It was transfer week and man was that crazy but exciting! Sister Blonquist and I are still together thankfully! We love each other... he. But with being in the office we got lots of calls and questions and were able to see how stressful it is for the assistants. Luckily we were able to help them chill out by helping to add a little humor to the stress :) We all get along so well. Sister Blonquist and I are always saying, "I hope that the elders have the same idea about us all being best friends after the mission!" haha. We love the elders. Such great examples they are to us!
I received great news when transfers were announced! Im gonna be a lola!! (which means the sister i trained is training!) My apo (grandchild) is filipina. Her name is Sister Manzano. Sister Larsen was freaking out when she was told she would be training. I called her and we talked and i told her that she was more than ready! We just talked earlier today too and she seems to be great! When you train you grow so much because you have a lot on your shoulders. Also, Heavenly Father is able to show you just how much you actually DO know that you didnt realize before. My most favorite text that i received from Sister Larsen this week was something like, "Sister Jones, thank you so much for being my nanay! Sorry i got frustrated when you would fall asleep during nightly planning sessions! I know how you feel now... its so exhausting!!" haha... oh i love the mission!
So this week...
#1... our investigator Joey is doing amazing! He came to church for the second time yesterday and loves it! We passed by on saturday morning and saw him our reading pamphlets and the Book of Mormon! There is no greater sight for a missionary! Sister Blonquist and I just looked at each other and smiled. We love Joey. He is so prepared and has such a great support system already. Being on a mission makes me want to be the best fellowshipper after the mission. All i want to do when i get home is work with the missionaries!! Joey is getting bapstized on April 2 and makes amazing progress at every visit! (we've only visited 4 times so far but it feels like we have known him for a lifetime!) People like Joey make the mission all worth it!!
#2... As for other investigators... we are meeting some interesting people. Most dont want to continue or are just too crazy to continue. There are so many stories but the best one from these past two weeks is we happened to meet two different men that voiced to us that they want 3 FAMILIES! The first said it in front of his wife in a lesson... she was disgusted but put up with it.We asked this man, before the prayer, what he wanted because we always do that so we can pray for those things that they want in their life. He straight up said, with no hesitation, "i want 3 families!, money, etc.." S. Blonquist then turns to me and whispers under her breath... "you're praying!" haha. I did but definately didnt ask Heavenly Father that this man could have 3 families.
During the lesson the man spoke english to us and kept standing up and pointing his finger at me and calling me a "he" while he was talking to S. Blonquist. (there is no gender difference in these languages so when they speak english they call girls "he" and boys "she".) He had something against me... maybe cause i stood up in the lesson and asked him to sit down cause we dont want to fight and when he stands its like we are fighting with each other. That wasnt a good idea... but S. Blonquist saved me... that is why there are two of us!
The next man was on a jeepney ride home... this ride lasted 30 min... What a LONG 30 min! First off, he kept going off about lots of things to us. Then we tried to calm it down by asking about his family, which just made things more crazy. He flat our said that one family is good, two families are better and three families are best!! We told him no and that is very very wrong but he was set on his idea. I thought actually he was going to kiss S. Blonquist, he was so close to her face. And as a missionary you just dont even know what to do... those situations are EXTRA AWKWARD!! But we made it out alive.
Sister Blonquist has a good theory... since we met two men in one week that want specifically 3 families. They have their one right... then these two beautiful americanas come in... and that makes 3! sick!
#3...This week was what we call "puntastic". We literally didnt teach once on thursday or friday cause we just kept getting punted! We werent happy but tried to stay positive... You can never give up! Cause the work is not yet done!!
#4...Guess what!? We got an apartment in Tacloban! We are so excited. It is brand new! And smell like new. Its like all fresh construction (so i think of Dad every time i walk in and smile!) We are moving in today actually so tonight will be the first night. YAY! Its literally down the block from the Malits and the mission office! We love it already!
Today we got the best pay back ever! We are always making the office elders treats and they are always like "we will get you back sisters!" And today was the day! They successfully pulled off the the ultimate mission. They made us PEACH COBBLER! They asked Sister Malit to use their oven in the mission home. They put it on our desk in the office and we were speechless! I cant even describe how yummy it was and how thankful we were! BEST DAY EVER!! (these elders know how to cook!!)... THANKS ELDER HAWKES and ELDER BINGHAM!!
#5...So the Earthquake and Tsunami...
The earthquake in Japan we here was huge! 8.2 or something yeah? There is a member in Japan that was from Albuera and i pray that she is ok and wasnt harmed! On friday we received a text from President Malit about the earthquake and that we were on a #2 tsunami alert. The tsunami was predicted to be 1 meter which could do some damage so he was keeping us updated along with all the other people on the streets. Luckily the tsunami never actually hit the Philippines so its ok! We just got buckets and buckets of rain! Like im not kidding, BUCKETS! Our whole area was flooded. We walked all day saturday in water up to our knees! Also the poor little pot2x drivers are pedaling their bikes and the pedals are under the water! Sister Blonquist and i decided that it was like being in a water park all day! haha! We got drenched but it was an unforgettable experience!
So im alive and very healthy so no need to worry! I love you all and hope you are all doing great! Pray for those people in japan, hawaii, and california.
Scripture of the week... Genesis 26: 6-10 (i think)... i got to explain the word "sporting" (vs. 8) to a filipino elder earlier today... haha
Mahal,
Sister Carissa Jones
#5...So the Earthquake and Tsunami...
The earthquake in Japan we here was huge! 8.2 or something yeah? There is a member in Japan that was from Albuera and i pray that she is ok and wasnt harmed! On friday we received a text from President Malit about the earthquake and that we were on a #2 tsunami alert. The tsunami was predicted to be 1 meter which could do some damage so he was keeping us updated along with all the other people on the streets. Luckily the tsunami never actually hit the Philippines so its ok! We just got buckets and buckets of rain! Like im not kidding, BUCKETS! Our whole area was flooded. We walked all day saturday in water up to our knees! Also the poor little pot2x drivers are pedaling their bikes and the pedals are under the water! Sister Blonquist and i decided that it was like being in a water park all day! haha! We got drenched but it was an unforgettable experience!
So im alive and very healthy so no need to worry! I love you all and hope you are all doing great! Pray for those people in japan, hawaii, and california.
Scripture of the week... Genesis 26: 6-10 (i think)... i got to explain the word "sporting" (vs. 8) to a filipino elder earlier today... haha
Mahal,
Sister Carissa Jones
Hi Sister Jones,
ReplyDeleteI am C.J. Roberts I also served in Tacloban 1991-1993. We Baptized so many families from all around the Mission. My areas were Dagami, Calbayog, Hilongas, Maasin,San Roque,V&G But anyway I will be visiting Tacloban on April 12-13 2011 There is a family in Hilongas that is going to the Cebu Temple for the first time and my family will be with them. The Tacloban Mission is the best Mission in the world. If you are serving in the Tacloban area say hello to the Gulariza Family. We Baptized them in 1993. They are awsome.