Week 66 - 4/27/2014

I can't believe I've been back in Tacloban for 3 months! And I can't believe I only have 3 months left! Time, where does it go? This week was fantastic. We were on fire! And then Saturday I got a bad cough and just slept... but it was still a wonderful week! Highlights:

We went back and taught Bom-bom and Ja-Ja before they went back to Catarman and they were amazing!!! We were a little bit later than we expected and they were there waiting for us, SO excited and were studying the reading assignment we gave them all together. Is this real life? And we taught them about baptism and it was just such a fun lesson full of the spirit! They want to be baptized but we aren't sure if there are missionaries in their area yet so we committed them to keep reading the book of Mormon and seek out the missionaries wherever they are. It was so sad to say good-bye to them. 

Went on exchanges with STLs, sister Nelson is my batch so that was a fun reunion. The award of the week goes to Sister Bayani. She's been giving us TONS of referrals lately and every time we go to her house to walk with her to contact the referral, she literally stops every single person she knows and asks if we can visit them! We got 3 return appointments! She is just on FIRE and she loves helping us and working with us. She's the coolest. One of those return appointments was on Saturday and he was so great. He was a teacher (so potential leader which we really look for in these areas where the church is still pretty new) and he had tons of questions of the soul. You know, every missionary's dream because we have all the answers! Why are there so many churches? Which interpretation of the bible is correct? If God really loves us, why is there so much suffering in the world? He was actually the first person we've taught that questioned our ability to get answers and we are both SO excited to come back and teach him about the book of Mormon. He loves reading the bible and we think he will just eat it up!

So this past 40 days, Sister Brown did this thing, "how to become a sanctified missionary" so she gave up some things (fasted basically) like talking about worldy things, just things to make her more focused and bring the spirit more fully into her life and she really inspired me! I really want to finish my mission strong and I only have 3 months left so I'm going to step everything up so it's like a rededication to avoid getting trunky! I'm pretty excited and it starts this Wednesday. The hardest thing about it is going to start an English fast! No English ever except during our studies and missionary meetings because we're supposed to. It's so hard when you're with Americans all the time, but I figured, I would totally be doing this anyway if I had Filipina companions so why should I short change myself this experience. I only get this time to speak these awesome languages once in my life! And the other just involve being EXACTLY obedient and relying more on grace for strength and help to become the missionary I need to be. And I'm telling you so I'll be held accountable. Woo! 

Later today, we are traveling to Tacloban for mission conference tomorrow! SO STOAKED. So look forward to a bazillion pictures of me and all my favorite people. Hope you have a great week! Learn from Sister Bayani and give referrals to the missionaries :)

Love, Sister Pike

I was cold.. and trying to look like Mary. Sister Vea said I looked like a homeless woman.

Tracting at the big houses...

Sister Brown guarding her food while she prays because she learned from experience that Elders like to snatch it... haha

Week 65 - 4/20/2014

So, I really just wanted to send you a bunch of fun pictures from this week cause they really are the best! but my computer doesn't like me today so... it's lame. I got some to work! Wow, never mind. This week... Tuesday was a really excellent day! Mission conference was postponed until next week so we went finding and I really have just learned to love it! Definitely have the funniest experiences. Then we planned on teaching a less active but she wasn't there so we decided to go an active member and follow up on a referral she gave us. Her referral was a teacher and they're still busy doing their after school reports (it's summer and school is out) BUT her granddaughters who were visiting from Catarman were there (18 and 20) so we got to teach them and it was a really awesome lesson! It was sooo weird to hear Catarman waray-waray but super cool. I'm getting to the point I just understand everything everyone says and the only way I can tell it's a different language is if my companion who hasn't served in those areas yet has a look of confusion on her face. It's not too horribly different, just random words. They are returning back home this week but it's our goal to get them in a great position to be handed off to the other missionaries in their area! They were so awesome though. Definitely not a coincidence that we happened to visit that active member completely unplanned. 

