First of all, it sounds like the funeral went well. I am so glad. It was a kinda rough week not being with you all after hearing about Grandpa, but I have again realized how powerful prayer can be. I am trying to work in a way that would make Grandpa proud. I know that this is where he would want me and he has ALWAYS been such an example of a great missionary.
So the other night, maybe Tuesday?? Sister Taylor and I were in a lesson. The phone started ringing and I pulled it out to silence it. It was president! Haha I didn't know that was out of the ordinary but Sister Taylor said that has never happened. So after the lesson we hurried and called him back but no answer. The next 15 minutes were VERY long until he called back haha. We were thinking of all the things that could be wrong. Not a good idea haha. But when he called back it was to see how I was doing because he had heard about Grandpa. It was so nice of him! He and his wife are seriously so thoughtful. I love them so much!
Then on Thursday night we had a family home evening planned with this family. They live SUPER far away. We stopped and got some tinapay (bread) for the treat. So we got there after about 30 minutes on the padyak. It was such a creepy ride over there cause it's just this long dark road with jungle on both sides. We knew this guy was gonna drop us off and we'd be walking back in the dark for like an hour. I hate to say this, but luckily they weren't home haha. So we called the padyak driver back and got back on. We felt really bad cause it was gonna be like an hour of him biking round trip. So we decided to offer him some of the bread. Me being the American that I am, not really knowing Tagalog, offered him some pinatay... death. Sister Taylor was laughing and was like NO NO tinapay!!! haha... this language. SO I had said, would you like some death?? As if that ride wasn't scary enough to begin with. Good going sister Richmond.
I have decided what the hardest rule from the missionary handbook is to follow... no holding babies!!!!! Ahhh I can't tell you how awful it is! Especially when we teach Jenavie. Her baby tries the whole time to get on our laps and she is so precious and ahhhh. It's rough. Hope all the babies back home are doing well. I miss them so much!!!
Did I tell you that I am getting eaten ALIVE out here?!?! Cause I am!!! Part of me really hopes it's not mosquitos because of the diseases they carry, but part of me really hopes it is because the thought of me sleeping and having all sorts of weird spiders crawling on me makes me want to cry. Either way though, I wake up with so many new bites every day. Mostly just on my legs and feet. And yes, I do use that terra shield stuff mom haha.
So yesterday on the way to church we had this old padyak driver. He was probably in his 60's (If anyone over 60 is reading this... I don't think you're old. It's just old to have your career be biking people around all day). So the whole way to church he kept pointing to us and yelling as we would pass big groups of people, "beautiful girls in my sidecar!" haha it was so funny. Apparently they think that in America a padyak would be called a sidecar so they always yell that to us, or taxi. These people are pretty funny haha.
OH MY! Let me tell you about yesterday. Miracle central!!!! Haha so first was church. We had some of our investigators there again!!! Jessie Lou and her kids, Jenavie and her kids, Rizza and baby, and twins who are like 12 or so. Super exciting!!! The kids weren't as crazy this time haha so that was good.
Then the Christmas Devotional was broadcast at our stake center. It was last week in America. If you didn't watch it, watch it! It was so good! And so fun to hear English haha. So at church we invited Jenavie and Jessie Lou. We told them we would walk by and get them on our way to the church. Our bishop is a jeepnie driver so for stake stuff he always drives everyone for free which is so nice! So we stopped by and got them. They live right across the street from each other. Jenavie just had her baby and Jessie Lou had both of her kids. We were heading to the church when Jessie Lou's husband rode up on his padyak and asked where we were going. We told him and he asked if he could come too. Ummmm YES!!!! Haha we were so excited. So their whole family came! It was great. It was in English but they were loving it. They wrote down all the speaker’s names and were asking where the temple was and all this stuff. It was AMAZING.
Ok let me back up a little. We have been teaching Jessie Lou for about 3 weeks. We've taught her husband once too. Well earlier last week we found out her husband isn't actually her husband. It was just her when we found out that they had never been married and so we asked why and she said she doesn't want to. MIRACLE: We taught her and her husband the next day and she said she decided to get married and is excited because then she can continue preparing for baptism. Um does it get any better than that?! We have a wedding to plan! Haha sooo excited. They are going to be sealed, I just know it. I love that family so much.
Last night we got to the Devo almost an hour before it started. Jessie Lou and Jenavie started talking to the sister missionaries in front of us and they (Jessie Lou and Jenavie) were literally just like bearing testimony to them (Other sister missionaries). It was unreal. They (Jessie Lou and Jenavie) were saying that they are so much happier now that they go to church and their lives are changed. They were ranting about how much they love us and how we are angels in their life and all this stuff. After about 30 minutes we felt bad that our investigators were being so perfect in front of the other sister missionaries so we kinda tried to change the subject. But I think it's safe to say they are excited to get baptized haha. I love them both so much!
Alright. Well that's about all I've got this week. I love you all so much. I pray for you all the time. I hope you are all happy and healthy. Have a great week for me!!! Kill it on finals everybody!!! I LOVE AND MISS YOU TONS!!!!!
Love, Sister Richmond
Top 10
1. Christmas devotional
2. Found a really yummy bakery
3. Golden investigators!
4. Didn't wake up till 5am today!
5. Wedding planning comin up
6. Zone training
7. Christmas is in 9 days
8. Emails from all of you
9. Found the cutest and cheapest baby item for Christie's future baby (Hint hint.) (Just to clarify, I am not pregnant! haha She put in a letter to me that it’s for when we have our first baby. -Christie)
10. The work is BOOMING here! 6 new investigators this week
BIGGEST FEAR
Takin care of business
Legit HUGE
Took this one for Elder Jamas Wible party boy.
Pretty sure they just have party bread to hide the mold.
Gettin festive in da Philippines
Sister Taylor and I have scary similar handwriting. Did a little test.
Going to Christmas devo in the bishop's jeepnie
Bishop
Classic jeepnie ride
Random young women in the stake
Our investigators who came to Christmas devo with us!
Jenavie on the left and Jessie Lou and Ronal on the right.
For anyone who is like I was a mere 4 weeks ago...
This is what it looks like to hand wash all of your clothes.
This guy was less than excited about his SAN DIEGO shirt!
He probably just bought it at a resale place.
Oh well. Made my day!
Pictures from Sister Taylor's Camera:
Pictures from Sister Taylor's Camera:
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