First Letter from the Philippines!

Hi Family!!!!!!!!!! How are you all doing?? Man it is good to write you! I missed it last week! I wrote you a long letter about our travels and everything so I won't talk too much about that. All you really need to know is that is took about 38 hours to get to the mission home. We were so exhausted!!!!!! On Friday I got my companion, her name is Sister Sandoy, and she is so great. She is from Southern Philippines, somewhere that I can't pernounce/remember. But she has been so helpful with everything. If she didn't know a little bit of english, I probably would be crying myself to sleep every night. But she is so awesome! I am really blessed to have her as my first companion. Our area is called Carmen and it is in the Rosales zone. Maybe you can google maps it and see where I am, because I have no idea!! We are opening an area so right now we are just trying to find people to teach. We have one investigator, maybe two. I don't understand a lot that goes on, so I think we have two. There are two sisters in our apartment and they are great. One is foreign (from the Utah) and the other one is native. She doesn't speak a lot of english, so I try my broken Tagalog on her and her companion translates for me haha. Heavenly Father is really so aware of us. I have felt that so much in my first area. I have the perfect trainer for me and I also have been blessed to be with those other two sisters. It has really given me hope seeing sister Allen (foreign) being able to communicate so well in this language. I know that there is hope for me!! :)
So we got here on Friday night and went to a family home evening. It was pretty fun. I didn't understand like anything, but the members are soooo nice and tried their hardest to communicate with me. The kids here are so cute! They love the foriegners, that's what I've been told at least. And I have been able to tell. They will touch my hair and poke my nose (because it sticks out). It is pretty cool. They fed us at FHE too. The food was really yummy! People here eat rice at every meal. And I don't mind it. It is really yummy! The weirdest thing I have eaten so far is this green jello stuff. It is really hard to explain, but it is like strips of gelatin that that is kind of slimy and stuff in like green coconut milk... Ok I'm not describing that well, but I have no idea how to describe it. It tasted pretty good, you just had to get past the look of it.

On Saturday we went to a baptism for an investigator for Sister Allen and Sister Parina. It was supposed to start at 2 but it didn't start until around 2:45... Funny. But I thought it was really great. Then he bore his testimony and even though I didn't know what he was saying, I could feel the spirit. But guess what?? He didn't show up to his confirmation. And they met with him last night and he said he didn't want to come to church any more. I don't know what happened between his baptism and church, but satan was working on him. So the other sister have half of the ward and we have the other half. So we are in the same ward, just different parts. Saturday two sisters in our ward walked around with us for a couple of hours to meet people that are in the ward. It was really nice of them to help us like that. Saturday night we had an appointment with a boy named Brother Jersey, he said that he could only meet after seven because he had something really important before. We went to the church for something that was told to me but I didn't understand and there was a fireside, and Brother Jersey was there. He hasn't taken the lessons yet, but I feel like he is ready to be baptized. If his something important is a fireside then that is really awesome. How many 18 boys would say that? We are teaching him tonight, so hopefully it goes well.

So yesterday was our first sunday, so of course we spoke and introduced ourselves to everybody. I tried my hardest to do it all in Tagalog. I hope they understood what I was trying to say. After the bishop asked if this was my second area because I knew Tagalog. So I guess that's a good thing. But when it comes to the understanding, that is a lot harder. In church I can get by because most of the vocab I know is church related. So that's good. They always call on my to pray or do a spiritual thought. Maybe because they want to give me practice or something. But it is pretty funny. After church we went to MCM (missionary something meeting) and PEC. It was about 3.5 hours of Tagalog. I think I understood about 1% of it. Every once in a while they would say my name and I would smile. Then they would say they should speak in english so I could understand, then somebody would say no we need to speak in Tagalog so she will learn, so they would continue. It is pretty funny.

So basically I am having a great experience. I can't wait until I get to the point where I understand what is being said. I feel like I am not helping a ton in my companionship, but I am trying. I really do love it here, despite the hotness and the water.... But that's ok. This is the Lords work. I am so honored and humbled to be able to be His servant here in the Philippines. It really is so humbling. The people here are so amazing!! Ang Simbahan ay totoo. Mahal ko ito. I love you family so much! Thank you for everything you do for me! Remember the Lord in all things. I always say to myself D&C 6:36-37. I love that scripture. Thank you and love you!!!!

