Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Not bad for a white girrrl

 Hello my dearest family!

So things are still great here in the 'Lippines. Thanks for all of your emails y'all are the best.

Let's see. Last week I had my very first Zone Conference which was SO GOOD. We had Elder Neilson from the first quorum of 70 come and I loved it! They talked a lot about how we need to change the way we do missionary work because of the Philippine culture. I'm a super nerdy missionary now, just fyi.

I still love my companion Sister Brand. She goes home in a month (but I don't EVER talk about it haha) and we are getting so much done here. Sometimes it's hard when you are both not Filippina especially since we are having to find the homes of LA's and they don't have addresses and it's kind of just crazy. But we are doing our best. I am now obsessed with getting AS MANY LESSONS AS POSSIBLE! Remember how I said I was the nerdy missionary?? Yeah. Anyway we have been working really hard. We had 33 lessons last week and I still feel like there is so much to be done in Balamban!

My Cebuano is getting better. I think? I mean it's just such a gradual process but I can now typically understand a normal conversation. It's just when people talk reallyyyy fast I'm like, "huh?" Actually when people don't understand you here they just open their mouth...like drop their jaw. It's funny. Yes, I still have like 14 months left of this and I'm going to come home with the weirdest habits. BE EXCITED.

We finally got our long-time investigator Wilson to pray and ask if Joseph Smith is a true prophet. I was soooo happy. We had an amazing lesson with him and his family and a branch member came and bore his testimony about Joseph Smith. It was super awesome and the spirit was so strong. This is the first time he has ever committed to ask so I was just the happiest. He always teases me and says that I can be his special guest when he gets baptized in Jan 2013...for some reason he picked that date...but then I said to him, "Apan Brother Wilson, mas nindot ang temple sealings. Ganahan ko magsaski sa selyohan sa imong pamilya" Which translates: "But Brother WIlson, Temple sealings are more awesome/fantastic/wonderful. I want to witness the sealing of your family" We will go back tonight. I just pray and pray and pray that he actually prayed and asked.

I am learning so much here on the mission. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to be here forever but I know that is not true. I'm almost half-way done with my 2nd transfer. AH! I know it is so important for each of us to stay close to our Heavenly Father. Everyday when we meet new Less Actives they have stopped: praying (pagampo), reading (pagbasa), and churching (pagsimba). I hope that each of you are taking the time to do those 3 because they are SO IMPORTANT. You cannot have a testimony unless you are doing all 3 on a regular basis. I know this to be true. So if you are lacking in something, just DO IT.

Well I love you all a lot. I think of you often. Also I will be able to skype!!! I am getting on the computer at 8 AM on Monday. Which means...I'm pretty sure...7 pm for mom/dad in TX SUNDAY night and 6 pm UTAH. But you should just check for me, okay? Just know I will be on waiting for you.

Ok I love you. Oh also I went to the temple today. I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!!
Sister Nicole Trayner

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