Kamusta! :)
How are you all doing?? I miss everyone! I was sick a little bit earlier this week--with just a sore throat and cough and such, but it is all good! This week has been really great! It has literally flown by though! I GET MY TRAVEL PLANS THIS FRIDAY!! Can you believe it?? It is all coming so fast.
Our District A left this morning at 4am :( boo. District B (us) and District C both arrived on the 29th and the other district had been here for 2 weeks. Those six elders were like my big brothers! It's so sad to see them leave..but I know that they will all make absolutely incredible missionaries! We have the best branch!
Well since Sunday night was their last night with us all, after the Sunday Films, we gathered in their little classroom and sang "Patnubayan ka nawa ng Diyos" (God be with you til we meet again). The Spirit was so very strong and I'm pretty sure everyone was crying. Goodbyes are so very very hard for me. Ugh!
We won't be getting any new missionaries in our branch either until after we leave. So it'll be a bit lonely around here now.
Okay, Mom, tell Lisa THANK YOU!! for those yummy cinnamon rolls!! She is so sweet! They made my and the other sisters' entire week! We were in heaven :) Tell all of the Flinders that I love them!
I memorized the First Vision in Tagalog on Thursday! I love it, and I love the prophet Joseph Smith. It's crazy how just memorizing his words in Tagalog can strengthen my testimony. But I'm grateful I did that and I'm grateful that I now have this tool to use in lessons so that I can bear a stronger witness about the truthfulness of this wonderful gospel.
Well, I've got some language funnies to share with you :)
So, our elders were teaching their investigator (who's our teacher) and anyway, they were going a little overtime apparently so the "investigator" tried to wrap things up and ask if they could come back on Wednesday (Miyerkoles in Tagalog). Well, the poor elders heard Miyerkoles and said, "Oh, yeah, we believe in miracles." and went on to start teaching about miracles. hahaha! "We believe in Wednesdays!"
Another funny story: Sister Fewster was reading in PMG about the Reformation era. Anyway, you know Martin Luther (the founder of the Lutheran church) way back when helped pave the way for the Restoration of the Church. anyway we're all just studying and then suddenly Sister Fewster is like, "Whoa! Did you know that Martin Luther King Jr. helped make way for the Restoration??" hahahahahaha we were all dying!
Oh, and do you know how Sis. Fewster is from England? So, she has some random slang and vocab that is different from the U.S. Well, a lot. But anyway, 2x a week we have to wake up early to do service. So we always laugh at how excited we are to "sleep in" until 6:30 on the days that we don't have service. haha! anyway, Sis. Fewster calls it a "lie in". And the first time she started talking about it we were confused thinking she was talking about a lion. haha!
Okay I made a nakakatawa mistake this week as well. Luckily it was just when we were mock teaching another set of missionaries. haha anyway, so the word for "sin" is kasalanan and the word for "experience" is karanasan. Well, I had asked them to share something with us and they both shared an experience each one of them had with a certain topic--I don't even remember what we were teaching. Anyway, afterwards I was trying to say "Thank you for sharing your experiences with us"....well I ended up saying "Thank you for sharing your sins with us." hahahaha oh boy :) I love Tagalog!
So our room is made for six sisters...and we have four. So we have some extra closets that we have officially deemed as "snack shacks". haha they are just loaded with food and candy that all of us get in the mail...we have no idea what to do with it all when we have to leave. haha!
So harrison! I have some things for you. First--I saw Trent! We talked for a bit and he told me to tell you hi! I've seen him a couple of times in the MTC and he's doing great! Second--they had BYU cheesecake for dessert a couple days ago. I ate it and thought of how jealous you would be of me :P haha
Oh! So on Sundays for Relief Society, we watch Music and the Spoken Word. Anyway, I forgot to tell you the first week that I saw Lisa Whatcott! It made me so happy to see her! I saw Mr. Whitaker too! haha and just this past Sunday there were like 5 different shots of Mr. Whitaker! It made me laugh, but it was awkward because I had no one to share it with. haha :) ok lang
So our Branch President's oldest daughter came to our sacrament meeting with her family of 6 kids on Sunday. It made me miss you guys. They had an 8-year old girl named Sally who was just as adorable as they come. Anyway I was talking to her a little bit before the meeting started and then afterwards she just came right up and hugged me and she wrapped her arm around me and clung by my side for the next 15 minutes as we walked around a bit and looked at the big world map. Then her family had to finally come get her from me and told her it was time to go. but it seriously made my day! I feel like we were little kindred spirits!
Well, I am just loving every day here at the MTC. It is such an incredible place to be! I'll be so sad to leave...but I'm excited to share the gospel in the Philippines! Oh and yes, Mom, I'll be leaving on the 10th of March. And I know we'll get to call home sometime during our travel to the Philippines...but I'm not quite sure on the details yet.
Anyway, I just love you all so much! Thank you for all of your prayers! I am truly being blessed here at the MTC. I can see the Lord's hand every day and I am just showered in His tender mercies.
MAHAL NA MAHAL KO KAYO!
love,
Sister Oyler
