A Hike and a Baptism

We're only allowed to take money from a bank ATM or one that has a guard standing by one. Every guard has a huge shotgun as well as a handgun...I thought American security guards looked scary. My permanent retainer is/is almost broken...I don't know if I'll be able to find anyone to put it on again if it is coming off, trying to switch chewing to the other side of my mouth. So please don't freak out if one day I send a picture where my eye tooth is way above my gum line.

Grant, I don't blame you at all for staying at home after that extraction. Those were hunkers. Yes, I do miss the cold actually. Sounds like I'm missing one of the more interesting winters Moses Lake's had in a while.

Saryn, that sounds so familiar. I've spent an extra twenty minutes trying to find someones home too. You were actually in the car with me a couple of times on the way to Allison's house. I've actually played quelf before, the Smith's love that game, even though there are some very questionable questions/commands in there. I'm so glad that you're having fun with your friends.

Sydnee, I'm so glad you're my older sister, you know that right? You are always such a good example to me.

Hello Pamilya!

Sorry I wasn't able to really write last week, I was in charge of the Progress Record and sending it off, but it wouldn't download and then I couldn't email it to the Zone leaders until about fifteen minutes before we needed to leave the internet cafe...frustrating.

Last P-day, we had a Zone Activity where we went hiking at a campsite and it was beautiful. The view was amazing, not as clear as the view camping at home, but I still loved it.

Our mission president was a little concerned about the fact that some companionships hadn't really been doing their full companion and personal study on days where there is a Zone Activity so we had our personal study on the mountain (well, not exactly a mountain, it was only a five minute slightly steep hike). It reminds me of prophets in the times before Christ like Moses and Nephi, when they wanted to speak to the Lord, they would go to "the mountain". It's like the mountain was their nature made temple. Anyway, I was studying and felt the Spirit so strong and I felt God's love for me and for all of His children. I'm not saying I don't feel like that while I'm having my personal study in the apartment, but it's easier to feel the Spirit when the next door neighbor doesn't randomly start playing Bruno Mars and Michael Buble. (The windows always stay open, it's too hot to close them so it's something we can't control) I love studying the scriptures and the words of our Latter-day prophets.

Angela got baptized and confirmed this last weekend! She is such an awesome young women and can I just say that the Young Women of the branch I'm in are very supportive? He dad had nothing against us when we would come to teach her and would even sit in most of our lessons, but he didn't come to her baptism for some reason...but her cousin, a recent convert, and, I think, all the Young Women came to support her. I think she's going to have a great support group when she has questions.

We can find new investigators in the most unlikely of places. We were working on BRT (build relationship trust) with one of the less actives of the branch, they were harvesting mangoes, when out of the nearby corn field comes a very kind tatay (respectful term for someone older, or grandpa) named Tay Jonny. He was talking to us and we were able to do an OYM-to-teach and now we are teaching him and his wife. He is so kind, and very accepting to what we have been teaching. We recently talked about how there is a prophet on earth today and he talked for about three minutes how he was amazed that there was a living prophet on earth today. So, for those of you who start doing the OYM program that President (hmm..what's his name...) Baker (?) the work of the Lord will move forward. Missionaries have to do it everyday, but if there is one thing that helps them most it's when members start talking to people too. Think that being a member makes you look like an alien sometimes? Try being a missionary, that's when you really look weird and sometimes it's hard to connect with people because you are so different from everyone (even the members).

I'm so grateful for area that I'm in and for the kindness of the people here as well as the kindness of our Father in Heaven. Not just for me, think about it, He loves YOU. He knows you by NAME. He knows YOUR NEEDS and how you need to RECEIVE those things. I know this to be true, in the name of Jesus Christ amen

Mahal ko kayo!

Sister Jones

ps if anyone is/has been called to the Philippines and are a sister, do yourself a favor and get a couple sets of sheer nylons. the mosquitos love imported meat and bug spray isn't always enough to cover that fact up.