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