Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

Dear family,

I have been here for more than a month!! How crazy. As Papi said in his first email to me: time flies when you're having fun.

Speaking of Papi, The flashlight he gave me at Christmas is perfect! It is so small, but so bright! And we have about an hour and a half where we are proselyting in the dark, even though we go home at 8pm in this area. Also, I showed Sister Ortiz the cookbook that Papi gave me, and she loves it! She says it is really authentic Filipino food. She cooked me stuffed eggplant this week, which is one of the recipes.

Yes, Sis. Ortiz is a native...but a native Tagalog speaker. She is solid. It was great this week to watch her as she overcame her fears of talking to people, and we saw miracles because of it. People who she stopped to talk to turned out to be previous investigators and accepted return appointments! Also, it is great to watch her as she gains the trust of members. That is definitely one of her strengths. I think I tell her that every companionship inventory. Because really, without any prying, the members bear their deep concerns with us...Just last night, a less-active family, less active because the tatay got "offended"... he just told us what happened. We are also probably going to do a service project for them in order to do 40 hours of service in order to get a wheelchair for one of our investigators who is paralyzed on the left side of her body. She wants to be baptized and come to church so badly. 

Is it hard to sleep??? I've never slept better in my whole life! Haha! I am so tired by 10pm. It's a blessing, especially since I didn't sleep super well in the MTC. I remember my teacher in the MTC said, You're going to be tired. But work yourself to death. That's what we're doing. But yes, it's always hot. I'm always sweating. No, we don't have AC in our apartment, but we do have fans, which we run all night over our beds. 

Another miracles this week: the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues. God is so good to me. 

Sister Ortiz shared this quote with me the other day by Pres. Hinckley. I felt the Spirit course through my body as I listened:

"Many young women are serving missions...not because they aren't married or have nothing else to do but because they desire to serve and are therefore called to the work. The reason so many are going is because in the next generation, Heavenly Father will be sending his priesthood army to the Earth. He wants to send them to mothers who have been properly trained and taught in the gospel, and what better training can young women have than that of serving a mission?" 

I love that little paper by Lizzy! Haha! Katie said that she is writing a story, and she said how she remembers me writing stories and reading them to her. They were fun to write. I've always enjoyed writing. 

I am glad you were in tune with the Spirit, Mom, in order to recognize that Sister P needs spiritual nourishment as well as physical. The best thing that anyone could offer another person is the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I also LOVED President Uchtdorf's talk. It was my favorite by far, especially since I've been reading about the Atonement. 

I love you all, have a great week!

Sister Marriott