Over the hill

Yep. This week was my over the hill mark. I don't know how I feel about that. I had a mental occasion in which there were black balloons tied to my scriptures and lame sayings about being old on the wall. 9 months. gulp. I guess its time for me to have a mid life crisis. Hey on the good news- there are 9 months to go so in case anyone we know gets pregnant now I can attend the birthing!! there's always a bright side...

this girl is named angel, she is so funny. 

she needs her own tv show, everything out of 

her mouth is gold! she s like a 49 year 

old in a tiny body! so funnY! i love her!!!

The week in Naga was hot hot hot. Super hot. Hey I met a sister who came to our apt for a night on the way to fix her visa stuff who had a call to temple square! yay! I got to talk and tell her all about temple square and how much fun she's going to have smelling all those flowers and talking to all those people. Watch out for a sis with a ppino flag on her nametag! She's super pretty, so the rule still stands about the prettiest sisters going to Tsquare. #mommey. 

We had exchanges this week in Canaman, our STL's are cool. One of their kabahays is sister S, one of my friends from Pakistan! She's awesome! she cooked us Pakistani food loaded with curry and showed us pics of her life back at home. Full sleeves and ankles and face covered and all. Anyways she's super awesome for serving a mission here! It's so fun to meet sisters from all around the world. 

me and my kabahays! love them!

Hey on exchanges- super cool- we went to visit an investigator and read the Book of Mormon with him, when we walked in, HEY! i knew him! 3 months earlier before I went to Goa I had exchanges there and that was the very first time we tracted him! It was so cool to remember him back then, I remember introducing the Book of Mormon to him and explaining who Mormon was and stuff like that. I remember being so choppy and stressed about my wording. It was so neat to see all his progress in the gospel and all of my progress too. I can't believe that was only 3 months ago. 

That night of exchanges me and sis M stayed up to plan out our workshop we were giving at district meeting the next day. We were so tired haha! But it all went well, we used some great scrips and had a good conversation and all. I was especially peppy- sometimes people need some life pumped into them and need to be reminded that it is FUN to be a missionary and not just let time pass by. It's not a death sentence people, don't count it down. Change topic..

naga disrtict naga zone naga mission. NAGA!! 

I'm going to tell you a cool story about an actual person. Woah, I know right? So this guy is named Alfredo. he was buying something at a Tindahan 2 weeks ago and we walked past him, then I felt like we should go back, but it was kind of weird, so I pulled out the cell phone and pretended to walk over to where he was standing to "get service". Well we met him and he said we could come by his home. So the next week we tried to find his home, we asked almost everyone on his street that he said, but no one knew him! that is so weird- the way you find people here is ask the neighbors, everyone know everyone. Like if you are finding a referral all you need is the name and the general area and people will tell you where he is. anyways, this was unusual that no one knew him especially cause he was old. We tried a couple other nights looking, but no luck. We thought we couldn't find him and sort of gave up.  We decided to just tract and Sis M went to a door, tao poed, and WHO comes out but dear old Alfredo!! It's the Spirit man!! We taught him. His wife was there- has a major stroke and can hardly do anything for herself. She can't really talk clearly, and is so old. Alfredo said she's had the stroke for 31 years, and all this time he's been caring for her and tending to her every need even though she can do nothing for him. That's true love man, it was so sweet. We taught about families and temples and told them that they can be sealed together forever and be together in heaven and that sister will be perfect and have no more sickness. It was such a wonderful spirit in the room, I loved it. It was such an honor to get to come and take a peek into these two people's lives, see that there still is love and putting others needs before your own in this world. I was touched. SO COOL. I love pure souls like that. 

us and the pioneers of naga 3rd at national day of service

puppet show

SO the coolest thing that happened this week was NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE!!!! Yaaay!!! why doesn't every country have this tradition? Here every ward in the whole ppines on NDS puts on yellow vests and goes and serves how ever they can in the community or wherever. This year, Naga 3rd served at this place called "missionaries for charity", which is a Catholic sort of sanctuary place for orphans, handicapped, and the old. Pretty much if you have no family or anyone to help you you go there. The ward planned a program complete with a puppet show, dance by the youth, games, songs, videoke contest, and other stuff. We fed them too :) the adults in the ward were assigned to befriend an orphan and the youth were assigned to befriend an elderly person. SWEET! I practically ran and plopped myself down at a table of old ladies and chatted the day away. I love them! i love my friends there! some of them toothless, some a bit loco, but sisters all the same. It was so fun to cheer them up and make them smile!

