Grace Shall Be As Your Day: Surprise!

Sunsets over Manilla Bay--beautiful, right?

and we're off...

It was actually a pretty interesting and unusual week. I got a big surprise. Monday night I found out that I had to go to Manila to take care of some visa things. Technically, I was an illegal alien here..oops Thursday night I headed up to the mission home in Cauayan and spent the night there. Friday morning we met up with a big group of missionaries that all needed to go to Manila. We took an airplane there and after we all went through the immigration office we got to hang out at the Mall of Asia (MOA), which is the biggest mall in all of Asia. It was kind of funny because it felt like mini America. There were so many foreigners there and not a single person looked at me strange or called out to me. I'm so NOT used to being a spectacle! I got to eat real american food too. I had Jamba Juice and a Subway sandwich (best sandwich I've had in a year!) and I took home some Krispy Kreme donuts for my housemates here. On Saturday, our flight wasn't until the afternoon so we all went back to MOA for Ihop in the morning. oh how I missed this kind of food!! haha But, the highlight of my trip was on the way back to the mission home. While on the plane, I got to talk to the guy sitting next to me. It was a really cool experience because I felt like I wasn't even the one talking. I told him that we believe that families are eternal and he just kind of thought about that for a little while and then turns to me and says (in tagalog) "I can't stop thinking about what you just said. I find that really interesting because in my religion we believe that you don't know anyone in the next life." I went on to explain about temples and how we have the proper authority to seal families together there. He asked what it was like inside the temple and if he would be able to go. The best part is that he has a connection to the church. His neighbors are members, so I suggested talking to them and have missionaries come by to talk to him more about it.

It is so amazing that feeling of inviting people to learn. The first part of my mission I was so shy and scared to talk to people. Mostly because I was afraid I wouldn't understand them and they wouldn't understand me, but now I love the opportunities that have been put in my way.

Instead of flying into the Cauayan airport to get back to our mission we had to fly into Tuguegarao...the hottest city in the entire Philippines!! Sheesh, it is so true!! I mean HOT!! From the airport we had to take a long walk to the bus station. Not sure how the missionaries make it everyday. I thought it was unbearable down in Bayombong, boy, was I wrong! After our long walk we then took a six hour bus ride to Solano. I stayed in the Solano sister's apartment for the night and then took a tricey to Bayombong Sunday morning. It was one of the longest days I've had in the mission, but at least I can say I was in the hottest part of the Philippines and survived haha!

So the transfer list came out today and I will be leaving Bayombong this Wednesday. In my next area I will have an additional calling as a Sister Training Leader (STL) I'm kind of nervous for that because I am not only responsible for the work in our area but I am also responsible for all the sisters in the zone and making sure everything is ok with them. I also have to learn the area and all the people we teach within a week and take the sisters on splits. It will be ok though because this is what Heavenly Father wants for me and I CAN DO HARD THINGS through Christ. : )

[note from mom--apperently, she isn't going to the hottest city Tuguararao this transfer, thank heavens since the hot season is just getting started, but she never said exactly where she IS going. Guess we will find out next week. Love her photos this week!!]