Sulit Talaga: San Fernando...Here I come!!!

Sis. LeuLuai and Me, my new Companion

Us sisters at transfer point.

Jan 27, 2013

Well....not sure really where to start....I got transferred...so I still haven't been lucky enough to get to go to Baguio...where they say it's actually cold....(not quite sure if I believe it yet) .....but I'm pretty close...i'm right next to it, so meaning that if we have a trizone conference or interviews- maybe i'll get to go there in the next 2 months and visit. I'm soo excited...hopefully!!! They also have some really pretty sites down here in San Fernando- so we're gonna try and go to them too....It's pretty...but it is more of city life here in San Fernando....i just told my trainee (Sis. LeuLuai) yes...Im now a follow up trainer...President doesn't want to give me a break....I still have never experienced a co-senior companionship my entire mission. haha that she was spoiled....because there are some shops here....and there was NOTHING like that especially in Lingayen area. haha
So...I told Sis. Valera before I said goodbye to her that I had a feeling that Pres. Monahan was gonna give me another challenge for my last companionship...that it'd be a foreigner. Well...i guess that was revelation, because friday I met my new trainee...Sis. LeuLuai. So....she is Samoan by blood...but born in raised in the US...in Utah to be exact...which is gonna be really sweet because some day when we become RM's....we can chat and stay in contact when we go home. Anyways...I just absolutely LOVE her...she is soo sweet, and just a really great missionary. My first day here...after studies and we ate...we left the house at 1 o'clock...and we worked till 9:30.....(this is a normal schedule for me).....it wasn't a normal schedule for Sis. Leuluai.....we came home and had 14 appointments and contacted 4 referrals- which will turn into new investigators. When we got home....she just said....she has never worked like that before....and she didn't know that was possible. Well....that was a rewarding feeling for me. That was a time when I realized okay....even though I work hard on my mission, and often times feel like what I'm doing is not enough, and I need to work harder....it made me feel like I was fulfilling my purpose as a misisonary. I just told her yes. I said there are different kinds of happiness...you can come into the mission and explore all the cool area's and buy lots of neat things....and kind of work too.....but not be as diligent or as obedient as you should....but it just isn't the same satisfying happiness that comes from obedience and doing what you're supposed to. It's soo true, sure...missionaries get tired....but...SULIT TALAGA. It's worth it...it's also the greatest kind of tiredness...?! does my english make sense...i don't even know. haha
Anyways, Sis. LeuLuai is great, and she is soo smart, and diligent....but she is still new, so she still doesn't know a lot of tagalog.....I'm impressed that she knows most of what she wants to say with gospel language...when we're in the lessons....but the conversational tagalog is always the last to come and the hardest to accomplish...but....we'll work on it. You should just see how many heads turn at us though now. First....you have this TALL samoan girl...who is darker colored skin....coloring like a filipino...but she's big and doesn't speak tagalog fluently....and then you have this White American with blonde hair....who when she opens her mouth its in tagalog....they're not quite sure what to make of us. hahaha :) It's really funny....but...i have been asked numerous times if i'm from a different part of the filipines....hahaha it's kinda funny.
Anyways....this week has been good- we're starting from scratch again, because they don't have any current progressing investigators or baptisms...but it's okay- it'll all work out. The leaders here are great- and they're all supportive.
It was bitter sweet this week leaving Sis. Valera....I will miss her soo much....we cried like babies..haha I also cried because I left 4 families that Sis. Valera and I found in Binmaley that were progressing and all have baptismal dates for this March....I won't be able to see them now.
I did however follow in my mothers foosteps. That mother, is Sis. Fajardo- my trainer. Her last area was here in Sevilla, San Fernando....so we'll end our missions in the same area. :)
Before I left- we had a ward FHE- we presented our plan to the ward- so now it just needs to be led in action....I"m sure that Sis. Valera will continue what we started...I know there's a reason for me transferring...even if sometimes I don't completely understand it.
Well, another great week from me here.
xoxoxo
Love,