I get to call home on Thursday! I am so excited beyond words! I miss you guys so much. I can see why they limit communication between missionaries and their families during these eighteen months that we are out. So many emotions run through us missionaries when we know that we will get to speak with our family! And these emotions, if not kept properly, have the ability to distract us (alot). But no worries! All is good here on Palawan. My heart is settled!
This Christmas will be the first of it's kind. My first Christmas away from everyone that I love. All from when I was 1-17, my Christmases were with you guys- my family. When I was 18- and this was a beautiful Christmas- I spent it with Ether and with the Tams. Now I am 19, alone on an island, away from family, Ether, and my friends, about to celebrate my humblest Christmas ever.
Since being here I have come to appreciate the simple things in life so much more. Money really isn't everything. I am learning this lesson more and more each day. At the start it was an adjustment to make, walking in the mud, in the rain, in the heat, living in conditions super different from what I've been used to my whole life. But now that I've been here for a month, I can safely say that those things don't matter. I look around me all day and see a people who are so humble, so satisfied with the simple things that they have. Sometimes all I want to do is run to the store and buy them all the food in the world. Sometimes I just want to give them all the money I've got. But I know that that isn't my purpose.
What us missionaries can give them will feed them for life. It will feed them spiritually, forever and ever. And mine is the blessing to bring this "bread of life" to them.
Brown-outs happen alot on the island. (Brown-outs = black-outs. I don't know why they call them brown-outs here in the Philippines!!!) Electricity gets cut every now and then. And sometimes people have to be in the darkness for a while. But what this gospel can offer them is light. The light of Christ. The light that I know has helped me. This light is real. It is so real. I have seen this light change my life. God's light is real.
Also, just real quick - and I will talk about this more in my future emails- but the work has been a little slow with our investigators. Our less-actives, on the other hand.....GOD IS HELPING US! I cannot stress how important it is to save those less-active as well. "Less-active"- I don't even like that word! It has seemed to become a stereotype, in our Church, that these people are...I don't know, way lost or way off the path. But they are not! They are all wonderful people as well. And while Sister Lockwood and I are still trying our best to bring NEW people into the gospel, we are having success with bringing less-actives back to Church! Win-win!
Anyhow, Sister Lockwood and I are looking forward to making this Christmas one to remember for the years to come!!!!!!!!! I am so blessed to have her here with me during this season! I love her so much. I know that we were put together for a reason, and I know that this friendship I have with her will not only carry through to when we are both back at BYU, but even until after graduation! I love her to pieces.
We had a Palawan Christmas party for all the missionaries last week! I have a LOT of pictures for you guys today. Usually I look like a sweaty, sort-of messy missionary, but for the party, I looked like my normal self. "Normal self". :) SO! I had to take pictures! And you guys get to see them! Hooray! :)
I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! CAN'T WAIT TO TALK TO YOU GUYS IN THREE DAYS! I'll send a separate email with instructions!
With love,
Sister Teo
P.S. Gla & Krys- I sent you guys birthday cards this past week! It'll probably reach you in about a month..............BUT! Read them when you can! I love you guys!
P.P.S Ether I sent another one out for you too :)
P.P.P.S. Annabelle + Valerina + Gaetana- check your mailboxes in a couple week's time as well!
+ Pres. Ostler & Sis. Ostler
+ District Christmas Party
+ Sisters are sisters (the other pair of missionaries in the house)... but we are also still 19 and 20 year old girls!!!! We had fun taking pictures in our Christmas hats last night :)
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