I had the chance to meet one of the sisters there, one of the nuns named Sister Anne from Bangledesh. I talked to her for a long time about the work they do and everything. She is 30 years old, has left to serve like this for 10 years. Her dad recently passed away and her mother called from her home in Bangledesh and begged her to come home. She said that she has given her life to the Lord now. She said whenever she is tempted to turn back, she feels Jesus pushing her along. I was so touched by this sweet soul, I got tears in my eyes. She served for a time in Africa, but is now assigned here. 

youth dancing

I followed her to a room with 2 girls severely handicapped laying on the floor. I got to go sit by them and sing them songs and play with their arms and legs. One of them was yelling stuff and drooling, then when I looked at her face she broke out into the biggest smile I had ever seen. Her eyes felt like they were piercing my soul. I held my sister and friend and got tears in my eyes again. I sang them some more songs and promised them that I will come play with them again in heaven and we can hug and talk to each other then. I feel so blessed to get to cross paths with all of these incredible spirits! There is no joy greater than cheering someone up! 

singing her solo....

We went back and I sat by my old lady friends and we talked some more. One of them got up in the videoke competition, pulled the plug, then announced she would be singing a self composed piece, then broke out into this loud minor tune. Definitely self composed. haha oh people are so great. Before we left them, all the ward stood up and sang a Whit Houston song that starts "i believe the children are the fyoootchaaaahh". Ya, idk why, totally random song choice, but hey whatever. It's not every day you get to sing Whitney at the top of your lungs to orphans and old folks. It definitely made my day, week, month, year. I love service like that, I wish we could go back all the time.

this one danced haha :) bffs kami

That's about all for this week, I'm happy to be here, happy to meet all these wonderful people. I'm trying to do my very best, put in every ounce of my energy and time and work for the Lord's work. I'm tired, but its a good tired. The work is very hard, but the Savior is at the head. I know that when I do things His way, accept His will and timing for this area and for me, I am happy. There's no use fighting against his will, it's going to happen anyways, might as well be on board. I think that a lot as we tract and it seems like nothing is moving and there is no soul we can help out. I know that He has a plan for this area, and that as long as I am humble and try my best to be in the right place at the right time, miracles are going to happen. God is real, he's not just a fairytale or a childish story. I know He loves me and all of His children. 

Thank you for the prayers and love you send my way! I am so grateful for you family, you truly are perfect. I miss you, I'm doing my best and working my best. I love you so much! Mother's Day is soon sooo PUMPED!! cant wait!!!

LOVE SISTER MCGRATH 

do you ever feel like this guy?

Naga, Naga, Naga

Marana hapon naga city!!! man life here is crazy! so busy busy and hot hot hot! lets talk about the happs this week.

first of all, my kasama. oh my gosh. i wish you all could meet her! she is HILARIOUS!!! but like, its all in the things she does and way she is. It's sooooo funnnyyyy I swear I haven't laughed like this in a loong time. I can't describe all of the funny things, but after our tricee ride it was just TOO funny, then she wanted ice cream so we went into the jolleebee but i was crying, tears streaming down my face and my body was all hunched over cause I was laughing so hard. We could barely order we were literally dying, the whole restaurant looked at us...the cashier asked us what religion we were....hopefully they will just get the impression that mormons are happy people, not insane. anyways, its a good life with sis m :) i love her man!

So in my new calling as diet and fitness specialist, we have started a morning program of zumba :) we watch it on the little dvd player and i make us sweat man! haha so weird right? I'm like such a hypocrite, since when do I do eat healthy and exercise? Uh never....just now haha. 

I COOKED LAING ALL BY MY SELFFFF

  Next- highlight of the week in food- I COOKED LAING!! All by myself !!! I'm such a ppina!!! it was so good daw and my ppinas said it was 5 star :) pwede na ako! it was so good and it didn't even make your throat itchy! (if you don't cook it right it does and its like you want to stick a fork down there and scratch it). anyway I've been very proud of myself and proudly declare that while my skin might be white my heart is ppina 100%.

