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Dear family,

Nicole Veras

     Sister Veras is my new companion and I LOVE her! So now that I am officially with her and know more about her, she is Filipina and she did grow up in Hawaii. They spoke English at home and so that makes us two peas in a pod - never spoke a word of Tagalog before the mission (well, excluding my Tagalog classes at BYU which didn't really count). We are both also from a family of ALL girls. She has four sisters. 

     I love her so much because I feel like I can be completely myself around her WHILE serving the Lord by her side. She is six weeks ahead of me in the mission, meaning that when I entered the MTC on October 10, she had just left it on October 8. She is so laid-back, so beautiful, and such a great example of perseverance. I love her. Fingers crossed that we'll get two transfers together.

     Also, Dad, your email was really funny (ha-ha-ha) about cooking! Sister Veras CAN cook, but these past couple of days she has been sick and so I've been at the stove alot. Don't worry; I got your genes, Daddy. I can boil water and I can fry up some spam. YES! Success! I can work a rice cooker too! Who would've known? ;) Mom, you should've let me help out in the kitchen more often before!!!

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Only Two

     And so on the note of cooking, we'll see what these next twelve weeks boils up for us because like I said last week, we are only two in the apartment now. No more roommates, just us two. Either we starve or I learn (again) how to cook food that isn't junk for my body or for poor Sister Veras!

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A First Time For Everything

     I have to tell you about the miracles that are happening in this area. 

     I talk about miracles a lot but just these past couple of days that I've had with Sister Veras, we have seen how people's hearts have softened and changed, even if it's just a little. With Sister Veras we have been able to teach two less-actives who never before wanted to sit down with the missionaries. Never ever before. But...God truly prepares specific people for specific missionaries. In no way do I claim any credit for having gotten first lessons with these two people, but I know that God puts certain people in our paths for very specific reasons. For myself personally I know that Heavenly Father has blessed me with the privilege of teaching Marco and Carolyn. I'm sure I've talked to you guys about them a little in my last two emails, but they are a couple that hasn't yet been married but is now working towards getting married. What a BLESSING, I feel, to be one of the first two missionaries to teach them. First timers = miracles.

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#30, Come Come Ye Saints

     Last transfer was........a little rough, but this transfer is starting out great. I remember music playing in our apartment in the morning a couple of days ago. I was getting ready and getting dressed, and Hymn #30 was playing. I was doing my own thing, not really paying attention to the songs, when suddenly it was as if something just pulled my ears TOWARDS the hymn and TOWARDS the lyrics.

"Why should we think to earn a great reward if we now shun the fight?"

"Gird up your loins! Fresh courage take! Our God will never us forsake."

     Those couple of lines stood out to me as clear as daylight in those split couple of seconds that the Tabernacle sang those words. Why should I think to earn a great reward if I shun this fight?

"Gird up your loins." "Fresh courage take." "Our God will never us forsake."

God is always there.

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Rain, Rain, Go Away/ Don't Go Away?

     The rainy season is supposed to start this week. I am excited! I've always seen (on ABS-CBN) videos of Filipino kids swimming down the streets on rafts because of the floods. It's been pretty rainy recently. Can't wait for the real thing :) 

     Also, on that note, I might need to start taking hot showers if I don't want to catch a cold (because we all know how easily I get sick). We take cold-water showers everyday but good thing Sister Veras and I know the trick of boiling hot water and then pouring it into a bucket and then filling it up with cold water (convection). Remember Palawan and the droughts? Yeah. I am an expert now.

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I love you! My spirits are much, much higher this week. The grace of Christ's atonement is real.

"Pray as though everything depended upon God. Work as though everything depends on you."

With love,
Sister Teo

P.S. I TOTALLY GOT MIXED UP WITH FATHER'S DAY! I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED LAST SUNDAY BUT EVERYONE WAS WISHING EACH OTHER HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! I just caught on with it. Oops. Sorry Daddy. Love you. Happy belated, legitimate father's day.