I despise chickens

Every morning at exactly 4 o'clock in the morning our neighbor's chicken cock-a-doodle-dos. And every morning I groan as I throw my pillow over my face. Here in the Philippines they LOVE chickens. They buy chickens, feed them to get superly duperly plump and then you know, they kill it and eat it for a birthday or some other special celebration. So although we live in an apartment our neighbors still tie up their chickens outside. There are chickens EVERYWHERE. And I have come to despise them. They are so, so, loud. I just always want to go talk to our neighbors and say, "I sure hope your chicken is more delicious than the sleep I could have had!"

Anyway, hello family!!! I hope you've had a great week. Thank you to those of you who wrote me. I love getting emails!

Also,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MADELEINE!!! I can't believe you are 5 years old, Maddie! I miss you a lot and I hope you have a great birthday! Go get some Rita's!!

Today is going to be such a wonderful day. We are going to Chocolate Hills and we are going to see some Tarsiers! Hopefully I'll be able to hold one!! They are the cutest little monkey things ever! I am very excited. I love Bohol!

I have recovered from my mysterious virus....after I wrote last week I spoke too soon because Thursday and Friday I broke out in rashes EVERYWHERE and it looked as if I had some kind of skin disease. But I am fine now. It was seriously the strangest thing that has ever happened to me.

We weren't able to teach very much last week due to my virus thingy....in fact I can't even think of any interesting stories. On Monday we had a Service Project and the elders killed a yellow poisonous snake...that was interesting and a little bit frightening to watch! Some members of another branch are going to transfer their house to a new plot of land so we just cleared the land of trees and plants and things. I just always laugh because I know the Lord sent me here to learn to be comfortable in the outdoors. I never was much of an outdoorsy person before! But now it's great.

My companion is going home next week and I will have another temporary companion! I don't know her yet because she is from a different branch so I hope she is normal and that she is ready to work, work, work! She'll be my companion Monday to Friday when my new companion will come. I've had so many companions! I just hope I'll have my next one for more than 6 weeks. We'll just have to wait and see.

This past week I've been thinking a lot about prayer. Here in the Cortes Branch we have taught so many less-actives who have told us that they never even prayed to know if the church was true or if Joseph Smith was a true prophet. And each time I am just shocked. How did they pass their baptismal interview??? Why were they baptized if they never even prayed? But it is the same for us as active members of the church. It is important that we are always doing our part to obtain a testimony and that we are always praying to know. If we read our scriptures, we should ask to know if what we have read is true. Every time we read or hear a talk by President Monson we should pray to know if he is a true prophet. We should always be asking because then we will always be receiving answers and reassurance. So my challenge for all of you is do to just that. Read, Ponder, and Pray/Ask.

This area is still full of challenges but I am learning to love it no matter what. Come what may and love it :) i have learned so much this past transfer and I am so grateful for the things i have learned. I hope that all is well back at home and that you are all happy! I pray for all of you all of the time.

love you lots,
your filipina sista