November 19, 2012

Hello Family! How are you guys doing? Looks like the boys had fun on their deer hunt!! A successful year for them! And despite all the crazy foods here, I actually enjoy them, a lot! A member said to me yesterday that I was getting skinny and the other sister missionary that is in our apartment (not my companion) was like, how is she getting skinny? She eats rice everyday? I guess rice make syou gain weight. So I need to watch out for that. But it was pretty funny.

So this week was good. We have really been trying to find people to teach, less actives, and investigators. We went to a new area, or rather gathering of houses, and did preach by the ways there, or just talked to people and shared a quick message. We found a lady who used to take the missionary lessons. So hopefully she is ready now. Last night we were talking to a member. Sister Sandoy and I have really been trying to figure out how we can help these people. They often don't want to listen to us. but the people in Santo Tomas which is in our ward but on the other side of the freeway, they are more accepting over there. So anyways, the member was saying that the dike, or one of the "neighborhoods" in our area is like the slum. So the people in our area are really really poor. and they need to work really really hard in order to provide for their families. Sister Sandoy said to me after we left the members house, that maybe they aren't necessarily hard hearted, they just need to work and feel like they don't have time. They are super busy. We need to show them that through the gospel the Lord will prosper them in the land as well as spiritually. We continue to pray for them day and night.

Last week Bishop's brother died. He was an alcoholic. We went to the wake and Sister Sandoy spoke too. It was just at his house. I saw my first dead person here. It was kind of interesting... Kind of gave me the shivers... but that's ok. After the service we sang hymns. It was cool becuase we were singing hymns and then the people that we above us (we were like on a hill) were gambling, drinking and smoking. It really was so contrast, but it showed where the spirit was. I hope that maybe they felt it too. Hopefully.

The picture that is of me with my three words is in one of our areas. It is San Bartolome. It is so pretty there. There are many rice fields. That's what I am standing in front of. They go on forever. Harvest season just ended, so now the rice fields aren't as green. But it is still really pretty. The pictures of us in our jersey's are outside of our apartment. There is a field with like squash or something there. It is really pretty though. The Dike is also in our area. That isn't as pretty. There are just a bunch of houses. But it is ok. Where I am is kind of like Park City. It isn't a really big city but it isn't like in the middle of no where. It is really pretty.

Well my time is about up. Thank you all for your support and prayers. I love you all so much. This is the true church, and only through this church will we find true happiness. I love you all so much. Thank you for everything!!!!!

Love Sister Palmer

November 12, 2012

Hello Family! How are you all doing? I am glad to hear that the boys all got deer!! Yay! That's awesome. And that the girls had fun too. I can't believe it is snowing there, and there is snow on the ground! Holy cow! Yeah, it's still really, really hot here! Like I am sweaty all the time. But it's ok. I'm getting a little used to it. Like sometimes when there is a fan on I get the chills.... Maybe I'm meant to be here after all in the heat. This week has been pretty good. It has been a little hard though. A lot of walking and a lot of times we have been punted (when people aren't there, or they are "busy" and can't listen to us). It has been a little challenging. But we have been trying hard to grow our teaching pool. (I know that doesn't really make sense, but I can't really think very well in English, or Tagalog.... It's kind of frustrating jajaja). Also we dropped our first investigator, which was really sad. More like she dropped us though. We were walking to her house and she saw us coming and was like "Sisters, I quit. I haven't read your book yet, and I am not ready to." We have had like four or five lessons with her. It was kind of funny how it happened, but of course we were really sad. Hopefully someday she is ready for the message. 

So this week was my week to try new and exciting food. Hold on to your hats because it's going to get crazy. You will not believe what I have eaten. So first, I ate a chicken foot. Uh huh! It's true! And you eat the fingers and everything. It was kind of weird, but it wasn't bad. Just the idea of it was weird. They have all the little stands they call barbecue, where they have squewers and then you pick what you want and they bbq it for you. So that is how I ate the chicken foot. Then, chicken intestine.... So it was yummy. Basically tasted like chicken meat (duh) but a little more rubbery. The ward mission leader was with us when I ate this and he was laughing so hard. It was pretty funny. I also ate blood blocks. I didn't know what they were, but Sister Sandoy was like oh its mud blocks. So we got them then come to find out it's like hardened blood and other stuff. That was weird. And last but not least, I ate a chicken head!!! Yes, a real chicken head! You just eat the whole thing, brain, eyes and all. It was actually pretty yummy! But there was one bite that was like squishy and juicy, that was the brain. It kind of freaked me out a little bit. But it was ok. So I think now I have eaten basically a whole chicken, or at least all the body parts, or most of them. So pretty interesting. Also here  sometimes they eat with their hands. Yesterday we had MCM and the ward missionaries made food for us. But we didn't have utensils or plates. So what they do it they get a banana leaf and put rice down the middle of it with the ulam on top (what you eat with the rice- like meat and sauce with vegetables). Then you just eat it with your hands. I didn't know that they is a technique to it, so I was just doing it, and it was really hard. But it looked really funny too and we were all laughing so hard. They taught me the right technique to it. You get the rice in your fingers and then use your thump as a shovel. I will teach you when I get home just in case we ever run out of utensils. 

