Eight New Investigators & a Typhoon

 

Sorrrrryyyy – I don’t have much time to write this week because we had a District hiking adventure up in the mountains and our tour guides got lost and what was supposed to be a 2 hour activity turned into an 8 hour activity. We normally only have three hours on p-day to use the computers and the time goes fast because we email and then also send our weekly report to president and print pictures.

The hike was really beautiful but really, really hot, long and steep so we enjoyed it for the most part - as we looked back on the experience haha. It is so very lush here. There is the relatively small city and then the rest of my area is jungle town. It is beautiful though. Every sunset I feel the love of God for us because the earth is such a beautiful place! How are you guys doing? Is it snowy and cold there? It doesn’t even feel like Christmas really here because it is sooo so hot.

 

Life is so great right now!!! I am loving life but I am sad because this is the last week of the transfer and Sister Dabon goes home a week from today. I am excited for her but I am sad we won’t be comps anymore. I have loved being her companion! Also it is always kind of scary wondering who your next comp will be.  I know I will stay in touch with her - we will email but she doesn’t have internet at her house and she has to travel pretty far to get on email. But, hopefully we will be able to stay in touch throughout life. I told her I want to come visit her because she lives by the Cebu temple and of course she wants to come visit too.... It is hard for them to think of actually coming over because it is so expensive!

I got this email from president today..... here we go. I am praying it doesn’t hit us too bad. The members are calling this a super typhoon which is really bad for the pines. They are used to typhoons, so when there are nervous it is bad news. I am not worried about us because our apartment is nice but I am worried about all the people that live in tiny bamboo houses that don’t stand a chance.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ronald D. Bliesner <rbliesner@ldschurch.org>
Date: Sun, Dec 2, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Subject: Typhoon and other items

There is a large typhoon forecast to make landfall in the Philippines on Tuesday (see forecast track below). It is forecast to go south of us, but it may change direction. Even if it goes south the large diameter of outer rainbands will probably affect our weather and storm signals will probably be raised, especially for Masbate and Sorsogon. It is passing very close to Masbate. Winds in most of the mission can exceed 55 kph and in areas in the south it could exceed 100 kph. Heavy rains are expected in most areas of our mission.

Please review your emergency plans, make sure you have a 72 hour kit stocked and you have a supply of drinking water in your apartment. If storm signals are raised in your area you need to take extra precautions. Stay away from coastal areas as there is a very large storm surge with this storm. With Signal 2 or above you need to be in your apartment unless an evacuation order is given and then you will gather to the evacuation center. We will keep you updated by text of any storm signal.

Remember, Be Wise so you will be safe.

We do have a 72 hour kit stocked of nice canned food, aka spam type stuff. We are going to go buy actual food later this evening just in case the stores close down we will be okay. We also have a second 72 hour kit of fiber one bars that Kristin sent. What a sweet heart.

 

The last week was so great! We found EIGHT new investigators!! We have been trying to be brave and open our mouth and talk to people everywhere we go and it paid off this week. Also the ward gave some great referrals! So great! Hopefully they will continue to progress! Two of them are the parents of 4 kids - our hopes are high.

 
One of the families that I am closest to is the branch president and his sister is in the RS Presidency and her husband is in the district presidency. They are amazing. We are really close and their Sister married an American from her mission and they are from Alaska. We went there for dinner last night and I had salad!!! I haven’t had salad since the MTC. It tasted so yummy! Apparently the hubby is picky so they brought a ton of food from America and they go into the bigger cities here to buy groceries. So all-in-all a great week.

The ZL\s texted me and said they have a giant box they are bringing back for me from Naga... i.e., your Christmas box. They said they are charging me shipping rates because it was so big. I told them I would pay them with what ever was inside. Thanks in advance for the goodies you shipped across the world.

I am glad Eddy the elf is visiting Owen! I should do eddy the elf for the little boy that lives in our complex. His parents own our apartment. They are not members but I am pretty close with the wife. She is a sweet heart and she wants to do everything Americans do.

Well, bye for now. I love you and thanks for your support and love! It is always so wonderful to hear from you! I will let you know about skype plans for Christmas as soon as I hear anything. Give my siblings a hug for me huh? xoxox have a good week!