Love Sister Palmer

Going, Going, Gone!

Caitlin is in the Philippines now! She called her family on Monday and sounded so ready and so excited to leave. I will post her new address as soon as I get it.

In the meantime, here are a bunch of pictures from the MTC.

Last Week in the MTC!

Everybody! Caitlin only has one more week in the MTC! If you wanted to write to her while you're there, do it ASAP! :)   Here's her latest e-mail to her family:

Kumusta pamilia ko!!!!! Ok your Tagalog is great! You basically know as much as I do! Jokelong.... pero talaga (but seriously) btw I have a spanish key board again, so wish me luck on this email....

 

It sounds like you all are doing great!! I am so happy for Marshal for passing the test! And Jesse, but I think I already said that to him. Well you guys are the best and I think about you a lot! Today was our last time going to the temple for a while and I am a little sad. I kind of started to cry when we got there... I´´m turing into Mom.... But it was amazing as usual. I know I will be able to go in Manilla before I leave so that will be really cool. I will just have to wait a little bit for it. To answer some questions, mainly for mom, I am good with money, I have plenty I think. I got the dearelder yesterday, so thank you. If you have time, I kind of want a new pair of crocs. The ones that we bought together like the ballet flats and have the holes kind of in the back. Mine are all stretched out, so like probably a size 7, But if you dont have time, then don´´t worry about it. I´´m totally fine. Thank you so much! When we got our travel plans, one of the things I said was ¨¨Airport cinnamon rolls! Booya!¨¨ Great minds think alike I guess. So it was so exciting when we got our travel plans! We opened them as a district and basically all freaked out!!!!!!!! So we leave here around 4 thirty on monday. Then we´´ll fly to LA. from LA we go to Hong Kong. Hong Kong to Manilla then a threeish hour bus drive to Baguio.... So a lot of traveling. I can call you so I´´ll probably call at salt Lake or La... Depending on time and stuff. I dont think I¨¨ll have any time in Hong Kong because we only have an hour between our flights. But maybe Manilla, I am not sure. But for sure once in the states.

 

Ok there are two videos I want you guys to watch on the lds.org. First is ¨¨Arise¨¨ it is the youth theme song right now. Go to the youth page and type in arise in the search bar and it should be the first movie. Second movie is ¨¨Have I done any good¨¨ It is SOOOOO GOOOOOODDDDDDD!!!!! on lds.org go to resources tab, then video, audio, imagaes, click on videos, then on the right side there is a list of all these things, click on mormon channel stories and it should be the first one that comes up. It is with Alex Boye and some girl. But it is awesome!

 

So yesterday we were teaching and we asked our investigator if she had any questions before she got baptised and she asked like how it happens. So we were ezplainging to her how it happened. But non of us knew how to say pool or faunt. So I said ¨¨quarto ng tubig¨¨ which means a room of water. In the lesson we were laughing soooo hard!!!! Then when we got back to class, our teacher told everybody and we were laughing so hard again!!!! And best of all, guess what pool or faunt is in Tagalog? Pool, or faunt..... Oh boy. But it was so funny! Last week we had TRC which is where members come and act like themselves and we teach them. So we were teaching this lady and she was so sweet. Her parents are from the Philippines, but she is from California, and she knows Tagalog. The spirit was so strong in the lesson. It was so cool. Some of the time we didn´´t know what she was saying, but it was really cool to be able to feel the spirit that stong in another language. It was a really special experience. ç

 

I cant believe I am almost done with the MTC! AHHH it´´s so crazy! I have absolutely loved it here. It has been such a great experience! Joe when you come here just embrace it and love it, because it really is the best! Always have a positive attitude and work hard! I am a little nervous, but who isn´´t when they are going to another country to live. I know it is going to be so awesome!!!! I really can´´t wait!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Well I hope you are doing well and staying busy. Thank you for all the letters you send me all the time. I might try and get on later today and send some pictures. YOu can do that from the laundry room so I might try and figure it out. Well I love you, sorry this doesnt have much Tagalog in it, I am running out of time! Mahal na mahal ko kayo! Totoo ang Simbahan at Aklat ni Mormon. Buhay sina Jesucristo and Thomas S. Monson. Magandang Hapon!

 

Sister Palmer!

