Week 72: MERRY CHRISTMAS

Hey everyone!! It is sooooo christmas-y here in the Philippines! I was really feeling the Christmas spirit yesterday.. after our work was done it started raining pretty hard and this strong cool wind came across the ocean and cooled down all of Sipalay! We were actually COLD!!! We didn't use our electric fans! We just wrapped ourselves up in blankets and drank some hot chocolate my mom sent me. It was probably only like 70ish degrees but we were so cold. All the filipinos here were wearing big coats haha. It's really Christmas time! 

Because of the "cold" weather a lot of people were in their homes this week so we got to teach a lot. Trisha is doing good as usual, she just turned 18 and we're going to celebrate with her later tonight. She really is the best and continues to fellowship all her friends. She progresses slowly but surely! 

Mark is doing great. His wife is totally supportive of his baptism and we have committed him for this Saturday. He has such strong faith and after being an investigator for 10 years, we are really encouraging him so he can be prepared for this Saturday. It would be such a miracle!

Also in the Philippines like every store here is a guard that watches outside, including 7/11, and one of the guards there is like reeaallly progressing! We invited him to church and he went, he's been twice now! We extended baptism to him and he said "I think this is what I really need to change", he's so awesome! We're really excited to see how he continues to progress. 

We also had another beautiful p-day at a place called sugar beach, we barbecued pork on the beach and played frisbee. I serve in literal paradise!!!

But I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and find a way to show Christ's love to someone this season. I love being a missionary and I'm so grateful I get to serve Him for another Christmas. 

Thank you all for the love and support, you guys are the best! 

Sister Pope 

Week 71: DASIG ANG TION!!

Hey everyone!! So today was sad because a lot of my mission friends went home today but I'm so happy for all of them and they all will return with honor :) So Sister Fawcett and Sister Ducado is going home.. so sad. It really feels like Sister Fawcett and I just got here and were going out on exchanges straight up struggling on speaking the language and I just said goodbye to her earlier both speaking fluent ilonggo... time is sooo fast!! (dasig gid ang tion!!)

This week was fun because we had zone conference and received trainings from our mission leaders. We really think it has helped our zone and we made it extra fun with a gift exchange at the end of it. Our zone has bonded so well and we're all going to cry on transfer day (which is on the 1st of January).. a lot of missionaries are going to be transferred! 

Our investigators are continuing to progress well, Trisha is progressing slowly but surely. She really shows her faith through church attendance and prayer but really has to work on losing her vices. She is so committed though and seriously teaches her friends the gospel and commits them to keep commitments she's the best.

We have a baptismal date for Mark! We're soooo hoping it will all work out and the stars will align haha. We also got a referral from a member of this guard that works at 7/11, his name is Francis and is amazing! He already has so much desire to change and has a good group of fellowshippers. We're so excited to see all their progress!

So.. I have officially eaten balut!! Haha, it was actually pretty good! It kind of was hard swallowing down the chicken fetus though.. but mostly it just tastes like chicken soup. 

Also! The Semillano family from Magsungay, my second area, came to Sipalay for vacation and I saw them!!! We were so surprised that we saw each other haha, they're so strong in the church and I'm so grateful I was able to meet them.

Well thank you all for the love and support and hope you all enjoy your Christmas season, I'll enjoy mine in the 80+ degree weather in grass huts. I love the Philippines!!!

Sister Pope

1) Me and sister Bartolome at a meeting :)

2) BALUT!!! mmMMmmMm 

Week 70: ZONE CONFERENCE

Hey everyone! This week went by REALLY fast.. in fact the weeks have been starting to blur by! Which is really scary I don't want the time to go by fast haha. 

This week was good, on Tuesday we went to the city for zone conference which was good, we were combined with the other zones in the mission so it was fun to see some familiar faces there, especially the ones that are going home in two weeks! Which are TWO of my companions!! Bye bye Sister Fawcett and Sister Ducado :( I'll miss them a lot!

Sister Santos got a little sick this week so we weren't able to be out long, her back is really sore. We got a doctor to look at her, but being assigned in the most mountainous part of my mission the doctor was kind of a funny sight. He had this crazy hair, glasses that had one missing lens, and his t-shirt that he was wearing had at least more than ten sizable holes in it. He seemed pretty smart though and Sister Santos has been getting a little better with the pain medication she's taking. Let's just say I'm glad that I'm not the one that got sick haha.

Trisha is doing great! She really has a difficult past but she is so willing to change and is so kind and open to everything! She's also fellowshipping everyone that lives by her and she's already committed like three people to come to church with her next Sunday. She's so great! 

Anyways we're really excited to get back to the work this week now that my companion has been able to recover a little. Thanks everyone for the love and support!

Sister Pope

Sorry no pictures :( actually I think my SD card got a virus... maybe all my pictures got deleted haha that would really be a bummer