  Let's move on to our segment called "all creatures of our God and king". this week I did a bad thing. a bad, bad thing. we were walking in the hot hot sun around 2 pm, I had my umbrella out and was squinting and sweating like crazy. we walked past the huge iglasia ni cristo church, and I heard sis mauai yell "SISTER!". Due to the sun and sweat in my eyes, I didn't look down but kept trudging on. BUT. instead of my foot hitting the boiling pavement, it stepped down on something hot and fuzzy! I didn't even know! then I felt and heard this big crunch and felt blood, look down and WHAt do i SEE?! a rat! a huge freaking rat the size of an idaho potato!!! i stepped on it and it POPPED!! i screamed and jumped away, then silently freaked out as it twitched and blood came out of him and looked around to see if anyone noticed my crime. I killed him!! I'm so sorry!! i didn't know!! uh it was so gross and I feel so bad! I wanted to like, take it to the hospital or something but thats a stupid idea...so we just waited on the curb till his last breath then kept going. I had blood on my shoe the rest of the day. poor guy.

at gen conf with the kasama

  so teaching in the city is sort of...insane. we oymed this lady at her vegetable stand and then sat right there on the side of the road and taught her, practically yelling because of the noise of motors and trycees. It's not all like that in our appointments, but its definitely louder here than my past areas. I miss the rice fields :''( tracting here is...rough. yup. its rough. people are busy, they are ruder I feel like, they live in big houses or tall apartments....we were tracting and it was so hot and we sang "heavenly father...are youuu really theere" and then it started raining! ya! when its extreme heat here sometimes it rains...anyways, it was like a billion degrees but we had some rain mist. Heavenly Father is watching out for us and knows its rough :) We keep the mood light though and don't get too depressed or down. how can I when sis m is so so funny? I'm so grateful for her and so glad we can laugh all the time so survive this insane place.

   We had a csp cleaning up a "meeting house" aka a cement room with one string light bulb, for the Elders' area. It's just a group out there, there are very few members because the catholic preacher in their town area tells them all these terrible things about Mormons. We just went and cleaned up, weed whatever we saw and swept. Hopefully it will show people we aren't from the jaws of hell and are actually decent folks. poor elders out there :(

Cookies with the Hoopes

  

awk pic...what do i do wiff my hayndz

 So, in these emails, I feel so bad. I can't hardly express the whole week, let alone the most important growing parts, all the people I meet, all the Spirit I feel. I wish I could be better at expressing it here. i wish i could describe the Spirit i feel every day, how incredibly good i feel when the Spirit testifies through me and i feel it in my eyes. I wish i could take you on a day in the life here. I wish i could tell you how much I am changing and re-writing my character and everything inside into something so much better. I wish I could express how things really are. These emails about rats and food and the heat, ya thats nice, like 20% of it....but there is so much more! Even my pictures can't capture it all. I wont even try to write all the spiritual things, but please know that they are happening even if i don't express them here. My journal is full of times every day when I see the hand of the Lord in his work. I just hope you remember that these letters are not a sum total of my mission but a mere glance.

   On Sunday, it was my first time in the Naga 3rd and I was asked to be a speaker, topic--missionary work. Piece of cake, I can talk for years about that :) I prayed about my talk the night before and wrote a quick sketch. Anyways, I spoke for about 15 mins about how we can all be better missionaries to our neighbors and stuff and how they can help the work of God. Afterwards many people came and thanked me and complimented my language skills. I was so shocked, what? MY Tagalog? I decided a while ago to quit stressing about the language, it was taking up too much worry space in my head. I just stopped caring, worked my hardest, and let the rest come. Anyways what I'm trying to say is that a) the gift of tongues is real when it is used for the Lord's purposes and b) I am so grateful and in awe that I can be used as an instrument in the Lord's hands and somehow manage with this crazy language and get the Spirit's point across. of COURSE i have a lot to improve on, there are tons of words i don't know and cant speak, but as for now where I'm at, I am so grateful and really know that this is a miracle.

