INIT KAAJO!

FAMILY NAKO.

Wow, so much has happened these past few days....we arrived here in Valencia, Bohol and it is an AMAZING place. Definitely my most beautiful area. Okay so last Thursday I woke up at the wee hours of the morning (3AM) and hopped on a bus headed to Cebu. It was sad to leave Sister Houston behind. She will always be one of my closest friends and we were both expecting that I'd be her last companion. But the Lord had a different plan ;) I arrived in Cebu around 12pm and headed straight to the temple grounds where I saw lots of my missionary friends. Then we waited a little bit until the APs said it was time to head up to the mission home to pick up our new companions. The American/foreign missionaries had just arrived that morning because the Church's flight agent messed up on their flight plans....poor missionaries. Anyway at the meeting I was paired with Sister Vui....from Samoa!!! Yes, so awesome. Both of my "daughters" (the missionaries I trained) are brown so I am happy to say that while I may be somewhat white on the outside (I have a tan now!!) I must be brown like I always wanted to be on the inside!! It was also fun to see Sister Prasad there....she looked happy with my "apo" (grandchild)...a Filipina ;) We were rushed to the boat heading to Bohol and made it JUST IN TIME. Then we got to Bohol and because our area is pretty far away we stayed at another sister's apartment.

Then we came to our apartment. I hate to use this word but none other will do justice. It was an ABOMINATION in the sight of all sister missionaries. The elders had done a service project before we got there but I'm not sure what exactly they cleaned because it was a mess. The elders were keeping pet spiders, rats, you name it. It was soooo dirty. It's also huge so we call it the haunted mansion. Anyway we spent a good day and half deep-cleaning the place. Heavens, I'll never forget when we entered the apartment. Papers thrown every where, spiders, rat poop stuck to the floor (my comp is a champ and cleaned it all up), and pictures of Jesus taped all over the bed frames?? what the??? I'm happy to say I participated in an extreme home makeover!!

The area is so beautiful here and the members are so great. Oh, I wish you could all see it here!! AMAZING!!! We have the ocean in our backyard and the highway runs along bright blue ocean. We have bikes to ride here as there is not much transportation and we ride motors too (crazy!!). Our area is huge and we have so many people to teach that live so far away. It is an adventure. The members here are so nice and they treat us like celebrities, haha. They are all so kind and all want to feed us every meal. I am excited and happy to be here. My companion is great and I am so happy she is my companion because I know this would be a hard adjustment to make for other sister missionaries but she is doing so well. It's so cute to hear her speak visaya,....reminds me of when I was still a new missionary. Now look at me.....so old in the mission!!

On Sunday we had district conference in Tagbilaran and I saw Uncle Dick and Aunt Joann :) Fun to see them. I was also able to see the members from my last area here in Bohol. They were all so excited and shocked to see me. I love those branch members. It was a happy Sunday.

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ so much. My companion was asking me questions about the changes I have seen in myself here on the mission and there are so many. I was a good person at the beginning of my mission but I feel the Spirit has helped to mold me into a better person. I still have weaknesses and am far from perfection but I am so grateful here on the mission I learned how to truly repent and become better. I know that repentance is a daily event. I have so much further to go and so may more things to improve but I am grateful for this time on my mission that I've learned how to be a little better. I hope we all take advantage of the opportunity to repent (read Alma 34:32!)

I LOVE YOU ALL. Keep writing me. Haha.
Love
Sista T #2