Ola Amigos and mi pamilya! Buenas dias/Buenos Noches! Kumusta???
Maybe, you're wondering why I'm speaking Spanish. Haha. Guess what! My language is changed to Spanish!!!! Do you believe it?? Hehe. Just kidding!!!!
But, my first sacrament meeting experience here was in Spanish branch! Before I explain why, first have to explain you about our area. I'm in Eatontown second ward. We are 8 here ( 4 sisters and 4 Elders). There's also a Spanish branch here. We go to the same building. Their sacrament meeting schedule is 9 in the morning and ours is 11. BUT, yesterday, I had to go with one of the Spanish sisters, her name is Sister Duke. She's new to that branch and her companion was terribly sick. So I went and attended the sacrament with her. ?And my comopanion went to the other sisters in my ward to attend the coordination meeting. Eevryone speaks Spanish there! No one knows to speak English!!! It was so fun to sing himnos though! :D I know some words such as Ola, kumusta, ben vienido, moi bien. That are just the words I was able to say to everyone who greeted me. And NO INTENDIO ( I don't understand) as well. Some words are also the same as ours. (We know why) But I didn't learn anything... Tssk. But after it, I attended the sacrament meeting in my own ward. Beacause there was still time after the assigned speakers, the conducting asked Ssiter Dahl (my companion) and Elder Ramos (new missionary in this area) to speak in front and share their testimony. My mind said, "Yessssssss!!!! Hindi ako magsasalita! Ligtas" but my heart was saying "huhu.. Bat sila lang???? Gusto ko rin!!!" Pero alam niyo, after ng confirmation sa isang newly baptized sister (ginawa tong confirmation after magtestimony ng 2 missionaries) May natira pang oras!!! So I and Sister Trias (bago rin dito pero 10 months na siya sa mission at siya'y pinay din) were asked to speak as well!!! Tanananann! I wasn't nervous. Hinanda ko na talaga ang sarili ko for it.... They smiled as I was talking and after the sacrament, some of them said that they enjoyed my testimony and welcomed me... So sweet! They're all nice here. The leaders are so united and supportive and loving to us... RS class lang, may programme pa. Aha! At tawag nila dun RS newsletter. Nakasulat doon ang tungkol sa mga bagong missionaries area. (apat kaming bago ditto. Si sister Dahl ang companion ko, pareho kaming bago sa area. Doubled-in ang tawag nila.. 10 months na siya sa mission.
1 family na less active, 4 less active sisters at 1 investigator ang naturuan namin from Wed-Saturday. At iba talaga ang feeling to see those we visited attend church! Feel mo ang missionary work. Itong family'ng nabanggit ko, walang tatay. Hiwalay sis Sister sa asawa at 4 na lalaki ang anak niya. Kalungkot lang. sila ang focus ng prayer ko that time. Masmasaya talaga sana kung kumpleto pero I know that they'be blessed dahil naghagawa nilang magsimba.
Sorry that I'm making a long email again. Punung puno na talaga ako ng story para sa mga interested. Hehe. At naliligaw ako. di ko alam kung anong uunahin.
Paubos na ang snow dito. PEro noong first day ko sa New Jersey (nasa mission home kami that time), sobrang lakas at kapal ng snow sa labas) Ginaw! Pero kaya naman! :)
I with the other missionaries fresh from the MTC. We were about 20 got to NJ on February 17. At may initiation silang pinagawa para sa amin! They call it "FEAR BUSTER". Kumanta kami ng called to serve sa gilid ng kalsada ( gathered in circle) and in the middle of singing that hymn na napakasigla, nagtakbuhan ang mga dati ng missionaries dito (inassign nila kami ng tig isang companion na tinatawag nialng street parent). I was shocked!!!! "What are we doing???" kako.. May nagsabi, "follow your companion!!!" At sinunod ko yun. Tumakbo ako. Hinabol ko ang street mom ko. At ang layo na niya. Hanggang maabutan ko siya. Kinausap namin ang unang ngasalubong namin. Inintroduce ang Book of Mormon at binigay ang pass-along card. At ganun din sa iba pang nakasalubong namin. Hoooo! Hingal ang inabot ko doon! Pero exciting! Ewan ko ba at hindi naman ako nahiya o natakot na kausapin yung mga nasalubong nakin. May nakinig, may tumanggap may hindi rin. We did it for 20 minutes lang. At finally, dinala na kami sa mission home for DINNER!!!!! Yey!! :)
The saddest part of my mission life so far is...
