LAST transfer--Unexpected...

Dear errybody.
We are pleased to announce the transfers for this the last transfer of sister jones. 

as you might have guessed, sister...... pacinio will be transferring!!!!! 

oh wait. that's no fun. let's mix things up. 

As you most definitely did not guess, sister.... jones will be transferring!!!!! and that's a true story. 

I'm transferring to Malolos!!!! to have my first (and last) Pakistani companion!!!!!!! sister... ayub!!!! *insert gasps here*

Yeah we were all pretty surprised. luckily we're friends with the zone leaders so they let us know as soon as they knew (friday) so i could prepare myself lolz

my new comp and i!!!!

I'm thinking president just saw that i had had an even number of american and filipina companions on my mission (4 each) and didn't want to mess that even-ness up sooo he decided to throw me a wild card pakistani!!! sister ayub is pretty old in the mission.... she came in when sister chamberlain did. 

Oh i'm done being an STL by the by. but im going back to an area i went on exchanges with three times when i was in meycauayan so i've met some people there are am a lil familiar with the area. 

It's a nice area. the ward is doing really well there and they just got a new stake president that is really helping slash focusing on missionary work (stake presidents make a huge difference in the work!!! go dad go!!!) there are two other elders in the ward and we have two other sisters in our house. one is a filipina and one... is brand new so i don't know her but her name looks Polynesian... aka the most diverse house possible! 

So yep! that's what's happening over here in the good ol philippines! 

we had english class again. people are finally actually realizing it's happening and showing interest buuuut that might have been the last one cuz my kapalit (replacement) is sister cestona!!! (my 2nd comp in nova) so they will be an all filipina house slash ward... not so strong in the english area... that's ok though. they'll figure something else out. 

That's pretty much the whole of this week. luckily i get to slip out pretty quietly cuz we "didn't know" transfer announcements yet on sunday so we didn't say anything to the branch.... i like it so much better that way. 

We had a really good FHE with a family that's working to go through the temple. the son is preparing for a mission right now, the mom is already endowed but the dad has struggled with smoking for a loooooong time now. He's a member buuuut never been super active. we called him out on the smoking and we all did a special fast for him and then that night we had a ward FHE at their house. it was really great. the temple prep teacher came and gave the lesson on covenants and ordinances and the branch president was there and a bunch of other people to support them. 

The coolest part was when we were teaching about fasting a few days before that we asked the son if he had ever fasted before (the one preparing for a mission) and he shared a really amazing experience where he had fasted for his father to be able to pass a medical exam to work abroad and the next day his father passed the exam even though he had failed the previous four times. That was a huge testimony to the son of fasting but he never told his dad!!! until the other night. his dad had seen the blessings of that fast but had never known why. it was super amazing to see it all connect for him and to realize how much God is really involved in his life and also how much he means to his son. cool stuff all around.  

We're teaching this super cute lil family (the lil boy's name is Jawo) and we went there for the first time just a couple weeks ago, but they were former investigators of sister garcia (good work nay) and we go there and the munchkins requested I am a Child of God as the song and they had it all memorized! all these lil non member kids singing primary songs. coolest thing ever. then we finish the song and someone is still singing outside! (the oldest kid was pumping water outside the house and hadn't realized the song was over) we start teaching about prophets and the kid outside is like shouting back to us all the answers to our questions. so hilarious. we waited for him to come inside and continued the lesson but it was super cool cuz the kids just get it! they're like yay prophets! yeah of course we need one! yeah of course we have one! yeah we'll totes go to church!!! and we're like hey. parents of these munchkins. if they can get it, so can you!!!! come to church!!! listen to the prophet!!! follow the prophet!!!! but they still haven't come to church yet. lame. they'll come. next week. as soon as i leave haha

well that's all folks!!! as President Uchtdorf has taught us so beautifully: "You are stronger than you realize. You are more capable than you can imagine. You can do it now!" true that. 

-Sister Jones