Chloe in the Philippines: a quick one

This week so many people have been so kind and have been hospitable and fed us, but none of them want to hear the gospel. Rats. Seriously, we met this one couple in their rich home and they immediately let us in and called us their "latter day saint friends". Turns out elders went to them way back in the 90s and they have read almost every Mormon book ever and dropped names like Brigham Young and the three Nephites and all this stuff, but when it came down to the question why did you stop/whats the hold up here about becoming a member if you love it so much- and the answer simply came down to the Spanish colonized the ppines. As in, seriously, that was their answer, their

found another PUPPY!!!

ancestors are all Catholic and will all be Catholic forever, just cause that's who found them first. They explained it to us like this- everyone is in a different boat, all the different faiths and religions are constantly rowing and pressing forward in their own way, but at the end we will all get closer to Jesus Christ and he will accept us in his arms because we made it to Him, however that way was.

Uhhhhhh.....how does one go about replying to that without offending? How do you communicate the singleness and straitness of the way and tell them that it does matter, there is only one boat that Jesus approved as the correct boat that returns to him? They have no interest in converting and frankly see no need to, just content on rowing side by side us, differently but rowing all the same. Anyways, ppino hospitality has brought us to their home twice this week to pick up some avocados they grew and wanted to share and for some dinner too. We listened to Christmas music because Brad Pitt (ya the tatay's name is Brad Pitt and the wife is Babes. Gotta love name creativity here) said that it was July and time to start celebrating.

district.

photo booth fun at SM

This week we oymed this old 90+ year old lady in a bathrobe having hair dye dry and her nails wet. She led us up to her home and she looked so sweet and kind, we started to introduce ourselves and message and all of the sudden she interrupts and in broken English says "I do not like Mormons. I do not want to be Mormons. I do not like you and no one likes you here. You are wasting your time here. Everyone is Catholic." We just stared in shock for a bit, then excused ourselves out of her home. Ouch. You are wasting your time? That's hard not to believe when you have no one to teach and just wander the blazing hot streets of Naga trying to find somewhere to spend your time and someone to share the most important message they need with. Sigh. It's ok though, I know that sweet old nanay is wrong, and I am not in fact wasting my time.

eating at the aponalla's :)

this is the guy i studied the art of tinola from :)

We had zone conference this week, our workshop by President was all about the ppine rules and laws about marriage. Have I ever told you that divorce is illegal here? It's the only country in the world where divorce is illegal. You can imagine the marriage/live in partner/other man or woman situations that this creates and all of the broken law of chastity blocking up baptism. He talked to us about all the legal stuff and things to do and to be honest I just felt like Elle Woods in law class taking notes with a figurative pink fuzzy pen trying to describe all the law talk. Yikes, my brain does not work that way.

Little part member Alejandro had his baptismal interview this week and passed! yay! He's 13 years old and a shy but sweet little kid. We're excited for his baptism and he is too. He and I walked into the empty baptismal font to show its not really that deep and he isn't going to drown. He's scared he's gonna get dunked like Joseph Smith Sr. in the video and can't swim :)

betitos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love love love love love love love

these two. i would do anything for them.

Great news! Sis Jane came back!! For an indefinite time, but at least I got to see her one more time before i leave! We got to teach another lesson and try and try to work out a little bit of all of her many doubts. We told her that if on a scale of one to 100 she's only at less than 25 in her faith, it's ok! As long as she keeps growing. Conversion doesn't come cheap and doesn't come fast. We are all ok with it taking a long time, as long as she gets there someday. I pray all the missionaries in this area in the future will love her as much as I do and help her at whatever pace she's going now. I really love them!

hiked mt isarog with my sistas!!!

We hiked Mt Isarog today!! Again! This time we went on a way safer way that was so fast to the falls. It is seriously SO. BEAUTIFUL. I can't describe the paradise that I live in. The rainforest is the most gorgeous thing! I love love love love it!

I've got to go but thanks for all the emails and love you send my way! hope you got all the pics- its so many I know. He he sorry, enjoy :)

LOVE YOU!!
<3 sis mcgrath