Transfer Week & Insomnia

November 9, 2015

This week was transfer week and I got a new companion, Sister Gementiza. I love her so much.  She makes me laugh all the time.

The weirdest thing has been happening this week.  Insomnia.  I just lay in bed not able to fall asleep.  Even if it's been a full work day and 10:30 at night when I get in bed.  This is the first time that this has happened to me in my mission.  No matter how tired I am, I can't fall asleep right away.  I'm always to scared to check the time.  But it feels like forever.

My "mom" (trainer--Sister Mamasig) and my anak ("child"/trainee--Sister Rantayo).  It was such a great moment when I saw both of them and we were together again.

BLESSINGS

October 2015

It's Fiesta Season....check out my photo bombers!

Compared to the world's standards, the quality of life in the Philippines is not the greatest.  However, for those living the gospel, the quality of their life is amazing.  They are some of the happiest people I know.  They always have something to be happy about.  I learn so much from these faithful members of the church."

Temple P-day.  I feel my Savior's love.  The temple and the church is the same everywhere.  The Spirit is the universal language.  Blessings on blessings.

I'm so blessed to see my anak ("child") so often.  She's just the best.

  She walked into the Celestial Room and almost cried to see me sitting there.  Blessing.

Cake eating contest turned into cake fight! 

Typhoon Lando has come and is on it's way out.  Some areas in our mission had church cancelled.  We still had church.  Maybe 25 or 30 people came.  It was cool.  Sacrament took about 7 minutes total.  The rain was the strongest while we were at church.  Afterwards, and for today, it's just been really windy.  No flooding in our area, which is good.

BLESSING!

Celebrating National Family Week--

"A Very Happy Thought"

September 2015

This is Sister Doray and Baby Enoch.  She is probably one of my favorite women on this earth.  So humble and teachable.  Last Sunday was her 4th Sunday in a row coming to church!

We tried really hard to get a "normal" district photo.....

Saturday (September 26)  was Christine's Baptism! It was good.  There were a few complications with the font not being filled and not having baptismal clothes that fit when we got to the chapel but we had gotten there a little early and the problems got solved within an hour.  The service was really good (even though my companion and I were asked to sing on the spot) and Sister Christine was so happy after she was baptized that she could hardly bear her testimony.  We were a little sad because we didn't see her husband, Martin, there and she said he wanted to come but that's okay.....
...because the next day when we pulled up in the tricycle to church MARTIN WAS STANDING OUTSIDE THE CHURCH WAITING FOR CHRISTINE.  He came directly from work and attended her confirmation and the Gospel Essentials class with her.  He hasn't been to church since he was in middle school.  It was a miracle.  They're really cute actually!  He was more excited for her than she was!

We had a way fun activity with the ward to celebrate National Family Week.  Four of us missionaries were assigned to teach about The Family:  A Proclamation to the World, Family Prayer, Scripture Study and the Relief Society President talked about Family Home Evening.  Then the families played games and had lunch.  It was cute because the families came "color coded".  It made me appreciate so much more my family and the way that my parents raised me in the gospel.  It has truly blessed my family so much.  I know we can be together forever because of the priesthood.  It's just a very happy thought.

After Elder Scott passed away I read his last talk in the October 2014 Conference...about FAMILIES.  The last 3 (out of 3) of the Apostles who have recently passed away chose to speak to the world about families. I think that is pretty significant.

Taylor and other Sister Missionaries and The Mission President's Wife, Sister Bertin.

 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.