Baptism, Exchanges &... Some Spit

Dear family, 

Caizy

     Guess whose baptism was a success on Saturday? Caizy's! Sister Pamesa and I (& I am sure Sister Lockwood as well) are super proud of her because she has come a looooong way, not just in the discussions with the missionaries but in LIFE! She is a warrior. A beautiful warrior. She was baptized by her fiance, Mark, and they will be married in the coming month(s). It is so great to see people dressed in white, and not for the last time either! Caizy is going to be SUCH a good leader in this church, I know it! 

     And so on that note of her baptism, I just have to say how grateful I am that Heavenly Father has allowed me to see baptisms over these last five months. I'm sure you all remember how down I was about the baptismal drought on Palawan...but I know that those experiences I had on that island were to prepare me for all the wonderful things that I have experienced thus far in these last two areas that I have been in. I am so grateful. Gratitude always wins!

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Exchanges

     Did you guys know that Sister Pamesa was called to be an STL even younger in her mission than I was?! She was only at her halfway mark (or even before that!) when she got called! (I was almost at my tenth month mark.) Anyhow, as an STL we have to go on exchanges with other sister missionaries just to see how they are doing, to help out with any problems etc., to see how the work is going in their area...meaning that Sister Pamesa and I get split up and we go with one of the companion from the pair. This week Sister Pamesa and I went on TWO exchanges back to back, and I know that doesn't sound like a whole lot, but TRUST ME! It was so tiring; I was mentally exhausted by the end of it all! I loved it, don't get me wrong - exchanges are SO great because you get to learn from the sister you are with and it is such an opportunity to be humble and loving, but wow, Sister Pamesa's been doing this for eight months now! I am in awe. The exchanges went great though! 

     I love these sisters under our stewardship and I know that I was a bit nervous at the start because all of these sisters are older than I am in the mission...but thank goodness for the grace of God because all went well and we all had fun.

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"And He Suffereth It"

"And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men." (1 Nephi 19:9)

     I've never had this happen to me before, EVER, but... for the first time in my life/mission, I got spat on this week. Spat on or spat at? Either way, I was on exchanges with Sister Walker and we had gotten out of a lesson with Jerry. We were walking with Jerry to the place where we usually catch the jeep back home, and as we were walking and talking, this lady who was also just walking down the road from the other direction, walked by me...

and spat in my face. 

Right in my face. She had even made the loud spitting sound that it was loud enough of a spit to make everyone else look and gasp in shock. I was shocked. I was really shocked. But my first reaction was that I laughed. What? Did someone really just spit in my face?

     This event has stuck with me this entire week (it happened Tuesday night). At the start I was really amused because now I can officially say that I am part of the ranks of all the missionaries in the world (biblical, Book of Mormon or even just modern day times) who have been spat on. Literally spat on. By the world. And that just amused me. But later that night as I pondered more on the significance of what had happened, the amusement turned into humiliation a bit. I couldn't believe that someone spat in my face. And that everyone saw. I hadn't done anything wrong to deserve yucky spit. 

     It's been almost a week now and from that event I feel like I have come to appreciate my Savior so much more. Christ went through EVERYTHING. He went through being spat on and teased and mocked and hit. He went through rejection - undeserved rejection. And if the best life this world has ever known has been through all of that, who am I to complain about what little trials God puts me through? 

I am proud to be a missionary.

I am proud of what I am doing.

I am proud of what I have become.

     Spit or no spit, we are doing a great work, and it is a work that will never stop.

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Momma

     ONTO A BRIGHTER TOPIC- Mom! Your birthday is this week! Happy birthday in advance! Your package got here, too! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! 

     I didn't believe you when you said you wanted to see if you or Ether would "win," but you were for real! Haha, don't worry you two, there is no competition! Thank you so much though, Mom! I can't wait for you to open my present, too! It isn't much but I am so glad that it got to you safe. It is a little piece of the Philippines. 
     

You are the best, Mom. Thank you for raising my sisters and I so wonderfully. Thank you for being the best partner in life that Daddy could ever ask for. 

     We're not perfect, none of us are, but I see you trying each and everyday. I love you so much. 

This mission just keeps rolling on!

With love,
Sister Teo