Hey, So..... I kind of got on Facebook last week.... and my companion told my mission president. So, I had to go to Tacloban again to have an interview. He said that he was really really disappointed in me. He took away my e-mail privileges. He said that I can send one last one so that you don't worry about me. I'm so sorry! I fail at life!
APRIL FOOLS!! hahahaha I'm hilarious.
Anyway, Happy Easter!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! If I were home, I would buy you a walker! But... that would probably cost like 10,000 pesos... so... I'm not going to do that... haha Jokesla! You're not that old dad! And, I did remember all by myself, thank you very much! I didn't need to be reminded so many times! hahaha But Easter here isn't exactly that exciting. It's mostly just a Catholic holiday. This week has been super quiet on the streets because people are either at mass all week, or they are drinking somewhere together. They set up like a ton of these station things that have statues of Jesus, or Mary, in like parks and outside of churches. People go there to pray and worship. I don't really know what they do... ky waray ak catholica. Usually you can hear people outside until like the early hours of the morning, but it was like a ghost town! It was really creepy! haha They don't really do Easter egg hunts/Easter bunny stuff here. I actually forgot it was Easter until about halfway through church. Church yesterday wasn't really centered around the atonement either. Instead, the first counselor was lecturing the branch on keeping the facilities clean in sacrament. I'm actually really glad I couldn't understand what he was saying, it made it easier to do some good scripture study! haha
We have 6 new investigators this week!!! YAY!! And we have one more committed to baptism!! yay!!!! It is such a cool thing to watch someone's testimony develop! You can see the change in the way they act, and the way they smile, because they smile a lot more! Our new investigators came from teaching one of our investigator families, the Comiques. Whenever they go there, all the kids that live around them come and listen to our lesson. Their house is probably about as big as our kitchen (maybe a little smaller), and it's always packed with kids! That must be how Jesus felt when he taught people. It's a really cool feeling! But anyway, a 22 year old named Jestoni happened to be there when we dropped by to teach. He paid a ton of attention to our lesson, and asked a lot of questions! Now we are teaching his whole family! This guy has made a lot of mistakes in his life. I won't go into details, but he sincerely wants to change. He can feel the spirit of our lessons, and he says that he believes what we are teaching him. Every lesson we teach him (we're on number 3), he brings more people to listen to us. It's really great!
When I was doing some scripture study this week, I came across Alma 17:11. I was trying to find a way to teach our branch about reverence. This scripture talks about teaching with patience and by example. And really, that's how Jesus taught. And since he is perfect, we can all probably agree that that is the most perfect way to teach. That's why missionaries have to live by certain standards, so that they can teach people without being hypocritical. But, we've gotten to know most of the branch members, and I can almost remember everyone's name! I still can't really have a normal conversation, but I'm getting really good at teaching lessons! It's really amazing to me, because most of the time after we're done teaching, I don't really know what my companion said, and I don't even know what I said half of the time, but my companion always tells me that what I said fit in perfectly with the lesson. I love helping people feel the love of the Savior!
In Mark 11:12-14, Jesus goes up to a fig tree because he is hungry. When he discovers that this perfectly good fig tree doesn't have any fruit, he gets really frustrated with the tree and curses it. The moral that I got from this story is that when we don't keep the commandments, he can't use us for good. What good is a fruit tree that doesn't grow fruit? That taught me that I really need to try my absolute hardest to do my work. I was before, but that was just a good reminder.
I'm glad that smiling is a universal thing, because if it wasn't I would be in trouble! A brother in our branch told me that I look like a doll because I'm always smiling. haha I thought that was funny. And a little girl told me that I look like her Barbie yesterday.... There obviously aren't very many white people in Catbalogan. haha
I talked in the recorder last Friday! It was good Friday, so we weren't allowed to work in respect of the local traditions. So, I dyed my hair! yay! haha I'll send it off maybe next week! I listened to it all again, because I was feeling kind of homesick, because I wasn't working. I find that If I work hard, I don't have time to get homesick. But, I'm trying to talk a lot so that you don't get mad at me for keeping it for so long! haha
Sorry that Kaleb is a crippled! That's too bad! unsamana! Glad that Brayden is going back to civilization... even though that metaphor didn't really make any sense Bray! haha I'm glad Alyssa's play went well! send me pics! Good luck with the house!
I love all of you! Thank you for all of your love ngan support ngan damo pagampo!!!!
NAHIGUGMA KANINO!
Love,
Sister Bingham
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