Rejection!?!

Oh wowsa, my dear family. It has been quite the week. We just got back from the doctor because my ear has felt like it's going to pound out the side of my head for about 4 days now. Not so good. Apparently I have fungus growing in my ear. That kind of thing only happens in the Philippines where if you stood still for 24 hours, you'd start to grow moss because it's the most fertile place on planet earth. Patay. I feel like Whitney, literally deaf in one ear :) Hahaha. Love you twit :) So hopefully this new medicine will do the trick because I'm a bit sleep deprived, and as a result, a little emotional. Not a good combo when assigned to this area. 

Ryan's training!!! Hahaha, I love it! I'm sure he’s having an absolute freak out right now. He'll be so phenominal though. He's always underestimated how awesome he is. And woohoo, Darrell is engaged! Oh boy, am I happy for him!  Yes, our zone is the only one in Mindoro. We're spread all across the Island though, so we only see all of us on zone activity if they can make it, and zone conference. 

So I have so many updates for you! This week has been crazy. I think I actually got transferred to San Jose 3, Mindoro, United States of America. I have never been rejected so much as a missionary in all my mission. That actually exists in the Philippines. Honest to goodness, usually here it's just arms wide open....oh wow.....this week has been an eye opener and given me a little bit of empathy for Tate and all other missionaries assigned to places like that. By about Thursday though, it started to look up. We have just revamped our entire schedule and where we go each day, times for appointments, everything. It seems to be helping though. Just keep praying for us. We need all the divine help we can get. 

We've done so much tracting this week. As in. It's been pretty incredible. Not a whole lot of new updates because all of our new ones are still just that....brand new. By this week we'll be able to see a bit more where there's potential. 

We had mail run for the first time in over a month. Haha, I did not realize how much mail I get until it stacks up for over 4 weeks. I just feel so lucky and blessed for all the people in my life and all the people I've met here. Special thanks to all of you.  Elder Quinton, Lynn and I definitely came away with over half of the zone's mail. Ironic we were all from the same MTC district. Tate's mission sounds crazy. Tell him just to keep moving forward, it gets better I promise. Especially with the language. It's just that first stage that's super hard. Haha, I always think of the best 2 years when he goes, "Go talk to him" and he goes, "well what if he talks back?". Haha, too true. I think that movie will have a whole new special meaning as an RM. I got your package too! sa wakas! Thank you so much for the music!!! I'm loving it. And Sister Riza had her baby yesterday! I just got the text. Haha, it's a boy, again! She's just meant to raise priesthood holders, that's all I can say. I think I'll give one to her and one to Sister Bermudez from Morong as well. Hopefully she'll have a girl. Andy (from Morong) got baptized last week with his daughter Colleene, and Almario got baptized yesterday. Also, Dina sent me the cutest letter. I just miss them all. I know it'll get to that point with the people here in Mindoro, it's just taking me so long. Oh yeah, and I got my camera on Saturday!! Happiness. I'll start taking pictures this week. Shums and I loved the article that you sent about the 6 reasons why Mormonism is growing. Ha, such an awesome article. He forgot #7.....because it's God's true church. 

We just got a warning from the area presidency for all American missionaries assigned to the Philippines. There are threats I guess on the US embassy here and all Americans coming from Muslim radical groups. Shoot, it must be getting pretty ugly over there for the Church Security Dept. to be sending out warnings to the missionaries. 

So the funny Philippino things for you this week. So we went to a less active and their son is sick. It's like the flu basically. Cough, fever, tired. Just a flu. Oh no, this is the diagnosis daw; it's one of these 2 things. #1: tabi-tabi-po. Bahahaha, so "tabi-tabi po" is like saying excuse me. You're supposed to say it when you go to a new area, or down a new street that you've never been on before, or if it's dark and kind of a scary place. You're saying excuse me to all the little dwarfs and creatures that are invisible so you don't step on them. If you don't, they hit your body and make you sick. So Bro. Micheal did not Tabi-tabi po. How dare he!! #2: It's called "bati". Bati means to say hello/greet someone. So there's this crazy thing here where if someone directly greets you on the street, you need to lick your finger and wipe it on them or else you'll get sick. Hahaha, not even kidding. It's actually happened to me, as I'm going, what are you doing lady?! So that's the other diagnosis. Again, how dare he. He's now carrying around ginger in his pocket as the cure. I personally wanted to offer some garlic as well, for you vampires you know. Ha, sickness here is a joke. No one knows a thing about germs, bacteria, or viruses. It's all from little dwarfs and bad spirits. Haha

So that's all for the week I think. Love you all and I'll talk to you next week. Not til Wednesday though. It's already transfers, can you believe it?? Mahal ko kayo!! Ingat naman!