  There is so much more..but I'm going to have to leave it at there for this week. Thank you so much family. Thank you for your prayers and your love and support, thank you for your testimonies, thank you for raising me in a home with the Spirit and letting me gain my own testimony. I know without a doubt this church is true. I know that God is real. R.E.A.L. He is not absent or far away from us, but loves us more than we can even comprehend. I know He loves me, I know I am his daughter. Missionary work is the hardest thing, and the greatest thing. You don't need a name tag to feel this way. I am so honored to give everything of myself to the Lord and to have him push me and make me into a better thing than I was yesterday. I know that He lives. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father. I cannot deny that this is their work and their hand is in it, all I try to do is do my best to step out of the way and let them do their work though me. Thank you for your prayers and I pray for you every night and day. Be safe :)

Love sister mcgrath

chicken heads last week ;P

selfies while passing the mission home at work :_) )

outside the mission home last week

story to follow...

Sister McGrath in the Big City

drummrolllll drummroolll.....my new area is NAGA!!!! as in, the heart of the city! I am a city girl now! 

In my area is the mission home and office, SM super mega world, and tonnns and tonns of rich houses. My kasama is sister M, from Samoa! my 2nd Polynesian companion! I again feel really small.  Anyways, she is super sweet and we are already great friends, no prob. I guess I will go back to transfer day to tell you the whole scoop. 

SO it was Monday night in the house, not a single thing was stirring, not even a mouse. I couldn't sleep and neither could Sis Gregs because A) we were stressin about our new kasamas and B) packing takes a while. On Tuesday it was time for me to say goodbye to my beloved ppina kabahays, Sis Marzan and sis Cabs :''''''''''''( I cried man, so hard! I took one last look at my lovely home and with tears in my eyes left out with my luggage to the curb. I hugged Marzan and Cabs and cried and cried, I'm going to miss those sisters so much! We got in the trycee and rode past my area, all of the vegetables and the stinky fish port and the creepy man and the padjacks. We rode by and I saw 2 of our investigators on the road. Man, I don't know what it is because I'm pretty sure if I had to stay in Goa another transfer I would cry of sadness, but as we rode down all the streets I've walked countless times I got choked up and cried my eyes out in the back of the tricey. I'm going to miss that place so bad! I already do! whoow. Quite a rollercoaster. 

But anyways, we got on the bus and headed to the Panganiban chapel for the most awaited time, transfer point! We went to SM and ate, paced around to kill the nerves and finally went.  Eventually the names were called and I heard a "Sister Mcgrath, meet your new companion, Sister M" and I went to go sit by her :) and turns out sister G was our temporary kasama for one more day until her american trainee came! So I didn't even have to say goodbye yet :) So it was us three, we went to the apartment and SURPRISE it is the very same apartment I slept in my firstest night here in the ppines! I walked in and BAM memories! This couch is where I fell asleep in my clothes and was so hot, this is where I first met Sis Coons! I ate my first fried fish here and took my first bucket shower here! This is the first toilet I used in the ppines! And I didn't even know how to flush it back then (stupid me, you use the bucket of water and scoop, duh) and I just left it there...change topic! ok! Anyways I immediately felt at home, twas great. Haha its funny, it seems so much nicer and cleaner and spacious than my first impressions :) It's quite the palace now compared to the hole in the wall I thought it was before. My how perspectives change. 

Our first night we just taught one lesson, and actually plugged in a usb to their tv and watched a mormon message. and then they spoke in Taglish.  It was so weird. After that we went to SM to get some groceries, AHHH! Oh my gosh I was so overwhelmed! We walked in the supermarket section and its crazzyzyyy. It's like, bigger than Costco i think and filled with so much stuff. Everyone is walking around very well dressed with overflowing carts, talking on cell phones. I saw my first iphone since i got here. I started to put some stuff in my humble cart and was so overwhelmed, its like I've been transported to an entirely different mission! I want to buy my veggies from the pelenke and I want my fish to be alive when I pick them out and de-gutted before me! Everything felt so squeaky clean and super wrong. We rode home and I realized that this is going to be a veryyy different experience than the kind I've been having.

