Sunday July 16 2023: Email from Mom (Danielle)
Random thoughts on a Sunday evening-
We are still waking up early, but overall I think we have adjusted to the 14 hour time difference!
We have prayed as hard and as often as we ever have! You should hear our missionaries pray! Seriously - I have been so inspired by the prayers of these missionaries here! And the members as well! Prayer in the Philippines is beautiful and inspiring. We are both "so much grateful" to be here with such humble, beautiful people! We love them!
It's such a unique mission as the gift of tongues is REAL and relied on daily! We have missionaries from the US struggling to speak in Tagalog. There are Filipino missionaries learning English. We have Filipino missionaries learning Tagalog as their 3, 4 or 5th language! We have missionaries from Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and Kiribati & Marshal Islands learning both English and Tagalog! It is both inspiring and touching.
We have seen sun, rain and even a bit of hail! It can REALLY rain here! You should see the rivers that are now flowing when just a few days ago you could probably jump across those rivers. It's amazing! The Tarlac River flows north out of the city. I have crocs I can slip on when I need to and we have a good "payong" (umbrella). Our security guard - Danillo told me we are in the midst of a typhoon. I was thinking this evening - maybe we should check the news - but really I don't even know where to look! There are huge puddles everywhere we drive. I can't imagine what some people living here in the Philippines are doing as it pours! I just found this online - FOR: SOUTHWEST MONSOON ISSUED AT: 11:00 AM, 16 JULY 2023 THE SOUTHWEST MONSOON ENHANCED BY TROPICAL STORM {TALIM} (FORMERLY "DODONG") MAY BRING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RAINS WITHIN THE NEXT THREE DAYS.
The biggest highlight so far has to be the missionaries themselves! We have been blessed with such and intense love for each and everyone of them! Michael finished up his last interviews with each of them 2 days ago. I think there are about 180 missionaries now serving in our mission including the senior missionaries! It was quite a task for him, but what a privilege to be with each of them! We have already had many opportunities to laugh with the missionaries and cry with the missionaries! We are amazed by their willingness to serve, to sacrifice and to work hard! Missions are incredible! These young people are out there working hard, studying, teaching and baptizing. The missionary program works! By studying Preach my Gospel and the scriptures each morning the missionaries are spiritually prepared, they know what to share! PMG second edition is powerful! Study it yourself! I have felt my Savior close to me and to the missionaries as I have witnessed the missionary program in action here in the Angeles mission! We have had 6 zone conferences, 1 mission leadership council, and 4 Stake Coordination meetings. We have met for hours with our 3 amazing A.P.'s - Elder Rasband, Elder Salva and Elder Sinamban as they have taught us so many, many things!
I feel like Michael and I must really be a sight everywhere we go because so many people just stare at us, especially the children! There was a small girl, probably about 2 or 3, in a meeting today that just sat and stared at us! Often people take pictures of us!
Thank goodness for Google Maps & Elder Hilton (one of our amazing senior missionaries) & the saved Google map of the chapels & missionary apartments in our mission! Driving with all of the jeepneys, trikes and motorcycles and no enforced traffic laws is quite an experience - it's like Mario Kart in real life! We have been all over our mission - well there are a few spots to the far north and to the far south we have yet to visit. We love being with our senior missionaries! They work hard and we are so thankful for their support and kindness.
I'm sure that we have had more pictures taken of the both of us than we ever have! After church meetings people love to take photos with their phones. We especially love it when they take at least 5 pictures of the exact same thing. But one of our favorite picture taking moments was when a gal was taking our picture and said "One, two, three - SMELL!" I'm sure she was saying "smile" but with her Filipino accent it sounded like SMELL!
We have met so many faithful church members. The church is alive and doing so well here! We have shaken so many hands and given so many hugs! Of the 3 Sundays we have been here we were asked to share our testimonies in 2 of the meetings. I need to really work on my Tagalog! Today M was trying to express the feelings of his heart as he stood at the pulpit in a sacrament meeting - he called his heart (puso) a cat (pusa) in Tagalog! He got a pretty rousing laugh from the members!
It does crack me up that the Lord called a bald guy to be the leader because all of our missionaries have such nice hair! I'm not sure which missionary has the best hair, but there are a few that are vying for the title!
We are enjoying the best fruit smoothies ever - it's pineapple season now with mango season just ending. We have bananas growing on the trees next to our house. They are delicious. We have been pretty cautious about eating out much. But did have a delicious chicken BBQ - the restaurant is called Indasal. We ate wood-fire baked pizza in the middle of a rice field!
The technology learning curve has been pretty steep for us at times! But we are gaining confidence with iPhones, Zoom, Instant Messenger, FaceTime, and various online missionary reporting tools!
It still feels like when I pay for things I'm using play money! The first time we went to S&R (a Costco type store) I think I spent over $16,000 pesos. That whole check-out scene was a bit of a disaster as I was using another senior missionaries S&R card - I learned my lesson and now I have my own membership!
We have witnessed beautiful clouds and sunsets! Green rice fields and green sugar cane fields are almost everywhere in the bukid (country. Caribou (water buffalo) & baca (cows) are easily seen.
We got a couple of missionary bikes to ride in our neighborhood. It felt great for M&I to get out and ride, even in a drizzle of rain! We were soaked all the way through, but that is ok when it's about 80 degrees out! There are beautiful hibiscus flowers & even a few gardenia trees - those flowers smell so good.
Our home is very comfortable and we feel so blessed to be staying here! The neighborhood is beautiful and we are so grateful for the safety, peace and quiet we can experience living here. It is a gated community. The security guards carry some interesting guns... We hope to get out and exercise more! We have visited a few of the missionary apartments and have been humbled as we have gone with our missionaries to teaching appointments! There are just so many people living in the Philippines! It's pretty amazing to see them. We love seeing so many beautiful children!
We have been going as hard and fast as we can! We both feel such peace and true happiness as we serve together. There really aren't' words to truly express what we have learned and felt. Our Father in Heaven loves each of us so much! So much, that He was willing to give his Only Begotten Son so that each of us can return to His presence. The Savior lives!! We have felt him close as we have truly tried our very best to seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost as we serve. God hears and answers prayers of each of his children. He has heard my prayers and has sent me answers that have strengthened me and given me opportunities to grow and stretch.
WE miss you guys! Thank you for your photos & updates! I'll get my skylight photo frame up and working tomorrow. I have had quite a cold the past couple of days but was able to take a nap for an hour this afternoon.
We are ALL IN! And it feels great.
MOM
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