maligayang pasko
"MERRY CHRISTMAS"

from the Philippines

Service project on Christmas Eve!  Moving cinderblocks
in the rain.

 Gotta love it…really I did though!

Thank you so much for the Christmas Package to my family!  Thank you so much for the pj's   I was so happy to know that I wasn't forgotten in the tradition :)

                                                 

I bought a cinnamon roll from a Starbucks in this shopping center and ate it this morning.  IT WAS SO GOOD!  haha, just like at home.  Super expensive, but super worth it.

I got to Skype with my family on Christmas! 
They said it was the highlight of their Christmas--
mine too!!

My family even got to meet and talk to Sister Mamasig, my companion.  It was so great for them to meet each other.  She is so sweet!  Love my family so much!  Next Skype session:  Mother's Day!!

P-Day B-Day:

December 15, 2014

 So yeah.  I turned 20 today.  My apartment mates surprised me this morning with what is called "mango float".  It's kinda like cheesecake - it usually has mangoes but this one had Oreos instead.  It was delish.

They also made me a cute banner.  I don't know how because I am literally with Sister Mamasig every minute of every day.  But they're just so sweet.

I love these sisters so much.  They are such amazing examples to me of pure, Christlike love.

THANKSGIVING

TRIKES & 

TYPHOON RUBY

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving." 

- W. Purkiser

Thanksgiving doesn't exist here. So I really just ate the typical rice and chicken for lunch.  But I treated myself to some ice cream later on, don't you worry.  My siblings and some of my cousins emailed me this picture from Thanksgiving Day at my grandparents house in California.

There's always room for one more.  Today we had a total of 7 people on a trike (the driver and one other passenger aren't in the picture)  That's a record for me.

I'm safe from Typhoon Ruby.  It was super mild here.  The only thing that happened was that we got a lot of rain and wind on Monday night after p-day.  So we just stayed inside our apartment staring at 6 p.m.  No power outages or anything like that.

 Name of the Week...

One day, I had my hair braided and was wearing this blue dress.  We were walking down the street from our house to the main road to catch a jeepney to go to one of our proselyting areas.  We passed a group of men and a few seconds later I heard "ELSA! ELSA! ELSA!"  and then "LET IT GO! LET IT GO!" (they were all singing Frozen).  My companion laughed and thought it was so funny.  I asked why and she said "because you don't look like Elsa, you look like Anna".  Then I had to laugh because I feel like I don't look like any of them.  But everyone here says I do. So now I'm Taylor Swift, Anna and Elsa.  The list gets bigger each week,

I got called Barbie 20 times this week.  Which is funny because I'm not even blonde.

I'm so happy to be here.  I really am.I thank you all for prayers and the love I feel from you all.  I know that this church is true.  I wouldn't be here if I didn't.  I am so thankful to know of Heavenly Fathers plan and purpose for all of his children here on earth - which is each and every one of us.  We just have to do a few small things to accept the blessings He is waiting to give us.

P-days and Jeepney Rides 

If I had to choose a washing machine or hot shower,     I'd pick a washing machine…every time.  I did my first load of laundry since being out of the MTC (we had washing machines) and it was quite the process.  Washing machines don't really exist here so I did it by hand.  I will never complain about laundry in the States again.

Jeepney Ride after Zone Conference.  It's always windy and personal space doesn't exist.  But it's fun to be with all the other missionaries. 

Zone Activity:  For p-day today we went on a beautiful hike about an hour away from our area.  It was this cool little creek thing with a cave at the end. My pants got soaked but it was seriously so beautiful and I got to hang out with the zone…who I love.

Paradise in Plaridel
Week 7

My new companion, Sister Mamasig

Quezon City North Missionaries - Oct 2014

I have been assigned to the Malolos Zone, Plaridel Ward.  It was about an hour and a half drive out.  Our apartment is pretty nice.  No air conditioning but we have fans and a room to change in and a bathroom (no shower, just buckets of water).   

People here are so humble and so kind.  Honestly.  Everyone offers us soda and little cake things after appointments, even if they have very little.  Everyone here says I look like Taylor Swift and then ask me to sing.  People love touching my hands and say they are so soft and white.

        6 Weeks in the MTC... in a nutshell

                              

Kumusta Pamilya Ko!
"Hello my family"

Tagalog is hard…haha!  Each day we spend hours and hours learning how and what to teach in English and then more hours learning how to teach it in Tagalog.  Sometimes it's hard to tell where one word stops and the other starts.  There are all kinds of weird grammar rules too.  But, we have two (dalawa) awesome teachers who are very patient and help us out so much.

Local supermarket (rustains)

The food here in the MTC isn't too bad. (Don't judge by this picture though!)  Its just rice ALL DAY EVERY DAY.  You think I'm kidding but I'm really not.  Just when I think they've used up the rice supply for the whole country, its rice for breakfast.  One day we had cereal though and it was a wonderful day.


                            







                       Work Hard…
                             …Sleep Hard!

Our teacher, Sister Suaybagio.
She's awesome.

The girls from Polynesia in my room gave me a sulu to wear one night after I played volleyball with them for PE because I was officially an honorary islander.

Towards the beginning of this week I started having a lot of people in the MTC ask me if I had a brother in Provo.  Turns out, Elder Foote, going to Cebu East (dad's cousins son) is going to come here next week from the Provo MTC and will be here for a few days before we both get transferred into the mission field.  

                                         Mahal kita,

                                        Sister Foote

SAFE AND SOUND

I arrived safe and sound and checked into the Manila, Philippines MTC.  I'm so excited to be here!

It's official!  My missionary name tag!  

My companion, Sister Ajek, is from Malyasia and speaks English very well so that is awesome.  Sister Tanielu is from Samoa and Sister Qumivutia is from Samoa.  I am the only American Sister in the MTC and I have loved getting to learn about different cultures.  There are 38 nations represented here in the Manila MTC.

My District!

Elders: Waltz, Stratton, Foster, and Newman.  

Sisters:  Ajek, Foote, Tanielu, Qumivutia.  

You are Here

                …….And I'm Off!

Wednesday, September 10, 2014 I left my house at 3:30 a.m. with my family and headed to the Boise Idaho Airport.  Saying goodbye to my family was pretty difficult, as I had expected, but I know I have their total support and seeing them when I return will be amazing!  I boarded my plane not knowing if I would meet up with any other missionaries to travel to the Philippines.  When I arrived at my first stop in Salt Lake City I met up with eight other Elders (No Sisters) and a relative of one of the Elders texted these pictures to my mom so she knew I was not all alone. It was definitely a tender mercy for my mom!  

                                     

                      Philippines Here We Come!

September 9, 2014

Tonight I was set apart to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Philippines Quezon City North Mission.  Tomorrow I will leave from Boise and fly to Manila and report to the MTC there.  I'm excited and nervous at the same time.  Im leaving my family for 18 months to share the gospel with the people in the Philippines and let them know how to be with their family for eternity.

Time to pull an all-nighter and pack………

                                                                              

…..last night at home until 2016!!

 "For the temple is a house of God, a place of love and beauty…"  I am so grateful to have had the privilege to go through the temple last night and have some of my best examples there with me - Taylor on Instagram August 28, 2014

                    Boise Idaho Temple 

   Missionary Farewell and Open House

                             August 24, 2014

                       

I was so thankful to have so many family and friends come support me as I gave a talk in church.  I enjoyed talking with everyone at my Open House later that day.  I said goodbye to many people that day but will see them again in 18 months :)