The next day sis Gregs left to get her new kasama, I cried when I hugged her goodbye. Goodbyes are the worst!! She went to the mission home and then we went out to work. We taught one lesson in the morning, but then were punted and walking around the area. After we had walked for some time we were coming up on the mission home wouldn't you know it! We saw all the suitcases outside and realized that the new batch with fresh Americans were RIGHT. THERE. inside those walls. Our area looked especially hot and dreary and we paced around outside brainstorming a way we could get in. I finally thought of calling Sis Reeder and asking for some vitamins (genious). The security guard let us in and we were pacing around outside. The AP's came out and questioned us and made us feel like real bad sinners for being there. But for some reason I really felt like we had to go there and my feet couldn't leave even though they told us to get lost. Sis Reeder came out and gave us the vitamins, then after some moments invited us in. JACKPOT!

We went in and there they were! I saw 2 very white girls, dressed in really nice clothes washed and dried in a machine, Crocs with no holes, and hair curled with a curling iron. Awwwh it was so precious!! I immediately gravitated to them and told them how excited I was they were here and we chit chatted. We only stayed for about 3 mins, but it was so good to see them! As we stood up to leave and I looked in their eyes all I could see was how hard these next couple of months were going to be. I could imagine it all so perfectly because I KNOW, it is so crazy and new at the start. My heart swelled for them and I wanted to stay and talk for 6 more hours and to tell them advice and such, but instead I shook hands and wished them the very best in their training. AH! I wonder how they are doing now! One of them has been sleeping in my bed in Goa and has been teaching all the people Gregorio and I have found! ooh I hope they are ok.

Anyways, at general conference Saturday, sister Gardener one of the couple missionaries came up to me and told me that on Tuesday morning she had the impression that I needed to meet the new sisters.  But seeing as there was no way she ignored it. I told her that hey not to fear! I did meet them and we found a way! She got tears in her eyes and said that they needed that so much, They needed to see another foreign sister and see that they too can survive and that they will be ok. The next day at conference Sunday Sis Reeder came up to me and said the same thing, she said she was kind of busy when she got our pointless call for vitamins, but after a moment felt like we needed to come in. She said that she wishes we could have seen their eyes after we left and the change from before, she said after it seemed like they were more calm and could do it :) Sis Reeder got teary eyed and thanked us for following the Spirit and was so grateful for sisters who are close to the Spirit. Wow, who knew! I'm so glad i helped someone along and encouraged them a bit!

So the area has been crazy, I'm still trying to memorize all the crazy roads and streets, these houses are so rich man! It's like I'm in a totally new place! I miss province life so much! I miss the bugs in my face and having to scrub my feet with a toothbrush at night cause they got so dirty. I don't even have to use my flashlight anymore :( its like a whole new breed of people here, a new breed of ppinos! They are busy, they are rich, they have dogs and wine glasses and cars. It's so weird! I feel like I'm in a whole new country. But its been fun, even though i miss the province I'm enjoying it here too. New challenges new opportunities :) I really feel happy here, not necessarily because I'm here, but just happy inside. Sis M is great, my kabahays are great (oh i forgot to mention them, sister Lauigan and Sister Cruz! yay! I love these sisters! I knew them both before so it was just like meeting old friends.

Hey guess what's fun! We have a rooftop- there are stairs in my room and you can pop open the roof and go sit up there! We had dinner up there, ate some rice and chicken heads and looked at the stars. so lovely! ok wait don't freak out about the chicken heads, it's safe, its bbq and cooked real good and is just like a crunchy little thing.)

Haha so funny story, we were teaching one recent convert man and his son (his wife isn't a member yet but always goes to church and reads the book of mormon, she said she wants an American to teach her..I'm here! haha she's still super ignor-ey to us but I'm trying.  :):):) soooonnn soooon) Anyways we were teaching the tatay and the topic got on food and somehow I got in to talking about how much I love ppino food and how I'm not that bad at cooking it. Well, that led to a dinner appointment with ME as the chef, they said if I say I'm so good we will see tomorrow. Uhh err....wait up..... Haha so yep, I cooked laing for us and it was super good! It's the kind with the coconut milk and the leaves, anyways tatay said as long as I stir it with a smile on my face it will taste good, if I frown it wont. Haha I smiled really cheesy the whole time and so it tasted extra delish. It passed the test, his wife even thought it was ok :) yesssss ppina na ako!! I'm legit.