Did not feel like Easter AT all but all in all a great weekend. We had district conference so the other missionaries came and stayed with us and the area authority and 2nd counselor in the mission presidency with his wife spoke and they were all the funniest people ever! Seriously, never laughed so hard in a meeting. Also, fun fact, one session, one talk was waray, one Cebuano and one Tagalog mixed with English. I understood all but most don't know Cebuano or  very much English, it's really cool how much we all rely on the spirit so much to understand. This was a very typical meeting and it never ceases to amaze me! One night after planning was soo fun because Sister Vea lives in our house with us and she is from Tonga so she was teaching us Tongan hymns! So cool. So I will come home from my mission having studied 3 Filipino languages but singing Tongan songs. haha they are so legit though! I don't know if you knew this but we sing all of our songs in English. Never in any other language, it's so interesting! but it's so cute with their different pronunciations. I love getting to know so many cultures from all over the world! And we all are united in the gospel. So great. Who knew missionary work was so much fun? And of course, so incredibly rewarding. I love being missionary. Thank you for all your emails and support! 

love, Sister Pike

Week 64 - 4/13/2014

Hello family! Today was one of those lucky days the internet was SUPER fast! So could upload a lot of pictures which leaves not much time to write. This week was CRAZY busy but soooo wonderful. We basically did no work but had lots and lots to do. We were supposed to have zone conference but word a typhoon came so it was cancelled so they decided to have a different zone meeting in Calbayog (2 hours away) but on the way there on Tuesday, we found out it was back on! So exciting because we get to see Cataraman, my old zone but bad news because if we had KNOWN we could have brought all of our stuff to just sleep in Calbayog that night instead of traveling back and forth... It was pretty kapoi- tiring but fun to talk with everyone in our district cause we traveled together. I never ever got car sick in America but here is a COMPLETELY different story and have gotten progressively worse on my mission which is unfortunate but we usually just talk to each other to distract ourselves from our nauseated state and it's pretty good. And we got to memorize some of D&C 4 in Tagalog! So that's always fun. Those bus rides aren't good for nothing!

Zone training meeting, we meet as a zone and the stls, sister training leaders gave us training than our zone leaders and it was the most spiritual meeting yet! It was all about service and patience and becoming like Christ. And then when we came back on Wednesday for zone conference, best zone conference ever! Also, Sister and President Andaya's last and maybe even my last! That's super sad. But it was the best so I'm okay! President and Sister Andaya's trainings were so hilarious. Sister is always so sweet and happy to see us, she always says, "I may still be young but I really do think of all of you as my children! It was so hard after the storm and you were all reassigned and it was like I lost all my children were lost at once and I'm so happy you're back!" And then she gave us the training she usually gives at the departure devotional for leaving missionaries but she won't be here! So she wanted to give it to us now. It was adorable and you really saw the love they have for each other. So cute! And then the AP's Elder Landingin and Munoz gave an excellent training on patience again and did the funnest role plays you have ever seen! I felt like the whole time I was at a comedy but I learned so much at the same time. Comedy actually helps people learn so much more, it's a great teaching skill. 

And then, of course, GENERAL CONFERENCE!!! It was pretty sad when it was over realizing that was my last one as a missionary, but it was so good! I love how Elder Ballard committed EVERYONE to read preach my gospel and report it to their missionaries, hint, hint :) I love preach my gospel and I have so much to learn from it still! My favorite section as of late has been the Christ like attributes, I encourage all to read! And the theme I kinda got overall was be nice!! Stand up for your beliefs, don't ever compromise, but no matter how you are treated, what persecutions come your way, react like Christ, be the example. It's hard for sure, but a necessity for our happiness as well as the happiness of others. Also, we saw a bit of the world news report and it was really cool to see our story! All the missionaries I know and love. And then Elder Teh's talk was the coolest cause I know him! He came and spoke to us last July and I could completely relate to everything he said about the people of the Philippines and what we can learn from them. Their hope and happiness even after the biggest destruction ever. Their complete happiness amidst poverty. I love general conference! The spirit was so strong and I can't wait to read and reread all the talks and find something new each time. There is so much to be learned! Love you all, don't forget to study Preach my gospel and general conference!

Love, Sister Pike

President Andaya's kids - we had lunch with them when they came to our branch a few weeks ago. 

My companion Sister Brown!

#Pinoystyle

Our name tags.. companionship unity - Every time Jen/Kristin send me a letter, they put a sticker on it for me!

Sleeping on the roof

Mga mahusay (beauties) in our branch

We showered in the rain, it's a once a year tradition I guess! Sister Brown did it first and then I kinda wanted to but it was too cold. Then round two of the rain storm came but it didn't last as long so I had to finish my shower inside. So fun!

The cutest little boy on the planet! We all call him gwapo and he constantly smiles. Literally my whole zone was just staring at his cuteness. How do you get 16 missionaries attention? Miguel.

All of these were when we were together watching General Conference.

My Catbalogan District

The Filipinos and their umbrellas...

