A Good Place

Dear family, 

HALO-HALOED MY HALFWAY MARK

     You are all probably wondering what I did to celebrate my halfway milestone! No, I didn't burn any of my clothing like they did in Saratov's Approach. No, when you're in the Philippines, you get to...EAT HALO-HALO! Even if the weather was cold and rainy, Halo-Halo is the way to go. No kidding. I was a very happy sister at her halfway mark. 

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CONQUERING GOLIATHS: COLD WATER SHOWERS

     Showering in freezing cold water hasn't been so bad. I am actually so proud of myself! Ask me nine months ago to shower in cold water and I would have died. But there's something about making something habitual that makes it easier to do/overcome. I'll have to say that the first three seconds are the hardest. When the cold water hits my body it feels like icicles piercing my skin (FUN!)...BUT then I take a thousand deep breaths and tell myself "Mind over matter, mind over matter" and before you know it...successful shower. (Okay, won't lie- it's been hard this past week because the weather's been getting colder, what with it being rainy season, and so I've had TWO hot water showers this week...but only because I'm feeling like I'm catching the cold!)

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"WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT YOUR CHURCH?"

     This past week while Sister Veras and I were waiting outside the barangay hall for one of our recent converts, Brother Jose, one of his colleagues came up to us and starting making conversation with us. I'm sure that he had seen us around before (we always teach Jose and one other recent convert, Henry, outside). 

     Conversation begun, everything was normal, we introduced ourselves and he introduced himself. And then the piercing question: "So how is your church different from X church? What's so special about your church?" In that moment I felt like the world stopped. This man had asked this question in an almost teasing way, in a "let's-see-what-you-got" way. I felt like all eyes were on me. Sister Veras wasn't saying anything, and my heart was beating a million times faster because I felt like I had to stand up and say something that was right.

"Authority," I said.

"From who?" he said.

"From God." I said.

"So you believe that God gave your church authority and no one else?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied.

The priesthood. That is the only answer.

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OOPS, WRONG JEEP

     This past Saturday we held MTC exchanges once again in our area, but this time for the missionaries that had just arrived in the Philippines, fresh out of the Provo MTC. These missionaries...were FRESH. They had culture shock written all over their faces, but I wouldn't blame them because they had only flown in the day before AND these poor babies were jet-lagged. 

     Anyhow, Sister Veras and I were running late getting to the chapel to meet them, and we were desperately trying to find the right jeep to get on. When we did, however, and Sister Veras climbed on board first and I tailed behind, the first thing I heard her exclaim was, "Oh no!" I was a little confused but when I got on, I "Oh-no"-ed as well. We'd climbed on board a jeep full of young hooligan boys! 

     Not even boys, but young men. Hooligans! The jeep was blasting music like it was a traveling club; these boys were NOT conducting themselves properly...I felt SO uncomfortable sitting there, especially because Sister Veras and I were the only two girls on board of that vehicle! "Oh no!" indeed! Seeing them behave the way they did made me very grateful for the reverse example of one particular man I know- my best friend, Ether Tam. The men of this world vs. the men of God are so different. Thank you, Ether, for the kind of person you are. For the values you uphold. Thank you.

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THIS WARD

     Has got it goin' on! I LOVE the Bonifacio 4th ward! I love it, love it, love it. The members are so great, the bishop is so great...God is blessing this ward and we are seeing it through sacrament attendance. I testify that ward unity is ESSENTIAL. SO essential. Missionary work is SO hard when unity is lacking in an area. I am so blessed to get to work here!

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HEARTS SOFTENED

     This past week was the third/fourth time now this transfer that Sister Veras and I managed to get into the house of a less-active member and actually get to TEACH them! This sister never really liked/even LET the missionaries teach her before because she was always trying to argue/debate with them (reason for her going less-active: she'd been offended)...BUT. Like I've said a thousand times. God puts certain people in certain places for certain reasons. I take no credit whatsoever for the sister opening up to us and trusting us. I know that God has done everything to prepare her. But I also know that there is something that Sister Veras and I can do here to help this sister! Fingers crossed! Where there is a will, there is a way...and where there is trust, that way goes a LONG way!

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PACKAGE(S)

     FAAMILYYY! I got your package! Thank you so much! The funny thing is that the night before I actually got it from the mission office, I'd DREAMT that I was opening a package from home! Bam! Dream came true. Mom, did you pick out the clothes? The accessories- too cute. Except, Mom, I'm kind of getting mixed signals here. You KNOW I can't wear bling on the streets here...but you still sent me bling?!?!??! Haha. Love you. Okay, the birthday card though. Thank you Krys! And Dad and Mom (again) and Gladys for your notes of encouragement.

     Mom (I say "Mom" alot in my emails)- I sent off a package as well to you this week. It's for your birthday. Watch out for it! Don't open it until September 2, provided it even gets to you before September 2. Fingers crossed!!!

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P-DAY...

     Will be on a Tuesday again next week. Members planned out an Amazing Race type activity that we're going to be doing as a zone. Sounds fun!


I miss you all.

With love,
Sister Teo