Sweet is the work!

This week was so good. So so so so so good.

It was so full, I am so sleep deprived but I'm happy and go go go theres more to do I can't stop! We had 2 exchanges this week and actually in the moment right now I am on an exchange and have another one at the end of this week in Laganoy and we are going to Naga for the new trainee workshop thing. I feel like I'm being pulled in a bazillion different directions I'm about to pop! but I love it and its good and such a sweet experience. Sorry this email is going to be a little scatter brained!

So we taught a recent convert at night then ended up walking a 48 min power walk home in the dark cause there were no trycees or buses. We sang hymns and walked so so fast to not let ourselves get freaked out.  Came home and dived on the tile as steam came out of us for going so fast.

We went to follow up on this guy I met, Sis A hadn't met him before.  Brother D has like, no legs, they are like toothpicks bent and he crawls around on his hands in flip flops. Anyways I was chill with it, tao-poed the door, but I forgot to warn Sis A.  He comes crawling out at full speed from his dark hut and Sis A screamed and jumped cause she thought he was the guy in the grudge HHHaaaaa hahaha oh I cried later it was so funny. He's got long hair and short hair and the whole thing was pretty creepy I guess if you didn't know him.  He's a sweet soul though :)

We went to Pili, missed all the busses and got there on the last one super late, planned with sisters S and E then crashed on the floor, it was super hot. We got Pili milk delivered to us by my batch elder R!! havent seen him since training! He's a DL now and so did the honors of bringing us the Pili milk. My first cow milk since July 2014!!! whoo hoo!!!

On our exchanges we taught this family who has a monkey pet guy tied up to their tree. He loves me! check out the pics! His hands are so weird like little elf hands in gloves.  These pics are the photo series of our relationship. Timid at first, then he attacked me so I squeezed him. He likes my hair. haha!

We met this lady who we oymed and it turns out she's from Mercedes! Sis E and I were both trained there! We greeted her like our very best sister and got to teach her a lesson. Love Mercedes!! That night I ended up talking with the sisters until past 12...crashed again cause there once again were no more busses going home. We just slept exactly as we were in our clothes and left first thing in the morning. The bus we took had all the curtains closed and was playing a movie, we got so so sick.  Sis A and I threw up when we got off at Goa and staggered all the way home so dizzy. We got home and shot off to work, but it all caught up with us that night. Teach teach teach and then when we were teaching I totally fell asleep. It was actually the prayer, then I just never opened my eyes. It was ok, it was a sweet recent convert and she didn't get offended. We pretty much zombied out the rest of the day and died again on the tile when we got home. whoooowww its so tiring but so goood!!! don't worry I'm doing great!

Our next exchanges that week was in none other than magical Goa 2b, my old area :) it is the SWEETEST THING to go back!!! Oh my goodness! i worked with sis p in the morning, I love her so so much! We were walking by Panday street and you'll never believe who was sitting out on a bench. jun! baby jun!! Do you remember him and all my emails?? I practically ran to him!! He said "sister we miss you so much! I can still remember when you sang hymns for us!" my eyes got teary :) awhh we touched his heart! We talked for a while, he's still reading the Book of Mormon when he has time and sis pads scheduled an appointment with him again. Ooh i hope this is the time for him!! yay! God really has a time frame for everyone, he may not have gotten baptized in my time but its not about that. Life is a long time and there are lots and lots of days, I just hope sometime in all of those days some missionaries can be there for him.

In the afternoon I walked the ever long way to my beloved area Bahay!!! oh it was the best!! I worked with Sis K <3 <3 <3 I love that girl so so much I wish I could tell you all about her here. She's a very gifted amazing person! Shes from New Zealand. We worked there in Bahay and I got to see all my loves there. I saw the crazy Daco kids, they still run out and yell "siiiiiiissssssstttttttteeeeeerrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" haha :) We got to teach Sister B, that one was kinda sad cause her brother just shot himself and she was pretty hysterical. We were teaching her plan of salvation and she would burst out in screams and tears every now and then. We spent most of our time there just bearing with her and comforting her. oof. I was glad to be there because I already know her and it just felt like I was coming to comfort a friend.

cramming in the trycee! there's always room for more!!