what else, oh YA general conference!!!!!! Ahhhhh It was SO GOOD!!! I loved it! Every little smidge! I couldn't write fast enough :) i wanted to watch it all over again as soon as it was over! on Sunday session we went to Canaman chapel and we sat in front of the Reeders! eeee! As soon as President Monson stood up and started talking I was hit with a wall of the Spirit. It was so strong, I started crying there and felt so strongly that he is a true prophet of God. I felt so blessed that I am not just alone in this world, but that God will direct us though his mouthpiece. I felt so much of God's love for me and everyone, and so much love for President Monson. I think I felt it even more so now than when I was actually in the conference center. I KNOW he is a prophet of God and he will never lead us astray. Now I just cant wait for the Liahona magazine to come out so I can really read and dissect all the talks! General conference is better than Disneyland!! woot woot!!!

Hm heres some more random stuff, so there is a member in our area who is like a nutritionist lady and she has this fancy scale and can weigh you and tell you like every fat and make up of your body and stuff, anyways after we checked ourselves I took upon myself a new calling, personal fitness and food manager for Sis M (I know, me of all people, what a hypocrite) but yes, I am now in charge of making us eat healthy and stop her from eating all the junk she has been and to drink water and exercise and all that jazz. Who knew being a missionary meant a seamstress of barbie clothes and a wedding planner and now personal fitness consultant! It's sure not helping that sm is in our area and Mcdonalds, its like every day at lunch (puke) don't worry, things are changing next week. "ooour diet starts tomorrow"-anyone? anyone? What else, I think its hotter here in the city if thats possible. Our teaching pool is small and everyone is busy busy, but I've got some great ideas cooking in my brain for finding and OYMing, its going to be a great area by the time we're through! Well, that about sums up the week, my pics wont load here in this place darn it, so sorry! I'll just tell you what you're missing.  Some selfies at night secretly by the mission home, chicken heads, me and Sis M. yep thats about it. Thank you all for your prayers and love! I feel so strengthened beyond my own capability every day and know that I am not doing this alone! I love you all!

Love sis Mcgrath

"holy week, typhoon, and transfers take a simultaneous strike my way"

Yep, this week has been crazy. holy week--ughh it was the worst. Before I get into that- guess what!! I'M GETTING TRANSFEREEDDDD!!!!!! I am so excited!!! I've been here in Goa for 4 months, I feel sad to leave the people but SO ready to go. It's weird, mixed emotions. Tomorrow is transfer point and by next Monday I will tell you all about my new kasama and area and everything. Sis Gregs is training!!! An american sister! There are 3 coming here! I'm so excited!!!! I can't believe she will have an aki! I pray for her new kasama and worry, this is going to be the hardest part of her life :O I am giving her welcome to Goa gifts with shampoo and crackers and a coconut drink thing. Poor girl. I don't know where I will be to watch conference next week, I hope it has good connection! I crave it so much! I could cry I'm so happy for it!

This week was. rough. I felt so pressed to my breaking point all week. I can't describe it all to you in this short time but I don't think I have ever felt so close to lying in the middle of the road and waiting for something to run me over. I really really was feeling so down and terrible and weak. I pulled my umbrella over my head so the people wouldn't see me and cried and prayed in my heart to have the strength to take one more step. It was so hot outside I felt like my body was boiling on the inside! It always is extremely hot before a storm- and we had typhoon signal one for half the week after that. We had curfew at 6 due to the storm and holy week. It then turned super rainy and cold and I felt like I was blowing away with every step, my umbrella couldn't handle the pressure of the wind. Bipolar seasons for sure. But good thing it was only signal one and passed Bicol by! phwew! 

Part of the reason this week was so hard was because of holy week.  This place is INSANE about holy week, they had processions in the evenings and everyone in the whole entire town went and marched with candles behind these huge floats with saints on them and flowers and stuff. We went out to proselyte but every single one of our investigators was at the processions. It was so hard, we just stood on the side of the road with literally nothing to do, and watched all our investigators march on. noooooooooo. 