So basically I think I always tell you about what we're eating. I guess that just shows how much I love food jaja. But I was reading this morning in the BOM and in Alma it talks about how when people hear the word of Christ then reject it's teaching, their hearts are harder than if they didn't even know it. I know that is true. It is hard to soften peoples heart. I know there are people here that are ready for the message of the gospel, we just need to find them. This work is true. It is hard, but it is worth it. I know that this is the true church and only through this church you can have true happiness. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. I love reading it so much. It gives me so much comfort and strength for whatever problems or obstacles come my way. This is the true Church of Christ. I love you all so much. Hope you all have a good week. Stay strong and be believing! 

xoxoxoxoxox 

Sister Palmer   

November 5, 2012

Hello Family!!!! Kumusta??
Everything here is good. Just been super busy. I got all of your letters last week. They were so awesome! Thank you! Tell Grandma I just sent her a letter last week, and I will get another one off probably next week. Also I sent the letter to you guys too. So be excited.. Jk I don't even know what I wrote any more, because I wrote it so long ago haha. But it'll be exciting! Lots of details for you mom. You all look great it the pictures! Looks like you are having fun! I hope Grandma's birthday was good. And Dad's party was fun! Last week there was a holiday, All Saints day, and All Souls Day. Since there is always a lot of drinking so we had to be in our apartment at six for the first and second. It was pretty fun. We just talked and ate some food and like looked through our area book. Just the usual fun activities. But it was a nice little break. Last week we had transfers. So you know what that means?? I've been here for one whole transfer, or six weeks. Starting my seventh week now. I am a little sad because after this transfer it means that my training is over, which means that Sister Sandoy and I will be seperated.... :( Makes me a little sad, and right before Christmas too. So it's going to be a little hard, but it"ll be ok. Change is good, right? Speaking of change, I really wish Romney will be president.... Like really! Also some member told me of the big baguio or storm over there on the east coast. I hope everything is ok. I heard people died too. Sad!

So last week was Sister Allens last week here, she got transferred, so we had lunch at a members house after our studied, before weekly planning. They made sweet and sour pork. Holy cow it was delicious!!!!!! But guess what?? I ate a piece of pork and it had some fat on it, so I politely spit it our and guess what else it had on it? Little pig hairs. Yes I had the skin and everything in my mouth! Little pig hairs and all. Wow it was weird. And then they made us this sticky rice thing. It was kind of like mexican rice, or the same flavor. But it had like peices of meat in it too. And liver. Yes I ate liver too. It was interesting. Good, but not on my top faves yet.

So also, Sister Sandoy said that my sleep talking has returned. I was teaching a lesson in my sleep the other night, in Tagalog. It was pretty funny. She said that she was dreaming about teaching and she kind of woke up to hear me teaching too. I guess we are just synced now.... jajaja. But it was pretty funny.

Also something cool happened last night. We were in our furthest area. A member has a tryck and he was working with us, so we decided to go there, becuase usually it's expensive for us. We had planned to teach a less active member. He is an rm about 31 years old. We went to his house and he wasn't there. His dad (I think it is his dad) said that he was out. SOmetimes people are really vague here. Like if you ask them for directions they'll say, diyen long. Which means just over there. So we went out and we were standing by the tryck wondering who else we could visit. I said a little prayer asking that we would be able to find him. We had already been there for a couple of minutes when I said my prayer. And as soon as I closed it, he came walking up. He had been sitting in the dark over by a store and decided to come over. It was so cool. I know the lord answered my prayer and I know he acted on the prompting to come over to us. It was a really neat experience.

Well the time is far spent, there is little remaining.... Can you name that tune? (hint it's a hymn jaja) But I must go. I hope you guys have a great week. Thank you for all that you do for me. I love you all so much!!!!!!!!! This church is true!

Love SIster Palmer