Crazy Old Men...

Hello, hello, hello.

We are e-mailing a little later this week, my companion had to go to the dentist earlier today...ah.....let's just say I miss real dentists in America...let's hope I never have to go to one here....I'll leave it at that. Haha. But anyway, we're at a different computer shop this week too, and it's a little sketchier and they said it will probably give my camera a virus if I try to send pictures so I probably won't be able to send any this week.  :( Maybe on our way back we can stop at our normal shop to see if there's room to send you my pictures real quick.

Anyway....there is still never a dull moment here.  Even in just the things people will say as we walk by.  The broken english phrases, "Hay beybey, how much is yo age?" ...umm what? Hahaha. Actually, oh gosh. We had the funniest experience on Friday.  We met this really old tatay on the side of the street and started talking to him.  He looked so jolly and friendly, and yeah, he was awesome! Just...a little too friendly ha.  I started talking to him and shook his hand and then he wouldn't let go of my hand...ha, so I introduced myself by grabbing my name tag with both hands so he would let go.  He was really nice and funny, just....crazy!  He kept grabbing my chin and saying, "You are SO beautiful!!!" I stepped away a little bit, but we kept talking to him.  My companion introduced herself, and he wouldn't let go of her hand either.  He just was so overjoyed that we were talking to him!  Then he asked Sister Acostan if he could kiss her?!! She was like, what?? Uh, no!  I was laughing so hard, but then before I knew it, he was grabbing me by the shoulders coming in for a kiss!!  I was like ahhhhh!!!!!!  "Bawal, Tay! Sorry, hindi puwede!!!!" haha oh gosh.  We wrapped up our conversation and went to leave.  Then he grabbed my arm with both hands and said, "I am Homer Hosea!  Remember me!" ...hahaha um, don't worry tatay, I don't think I'll be able to forget.

Hahaha, oh the things we experience as missionaries.

We had MTC exchanges again this week!  It was so much fun!  I got to work with Sister Lockwood.  She's going to Manila mission. She was a fellow white, blonde, American haha so that was fun walking around our area :) She did so well, it was such a great opportunity to work with her!  It reminded me of my days back in the MTC when I heard her teach in her new, broken Tagalog.  I feel like I was just there yesterday, but it's amazing to see how far I've come when I take a step back and look at it.  One of our investigators' kids joked that I'm pretty much a white filipina because of how well I speak Tagalog.  He heard someone talking in their bahay and when he walked in, he was so surprised to realize it was coming from me!  Hah!  I know I have so much to improve on, but I am so grateful for the gift of tongues that the Lord has given me.   I know it's not me.  It's coming from Him.  I am just so grateful that I can work at it and be worthy to receive it and use it to bless these people's lives.  I know Sister Lockwood will be the same way. She is an awesome, dedicated missionary.  I felt like she was my own little trainee!  I already love her so much and I only spent a couple hours with her. Haha.  It's so awesome that we get the opportunity to go on exchanges with the MTC missionaries while in this zone.

We started teaching a new investigator this week!  Honoria.  She is the sweetest, old nanay.  Very devote Catholic, but it was amazing that as she invited us in and we sat down, she looked at us curiously and said that she didn't know why she invited us inside...there are so many missionaries of other religions that always try to come to her door and she hides from them.  Ha! She doesn't believe in anything but her church, and doesn't want to listen to anyone else.  But she said that she always sees us walking by and every time she does it just makes her so happy.  So when we showed up and asked to come in she let us in.  She's really happy when she sees us and she doesn't know why.  As we opened our lesson, we sang, "I Am a Child of God" and she began to cry.  It was beautiful.  Haha, not our voices by any means, but the sweetest spirit was in her tiny home.  As we left her home, I was just in awe....the lesson was so simple, but so powerful and beautiful.  The Lord works in beautiful ways, it is so amazing to be a part of His work.

Ricky is doing so well, too!  He honestly doesn't need us at all; he teaches himself!  At one of our lessons this week, he told us that honestly, after we taught him Word of Wisdom and then Law of Chastity, he sat thinking after we left...that wow, God seems pretty demanding.  But then he said that he realized for himself that all these "rules" and guides from God are really helping him to be happier in the end.  He said it's almost as if God is telling him, "Ricky, I love you.  These things are for your good." And he is just so pumped up and empowered to change and follow Him.  I am just amazed at the faith and love that these wonderful investigators have.  He is slowly but surely progressing in his effort to rid himself completely of cigarettes.  It's hard for him, but he is doing so well.

Delia is doing great too.  It's hard for her to give up her coffee, but she is willing.  She is finding so many friends in the Relief Society and already went to one of their activities and we didn't even know!  She is so involved in the church and so happy and excited!  I love seeing her this way :)

I am just loving every moment as a missionary.  It is going so, so, so very fast.  It needs to slow down!  I wish I could extend and serve a 2-year mission!  I am just so grateful to be here.  So humbled by this work.  I am learning so much. I know that above all else, my mission is changing me the most. I honestly am a different person.  But I am a better person.

Anyway, I'm almost out of time, but thanks everyone for all the emails!! I love reading them.  It helps me not feel so completely cut off from all of you.  Have fun as you all get back in to school again..haaa suckerrrrs. :P Just kidding. I love you.

Thanks for all of your love and support.

Hanggang ang susunod na linggo!
 

MAHAL KO KAYO!

Sister Oyler

 

 

 

Dinner 

 (Salamat, Maricel for the picture!)