Because it was literally pointless to tract and find new ones (all were there) we went to visit some less-actives instead. We went to this member Tatay, he is the sweetest man I have ever met! I love him so much! he took us on a tour of his "garden" which extends for miles and miles as the processions went by. We helped him plant papaya trees, it felt good to get dirt in my nails and plant stuff. Tatay took us on his tour and pointed out all of these fruits and things growing- it was like the garden of eden! Check out that huge flower thing! he hacked it off for us and we got to take it home :) we sat near his house and watched the processions go by.

There were no people who whip themselves here, but they have them in other processions. Terrible terrible holy week.  They whip themselves with whips with tiny rocks and glass in them and bleed all over the place as they march to suffer like Jesus did. In other places in the ppines people actually nail themselves to crosses. Uh its so terrible! They are so confused. The atonement is infinite, it is complete, and Jesus lives! 

We went down a back way through the jungle to avoid the crowds but ended up getting trapped, they were coming from the front and the back with candles, we were in the middle getting eaten by mosquitos, hhhhhhhh so frustrating. I felt like such a terrible missionary this week, I don't know what I'm doing wrong :| i guess it is due to the holiday but still, I felt my emotions hit a new low. It really feels like I am making no difference sometimes. The article in the Liahona was so perfect, it made me tear up when I saw it, the one about being weak isn't a sin. Just what the doctor ordered! Anyways, thats a snippet of what's been going on. Wish I could say more. 

Hmm good things of the week, my ppinas have trained me in the art of cooking sinagang and kare kare and lumpia fresh! I am an expert now!!! Oh my GOODNEss this food is so good. I can't wait to make it for you and you can taste it. mm it is sooo heavenly!!! 

Sis G's tooth she got removed before her mish had a piece left over, so we made a venture to the "dentist" to get the rest out. First of all, he wasn't there because he was working in the rice field, they said come back tomorrow., uhh okk? Is this guy profesh? We came back the next day, he was done with harvesting his rice I guess cause he was in his flip flops. She sat down in the chair, he looked at her and then 2 seconds later shot a huge needle in her gums like it's nothing (not even telling her what was going on....) then yanked it out with these plier things. the whole thing was literally 2 mins. I was so in shock and set out to find this guy's degree on the wall somewhere to verify his credibility. All I saw were 80's posters about dental care and old versions of braces. Man, so different from my experiences when i have 2-3 kind ladies lead me to my chair and afterwards give me tokens for the machine and they have our insurance in the computer and schedule us for 6 months in the future. It's really a different world! Anyways, we dropped 200 pesos on his table and that was that! The whole thing felt so sketchy like a drug deal or something. I hope I never have to go there again on my mish.

In the typhoon curfew time I had some time so I sewed some barbie clothes for the Daco girls, they have naked barbies and it's sad. I made them some skirts and shirts and sis g made a bed for them (haha its nicer than their own "bed" which is the floor) Anyways, if i can't save the world, at least I can make there be 2 less naked barbies. woop de woop. They loved it, we took it to them and they were so excited :) cute

Can you see my pic? The one of the people in the doorway? We walked around the corner to their home and our 2 investigators were standing in the doorway, the mama holding a rooster upside down and the papa sawing its nails with a saw. It was such a sight, one thousand times better than that one time I came into the kitchen and mom and dad were both trimming their nails standing around the trash can. It was too good I needed a picture. Hopefully you can see it haha! 

Hmm another funny thing, we were reading the Book of Mormon with a less active but her neighbors were singing their hearts out at videoke. They were gay and were quite talented, but very very loud. "and so as we see, Nephi says....IF I WERE A BOOOOOOYYYYYYY!!!!!" it was too much, just the lyrics because of who was singing it, all in falsetto, oh man this place. bakla bakla bakla. 

Got to go, wish me luck tomorrow when I meet my new life! nervous! exciting! scary! I can do it though. Thank you mama and papa for all the love and support, I am so so grateful for my family. You are the best in all the world and I feel like every day I am away I love you all even more! Miss you so much, pray for me hard, I love love love love love you!!

love sis mcgrath