Hello you both. I forgot my notebook so I don't have my list of things to tell you. I'm doing okay today.
Some good things happened this week. My roommate had some popcorn but we don't have a microwave. I tried dumping the bag into a pan on the stove and it worked so that was good.
We had zone conference on wednesday. That was pretty good. My mission president based his talk after a talk called Becoming a Consecrated Missionary. I had read it earlier in the week so it wasn't very new. But it was still good reminders. Sis. Monahan talked about repentance. It was good. We had a good workshop about humility and ate some really good food.
On Saturday we got to watch the womens session. I liked How Firm a Foundation. I posted it on facebook soon before I left for my mission because I like those last verses. I liked the whole session. It was very good and direct.
I have 2 investigators to tell you about. Servillano is 69. He's so excited to be baptized. He comes to every baptism and comes to church hours early. He's funny. Myrna is a nice older lady. Yesterday we went to her house and begged her to go to church. She finally said she would come for one hour and she ended up staying the whole time, and she was talking to everyone and it was good. Its really hard to get investigators to go to church here.
I'm feeling better in a lot of ways. I'm trying to just be happy. I know that sometimes you have to just wait for things to get better. I loved the article in the ensign this month too, about weakness vs sin. It helped me in some ways. I can't believe it's april. I have been on a mission longer than I was at Jacob Lake. I can't believe that.
I love you so much!
Sister Smith
Dear Family,
I have no time on PDay. we have to travel and do so many things so I might not finish this better today. I miss the MTC. I didn't have to do shopping. And it was air conditioned. And I got mail. I miss mail. But apparently people have sent it so hopefully I get some, and if not, oh well, I'm being weaned. Actually it was like cold turkey. But yeah.
Hope you are all doing well. I wish I had all day to email you because an hour isn't enough. :) I'm sad we don't get to chat anymore but I guess it makes me tell you more important things. I don't like letters as much because by the time you get it it will be old news. Oh well.
I hope all of you are doing well. I don't feel like I know anything happening in your lives. I've missed you all a lot. But I guess that's life. I'll tell you some things about my life:
Companion:
-I recently realized she has fake teeth.
-She is from San Pablo mission.
-She is pretty good at cooking.
-Her father died in 2009?
-She is trying to learn English.
-She's about Cooper's size.
-She loves weird food. Her favorite-blood. But she won't try balut.
-She is a good missionary. Always striving to be bolder and less shy.
Foods:
-ate gross red eggs. I don't know why the shell is red, but they weren't good.
-I like rice, thankfully.
-I also like ramen, thankfully.
-there's lots of saltine-like crackers here.
-Pangasinan is famous for milk fish. It's good, I guess.
-Most of the food I've had is bland.
-Bananas are good. And they have peanut butter here.
Investigators:
-Serullano. 69 yo.
-Rolando 71 yo.
-Myrna 55? She's nice, but has a hard time understanding our message. Very sincere though.
-Jingle 17, cute girl
I'm not sure what to write. I'm trying to think of really general things to say, but it's hard. Here are some questions:
-Has any new technology come out?
-What's the weather like?
-How's the oil field?
-What are you doing this summer?
-Do you miss me?
We have weekly planning today. Our schedule is usually like this
6:30 wake up, exercise
7:00 Get ready, breakfast
8:00 Personal Study
9:00 Comp Study (2 hours because I am new)
11:00 Language Study
12:00 Make lunch, eat, prepare
1:30 Out the door.
Some days it's different and we have district mtg. or planning or Church or something. We have to be home at night at 9:00. We do daily planning then dinner. Then 10:30 bed. It really isn't very hard. It seems really easy to me sometimes. I'm really fast at showering, getting ready, etc. so I usually have free time to read conference talks or something. I'm always exhausted at the end of the day, but it's ok.
Have you been doing family history work? Temple? Reading the Book of Mormon? Talking to your friends about the church? If not, you should.
Coop- I see frogs and lizards a lot. Little lizards in my room all the time. You would love them. I wear your bracelet every day.
Ty- You would be really big here. Haha. I always hit my head or body on things because I forget how big I am. And you're even bigger. :) I miss you both!
-Sissy
Dear Mom and Dad,
Here are some good things:
Clouds, trike rides, I have learned to wash laundry by hand. I ate foods at a nonmember's house and I didn't know what they were and I didn't get sick. We have lots of LIahonas I can read. I don't have Denghe fever. It's not as hot as I thought it would be. Keeping my toothbrush in the fridge is kind of fun.
I can't believe tomorrow is another PDay. Time goes by so slow and so fast. I have been reading some good talks lately.
One I've liked since high school is Trial of Your Faith by Neil L. Andersen. Others: Converted Unto the Lord- Bednar. Where Is the Pavilion -Eyring. Another one I liked in HS: The Transforming Power of Faith and Character -Scott. Faith- The Choice is Yours -Edgley. Like a Broken Vessel -Holland, Basically I have found tons. The only problem is I am really good at LIKING and COMPREHENDING information, but bad at applying it.
Church was alright today. They speak part Tagalog and part English. So I understand bits and pieces. Our apartment is nice. It is spacious. It has tile, an orange gate in front, 2 bathrooms. I stayed in one when I first got to Urdaneta that was bad.
I am really grateful for you both. I am almost constantly reminded of you which I hate but it's good because it is usually good things. I also have dumb dreams like about our house in Rigby. Anyway, I am grateful for the way you raised me.
Being here has made me see priorities in my life better. I have been able to observe needs instead of wants.
Another interesting thing. Many people here speak more than one language. There are 3 here. Tagalog, Pangasinan, Ilokano. And then some English. Lots of the older people just speak mostly Pangasinan so that's rough. They somewhat understand/speak Tagalog, but it's hard. Pangasinan is so different from Tagalog. My area doesn't have many JUST Ilokano speakers, so that's good.
Well, maybe I'll add some to this in the morning before I send it.
Love, Sister Smith
I love you all more than ANYTHING.
Happy Birthday Coop
Be happy :)
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