Walang CR, squished bananas, and Zone interviews Week 29 Philippines

Well this week has been interesting. We have been doing SO well with our investigators and we have had a lot of success in teaching lots of lessons. 

The past 3 weeks we've taught 60 lessons. It is crazy how good this area is. It definitely comes from having such a good ward and so many members that want to work with us and give us their referrals. I love this ward!!

Our lessons are actually really good too and it is the most beautiful feeling in the world to feel the Holy Ghost testifying to someone through you in a totally different language. I love the progress I have made here on my mission and I am SO glad I still have 10 months!!!!! I love being a missionary. I read through some of my journal from the beginning of my mission and I had to stop because it was giving me major stress again. I am so glad I am where I am now.

In other news. Our toilet got pretty clogged this week. So yes. We had no CR from like Tuesday night through Saturday morning. It was annoying. Luckily we live really close to the grocery store here, so we would have to go there to take care of our big business. But Filipinos don't use toilet paper. They just provide a bucket and some water and a smaller pail thing to wet yourself. Ha. Good one Philippines! I'll just bring my own roll of toilet paper, thank you. We got it fixed though luckily. They just needed a bigger plunger.

Friday we had zone interviews at our chapel in Mabini. It was really really good to see president again and talk to him. He is the best. Some of the things he told me was "we don't have the agency to control other people's agency" that was a hard truth, but it is true. I am working on that one. He also said that I am a lot stronger. And I totally agree with that. I am not the quiet, scared, culture shocked Sister Mecham anymore. I can teach people the gospel of Jesus Christ in Tagalog, while there are rats running above my head on the beams in a house or while I am sitting on a little stool 3 inches off the ground or while a mom nurses her child.  I can do hard (sometimes rather uncomfortable) things.

 I am definitely not as scared as I was when I first got here, and I can't wait to see the progress I will continue to make here.

I wanted to send a lot of pictures home today but the computer I am using doesn't like my card reader so hopefully next week. This morning we went to a members pineapple farm and made banana mush stuff. It was really good. The pineapples were not ready to harvest though :( but it was absolutely gorgeous!!!

I love you all!

Love,

Ate Barbie

(the little girls that live on our street always call me that. Ate means "older sister". I think the only reason they think I am Barbie is because I have white skin and my hair isn't black...)

Tatay is the sweetest man! He is a member of our ward.

A member of our church owns this pineapple farm.

We love boku!

I Love All The Babies!

"Pineapple Fields forever.."

Fresh Pineapple anyone?

Banana Mush!

Rice field

We were teaching a lesson to someone that was referred to us. By the time we fished the lesson 14 people had gathered to listen. Some had been playing cards and turned their chairs to listen. I am pretty sure they were more intrigued by an American speaking Tagalog than the lesson.It was really fun though!