Second to Last!! And the unexpected.

Second to last. i'll try to make it count ;)

This week was unexpected! i unexpectedly got sick and then unexpectedly got better pretty fast!

also unexpected! the festivities that went down the whole week for Holy week!!! i felt like it was just building and building and expected Easter Sunday to be crazy but then..... pretty much nothing happened. I was a lil disappointed.

It was interesting to see how much we have lost as a society in our celebration of Easter. In america i feel like it has too much commercial focus with the Easter Bunny and new clothes and the like but even here, with none of that, the focus was on buying palms and having the priest bless them, and walking the streets behind huge float like processions carrying statues of Christ and Mary and other unidentifiable figures. Also people here walk the streets carrying crosses and then the really extreme ones whip themselves and the really really extreme ones crucify themselves. they said it is for their repentance. how sad. 

yeah sure that looks like a swimming pool 

Anyway we taught a new couple this week! we went back to teach this family that has been giving us excuses the last couple times and this time they straight up ditched us and handed us off to the "mag-asawa" [married?] lolz but it turned out to be really great! it's a new young couple (when i walked in i thought they were like 15/16..... nope, 19 and 20 pala [of course - thank you Katie:)] and they're really smart and religious so it was way fun! they asked cool questions. then at the end we were just chatting and the guy (his name is rain btw) was like i have a question. how hard really is your mission? and we were like uh. it's hard. 

But it's so worth it!!!! and then we gave the sister the Book of Mormon and she was just holding it close and her husband came back in the room and she was like how long have i wanted a bible and the sisters just gave me one! the first time they met us! she was stoked!! 

Over all great lesson and then we stood up to leave and i stood up rather quickly and just smacked my head on the bottom of their stair. soooo hard. like that was friday. i still have a bump on my head. so hard. so i like bent over and put my hand on my head and immediately i feel another hand like rubbing the back of my head and i thought it was my comp. nope! it's this rain kid!  I look at my comp and she's like wide eyed staring at the kid lookin like "hey that's my job!" so hilarious. he was there so fast!!!

Also hilarious. remember the other week with the little kid that gasped when he saw me and my comp said it was because he thought i was a fairy?? cool well we taught them last week and the mom was kinda angry the whole time.... but we still taught :) and then we came back this week and we turned the corner and the mom had the EXACT same reaction the kid had the other day. so great. straight up GASP!!!!!! but then she let us in! and she was happy! and she was willing to listen more!! baby steps. she'll come around :)

So this week we set up a special Easter fhe for our less active and investigator that live way close to a member so we thought it would be perfect! and super chill to gather them all and the member was so excited! and volunteered to feed us all :) so we invited everyone and everyone is on board and excited and then the day of we go by our less active's house to pick her up and......... she can't come. her husband didn't give her permission to go to church or this thing. and she's got fresh bruises on her face so im not pushin it. lamest thing ever. they're not even married. she needs to peace out. so we're suuuuper bummed.

But we go to our investigator to pick her up! and she's watching her grandkid! so she can't come either daw [it is said]. laaaaaaame. so we go to another less active near by just so we have someone to bring to this awesome fhe we've planned!!! and she's got a bunch of family over.... and they're all eating..... lame. 

so we walked back to this member's house empty handed. ready to bring some "new investigators" in off the streets. and we get there and the elders are already there. also empty handed. lame! fail on our part. luckily!!!!! the members were doing work!!! so they call up the part member family the elders invited and work through all their excuses and get them to come!!!! yaaaaayyy!!!! so they came. and it was great! lots of bonding and good fellowship and nourishment from the good word of God :) 

That's all folks! have a great week! im off to ERT this week which may or may not stand for..... exit rain trauma...... or emergency rat thunder.... who knows. i just know i have to go...... and we get pizza lolz 

mahal kita! [I love you]  or in my comp's sweet language: Mujhe apsay pyaar hai.[??].. something like that :)

-sister jones

Some things I will greatly miss when I leave the Philippines. Others...not so much

Some things i will greatly miss when i leave the philippines. others... not so much. you can decide for yourself which list these things fall in. 

Tricycles: wind in your hair, on a hot day of walking a loooooong road. Just sit back in a crazy tricycle and try to carry a yelling conversation with the driver about his kids and why we speak tagalog and here's a pamphlet-- we would love to come visit you and your family if you ever stop working and go home!!!!!

Surround sound: watching conference with the whole stake we were amazingly given surround sound for all the hymns!! crazy how that works! except the sound quality lessened noticeably as you moved farther away from the actual speakers........... 

Diversity: Although it is crazy to be the extreme minority as far as white people go and experience all that that entails (constant stares, random dudes ages 8-80 professing their love in hilarious english and then being suuuper surprised to responses in Tagalog....)

Our house right now consists of a sister from the Philippines, Pakistan, Australia, and America. that's about as diverse as you can get and the conversations that we get are absolutely hilarious. for example. take the word "Water." now have people from all four corners of the earth pronounce it as they would normally.... laughter will follow. guaranteed. :D

Eagerness: people are just so excited to help and do what's right!!! and people here are soooo nice. like for reals. the story Elder Holland told of flying mashed potatoes, i have been so lucky never to see even a hint of that kind of hatred. people are also super excited to hold meetings and make things happen! sometimes they're so excited and inspired from the first session of sunday general conference that they want to have a meeting right then!!! during the first talk of the second session of Sunday general conference!! ngayon nga!! lolz. wait lang friends. we're not done yet. 

