Words Just Come Out

Family mine,

So this week was really great! We had a baptism last Sunday, Sister Erica A. She is a super smart 15 year old. Her younger sister was baptized last month, and her mom is a less-active member. She was super golden and actually worked with us as soon as her baptismal service ended, and then she worked with us again yesterday!

My clothes are holding up great! Lands end is a really good brand, I'm glad we just went ahead and bought those four skirts because they're great! My only problem with my clothes is that we hang them to dry outside in a roofed area behind the house, but because there has been a storm here this week, it's been windy and raining all week, which means that my clothes have yet to dry. Kind of frustrating because last week I did laundry, but when I went to check on them a day later they were sour. Had to wash them again. And even now they are still wet.

My clothes are fine. It's Sister D who only has about three skirts. We got permission from President Barredo to go shopping in Bacolod for her earlier. He asked us if it was a need or a want. We told him "need," so he gave us permission and even invited us to attend the transfer devotional even though neither of us were transferred (in our mission, we have transfers about two or three times in a six month period). We unfortunately did not find any skirts, although we bought a couple other things.

But at the transfer devotional, I got to see Sister O and Sister A. Sister O (my trainer) goes home in just two weeks! How time flies!

Actually, tracting is against the rules in our mission! But if we approach a house, we call out: "Tag balay" which is short for "tagia sang balay" which means "owner of the house." But we do a lot of OYMing, which I think I've told you about before. We just talk to people. Still one of my biggest challenges. I was telling Sister D how hard is was for me to OYM, and she seemed surprised and told me she thought I was brave. Made me feel a little better. I guess I'm good at acting like I'm confident even when I'm not. Thanks to ballroom and shakespeare. :)

I love the feeling of when I open my mouth and words just come out. Not just in OYMing, but in lessons. Sometimes I am surprised at my own words. It is then that I know that they are not actually my words. They are the Lord's. Super humbling. One example from this week is that at the end of a first lesson to an investigator, I opened my mouth to ask a question, but a different question from the one I was thinking of came out of my mouth. I said: Do you know anyone else that we could teach?

The investigators got really excited and and started rattling off names faster that I could write them down. They then took us to three different houses. Only two of the three were willing to let us in, but maybe that one is ready to receive the Gospel. And then on our way of visiting those three homes, we ran into a half-paralyzed man who told us he was a member of the church and wanted to come back to church!

God loves and knows His children!

Palangga ta kamo!

Sister Marriott