30 June 2013

OK,
    I should probably get started on this email seeing as I have like 15 minutes left to talk, haha. Well my companion finally told me the reason she has not been talking to me. I offended her in the first week and she has not been able to forgive me. So our companionship has been a huge huge struggle- lots of silence, but I have been fasting and praying and our ZL's actually came and interviewed us and last night she finally was able to start talking to me. I am so grateful my Father in Heaven Answered my prayers and softened her heart and allowed her to forgive me of my many weaknesses.

   Halo Halo is probably the weirdest thing I ate this week. Not bad at all just different. Its a slushy drink that they put everything in.. jello, all fruits, rice, corn, weird random anything stuff... its not terrible hahah. I actually really appreicate the bishops wife because she said I should not eat all the things people tell you to. Like chicken intestines and feet-which are everywhere! and dog, balut and rat.... so I will be avoiding those, thank you very much. 

The pig the ward made me eat that skin right off the pig.

   My ward Is a huge blessing. We have incredible ward missionaries who are all so willing to help. I love and appreciate them very much. We have found a few new investigators and one of the LA's we taught came to church so that was soooo good for us to see!
   I am terrible at making goals I realized and so I am working on that.
   I have athletes foot-- its pretty gross but I am putting ointment on and just not looking at it as much as possible.

   I am finally starting to put faces with names a little bit better but learning where people live is still a struggle. Ok... I watched the broadcast and it was amazing but man do they make it look easy. The neighborhoods here are so hard to keep track.. there are streets and then forests and the houses are randomly throughout the forest area without addresses or anything. So you just kind of have to remember by what you see or ask a ton of people where someone else lives. I knew a bunch of people in that broadcast including one of the sister missionaries from the Tampa mission, the organist and a number of people in the crowd-- I was crying a lot.... so many white people.... it was my home!!! hahah, and the culture here is so different it was just nice to feel the power of everyone coming together. I have taken that for granted my whole life.
   I got an opportunity to climb a wall on the ocean and just stare out at the beautiful ocean and the numberless palm trees and sun setting behind the clouds and.... I really do stand all amazed when ever I take a moment to observe God's creations. He truly does live and love us.

Fathers Day activity.. the boys did this adorable dance

    We had our first typhoon this week. It was only a level 2 and so we had to stay inside all day- so I just read general conference talks and the scriptures. The people were do karaoke till 3AM in the morning every day and start at 6 AM in the morning... its hilarious being all tone deaf. And they all sing songs that I love from my high school years... but this night when the rain started BEATING like crazy and the wind was insane.. .they decided to stop singing hahah, it didn't matter cause the rain is so loud we would not have been able to hear them any ways.


Kids that I am in love with.

The little boy next to me has a speech imped. so we are best buds.

   On Friday night I think I was upstairs in a room studying and the ZL's came and said they were asked to interview me and my companion. I was so grateful- we need counseling! They helped me have someone to talk to. I love my companion and I feel so badly for what I have done in the past and what she is going through I just want her to be happy. And so we fasted and set goals and as of last night she started talking to me!!!!! What a beautiful day! Yesterday was incredible- I love the sacrament so much and the broadcast, the stars were gorgeous, the food was good, I got to fast and meet more missionaries and laugh and yesterday was just a wonderful day. I am still working hard on being humble, patient and loving others fully, but my purpose here is to Preach the Gospel. I don't understand anyone still, so my patience is being truly tested, but I believe it will come... please pray for me to learn the language. It is hard to teach with the spirit when I don't know the needs of those I serve. But I know it will come. 

    I am learning so much. I am sorry I don't have cool stories for you. I don't know what would be exciting for you to hear... but I hope all of you know how much I truly deeply care and love each of you and How I am learning how much I truly most depend and trust my Savior. He is the source of all hope, he gives me a reason to smile at ALL times and find joy in the moment. He is the reason I am here, why I have this feeling of bursting inside me to share what I know with these people. I pray for all of you and love you with all my heart.

   Love Forever,

     Sister Sarah Ralph