English as a Second Language: throw a teaching on the front of that and you've got my minor! it's really fun to work with people in a different language... once they realize they don't have to rely on english! also exciting, my comp and i really do have to rely on english!!! which she didn't really speak before she got here on the mish.... it's always interesting what words she knows and what escapes her.... like grumpy. she's got nothing. or masungit  [rugged]    tagalog doesn't work either. hahaha so we spend some fun walks between appointments finding the common language of charades. lolz. anyway back to my first point, some people check out if they can't understand. get a whole group of people together that are way good at english buuuut throw an accent on there and it's rough and you get... chatty congregation every talk not by a native english speaker..... alas. at least they're there!

Weather: from the heat to the...hot rain! in minutes and back again!! you can always use a payong!! (umbrella) love that everyone uses an umbrella for every weather. if it's sunny we hear constantly "saan yung payong mo!!? [where's your umbrella]   mainit!! [it's hot!] " or if it's even slightly drizzling "saan yung payong mo!!!!?? [where's your umbrella -- it's rainy!]        maulan!!!" doesn't matter what the weather is. you need an umbrella. or you will get pasma  [spasm]. and you will die.

My favorite response in these situations: (if it's hot) "ayos lang! kailangan kong umitim!!!" (it's ok, i need to get tan) (if it's rainy) "ayos lang! water proof naman kami!!" (it's ok, we're water proof) both are received with great surprise every time. you want to be dark??!!!!?? you're water proof?????!?!?! crazy american!!!! lolz hey we're all a lil bit baliw. [crazy] it's all good :)

have a great week! see you in a few more!!!

-jonesy

Sisters watching General Conference @ the Malolos Stake Center  April 12, 2014
Sarah, Sister Ayub and their housemates to the right

She's a ghost, no wait, she's a fairy...and the Salamat mystery.

So, this week was great! we got to watch the general women's conference!!! and that was wonderful. hope you all caught the lil Filipino kids singing I am a Child of God!!! (but not in tagalog soooo whatevs) there are a bazillion languages here... that may or may not have been.... yeah idk. 

General Women's broadcast with Sister Ayub

Story time! we went to visit a less active the other day and we turned the corner and this lil munchkin was like at the front of the house and he had his back to us and then turned around and saw us way fast and GASPED!!! like he saw a ghost.... i guess i'm whiter than i thought..... my comp thought it was hilarious and decided that it was because he thought i was a fairy.... but she couldn't remember the english word for fairy so we spent like 15 mins trying to figure out what the heck she was talking about that had wings and was me.... so great. 

More fun! we're teaching this family with the last name of Salamat. and another family with the last name of Salamat. yes they're exactly the same. one is a less-active family, one is a investigator family. it's generally very confusing. but the other night we were headed to the investigators and this dude was riding his scooter kwan the other direction and stopped and asked if we were his friends that used to come teach? so we start talking to him and his last name is Salamat! so im thinking it's the dad of this family we're about to go to (i've never met the dad) but the family has 13 kids and lives in the same direction he was saying his house was in... i thought it was a safe assumption. so i'm like oh! yeah! we're headed to your house right now! you have like a bazillion kids right? (13 is a lot.) and he's like ummmm tama lang. (just right) im like yeah sure sparky 13 is tama lang and he's like what? i have three kids! and it's super awkward and im not really sure why... after talking through that awkwardness a lil we come to find out that these three kids he's speaking of are actually with a mistress and he's very aware of that sin and that's why he stopped listening to the missionaries dati... he was embarrassed of his whoredoms... and here i am asking about what im sure sounded to him like "hey ya been sleeping around with any more women in the neighborhood????" good move jones.  

On a more successful note! we got a new investigator this week named Nicolas! he's super old. ok not really. but he's an older man.... and we taught him for the first time and he was super open and receptive and we're just talking to him and he tells us about his family that he has no contact with and how he just feels all alone and he wants nothing more than to reconnect with his family. So sad! but we were able to show him that he's not alone and really just help him feel that God is aware of him! it was really cool! then we got to see some snakes :) (he's the caretaker of this giant beautiful house that has a bunch of snakes) cool. 

This week we get to watch general conference!!! super excited for that. we've been spending the last two weeks inviting people. hopefully someone (anyone!!!) will come. i literally cannot get more enthusiastic in my invitations.... so hopefully all of you got to watch it this weekend!! if not.... i invite you to consider your ways and repent. and watch it online!! hahaha elder bednar is so awesome. 

peace out!

-sister jones

Don't go running in the fields...

March 30, 2014 Sarah’s email from Malolos

So i transferred to Malolos! which will hereafter be known as Malolz (ok it has an S but Z's are just so much more fun) cuz that was the sign on my desk when i got here.... love english as a second language. 

It's been an adventure getting to know a new area again and a new companion! but it's great! this area is soooo pretty. hands down the most beautiful area I've had. 

The other day we were walking and the sun was setting and we were passing all these rice fields. so pretty. sorry i still don't bring my camera around. you'll just have to imagine it. i'll take a picture one of these days.....

We were also teaching a family out in the middle of these beautiful rice fields and had a total "we're not in kansas anymore" moment. we were asking this lil kid what are some house rules his parents have for him and he was like "don't run in the field!!" and we were like cool, why do you think you're not allowed to run in the field? "cuz i'll get bit by a snake!!!" ohhh. first time a kid has told me that house rule but cool! (transitioned into an awesome lesson about commandments and sins being like snake bites) welcome to the province!!

anyway life is great! have a great week! don't go running in the fields cuz you'll get bit by a snake!!!

-sister jones

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

water buffalo... the new car

I rode a Carabaw!!!! if that's how it's spelled...... basta. water buffalo!!!!!

this lil dude helped us get up on there.... not scared at all. lil champ. 

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