After that we went to the back to find sweet old Tatay Lorenzo!! The one I found--MY SEED!!! My companion and I back then were the first to find him, I taught him the first lesson and then I got tranferred, I come back, and he's a glowing baptized soul!!! His granddaughter too was taught, recently baptized as well. In her baptism and confirmation in the blessing it said she would also serve a mission and baptize many souls. Sooooo incredible to have been a part of that chain, a tiny tiny link connecting it all together!  I could cry I was so happy to see them again.

It was way late and dark, but I couldn't leave without saying bye to Jay Frank and Francia. we walked up the hill to their house, they were sleeping, but i just called for them to come out anyways. They peeped out the window looked, then yelled "SISTER!!!!" and jumped off the floor and ran and we hugged. They are so amazing!! Both of them gave a Book of Mormon to their friend with their testimony written in it last week. They still go to church every week and are doing great!! Future missionaries din!! I was so happy to see them I could fly!! I love Bahay!! We came home and Sis K and I talked again until 12 in our evaluations. I wish I could just tell you everything!

The main thing that happened this week that i really want to say I can't here, it's too sacred. I just... I will tell you in person. I can say that I was reading my father's blessing I got before I came, and every single thing has been fulfilled as of this week :) Heavenly Father is so real! Sis P and I stayed up past 12 again this week last night talking about the incredible thing that's happened to us and crying from feeling the Spirit so strong. I am so grateful to be here with Sister A, P, and K and miracles are literally happening. Sorry thats so vague but I don't want to share it here like this. It has been an amazing week!!

Love you all so so so very much! Family, Heavenly Father loves us so much! We are blessed beyond we can ever comprehend!! I am so grateful for you mom and dad and hannah and abby and matthew and olivia and love you more than I can say.

mahal na mahal kita,
sis mcgrath

a day in my shoes is dirty!! yay!!

My life is an online restaurant game

Haha I'll get to that title later.  It is I, checking in for another week! How's the homeland doing? Its been busy as ever here. How do I begin?

Last Monday we had an FHE at sister E's house, a sister who speaks pure Bicol and we always leave a little lost...anyways the whole time I've been here I don't think she's made direct eye contact with me for very long and I always wonder if she even cares that we visit or if she's just annoyed. Nevertheless I've been diligently insisting that we go every week, I do'nt care if she loves me back but I sure love her! So at the end of the fhe she had the chance to say a few words, and through the Bicol I got out that she was grateful for us for coming so persistently every week and not giving up, and that her husband isn't there to help out so she's grateful for us. Then she pointed to me and thanked "that one" (she can't say my name hehe) for always coming in her house. Does my English make sense!? Basta its so not important that she doesn't even know my name, just important that she feels an extension of Christ's love through us.


Speaking of Christlike love, one of our sweet little investigators K has been an investigator for 3 years now, promises every single week that she'll come to church and then never does. We've tried everything we can possibly think of but always a no show. Last week we visited her 30 mins before church just to remind her and share a message of encouragement, then after promising, she still didn't come. We went back on Tuesday to check up. I was filled with so much love for her and got teary eyed for how much God loves her and wants her as part of his fold. I know that that extra patience and charity doesn't come directly from me.

A very diligent RS sister worked with us Sister L, but it was more like she dragged us. That woman is a RACEHORSE! Seriously she jetted across our whole area and we were left trotting behind her panting for breath. She wiped us out! It was awesome! we visited a Sister J that day who we hadn't been to in 2 weeks. She has been reading the book of mormon, is on page 65 and loves it. She's been praying to know if its true but doesn't know yet. She told us "sister, it seems as if ever since you've given me this book so many trials have come into my life" and told us of all the things that have happened. uh..... whatcha gunna say to that..sorry? Anyways we did our best to assure her to keep going and searching and that Satan knows what goodness lies ahead.

