My 21st Birthday!

December 15, 2015

There were 3 birthdays in our apartment this week.  We had little celebrations for each person on their birthday (their favorite food and a little mini cake).  We hid and shot confetti at one of the sisters!

Birthday Packages from my mom and my grandma! 

 We had a birthday lunch today with our district.  It was supposed to be at the park but it's raining so we went to the chapel instead.  We bought lechon manok, sister Lopez made pasta and elders brought a fruit salad thing and cake.  It was actually really fun.  Simple, but fun!

Saying goodbye to the Cano family was really hard.  Sister Kim and Jovelyn (her mom) both came to church sunday for the second sunday in a row and it is really looking like Kim will be baptized.

Saying goodbye to Sister Gementiza was also really hard.  Also, I found out that I am going to be a New Missionary Trainer for my last 12 weeks of my mission.  12 weeks of Training--kinda like 12 days of Christmas;)  I definitely feel the weight of this calling, but prayer will get me through for sure and I'm excited to see what kind of impact I can have.

This will probably be my last email until after Christmas so I hope you all enjoy the season and have a great time with your famiies!  Remember the reason why Christ was born almost 2000 years ago.  It wasn't so that we would have a day to eat yummy food and give gifts (although that sure is fun).  He was born so that He could atone for our sins and thus provide a way for us to return to Him.

Merry Christmas!  

MALIGAYANG PASKO!

Already DECEMBER!

Dec. 6, 2015

I had my mom send me a bunch of "future missionary" tags to give to the kids here.  These are two recently baptized kids.  Aren't they the cutest?!

I honestly can't believe it is already December.  This month is going to fly by.  This week is the last full week of the transfer and then next week is transfers, then Christmas, then New Years and then 2015 is gone.  The full year that I will have spent in the mission will be over.  I feel like it just started.

Already my last 100 days... 
Happy Thanksgiving!

November 29, 2015

 

I hope Thanksgiving was great for you all!  I had a few members wish me a Happy Thanksgiving (they have family in the states) but no turkey dinners.  I did, however, buy myself some mashed potatoes on Friday night.  Kinda like KFC.  Certainly not as good as Aunt Dana and Mom's mashed potatoes...but it was good enough for me.

Fairview Sisters at zone interviews

President kindly pointed out that my time is winding down and told me to set goals for my last 3 months (two transfers) and then asked me what my plans were after.  I had my first "I can't believe how fast this is all happening "meltdown" the next day with my companion.  Of course I'm excited to see you all, but this really is the best thing that has ever happened to me and its sad to think that it is all winding down.  I've learned so much and I don't want the learning to end."

Something I've learned from the Pinoy people.  Gratitude.  Even if there is no abundance or food or even living space.  They are always grateful for the things they do have.  Usually their family.  That's all you really need to be happy...enough to live on and family.  Take a few minutes to appreciate what you have this week and say thank you to those who have served/loved you.  Especially Heavenly Father.

 

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!