Squishing in a tricycle

My Catbalogan Zone

Zone conference - the lunch was SO fancy, it literally looked like a wedding reception!

My batch! (the elders and sisters I arrived with)

I was matching Sister Andaya!

Traffic after zone conference...

FHE! (Family Home Evening)

District Lunch at Jollibee between sessions of General Conference!

Week 55 - 2/11/2014

Greetings from....drumroll please... Naval, Biliran!!! That's right, I'm back in my 2nd area! Still Cebuano! I have no idea why, but I did not see that coming. Like at all. But this week was so good! The definition of bitter sweet but I feel so lucky that I had so much time to say goodbye to everyone and even had one last Sunday to take pictures and see everyone, that never happens! So I feel really blessed. 

Sunday at 3 I left by ocean jet to Cebu- usually we just take a bus and are on a boat for like 30 minutes and drive the rest but this way is by boat the whole entire way, 10x more expensive so I thought would be WAY faster, but isn't at all! So that was crazy. The next morning, we hung out in the office- Sister Anderson and I were the only ones going back but 3 others are done with their missions so we hung out until Pres. and Sister Schmutz came to talk to us. With the other two batches of people leaving, they knew exactly what area and who their companion was even in Cebu! but with us, there was just a list of 22 names so we were so curious! We had no idea. President thought they would tell us in Manila...nope! We left at 1 for the airport, waited for two hours till our flight left, even though it's a 1 hour flight, we didn't get to our hotel in Manila until 9pm. And then we had a reunion with all the other Tacloban missionaries from other missions heading back! Sister Kramer, Pettijohn, Adasme, Mier, Ralph, Henshaw, Baylon, and 2 more that I forgot. Elder Davies, Carlson, Ma'asi, Banawan, Parsons, and I forgot the others. I thought for sure we were going to Catarman kay it was untouched and hasn't been opened yet and there were 22 of us which is pretty big! Some people thought Biliran because 4 of us are from the original Biliran zone but our zone was only 16 so I thought we were too many so I thought, no way! We ate dinner and talked. It was SO cool to hear about how everyone loved their other missions so much and their mission presidents and it was so hard to leave. We all got so close to so many of the missionaries we served with and it was really cool to see that even though each mission is So different, rules, regulations, styles of mission presidents, etc., They're all good! And everyone loves it. We all stayed in a hotel in Manila and the next morning at 7, we flew into Tacloban! 

The airport was pretty ghetto to begin with but it still definitely had the effects of the typhoon. No walls, just a roof and they unloaded all the luggage by hand. All of us were SO excited to see Pres. And Sister Andaya, even thought we were so tired from traveling the day before, none of us could even sleep that night. When we saw them waiting outside the airport for us with the office elders, it felt like we were coming home! It was so amazing. We were all piled into the vans they rented with our luggage and we drove to Fatima Chapel, the chapel right next to the mission office and home. Tacloban was up and running, but there were so many tents set up among the rubble and life just seemed to move on! It never really felt real to me because I never saw it so it felt good to see it with my own eyes. We had an orientation type deal in the chapel, after they fed us, and as president was talking to us, it felt like we had never left! It felt so right like nothing had even happened. And I forgot how funny he is and how much I missed him! They announced our areas and companions- I'm with Sister Adasme in Naval and they opened another Sisters area with us- Sister Ralph and Henshaw! I thought it was amazing that they were opening areas, but because the attendance has just boomed! We talked to a member today who said our attendance was 200(before was 80-90) and in Biliran (over 500 before 150 and there are only 400 something members on the directory) WOW!!!! We have work to do and I am so excited! We are staying in a different area right now (balaquid) for the time being because they haven't finalized our apartment yet (we moved because they are stepping up the standard of all housing) so we'll be working in their area too. And it's so bukid (not the city at all and a beautiful view). And they loaded us up and took us to our apartments! When we were driving there, I forgot about the crazy windy van rides and the amazing views. My companion is so excited because she has always served in the city so she said, "I finally get to serve in the Philippines!" Like the other areas weren't.. haha Yep, this is definitely as Philippines as it gets and it's so good to be back :) 

We were all joking that they need to all reteach us how to be Tacloban missionaries because each mission has different rules and ways of doing stuff so we've all forgot! A lot can happen in 3 months! I'm sure we'll figure it out soon. OH and they said, the goal is to get every missionary back within 60 days and they're taking about 20 every week. I wish I had known that! And all they need to do is find apartments with power, water, cell service and access to food so our mission should be back and fully running in no time! When we met in Tacloban, the church was still pretty broken, lots of missing ceiling tiles and you could see into the rafters. I love you, excited to report how the work is next week! 