I LOST MY CAMERA! :(
Pero maliit na bagay lang yun kumpara sa mga nararanasan at natatanggap kong blessings dito. Biruin niyo, di kami naglalakad except Thursday kasi CAR FAST... Pero di parin naglalakad kasi members are giving us a drive when they work with us. At ang dami-daming free groceries na nareceive namin this week! Parang sapat ng buhayin ang isang pamilya ng isang taon! Hehe. Exaggerated. Pero oo. Madami talaga. May bigas ako dito. Bumili ako. :D At! May microwave oven, microwave, washing machine and dryer kami sa apartment! Very convenient! May reklamo pa ba ako? Grabe lang talaga ang gastos nila sa MISSIONARY WORK. Lucky are na napakacomfortable ng lahat dito. Kaya yung problema ko sa hirap sa pag-express ng sarili ko, maliit lang yun. At sabi nila, my English is great! pERO I'm STILL PRAYING FOR improvement and working on it para masmalinaw ang message sa mga tuturuan namin. Mas nagiging mapagmahal ako dito, wala din akong masungitan kaya bumabait na. Hehehe.
Oh no. I'm running out of time. 2 hours lang kami pwedeng mag-email... Pero pwede kong I-print ang message niyo. So YOU CAN SEND LONG EMAILS TO ME. I'LL PRINT THEM!!!! KWENTO DIN KAYO! Pasensya sa mali maling words and sentences :D
BYE BYE! I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!! P-DAY NAMIN NGAYON AT PUPUNTA KAMI SA JERSEY SHORE! MALAPIT LANG KAMI DOON..
Pics sa fb nalang. Kunti lang. From my companion's camera..
Maybe, you're wondering why I'm speaking Spanish. Haha. Guess what! My language is changed to Spanish!!!! Do you believe it?? Hehe. Just kidding!!!!
But, my first sacrament meeting experience here was in Spanish branch! Before I explain why, first have to explain you about our area. I'm in Eatontown second ward. We are 8 here ( 4 sisters and 4 Elders). There's also a Spanish branch here. We go to the same building. Their sacrament meeting schedule is 9 in the morning and ours is 11. BUT, yesterday, I had to go with one of the Spanish sisters, her name is Sister Duke. She's new to that branch and her companion was terribly sick. So I went and attended the sacrament with her. ?And my comopanion went to the other sisters in my ward to attend the coordination meeting. Eevryone speaks Spanish there! No one knows to speak English!!! It was so fun to sing himnos though! :D I know some words such as Ola, kumusta, ben vienido, moi bien. That are just the words I was able to say to everyone who greeted me. And NO INTENDIO ( I don't understand) as well. Some words are also the same as ours. (We know why) But I didn't learn anything... Tssk. But after it, I attended the sacrament meeting in my own ward. Beacause there was still time after the assigned speakers, the conducting asked Ssiter Dahl (my companion) and Elder Ramos (new missionary in this area) to speak in front and share their testimony. My mind said, "Yessssssss!!!! Hindi ako magsasalita! Ligtas" but my heart was saying "huhu.. Bat sila lang???? Gusto ko rin!!!" Pero alam niyo, after ng confirmation sa isang newly baptized sister (ginawa tong confirmation after magtestimony ng 2 missionaries) May natira pang oras!!! So I and Sister Trias (bago rin dito pero 10 months na siya sa mission at siya'y pinay din) were asked to speak as well!!! Tanananann! I wasn't nervous. Hinanda ko na talaga ang sarili ko for it.... They smiled as I was talking and after the sacrament, some of them said that they enjoyed my testimony and welcomed me... So sweet! They're all nice here. The leaders are so united and supportive and loving to us... RS class lang, may programme pa. Aha! At tawag nila dun RS newsletter. Nakasulat doon ang tungkol sa mga bagong missionaries area. (apat kaming bago ditto. Si sister Dahl ang companion ko, pareho kaming bago sa area. Doubled-in ang tawag nila.. 10 months na siya sa mission.