One morning this week in our hot hot morning work I felt the monotony of it all.  It felt as if I was on repeat, go, oym, lesson one overview, blah blah blah it felt very repetitious and luckily I snapped out of it by the afternoon and got my head back in the game.

My favorite picture in my mind from this week is that of Mateo, that dirty bummed naked kid always running around Bagumbayan. this week when we crossed the tree bridge we found him squeezing 2 ducklings in both fists. He was running around screaming and the ducks were too. I told him to come here for a pic but then he just squeezed them even harder oh my gosh kids are hilarious.

One day this week we got hard core punted walked down this entire long path of houses on both sides, all of which we had oym-ed and were told we could come back and teach another time. well when the time comes everyone hid...as in everyone! Haha hiding is so super funny here cause there's no where to really go, I mean the house is made of nothing, so they just walk around to the back of it, or hide behind a see through curtain. Iiiiiiiinnnnna kooooooooooo. I just want to take 4 steps and break the news to them that we can totally see them. Instead we approached these 2 guys skinning a caribou hide, it was pretty sick. they had the skin and were shaving and chopping it, the dirt was all bloody and there was parts everywhere. they were boiling some liquid stuff that I don't even know...it smelled pretty bad. (Imagine Larry's goat slaughter day x100) turns out they didn't care a bit about what we had to say. We just stood and watched them for a while. Too bad they didn't want to hear, as we walked away I mentally thought "well darn their hide" HA OH THE PUN

So yes, this week has been a little like running an online retaurant game. not that I even have any experience (hello! just open a real restaurant right?) Its been crazy trying to schedule in all the exchanges and dodge events and things going on in everyones areas, then trying to incorporate the pili sisters right after i got it all set, which made everything get scattered all over again. then one of my sisters went home :( :( :( I still don't know exactly what happened but that's been really rough on everything. Of course that upset evverything all over again cause no one knew she was going home early....anyways details details I'll spare you.  Then trying to hit every investigator, recent convert and as many less actives as we can, and oym everyone on top of that, its been ssssssttttttrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeetcccchinggggggggg!!

I laid down to bed late one night this week and the first thought in my mind was "what are you doing! so selfish!" I really love serving and never thinking about myself but it does also feel like I'm cooking 20 dishes at the same time trying to deliver them all to everyone and split my limited time to everyone before they black out and before the games over. whoow just gotta keep going keep going keep going! carry on carry on carry on! This week we've got 2 exchanges and hopefully my eyes will still open by next Monday so I can tell you about the happenings.

Sunday we had stake choir at psu gymnasium cause we dont fit all in the chapel, we were part of the choir and then we totally crashed and burned. As in it was so embarrassing. The soundtrack totally messed up and we kept singing and then it skipped and we stopped and stood there for the whole duration of the song faces red looking all around.....we didn't even finish the song and just sat down HAHAHAHA oh my goodness it was so funny!!!!!!!! haha! good times!!

Love you all and have a happy busy week!
Love SIS MCGRATH

Ang aking bunso!

Welp in honor of halloween I've pulled an Elizabeth (all the people/stories i know these days are scriptural) and given birth yet again in my old age! Oh the joys of training never get old!! My next (and last) aki is named sister A!!! welcome to Naga mission sis A!!

She is 22, from Pangasinan pero marunog sya na magbisaya so that's fun because she and my lovely kabahay Sis P can speak their language together. Sis K and I just say "forbidden language" haha ohhh my I would bet my life savings that the Tower of Babel was in the ppines. All 15 dollars of it :D

Sis P and I cleaned the house so dang good before they came....like it was the cleanest I've ever seen it. It shined like the top of the Chrysler building for sure! We bought ice cream and counted down the hours until they cammmeeee!!

We went to Naga on a crowded bus with all the other trainers and I got all choked up because I love the mountains and fields and being sweaty crammed in that bus more than anything else. We got there, went through once again the powerpoint and things to do workshop that I could probably give better than the AP's by now (just saying...) and then we met them!!!!!!!!! Sis A is so sweet! I am so happy to be her trainer and so glad she's here. Sis P is training the lovely Sis K from New Zealand!! Yayyy theres a foreigner in the house!!! Oh life is so fun!! She's super cool, because I think its just in New Zelanders blood to be cool. She cracks me up and has a great attitude about this whole new culture thing.

