Maligayang Bagong Taon!! (Happy New Year)

President (of the Baguio Mission) and Sister Jensen

Jan. 2, 2012

Hey Pamilya! Heads up this comp is being weird so I dont know if it's going to let me send pics- I'm trying, and they're comin via snail mail at least!

How was your new year? Oh my goodness they go all out here...It was sobrang maingay! So Noisy! haha Seriously their fireworks aren't pretty- they're just loud and bursts of fire haha it's like bombs going off haha but it was cool...I didn't sleep at all that night though, they kept going off haha it was funny! Brother Ali Reyes (our recent convert) is sweet and made us a whole bottle of this sauce that he knows I love and gave it to us so Sis. Fajardo and I bought meat and we made skewers and grilled it outside-  and improvised- and burned a bucket on accident haha but it's ok...it was fun! My new years resolution was to speak TAGALOG LANG (only tagalog) no more english!!! That lasted all of 3 hours. hahaha we were sitting with a bunch of memebers waiting for bishop to finish up some meetings so we could have PEC/ MCM with him and they were talking about how I could speak great and couldn't believe it was my first area, and then they kept saying oh yeah thats a great new years resolution, just speak tagalog and it will come even quicker. Well...then they kept telling me all these words asking if I knew them and I kept saying no. Then they would tell me what they meant, and I would say another word that I thought meant that...and they said oh, yeah you can use that word too. I got sooo frustrated. haha Every word they said I knew how to say the same basic idea, just through a different word...it made me feel really overwhelmed that they have like 10 ways to say the same thing and I have to learn all 10 ways to say it haha...then I looked down and saw 7 sheets of paper all completely filled with words I need to memorize for basic vocab skills- asap. haha I just started to get teary eyed- that's the first time I have ever started to cry here...other then the 2nd day when I had a break down haha. But seriously, usually the work is too happy and I'm too busy during the days...but I just felt overwhelmed, but its ok...I will learn it. I'm trying my best and I know that's all I can do. the Lord will take care of the rest!

To answer your many questions Mom, It is very hot here, and soo humid. I feel like I have a layer of sweat on me like all the time, I've gotten used to it now, it's not a big deal. haha My rash has started to go away- I think it's fine, I'm not worried about it anymore. I've got a pretty bad farmers tan line, but I haven't really had to wear sunscreen a lot because honestly we use umbrellas so its all good! Oh...movie theaters- I was asking sis fajardo about that yesterday- they're like 150 pesos here...thats way expensive! like 3 american dollars, and you can buy pirated dvds for 50 pesos so people usually just do that haha

Anyways the work this week- it was great of course! So many funny great tender mercies every day, and so many great miracles being worked! I will just tell you on new years eve and new years every single appt we went to fed us a merienda...which wasn't a snack...it was like a full on meal! Sis Tigno---the 1st counselor in the RS presidency- she's inactive---but she has been to church every week since I've been here!!! She just needs support' she's the only member in her family, and she's been through the temple so you know she has a testimony- and she just needs a little extra time and to be reassured her Heavenly Father loves her...anyways...she fed us no joke: a weird Ham thing, Rice, Meat skewers, souflet, some weird jello pudding/ condensed milk thing, cake, babinka, chicken, lumpia....there was more too...now picture all of these full on dishes sitting in front of a table of just ME and SISTER FAJARDO...AFTER coming from a lunch appt at Pres DeGuzmans house where we ate: Spaghetti with hotdogs of course, fish, bread, rice, fruit salad with noodles, watermelon, cheeze spread stuff, pig....yeah I think that was it...oh my gosh I about died! hahaha We ate...and we ate...I may gain weight here! haha Then we got out of there and I told Sis. Fajardo...it's one thing to eat a lot when you like the food...but when you don't even like it...it's just torture! haha She laughed! So funny story with that too. We were at the Reyes Family- they're also inactive- such sweet people though, and Ramon Reyes is active, he's 22 just returned from his mission in Quezon City, and he is the current EQ president for the ward. Anyways we were there and before we left bro. Julius (his brother) said oh, we can't forget a merienda- so we just looked at eachother...it was soo funny. Anyways, preparing to eat more food they brought out bread with this nasty cheeze spread on it...i'm telling you everyone eats it here and it is sooo gross. The first week here I saw a cupcake that said "cheese cake" well let me tell you it did not taste like cheese cake hahah it is sooo gross...its literal CHEESE cake..anyways they fed us the nasty cheese bread and coconut water. I was crying I was laughing soo hard becuase not only were we already full, but Sis. Fajardo knows how much I hate that stuff! When they turned around for a second Sis. Fajardo hurried and passed me a plastic bag. I put my sandwhich in it and they turned back to us so I quickly grabbed part of the crust and acted like I was eating it. Just smiling and nodding. Then I attempted the coconut water. I took a sip and made a face. Sis. Fajardo hurried and quickly put her glass next to mine when they turned around again and motioned for me to pour it into hers. I quickly did and then they turned around to us again right as we did that- then we quickly put our cups up to our mouth and pretended to be drinking. Me covering my whole cup with my hands so they couldn't see it was already empty! Oh my goodness it was soo hilarious, something you would see in a movie...oh man...that was just another tender mercy that day! Anyways, I feel bad I didn't share any spiritual thought...I will say that I have used Omni 1:27 MANY TIMES THIS WEEK and also Mosiah 2:21-24 with our reactivating members. haha The work is so great, and the happiness you experience through the gospel is eternal! I love you all

 Sincerely,



Newest group of missionaries
Front: Sis. Allen,,  Sis. Monotojo,  Sis. Ragragio,  Sis. Maiava,  Elder Elix,  Elder Abril
Back:  Elder Ereno,  Elder Davis,  Elder Merrill,  Elder Tauiliili,  Elder Kemmey,  Elder Harrison

  

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