Letter!!!

     So our pday got changed to Monday last minute and it will be on Wednesday NEXT week. Because that’s our temple day. Anyway, I haven’t got the package yet L! But I’m thinking about it everyday and I think there is a good chance I will get it tomorrow because we have zone conference and we will be getting mail! Yahoo! I am so excited. Also I get to see Sister Nobleza again! I really miss her, we had so much fun the last two transfers. This transfer with Sister Saleem is going okay. If I thought Filipinos were different and didn’t understand me sometimes, it’s even more with a Pakistani. BUT I’m trying not to think about our million differences but just focus on what we have in common. She is really sweet and loves to talk so good thing I don’t mind listening. I totally feel like I am the senior in the companionship because I always have to help her focus on the work and I’m leading the area. But I am learning a lot from her. Even though her mission has been really hard, she’s stuck with it to the end and she’s completely fearless. Even though she is wrong a lot when she speaks tagalog, she never gets discouraged or lets it hold her back. She just goes, whatever, that’s how I say it or that’s my style! Haha, I’m like okay…I can’t argue with that. Lol.

But yesterday she said, “Oh Sister Garcia, I will never ever forget you” and I said, “huh? Why?” and she said, “because you are my only companion that I have no problems with!” hahaha. So I’m glad that hopefully her last transfer will be a good experience and she won’t think of her WHOLE mission as horrible and hard.

    Aw, it’s time to decorate for Christmas already!!! There are a few decorations here and the mall is decked out, but it just doesn’t feel like winter because it’s still like 100 degrees outside every day! It’s killing me, but I’m still way excited for Christmas. Sister Drio wanted me to buy all the thanksgiving stuff for thanksgiving, like ham and mashed potatoes and pie. I told her no way, I don’t have enough money and they don’t even know what thanksgiving is but I decided to splurge a little and make some chocolate pudding this Thursday-you know the Jell-o brand? It’s SO cheap in Americabut here it was 80 pesos! Oh my goodness I was shocked. Oh well, I deserve it. J

    Are you working with the missionaries any chance you get? I don’t know if they struggle as much as we do to find people to work with but it is always nice to have a member present in the discussions and it’s way good practice. Yesterday we had an SA work with us-18 years old, named Rejoice. She is so sweet and really wants to go on a mission after she finishes college. It was great because she befriended our investigators, learned a little about missionary work, we got a little break from sharing, and if I didn’t know a tagalog word, she did! Haha, I wish we could have that every day.

    Anyway, we have about 13 progressing investigators right now and we found 3 new less actives. The work is going really strong, but feels unbalanced. My struggle right now is finding balance in everything and knowing who to prioritize first. If only we had enough time to visit everyone! And visit them twice a week. But it’s impossible of course. It’s just so hard to choose people to cross off our list because I really want to visit all of them and sometimes whether we visit them or not is the deciding factor in if they come to church or not! Anyway, I am totally stressed. Sometimes I think I am so laid back, but then other days I realize I’m such a control freak. But at least all I have to worry about is this work and nothing else. I finally feel like I am in this 100% and even on pday i wish we could be working instead of buying groceries. Unfortunately we have to eat…lol. But like all missionaries say, I’ve really grown to love these people and this gospel, and especially realize the love that Heavenly Father has for them. No matter what happens in life, the church is still true.

I love you guys so much!

Love, Age.