We got all paired up, I smooth-talked the elders into driving us home to Goa, and we were off!!! Oh wait we pit stopped sandali para remove my stitches by Sis Hoops. Ouuuuuchhhhh!! She clipped them out and gave them to me to keep for remembrance. (I accidentally lost them drats) The foot is ok people!! I'm going to live!! I will walk again! Haha I have been walking. Everything is healing up well and so you can stop praying for the healing of my foot and direct all prayers to our area/investigators once again.

So all was well until the tire popped......it smelled like a burnt vacuum x 1000 and it was raining lightly and super dark. Elder S and J and i were fixing it while the sisters waited on the side. We accidentally stripped the last bolt on the tire and try as we might there was no way it was coming off. I was holding flashlights and trying to keep the stress levels down. After 45 mins or so no one was catching on to my humming "Did You Think to Pray" so I just shoved my foot in the middle of their "fixing" and demanded we pray. Haha they folded their arms like lightning and I said a prayer for us. Later a man came driving by who was a member, called his buddy with the hammer who came on a motor, jammed his hammer until we got it outta there and fixed talaga. WHOO HOO! I didn't even bat an eye my patience has been expanded incredibly. Like I bet I could even wait in a line at the dmv and not get high blood pressure!

These past few days have been great! Life is bright as ever living through the eyes of sis A! We did practice teaching with the "how to begin teaching" and she got so excited. What! Every lesson is a nice good lesson, know what I mean? when we went out to work the first time she was flying saying "this is it! this is it!!" All of that pumping up from the MTC sure sets them off soaring! We soared right into our first lesson with Nanay L, were sold banana chips and asked crazy questions and all that fun. Haha the actual mission life! The bad thing is these past few days we got roped into choir practice. :( I just wanna work! Next week I'm putting my foot down (the good foot) and saying no more for us its off to save some souls! There's too much work to do! I'm excited for this week, a full week of work! Let's go!!

Love you as always family!! You are my best thing! I'll email you again next week when I surface from the rice fields once again! mwa mwa love you! ingat ka lagi!

Mahal kita!
SIS MCGRATH

Nothing phases me anymore. bring it on!

alright for starters: MY FOOT IS FINE AND FUNCTIONING :D :D i still have full control of all 5 toes and all things are in their proper order, i've just got a cool scar-in-the-forming that they say is healing up quite nicely. no need to worry i am doing just fine promise x100. thanks for all the prayers though that i'm sure were said over my health! they have manifested themselves in forms of dinner appointments! this week was awesome and we got fed lots and lots. keep up the prayers ;)

next item of business: hey so the zone leaders called this morning with my FATE in their hands....all of us kabahay wiped off the soap from our hands and gathered around the phone to hear our destinies....sis b is leaving me! she's transferring outta here and so this area is all up to me now. aaaand i'm still a lone ranger stl, my companion will not be an stl. also i'm getting one extra companionship of sisters to watch over and exchange with. and just as Heavenly Father does, has thrown me another curve ball. for my last 2 transfers of my mission as stl i will also be TRAINING my THIRD AKI :D :D :D yep, i am destined to be a trainer for life!!

My goodness. seriously it's like He always gives me more than i think i am capable of, more than i think i can carry on my shoulders, but as the past has proven i know that i can,  i know i can do this and make it through. sis p (my kabahay) is also training too so there will be 2 new sisters in the house. so many sisters to watch over my my!! she's there in the spirit world, enjoying her last meals at the mtc and about to come through the chute and land in her first area here with me :)

Ironically, i'm not freaking out. this has for sure been the ultimate load/challenge that's come my way as far as responsibilities go on my mission, but I have got so much trust in the Lord that not even a drop of fear or doubt can squeeze its way into me :) i'm just calm, calm cause I know that prayers are unlimited and I can make it through any challenge with prayer, the Spirit, and my scriptures.