August 21, 2012

Hi everyone! Sorry it has taken me so long to give you an update! Here's the last e-mail I've received from Caitlin:

Week 5

Thanks so much for the email! I loved hearing about your trip!!!! It sounded like so much fun! When I get back i want to come too! You guys are the best! Thank you so much for always writing me and thinking about me! I really appreciate. Also, let me know if there is anything in particular you want to hear about in the email or letter. I might leave some things out, so just let me know.

 

So every Sunday we get to watch "music and the spoken word". I love it so much!! Last week they sang "consider the Lilies" and it reminded me of grandma a little bit! Also, Joseph, I don't know if you have seen this mormon message or not yet, but you HAVE to watch it. It's called "Sanctify Yourselves". It is soooooo good!!!!!! WATCH IT!

 

Mom, I know you just sent a package, and it doesn't have to be now but just before we leave, Sister Evans was saying how she always wanted a composition notebook because she always sees then in American movies but they don't have them in New Zealand. So if you have the chance and are going to send me a package within the next four weeks, then could you possibly send me that for her please? Thank you soooo much! Also thank you so much for the packages that you guys always send! They are so fun to get! We drank sparkling cider last night to celebrate p-day eve.. hahaha

 

Our goal for our companionship has been trying to stay on task and focus. We have a really hard time with that, but we have been doing a lot better!! So yesterday I was reading in my study journal, sharing what I had studied that morning, and I can across this sentence, "But I need to focus on the" and there wasn't an end to it. We were laughing so hard because I was writing about staying focused on something and I wasn't focused. It was so funny!!! I wish I knew what I was going to write... Oh well ;)

 

Also, last week I slept talked again! But this time I had a conversation with my kasama. She thought I was awake. I guess I kept saying that we need to figure out what to study for personal study and she was like do you want me to close the blinds? Then I said, hindi (no) we just need to figure out what to study! It was so funny! I don't remember any of it. But the next morning mga kasama ko (my companions) were telling me what happened and I was laughing so hard I started crying. Its seriously was so funny, this little blurb doesn't give it justice.

 

So I meet sometimes with one of the teachers to do my language study plan, just because I need a little extra help. He is so helpful and gives me really great ideas! But last week he came in to check up on me and how my study plan was going and how everything was going. It was going well, but I was having a hard time remembering the words that I had studied like a couple days before. He asked why that would be like that. And it was obviously because I wasn't using them. So then he challenged me to be 100% SYL (speak your language). I was so nervous, but I said yes!! That was on Thursday and by 6 that night, I was so tired I thought I was going to fall asleep standing up! It took it out of me. But each day gets a little better. We always have a dictionary with us. It is incredible how fast we have learned and how much we already know! I still need to work a lot, and I still don't know a lot, but it is suprising how much I do know. It is pretty cool!

 

So, I saw Rachel as she was getting to the MTC. It was so nice to see her, but it made me a little sad because she has just seen at least you Dad. But she said hi to me for you and it made me so happy! She is so great! I have seen her a lot which has been really nice. Also I have seen Micheal a couple times and he is actually roommates with two elders in my district. Also I have seen Jenny Jones. She is seriously the best!! It is always so great seeing her! I feel like she always knows exactly the right thing to say to me.

 

Ahhh I feel like I have so much more to say, but so little time! The District above us is leaving next week!! That means that we are going to be one of the old districts. (there were three that came in with us). Next week there are going to be 37 new missionaries in our zone. It is going to be craziness!!! This has gone by so fast! I can't believe we are about to get our travel plans!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH so crazy!!!!

 

So I should probably wrap this up, but this church is so true. Everytime I read the scriptures or study, or anything it is confirmed to me. I have been noticing the word "diligence" in the scriptures. It is everywhere! And it's always after somebody was diligenct, they were blessed. And I know that is true. If we are diligent, the Lord will bless us!

Alam ko po na makakapagbigay po ang Alak ni MOrmon ng malakas sa amin. Alam ko po na salita no Diyos and Aklat Ni Mormon at nagsalin po si Joseph Smith ng Aklat ni Mormon sa pamamagitan ng Diyos. Alam ko po na nagbayad-sala po si Jesucristo para sa mga kasalanan natin. Alam ko po na totoo po ang Simbahan ni Jesucristo at mahal tayo ng Diyos. I love this church and know it's true! Thank you for everything that you do for me! You guys are the best! I love you so much!

 

Mahal Kita

 

Sister Palmer