Love, Sister Pike

Week 52 - 1/21/2014

Quote of the week from my companion, Sister Forbush, "Sister, the elect are just falling at our feet!" It's true! We've just seen amazing miracles happen this week and we've found so many prepared people, it's just incredible! Great time to be a missionary here in Dumaguete. In other news, I was told on Sunday that 2 sister missionaries would be going back to Tacloban on January 28 as a  group of the first missionaries (a group of 28). And it was killing me not knowing who it would be! I really want to go but I was so torn because the transfer ends on February 13 and we have 4 baptisms happening before then! So I decided I would be happy to go and happy to stay. And I'm staying! President Schmutz sent an email that Sister Bingham and Sousa are going back, but they will be choosing a second batch to return in about 3 weeks so really near the transfer and that basically everyone will be returning unless there is a reason that they would need to stay. Yay!!! I get to see all my baptisms and go back to Tacloban relatively soon. I have the best life ever. 

We just got back from teaching a really great referral! We don't usually work on P-day but it's only day off and he was golden! So worth it. And yesterday we randomly ran into 2 ladies- one in the morning and one in the afternoon and we just taught them immediately and both them asked before we even started, "Where's your church? I'm going." Me and sister Forbush would just look at each other like, what is happening?!? These people are amazing! That's like the hardest thing to get people to do here. So we'll see if they actually make it. But the first one was amazing because we just met her on the street and I testified how our message would bless her family and she just started crying! Then she told us about her family and how their living situation is terrible and it's just so hard and she was really seeking for help. Later in the lesson, she called us her angels and when I told her that if she listened to us, we would teach her all the commandments so as she follows them, she will receive blessings! Just to make sure she wasn't expecting temporal help from us. And she just started crying, saying, Thank you! thank you! and hugged each of us! It was the cutest. Her house really was so sad. no walls, just tarp for a roof and she had 5 kids and her husband and they basically lived on their beds, like their was no floor space at all and their beds are just made out of wood. But I'm really excited to help her by helping her come to church! I have really come to not feel bad about not being able to give them temporal help because I can give them so much more! The gospel will bless their lives more than anything else. 

And the other one, when we started teaching her, I thought she would just be one of those old Nanay's stuck in her way of being catholic but when we committed her to pray to know if it is true, she said, "oh I know it's true!" We had to repeat the question a few times just so we would make sure she fully understood. And she did! And then she asked about if there is anything not allowed, "because I like to drink and smoke!" and then sister Fely, the member working with us taught the word of wisdom and I testified and she said okay! I will do that! And in her closing prayer, she even asked for strength to stop. WOW! Such a good day. Such a good week! And last P-day was so fun because we went out to lunch with the other sisters to an amazing french cafe with really good food!!! Like amazingly delicious pastries and cakes. Blew our minds. They even had real cheesecake. That is unheard of! Definitely not your average Filipino food. Probably normal in America but it's been awhile! 

At this point, we're getting too many new investigators that are awesome, we don't know how we're going to visit all of them. It's a great problem to have. I have really learned so much in my time here as a Cebu of how to be a more diligent, effective missionary and me and my companion are definitely reaping the rewards! I'm excited to go back to Tacloban just so I can use everything I've learned here to help rebuild our mission there! I'm not worried about when anything is happening, I'm just grateful to have so many wonderful leaders and two great mission presidents taking care of me. Thanks for all your prayers, I can really feel them working. The Lord is hastening the work and it's soooo amazing to be a part of it. 

Love, Sister Pike 

The boat ride to Cebu from last week!

We visited the Villaflores family - they're my favorite! And while Sister Leogie was filling out paperwork for her baptism THIS Saturday, we took pictures with the kids. Abby- the youngest, got stung by a bee so her lip is twice the size and at first it was so sad but she was so cute about it! We all ended up just laughing at her and she would laugh with us! She would even pose like we told her, I love their family so much!

We had a bit of a cold front, like 70 degrees!! We are not prepared. It's so funny how your body just adjusts. That was Sister Forbush, my companion during personal study and I literally wore my pajama pants under my skirt and a sweater that luckily another sister left behind! Cause I got rid of all of mine!

And me with the cutest returning member ever. She's so tiny and cute and calls us "Elder" - it's hilarious!

Our sweet ride, dumaguete style It's called a trike! or a pedicab which is weird cause that's what we called the bikes in Catarman. The transportation varies so much place to place!