some crazy animals. A lion, a tiger and a LIGER and a monkey! And we got to hold some snakes! The lion and liger were crazy because sometimes they're really nice and friendly but we got there as they were about to be fed so they were really hungry so they would stare at us and if we got to close, they would reach their paws through the bars to try and grab us! But they didn't have claws so it was no big deal, but it was intense! And the monkey was really crazy too! For most of us he was just cute but with my companion, Sister Adasme, he hated her! He stole her glasses and camera he would latch on to her and go through her pockets to look for food... it was hilarious! 

And then, a tender mercy, Sister Bingham and Sister Woodruff came to do exchanges with us! Sister Bingham was my MTC companion and Sister Woodruff and I also go way back to the MTC so that was really fun. They're STLs so they travel around the mission and do splits with a bunch of sisters so it was really fun to get an update on everyone and where they were and how they're doing cause it's been so long since we've seen everyone! And then I was companions with Sister Bingham for a day and that was cool cause we were comps a year ago! So it's cool to see how far we've come. And we had a few interesting lessons so it was fun to just laugh with her. It was such a tender mercy because they weren't supposed to go with us but they rearranged their schedule at the last second and then they were supposed to go with the other sisters we live with the next day but while we were with them, they found out Sister Henshaw and Sister Lindsay- the other sisters in our branch- just became the STLs for our area so they don't need to go on exchanges with us anymore! And they found out they had to return immediately so they couldn't stay as long as they were planning! So it literally worked out SO perfectly and I'm so grateful! And then the next night, the workers had to come back and replace our doors and work all through the night again so we stayed with the sister again- I feel like we have wayy more sleepovers in this mission than any other, but it's so great! Especially since their house is so huge and there's even enough room for each companionship to be far away and focus on our own studies. And when the STLs stayed with us in our apartment, we fit 4 on two mattresses in the tiniest room you've ever seen. Our bedroom is hilarious because it literally just barely fits our beds perfectly on the floor and nothing else- I actually really like it! Especially when you fit four, no one can fall off the bed! Hopefully we'll be getting our apartment in Naval soon because we just got a bunch of referrals and the elders are so busy with all of our investigators! It's a crazy life! I love you all! Thanks for your emails! 

Love, Sister Pike

LIGER!!

Walking to an appointment across rice fields - the path was so tiny and muddy from the rain that my companion slipped and got her foot stuck! It was quite the adventure. The member we were working with thought it was hilarious that I had never walked across one before - it was so hard!