What home sounds like
I cannot tell you how comforting and heart-bursting and heartwarming and wonderful and beautiful and a-million-bolts-of-love running-through-you it felt like to hear Daddy's voice on the phone last Tuesday. It was so unexpected; I didn't think they'd let me talk to him. But because this entire passport application thing has been taking FOREVER and my leaders have seen me struggle to get information from you to them and then from them to me and then back up and down the chain, I think that they just got tired of trying to pass information around and they let me go directly to Daddy. Dad- do you remember that first minute that I heard your voice on the phone, and I told you, "Wait, hang on..."? I couldn't talk for a couple of seconds because I was choking on tears. It's been seven months since we last talked, and I don't think that a child will ever forget her father's voice, or vice versa. I know what home sounds like. Home sounds like the protection of a father, the concern of a father, the love of a father. Home also sounds like the relief of a mother, the joy of a mother, the pride of a mother in her child. And hopefully home will also sound like two younger siblings that will ENJOY TALKING TO THEIR OLDER SISTER THIS CHRISTMAS CALL, PLEASE, THANKS, OKAY <3
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A sapphire ring
Okay, listen up: CAROL IS ENGAGED! CAROL WHO GOT BAPTIZED LAST OCTOBER CAROL! Her member boyfriend (Josh) FINALLY proposed to her last weekend! Her ring is this huge sapphire stone (I still like diamonds) and they are getting married.......in DECEMBER! Okay. Talk about fast. Carol beats ALL RMs that try to get married in like, three or four months or something (hahahahahahahahahahaha). But this is what really touched me when I found that out (although the proposal wasn't a surprise; everyone knew they were going to get married): Sister Pamesa and I, and even Sister Lockwood- we will always have a part in their lives now. We will be THE sister missionaries that "taught and baptized Mommy,"-- probably something that Carol will tell her kids in the future. We helped bring a family together. We helped two people come closer to God together. We helped one generation. Sapphire rings and full hearts; it'll be a marvelous December. + + + + + + + + + +
Old souls
We have an investigator on board for December 26. Her name is Sheila and she is 15 years old. She is in the 4th ward and lives with members (she helps them out at home). She is SO prepared. I have no idea where this young lady popped out from, but she is SO smart and SO spiritual and has this great, burning desire to come closer to God. Throughout my mission I have seen how God has prepared each one of his children to receive his gospel. Everyone comes from different walks of life and yet there's always something from their background that makes the message of the gospel WORK for them. We only have about 25ish more days until Christmas, but Sister Esmolo and I believe in miracles. Please let this work, Heavenly Father!
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Try, try again
And on the note of December 26th (our white christmas)...guess who has a goal for baptism AGAIN? Yes- you guessed it: JERRY! We took him to the temple this last Saturday, walked around with him, talked with him, helped him to feel the Spirit, and then sat him down and talked about what he really wants for his life. About what he wants to come out of his investigation of the church. We let him know that it's time for us to work towards a goal again, but that this time around, he needs to be HONEST with us. Like, 100% honest with us. No more lies about how many cigarettes he smokes in a day. I don't know...I guess it's hard to let people in on a weakness of yours. I feel like he thinks that we'd think less of him if we found out that he smokes 10 a day or something. No. We reassured him of our love for him and we expressed our confidence in him. We have him down for March 26 right now. Fingers crossed! I won't even be in this area anymore by the time that comes around, but let's see how things go!
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Be ready
We've been hearing SO much talk here recently about emergency preparedness and 72 hour kits and stuff like that, and I thought: Does my family even HAVE an emergency preparedness plan??!?!??! If you guys don't have one yet (and I lived with y'alls for 18 years and I'm pretty sure we don't....right now) then this is my missionary assignment/homework to our family, and that is...TO HAVE 72 HOUR KITS READY BY THE TIME I'M HOME IN APRIL! And even if we don't get 72 hour kits, at least have our food storage up and running to date. Okay? Okay :) Blessings will come. Promise. Sister Esmolo and I are staying together another transfer!!! Which means that I will be in this area for a total of six months! Wow. Six months on Palawan. Six months in Makati. Three months in Bonifacio...I wonder where my last twelve weeks of my mission will take me. Hmm. But I'm grateful. Grateful to be here. There's obviously more work that the Lord needs Sister Esmolo and I to do. And we will do it.
I love you all. Glad to hear that Thanksgiving went fantastic! I'm singing at the Temple Lighting this Thursday!
With love,
Sister Teo
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