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 :)