This week was challenging as well, this time in the form of companionship relations. whoow. I will spare you the drama and details. nobody needs to know anyways and i'm sure sis b wouldn't want me to spill to the whole world, and i've got respect for her and wont go talking behind her back. i feel like this week was like an exam, a real life exam of every single christlike attribute. hmm you think you've got patience? BAM! charity? BAM? humility? BAM BAM take it take it take it. I've taken a lot of blows this week but all in all feel like I've made it through the whole mess of it being as Jesus would. I only cried like 2 times in the CR! whoo woo!

We had a big talk in comp inventory and it was so good. Seriously theres no problem that talking it out cant solve. anyways at the end of it all, sis b said how grateful she was for me for being Christlike and said that when she looks at herself she says she feels so far, like its impossible for her to get there. what a blessing the truth is that people can change, personalities can change and we can always improve. ironic that the first week of the transfer it was her patting my back telling me that my worst can improve and now its the other way around. I really really love sis b and am truly sad she is leaving me, right after we got so close :( but i think its God's way of saying you got over that hurdle sige (go ahead) lets jump the next one.

We had a csp this week digging and chopping stuff at Nanay Loma's house. I worked like a dog and my back kills as well as my cracked bloody hands from blisters. But it was so fun and nothing like sweating head to toe! I love to work. It rained a downpour about 1/2 through, so by the end i was an entire soaking mess of sweat/rain/buko juice cause its quite hard to get the hole on the coconut exactly lined up with your mouth. AHHHH LOVE IT!

Yayyy!! this is sister gain!!!

this is right outside sis gain's cottage thats like a

 DREAM!! seriously!! its a huge huge fish pond 

loaded with tilapia and lily pads and the most 

beautiful garden i've ever seen. you can imagine 

our delight when we stumbled upon it :)

OOhhhh ok heres the coolest!!! update on sister gain!!!! YAY!! she is the coolest! the most goldeny goldenest investigator i've ever had!! i feel like she wears a halo of light and angels sing behind her when we see her!! after the csp i was so flipping tired and in my studies my eyes were heavy, but the Spirit hit me hard and told me to straighten up and think about Gain and get to work. I sure did, prayed right then and there to have my words be guided and help me know what to say and how to bring up baptism in the lesson. we taught her about the Book of Mormon, she loved it! I felt like i was just talking to a best friend or sister, just sitting there on the floor and telling her everything i know to be true about that book and challenging her to read it. And then the Spirit guided me, helped me connect every sentence to sentence all the way until baptism, my words were given to me in the exact moment, extended the bap date, and she accepted!!! Dec 19!!!! i am SO excited!!! she also came to church AGAIN yesterday!!! we thought she didn't and sadly came upstairs 5 mins after it started only to see her sitting already! she had been there like 30 mins in advance! oh she is the best. sister gain is aweeeeessooooommmeeeeee!!!!


And now, things are about to get shaken up again, people leaving and new sisters coming and transformation all over again here in Goa zone. I feel like an old dog once again...hardly flinching an ear at people at the door. Whatever happens happens and I know I can do all things with the Lord's help. What an amazing testimony that has grown within me, I feel unshakable. Bring it on, there's nothing I can't do with the Lord on my side. All I've got to do is take it one hour at a time, live from prayer to prayer. Is there any other way to make it through life? My heart swells with gratitude for how hard this mission has been. I am so grateful for the challenges that have come and the ones yet to come. I know that its only a opportunity to grow stronger and gain a firmer testimony that wasn't there before. How grateful I am to be broken and re-built again.


I love you so much family! i hope your halloween was fun! here its "day of the dead", araw ng mga patay, and people go party at the cemetery by their dead. this whole week i've been oym-ing people asking them questions like where do they think they are, do they believe in eternal life, etc. and bearing testimony that death isn't the end. how cool it is to bear testimony to a tricee driver you just met seconds ago that he can see his mother again and that families can be together forever! I love to oym!!! speaking of which we had 192 oyms these past 6 weeks! whoo hoo!!!


Love, your lovely 10 toed daughter
Sister McGrath