Okay I am wiped!!!! My body aches every night and the bags under my eyes get darker by the day... BUT... I love being a missionary. We had such a good week full of blessings!!!!
K so I just want you all to know that even 13 months into the mission, I STILL make some dumb Tagalog mistakes sometimes!!! haha. Last Monday night we were teaching Julie-Ann about temples. I said it was a place where her family could become a flower instead of could be sealed... and I didn't even notice for a sec until Sister Araja was like... what are you saying?! hahaha.
Tuesday was Sister Araja's birthday! Sooo fun!!!! It's quite challenging to prep for someones birthday when you have to be with them 24-7. Ended up decorating with streamers while she was in the shower in the morning hahha. And I baked cookies during our lunch break. Kinda too hard to hide that one but it was still so fun! Thanks mom for the funfetti mix! Perfect timing for a birthday! The real fun came at dinner time! We got home from work and made a TACO BAR!!!! So delish! We had tacos, real cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, taco seasoning, the real deal!!!! It was to die for. I miss Mexican food!!!! We had a pretty rough day of work!!! Got punted the whole day and nobody wanted to listen to us! But those tacos made everything right in the world! I think she had a good day! But it made me feel way guilty! Cause for Sister Taylor's birthday I don't remember us doing anything too fun!! Except eating melted ice cream that night hahah. Can't believe that was about one year ago!! Loads of bad news that day during email time... I'll make it up to you sis!!!
Wednesday was legit! We taught tons of lessons and were way blessed!!!! It was just go go go the whole day. Nothing better. Mostly less actives and ahh, one lady. So touched. She was bawling and knows she needs to come back to the church!!! So great when you see it click, like, wow... I really am missing out by not doing the things I should do! It's simple! Follow the commandments like we covenanted to do at baptism, and be extremely blessed! Win Win.
Thursday! Thanksgiving!!! Hahha well Wednesday night I made the pumpkin spice cookies! Thank you mom for the supplies and thank you Sister Taylor for telling her about those cookies!!! Sooooo good. When I was baking them the smell just instantly brought me back to making pumpkin cookies in the Stover basement with Mary... it was a weekly occurrence haha. I brought them to district meeting. Big hit, especially for the American and Canadian. Then after our meeting we went to this great cafe for lunch. Great district bonding. We were all talking and it turns out I go home before the other 9!!!! As in I go home first... out of my whole district. I was shocked. It's so scary to think about. So I just won't think about it! :)
Friday we started the day off with a service project! I woke up and thought about the time difference and realized you were all just sitting down for the feast! Then we went out and served this lady in the ward and I thought, so cool! Doing service on Thanksgiving just like the good ol' days! Mexico house building and so much fun service. What better way to show your gratitude?!?!? Also, can anyone believe that was 10 years ago on Thanksgiving when we were getting the house ready to move into and doing the hard wood floors... 10 years! Anyway. Great project. The 4 of us sisters and 2 elders cleaning a sick lady's land up. Way fun.
Saturday was PACKED!!!! We spent most of the day with the youth from the whole stake! They had a one day mission at our building so all the missionaries from 2 wards were asked to help out. There was like a mini MTC so we helped in the workshops in the morning. I sat with Sister Rosenberg at lunch and ahh, breaks my heart! She's going home this week! I used to not really care about transfers but now it's all my best friends who keep leaving!!! So hard! She is so great though and I told her I'll be out to Australia to visit in a few years hahah, sana!!!! It's crazy how many amazing people you meet on the mission! The best.
After lunch we split into groups to go out to work! All the companionships had to split up too! So I was with this 22 year old girl getting ready to go on a mission and then 5 youth ages 14-15. We were assigned a Less Active family to go visit... not even in my area!!! But we had fun finding it, it was like my little parade haha. Found the house, they wouldn't let us teach cause they were leaving so we walked over to our area and visited a less active member. The youth were all great and bore testimony and it was wonderful!!! Then we took a tricy back to the church so we wouldn't be late... all 7 of us and the driver on one tricy. #responsibleadult hahaha But they said it was normal so we had one on the roof, one in the basket on back, and me standing on the side. Adventure. Love this country.
We got back and Julie-Ann got baptized!!! She is so cute. Was sooo nervous about the testimony, but did great!!! She was glowing. Then the nanay who she stays with who is a member had everyone over for some food!!! Like the baptism after parties back home!!! First time I've seen that here. Nanay is the sweetest!
Saturday night was transfer announcements and the craziest thing happened! NOBODY IN MY DISTRICT IS TRANSFERRING. Prayers are answered. I've never heard of that happening!!!!!! I'm so excited for another transfer with these great elders and sisters!!!!
Sunday we had a less active show up. Craziest thing! We found him on the ward directory list. Found his house. Shared a message and got to know him. He's 19, only member in his family. Was baptized at 9 and went to church for one year, then hasn't been back for 9 years. We shared with him and invited him to church. Well that was 2 weeks ago. And last week he went. BUT! Neither of us recognized him!!!!!! ahhhh sooooo the worst thing ever but it was so dark when we taught and so hectic last Sunday. He met bishop though and bishop asked us about him! SO then we realized and quickly went to his house the next day. Apologized SOOOOO much and he's great so he wasn't offended so he was back at church yesterday! This time rockin a while collared shirt and all!!! Progression!
K this is ridiculously long. I'm sorry!!! I love you all so much!!!!!! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are getting pumped for CHRISTMAS in just 24 short days!!!!!! Can't wait. Hung the countdowns this morning!!! Love you all!!! Watch the video on lds.org this week "He is the Gift." I love this gospel and I love all the crazy cool experiences we see everyday!!!!
Love, Sister Richmond
Top 10
1. Julie-Ann got baptized!
2. Sister Deyro told me that one of our investigators in Camaligan got baptized on Saturday!!!
3. Taco feast for Sister Araja's birthday!
4. Taught our investigator about the resurrection. He was way disappointed that reincarnation isn't a thing. Was really hoping for his wife to take the body of Angelina Jolee
5. Service project!
6. Thanksgiving pumpkin spice cookies!
7. No transfers in the whole district
8. Slept with the window open one rainy night. Almost as good as when me and Molly used to sleep with the dorm window open during snow storms. But not quite. Such my mother's daughter! Love the arctic sleeps
9. One of our less active's sons was complaining cause he always has to give the prayers. In Tagalog he pretty much was calling himself the "prayer-man" hahah. Made me miss our own little "prayer-man" Austin!!!
10. I am a missionary in a ridiculously beautiful country
Matching with the bishop's daughter
Bishop's baby-- Amber
Package from mom
Never disappoints
Anddd beautiful pillow case from Aunt Shelley!!!!!
Magaling!!!!
And the bag from her :)
Bagasbas beach
The sisters we live with
The district
Zone leaders passed by during our activity!
Elder Simmons and Elder Yarisantos!
He took loads of self-timer shots on my camera hahah
Birthday cookies I made for my comp courtesy of mama's funfetti package!!!!!
B-day fiesta
Taco barrrr
Baking pumpkin cookies!
One day mission with the youth.
Me and my group!
Sister Rosenberg... on the bus to Naga right now then heading home this week!!!
So sad to see them go!!!!
Sister David
Julie-Ann
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