LESSONS I LEARNT ON A WEDNESDAY:
They sort by gender - Manila MRTs
I didn't realize this before but one time this past week Sister Pamesa and I had to take the MRT to get to one of our expat investigators and we filed into the train and I saw that they segregate the train carriages into female and male sections! The females are all gathered in one carriage and the men in another. Pretty good way to stop/decreases public harassment. Hmmm. One point for the Manila Public Transportation System :)
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Patience, waiting and good attitudes
So this relates to the paragraph above: we were going to see Diane and her husband (Diane's the investigator) and we invited Oliver to come along (Diane's husband had invited him, too.) Oliver is our Rwandan (??) friend from Africa that we had dinner with two Saturdays ago! Anyways, Oliver came along, but Diane was at the doctor's for a medical check-up (American visa requirements......Ether, so much hassle!). We waited. And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And....waited. Bless Diane's heart - it wasn't her fault at all because there was traffic in the subway stations (and it wasn't even rush hour!) and I guess the doctors just took a little while longer than expected. And then there was Oliver, too, who was so patient. Second time now that we've pulled him out for an appointment but ended up NOT teaching him a lesson at all. We had to leave, Sister Pamesa and I, because we had OTHER appointments to go to and it was getting late. But kudos to Oliver! Who waited and waited and waited and I feel like Satan really doesn't want us to teach him our lessons because something always comes up! We'll keep trying!+ + + + + + + + + +
Old habits die hard
Jerry is still working towards October 17. Thank you Daddy for your email to me this week; there is alot to consider about Jerry's conversion process and we are working really hard at trying to discern what we can do to help him best. Either way, again, bless Jerry's heart. He is a good man and we know that he is trying so hard, but if you've seen his pictures, you'll know that he's a hip guy as well...and by hip I mean that he loves his earring! That earring on his left ear! It keeps magically finding its way back to his ear...Oh Jerry, Jerry, Jerry. He is so comical! We're still trying to find a way to help him quit "The Ways of The Earring" before his baptism!+ + + + + + + + + +
When you fall down, you get up
Best part of that Wednesday. Oh, yes, all of these things (paragraphs above) happened on the same day. On Wednesday. Okay, so we get home after a long day. You know, alot of waiting, some disappointments, but more or less still trying to be cool and calm and happy about it all. And I guess sometimes God just wants to see where you are at with trusting Him and remaining positive. Because when we got home that night, I started my normal routine of getting ready for bed, and when I was in the bathroom...I fell.
Really bad.
On my bum/back.
And it hurt.
And for about a good two minutes I was just on that slippery, wet bathroom floor, unable to say anything because the pain was paralyzing (I even went to bed that night FEARFUL that I would wake up the next morning paralyzed! Haha for my imagination!). The other three sisters in the apartment were saying my name from the outside because they had heard me fall but I wasn't replying because it hurt so much and then they broke into the bathroom (just kidding, door wasn't locked) and found me on the floor and I was trying to be a big girl and not cry, and I didn't cry! But that was like the cherry on top of the icing, the final test of the evening. And I decided that I was not going to let that deter me.
My prayer that night was pretty intense. I told Heavenly Father that I wasn't sure what all that happened that day was about. I told Him I didn't understand why it felt like He was pushing me to my limit, but I told Him too that I wasn't going to let anything bring me down. Fall seven times, rise up eight. Right? It's a good thing that I am learning on this mission, the value of perseverance and patience and of not giving up. WOW! This mission. Where would I be without this mission?
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& SOME:
Carl
Carl is an investigator from the 4th ward. He is from the UK but just here for a month. He goes home in time for his October 30th baptism there in England, and Sister Pamesa and I taught him this week over lunch. Carl was another testament to me that God furthers this work. He is in charge of the lives of these people. I don't believe that we meet people for no reason. I believe that Carl was sent here to Manila, at this time, to be another "drop of oil in the lamp" for me. To strengthen my belief that this work is moving forward ALL around the world! + + + + + + + + + +
Floods, rats and hives
Self-explanatory. It flooded again this week, I'll attach pictures and a video. And then the rats came out from all their hiding places because the drains were flooded and people (ladies) were screaming when they saw them...it was very hilarious. And also I think that Manila rain is too polluted because I got home that night (Sunday night, actually) and had hives again (but not as bad) on my shoulders/neck area. I think I am allergic to pollution. The end.+ + + + + + + + + +
I really needed to go to the temple earlier and I am so glad for that session we had. There is something about being in the House of the Lord that cannot be experienced anywhere else in the world. It was so good to go today, too, because last year this time I had gone to the temple for the first time. Daddy, Mommy, and I. How was that one year ago?
There is so much to be grateful for. So much.
Ready to see these remaining six months fly by?
With love,
Sister Teo
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