September 10, 2015: 

CONGRATS Sister Foote!

12 months in the Philippines!

"In case you all lost track, this week was my 1 year mark.  When the heck did that happen?  The time just flew.  My kabahays all woke up in the middle of the night to decorate our stairs and make me a mango float (a yum desert here) and write me cute notes that I kept finding in my desk, closet, taped to the inside of my umbrella.  I really didn't expect anything.  I was just gonna buy myself some ice cream but it was way sweet.  I felt way loved.  Now they all make jokes about how I'm trunky--not true.  But I did misplace my name tag that morning.  I found it, but they thought it was funny." 

These are the kabahays (I think it means companions) responsible for surprising Taylor on her one year "birthday" of her mission!  

My new home…Fairview 

August 2015

This week there was a "bagio" but it wasn't enough to keep us in the house!  We were out working and the rain & wind were way strong but we didn't really think much of it.  As we were heading home our kabahays texted us and told us to buy candles because the power was out (brownout)at our house.  So that night we went home and did our nightly planning by candle light.

Our "apartment" is actually a house.  It's pretty big actually.   Fairview is the most "city" area I've been assigned so far.  Every day we have to cross a skybridge over an 8 lane highway to get home from our area.

I went on exchanges this week with Sister McCarthy.  She is Samoan and from New Zealand.  It was a great day.  She has only been out on her mission a little longer than me.  It was a breath of fresh air to just go and learn from her and watch her work in her area.  This calling (Sister Training Leader) has been a HUGE blessing to me.  Its the best thing to be able to get to know the sisters and their stories and backgrounds and learn from them.  I learn more from them than they do from me. 

This week has been a great week again.  Full of teaching and walking in the rain.  The weather here is SUPER unpredictable.  But you do know one thing, you'll always be drenched..either in sweat or rain.  The work here is good.  We have a few investigators and contacts that show some potential.  

Transfer Day to Fairview

August 12, 2015

These are the elders in my new area.  Pretty funny, pretty typical elders!

Sister Wilson (my first Sister Training Leader) is going home!

Last Few Weeks in Malalos

August 2015

 

I got to take two more MTC exchangees out.  These two are actually both from California and went to BYU.  We were talking and they both had the same Book of Mormon teacher, which was a way cool connection because his class is part of the reason I'm here.

We went bowling again on P-day and another zone was there.  My new companion (Sister Malo Moa was there with her zone.  She is the one in the black and white striped shirt and glasses).  It was a good last P-day.

NANCY AND DOMINGO'S BAPTISM!

The baptism was amazing.  Domingo testified about the truthfulness of the gospel and how it gave him hope.  Before, he was told that he would never see his loves ones who had passed away again.  He left town to do some praying and soul searching.  While he was gone we started teaching his wife.  When he came back and heard the message of the gospel he realized we were an answer to his prayers.  I only heard this story when he shared it at the baptism.  It gave me chills.  The Spirit was way strong.