Exchanges--Hot, exhausting, but soooo cool! No Excuses...

This week was so fast and so long!!!! 

We went on exchanges in fairview!!! that is a hot city. like literally super hot there. montalban is like down the grade from fairvew (totally reminds me of driving into ventura from LA every time) which means it's like 10 degrees cooler always. 

Other than that! had some good exchanges. this was an american week! i worked with both the american sisters over there. one of them is BRAND new and the other is like 5 months in.... actually she is literally one year behind me in the mission.... except she goes home in april.... haha it was so weird to see the difference one year makes.... 

Sometimes exchanges are exhausting because they take one area and try to make two day's worth of work in it... some areas you can do that, no prob. others.... we spend a lot of time tracting! and oyming!! but that's ok cuz it gives you a chance to talk to the sisters too and work out any concerns they're having. 

The brand new sister still kinda just feels like a sidekick so it was really nice to let her lead the area and show her she's making a difference and she actually is doing missionary work! one brand new tagalog word at a time :)

The other one is having a hard time with the language. she is actually doing very well. but she's rough on herself. It made me think a lot about the Atonement. sorry that was probs a jump for you. but we talked about the enabling power of the Atonement and how we can do hard things!!!!!! which she believes and teaches for others but hasn't gotten to the step yet of using it for herself. that's the hardest part right? Peter can walk on water, that's fine. but me? i could never do that!!! or so we think.....

I think that has been one of the most important and enlightening things i have learned on my mission. we can do hard things. we are not alone in that struggle every day. 

In other news. no one went to church again!!!! we literally walk our entire area always. there are no good excuses. pamasahe  [fare--as in a cab fare I think]  nah. you could walk if you really wanted to. lame. 

so!!

We took the AP's invitation in zone interviews to be bold very personally. Very personally. bold. 

it was amazing. we found out soooo many people's concerns!!!! just by asking the simple questions.

Do you know it's true? no? well kaya pala hindi kayo nagsimba {so  you do not go to shovel worship]!!

Nagdasal ka ba? [Do you pray?] hindi? [no or not]  kaya pala! [so shovel] 

Hindi mo alam!! [you do not know] 

Magdasal ka nga!!!!  [pray therefore]  

It was super cool. (maybe just google translate that... it's pretty simple, i bet google can do it)

[mom's note:  I tried google translate, and I get stuff about shovels...I don't think that's what she's talking about...]

Oh back to exchanges. sometimes they're exhausting. but sometimes they are soooo cool. for example. 

You're teaching someone you've literally never met before and you just learned their name a few hours earlier. but somehow, the words that need to be said just come. best thing ever. the right question. the right scripture. the Spirit is so amazing. probs the best part about serving a mission. feeling the Lord love people through you. so great. 

great week!

See you next Tuesday with transfer announcements for my last 6 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-sister jones