1 family na less active, 4 less active sisters at 1 investigator ang naturuan namin from Wed-Saturday. At iba talaga ang feeling to see those we visited attend church! Feel mo ang missionary work. Itong family'ng nabanggit ko, walang tatay. Hiwalay sis Sister sa asawa at 4 na lalaki ang anak niya. Kalungkot lang. sila ang focus ng prayer ko that time. Masmasaya talaga sana kung kumpleto pero I know that they'be blessed dahil naghagawa nilang magsimba.
Sorry that I'm making a long email again. Punung puno na talaga ako ng story para sa mga interested. Hehe. At naliligaw ako. di ko alam kung anong uunahin.
Paubos na ang snow dito. PEro noong first day ko sa New Jersey (nasa mission home kami that time), sobrang lakas at kapal ng snow sa labas) Ginaw! Pero kaya naman! :)
I with the other missionaries fresh from the MTC. We were about 20 got to NJ on February 17. At may initiation silang pinagawa para sa amin! They call it "FEAR BUSTER". Kumanta kami ng called to serve sa gilid ng kalsada ( gathered in circle) and in the middle of singing that hymn na napakasigla, nagtakbuhan ang mga dati ng missionaries dito (inassign nila kami ng tig isang companion na tinatawag nialng street parent). I was shocked!!!! "What are we doing???" kako.. May nagsabi, "follow your companion!!!" At sinunod ko yun. Tumakbo ako. Hinabol ko ang street mom ko. At ang layo na niya. Hanggang maabutan ko siya. Kinausap namin ang unang ngasalubong namin. Inintroduce ang Book of Mormon at binigay ang pass-along card. At ganun din sa iba pang nakasalubong namin. Hoooo! Hingal ang inabot ko doon! Pero exciting! Ewan ko ba at hindi naman ako nahiya o natakot na kausapin yung mga nasalubong nakin. May nakinig, may tumanggap may hindi rin. We did it for 20 minutes lang. At finally, dinala na kami sa mission home for DINNER!!!!! Yey!! :)
The saddest part of my mission life so far is...
I LOST MY CAMERA! :(
Pero maliit na bagay lang yun kumpara sa mga nararanasan at natatanggap kong blessings dito. Biruin niyo, di kami naglalakad except Thursday kasi CAR FAST... Pero di parin naglalakad kasi members are giving us a drive when they work with us. At ang dami-daming free groceries na nareceive namin this week! Parang sapat ng buhayin ang isang pamilya ng isang taon! Hehe. Exaggerated. Pero oo. Madami talaga. May bigas ako dito. Bumili ako. :D At! May microwave oven, microwave, washing machine and dryer kami sa apartment! Very convenient! May reklamo pa ba ako? Grabe lang talaga ang gastos nila sa MISSIONARY WORK. Lucky are na napakacomfortable ng lahat dito. Kaya yung problema ko sa hirap sa pag-express ng sarili ko, maliit lang yun. At sabi nila, my English is great! pERO I'm STILL PRAYING FOR improvement and working on it para masmalinaw ang message sa mga tuturuan namin. Mas nagiging mapagmahal ako dito, wala din akong masungitan kaya bumabait na. Hehehe.
Oh no. I'm running out of time. 2 hours lang kami pwedeng mag-email... Pero pwede kong I-print ang message niyo. So YOU CAN SEND LONG EMAILS TO ME. I'LL PRINT THEM!!!! KWENTO DIN KAYO! Pasensya sa mali maling words and sentences :D
BYE BYE! I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!! P-DAY NAMIN NGAYON AT PUPUNTA KAMI SA JERSEY SHORE! MALAPIT LANG KAMI DOON..
Pics sa fb nalang. Kunti lang. From my companion's camera..