THAT'S ALL FOLKS!

February 28, 2016

I've come to the end of the best decision I have ever made in my life.  Honestly, I sometimes thought I would never get to this point, but here I am.  I don't think it has sunk in yet.

I regret nothing about serving a full-time mission.  If any of you are wondering if it's worth giving up your cell phones, education, job, girlfriend or boyfriend, likes on twitter, facebook, and instagram, sleep and time, and getting out of your comfort zone...it is!  It ABSOULTELY is.

I know the only way to be truly happy is to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know that this is His church once again established on the earth.  The Book of Mormon is true.  I know that the Savior atoned for my sins/your sins and that repentance is real.  It works.  I know Thomas S. Monson is our living prophet today.  I know that the temple is the House of God where families can be sealed together forever.

Every trial I've faced for the past 18 months has not only been matched with, but has been easily surpassed by the amount of blessings that I've sen in my life and in the lives of those I've served.  This wasn't 18 months of sacrifice.  I was blessed for every single one of the months, weeks and days I've spent here.

I love my Savior and Father in Heaven.  I love the Filipino people and I love my mission.

I know its true.  I know everything is true.

For the last time,

Sister Foote 

The Time is Far Spent...

February 21, 2016

This has been a great week.  We had a service project as a zone on Thursday and then a mission conference on Friday with PRESIDENT RUSSELL M. NELSON, of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. I didn't get to speak with him personally but We all got to shake his hand and look into his eyes and I got a spot on the very front row.  That man is truly a representative of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  Special little memory for me.

Today we went to the zoo!

A little BYU love!

I can now officially call my mission complete.  I got kissed by an orangutan in the Philippines.

Seriously though,  I feel at peace about everything.  I know that I've done what I could as I've been here in the mission and that the Lord is pleased with the work I've done as I continue to work till the last day!

No Excuses, No Regrets

February 14, 2016

I hope you all had a good Valentines Day and are continuting to grow closer to your Savior.  It's the only way to be truly happy.  I love the Savior.  I love my mission.  I love you all!

We wore our dusters (nightgowns) for valentines morning and made ourselves heart shaped pancakes.  It was a good way to celebrate.

BALUT?!?!

Can you believe Taylor finally ate balut?!  It's a developing duck embryo that is boiled and then eaten in the shell!  It's a Filipino delicacy and it was served to her by her recently baptized friends.  She couldn't say no.  I wish i could insert the surprised and grossed out emoji here ;)

Another Day, Another Dollar

February 7, 2016

I'm not really sure why, but that's something my companion and I say to each other every night before we go to bed as we turn out the lights.  She said it's from Spongebob.  It's kinda our motto.  Just take things day by day and try to get better as you go.  Don't expect to earn a million (or be perfect) right away.

 We had a baptism yesterday of two of our investigators.  We started with a nice program in the chapel and all moved to the baptismal font.  As I walked down the hallway, I saw a small commotion by the door of the font and learned the font had not yet been filled.  Our ward members quickly jumped to the rescue and started setting up  a TV so there would be something to hold the attention of those in attendance.  We (the missionaries, the baptismal candidates, and the ward mission leader) started filling custodial buckets with water and pouring them into the font to "hasten the work". 

We managed to get the font full in about 30 or 40 minutes, which was a miracle.  After the baptism our investigators bore simple testimony about the truthfulness of the gospel and I felt completely at peace.  It made everything worth it.  Of course, it would have been better if everything had gone perfectly.  But, life sometimes gets in the way, and we (as children of God) just have to help each other get over our mistakes and learn from them.  Pointing fingers and blaming others does not good.  I was reminded of the primary song "When we're helping we're happy".  Part of living the gospel includes helping and serving others and our investigators learned that sooner than others.  It was still a good day.   They called themselves "The Janitor Boyz" after today.

It's such a blessing to be here serving a mission and it's easily the most rewarding and fulfilling thing I've ever done.  I love you all.

My Last Transfer:  Jan. 26, 2016

  Staying in San Mateo :)

Well it's official.  I'm staying in San Mateo ward with Sister Miole to finish out my mission!  I'm actually really happy about it and super excited to work for these last 6 weeks!  I've learned a lot but I know I have so much more to learn!  

FHE with the Carpio family.  

I kissed my lunch before I ate it.  This is a very typical way to eat fish here...just gut them and fry them!

The Bernadas family.  Brother Bernadas is just returning to church and Sister Bernadas is a recent convert.  Their family is just adorable.  Especially Rachelle (the young woman in the stripes).  We are helping her get her Young Womanhood Recognition Award.

My testimony is strengthened as I read and ponder the scriptures.  I read in Doctrine and Covenants 43:28 "wherefore labor ye, labor ye in my vineyard for the last (transfer)--for the last (transfer) call upon the inhabitants of (San Mateo)".  My eyes welled up with tears as I felt Heavenly Father giving me a little pep talk for the last 6 weeks of my mission.  I realized that this is it.  This is the last chance I have to set goals and make something happen here in my area.  

Down to my last toothbrush!!

January 2016

When I packed for my mission I packed 9 toothbrushes (one for every 2 months) and I only have one left!  I guess my time here in the Philippines really is winding down.  

Just wishing my "seester" Sarah a Happy 19th Birthday!!

On one of our p-days we went to the Wawa Dam.  You can't see the dam in this picture but I just thought it was a cool spot.  It was beautiful here.

New Year...New Companion

Meet Sister Miole

January 2016

Sister Miole is my new companion/trainee.  She is actually waiting for a visa to the United States to serve in San Diego.  I'm excited because she wants me to help her with her English and preparing to serve in the states.  Hopefully her visa will come just in time for me to have a traveling companion as I go back to the US in March :)

I hope you all have had a great holiday season!  It's 2016 here in the Philipines and I cannot believe how much I have experienced in the last 365 days.  It has been such a full and blessed year and I am so happy to have been able to spend it in the service of the Lord.  This picture was taken at a zone conference.

Sister Miole and I watched the fireworks on New Years Eve from our window. My companion was SO cute.  Fireworks are bawal (not allowed) in the province she is from.  She was using a mirror and sticking her arm out the window to see the fireworks around the corner and just kept saying "it's so pretty!  It's so fun to watch!"

Merry Christmas 2015 !!

It was so great to skype my family on Christmas Day!  My cousin, Max, just returned home from his mission in Kentucky so it was the first time I've been able to talk to him for 2 years!!!  I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, or as they say in the Philippines, Maligayang Pasko!