Monday, February 3, 2014

Jessica's Seventeenth Email! February 2nd, 2014

Hello Family! Just got back from the BEACH!!!!!! Oh my goodness. You could say it was pure bliss. I love the beach. We had clean apartments or something so we got a district activity! It was the best. And the rule here is that you can't go past your knees in the water! So fun walking on the shore. Feeling the sand. The water here is PERFECT temp. Just refreshing enough! If only we could swim haha. One day! We had such a fun time though. It was the whole district so 12 of us. We rode there on tricies. We had a little meeting and played games and walked on the beach and ahh. It was the greatest!

Oh ya! Saturday though!!! The GREATEST! Jeanavie got baptized! It was such a great day. She was so happy! Our 3 speakers bailed on us which meant Sister Taylor and me as the 2 speakers haha. I spoke on enduring to the end. I think we both winged it pretty well for 0 prep time! It was a good time though. A little unorganized trying to get stuff done here (my OCD was going crazzzyyy inside) but we were calm and it all came together!

Other than that not a ton happened this week. We worked hard! Set goals and saw miracles. We found a lot of new investigators and a FAMILY! We have high hopes for them. So prime.

The other night we were walking down this road and there were like 20 teenage boys. They just stared at us the whole time and then right as we passed them they all started cheering, clapping, yelling, etc. Haha it was the weirdest thing. And then they were just running behind us doing the same things. It's times like that when I just don't think I will ever be able to describe the Philippines to anyone. So different, so fun. I love it.

This next week is transfers :( Not excited haha. It's pretty certain Sister Taylor will go because she has been here for 6 months now. I will be happy and positive, but it will be sad without her! I love her so much. She has been such a blessing for the start of my mission! So that will be in a week and a day. This week is gonna be the best yet!! And there is always BYU 2015 reunions haha.

Okay mother. May I just say that you have a real gift in picking snacks?! Every snack that I open from my package brings a whole new level of happiness. Oh my. Those apple cinnamon nut clusters. Too good. All of it. You are the best. Loving my snacks!

Okay I really don't have much else to say about the week but I will update you on a few investigators. Mostly they just aren't progressing, which is why "finding" is a big focus for us right now. But there are a few who are doing great! One who is so ready to be baptized! Just doesn't have the money to get married. We thought they were married, but they aren't legally. We fasted for her yesterday and we know God will answer in His way and in His time. She is great though. Then there are a few girls around 12 years old. They are part-member families. So their parents are members but they aren't active so the kids never got baptized. It's sad to see them progress and get so excited for baptism because the reality is that they can't be baptized until the family is active. I am so blessed to be in the family that I am. I can't imagine having to be the strong one and asking my parents to go to church with me. Thank you Thank you Thank you for always being the best examples to me. I'm learning that parents can make all the difference. Umm... yaaa so that's kinda our main investigators at the moment. We have a lot of new ones who we have taught once or twice and I know some of them will accept this gospel :)

Alright. Well I hope that you all have a wonderful week. Do what you know you should be doing, even if it's hard! This gospel is the way and the only way to be truly happy. I believe that with all my heart. God blesses those who follow His commandments. It's that easy. I love you all!
Love, Sister Richmond xoxoxox


Top 10
1. Jeanavie's BAPTISM!
2. New RS president! (The old one hasn't been to church since I got here)
3. Still enjoying my package snacks
4. BEACH
5. Sister Taylor
6. Found a solid FAMILY
7. No signs of mice this week
8. Melvin (a guy in the ward who does EVERYTHING to keep the ward going)
9. Bishop (He and Melvin make this ward possible)
10. Saw a guy ride by wearing a BYU sweatshirt! He was going too fast or you better believe I'd have a picture for you





 FHE game

 

 FHE at the Ulpina house.
 We invited Jeanavie and her kids too.




 They're all about "wacky wacky" pictures!


 SO FUN


 Tigaon district! Minus the ZL's. 
There will be a LOT of changes next week!


 My fave spiders. Bigger than my hand.


 Jeanavie on her way to her BAPTISM!




Baptism Parade

 

Jeanavie Balisnomo is a member of the church!!!!





 Elder VJ baptized her!




 Right outside our church. BEAUTIFUL!


 Church yesterday. Jeanavie brought her neighbor Joseph.
 Member missionary already! :)


 Favorite Filipino snack. YUMMMM.


 On the way to the BEACH!




 We had 12 of us so we took 2 tricies




 Trying to capture how you ride these things.


 Missionaries headed to the BEACH!


 Ahhhh


 Beautiful



 Our hangout


 Nothing feels better!


 Reppin Mitchs at the beach in the PHILIPPINES!





Singing to our DL. Today is his birthday! 
Sitting next to Sister Taylor.






 Always gotta have a jumping pic!



 Matching and matching!


 Love it here! You can judge me for wearing jeans at the beach... I was judging myself


 Gettin urtsy, mish edish




 Our whole district!

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