Kumusta Family!
It sounds like everyone is having a great time in DC! Sometimes I really miss the comforts of the United States, but when ever those thoughts come to mind, I have to remind myself that “I can do it for the Lord.” And as soon as I start talking to the people all my concerns go away. Things are a lot better this week and am getting used to the culture and everything. I still have a hard time with the food, I mean rice for every meal? Haha I insist on eating oatmeal and my companion thinks I am weird. They don’t consider a meal complete without rice. It’s growing on me, all the fruits are really good though, there are really good mangos, watermelons, and pineapple. YUM! I think the weirdest thing is that I am the minority no one here is white and everyone stares at me and tells me I am beautiful. It’s so funny because all the members are so concerned if I am out in the sun, because it will tan my skin. What a different culture, completely opposite than in America. We went to a less active member’s house last night and the kids climbed all over me, they love white people. The kid’s call me Lola or Grandma because I have blond hair. It’s funny, my companion just says to embrace it. It is so hot here, but it is the middle of the summer so hopefully it will cool down a little starting next month.
I still don’t understand what these people are saying, but I am picking up on more, I was surprised how much I was able to understand in Testimony meeting yesterday…well until they started speaking Bicol ( the local dialect), then my companion and I both don’t understand. Tuesday was my favorite day this week because we had some great appointments and one of them I actually taught the Joseph Smith Story in Tagalog. I was pretty happy about that, little by little it will come.
It has been hard to find investigators in our area, our focus this week was two neighborhoods in our area and talking to members, less active members, and part member families. We have been working to get referrals from the members. The ward is actually pretty big, but they don’t have very many people attending church meetings. We have been working with the bishopric though, and we helped them create a ward mission plan and they set up home teaching-which had not been set up in years. Hopefully that will help keep members coming and give them friends in the ward. And hopefully we will continue to be able to find more investigators.
We have been working with one family the Raro family they were baptized a while ago, but three of their kids were not baptized. The kids are really shy at first, but they are getting more comfortable with us. They get so excited when we come and teach them. They have so little and it is humbling to teach them, I sometimes just want to give them something, but then I remember I am giving them the greatest gift in the world- The Gospel.
-Sister Richins
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