Sister Wood - I AM HERE!

Sister Wood arrived in Laoag on Wednesday July 31st. She has been assigned to the Laoag Stake which is near the mission home. Her companion/trainer is Sister Rico from California. We were so excited to get her first e-mail from the Philippines.


KUMUSTA ANG LAHAT MGA TAO!

I SEE THAT IT IS ONLY APPROPRIATE THAT I WROTE THIS EMAIL IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE I MEAN REALLY, I AM HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES. 

SINCE I GOT OFF THE PLANE I HAVEN'T STOPPED SWEATING. SO YEAH, THAT'S THAT. AND WON'T STOP UNTIL MY PLANE LANDS BACK AT HOME NEXT DECEMBER! I AM DRIPPING SWEAT AS I TYPE THIS EMAIL!

AS WE HAVE BEGUN WORKING, I HAVE ALREADY BEEN SO HUMBLED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES HERE. IT IS ALMOST UNDESCRIABLE THE LIVING CONDITIONS HERE. I KNOW I WAS SENT HERE FOR A REASON THOUGH, AND I AM ALREADY GETTING A TASTE FOR THAT REASON. THE LOVE I ALREADY HAVE FOR THESE PEOPLE IS INCREDIBLE. HAHA I DIDNT THINK I COULD LOVE SO MANY PEOPLE IN SUCH SHORT TIME. IT MAKES MISSIONARY WORK EVEN BETTER.

SO FOR THE LITTLE DETAILS HAHA, I SLEEP ON TOP OF MY BED AND THAT IS ALL. NO COVERS OR ANYTHING, WITH THE WINDOW OPEN AND FAN BLOWING ON ME!!! THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS I HAVE TO GET USED TO, AND ONE OF THOSE IS THE FOOD. I MEAN IT IS NOT HORRIBLE, PERRO I JUST GOTTA GET USED TO THE WAY IT IS. I NEVER REALIZED HOW MUCH OF A CLEAN FREAK I WAS (BUT I REALLY AM NOT) SINCE I GOT HERE. MESS JUST DRIVES ME NUTS!!!! I DO MY BEST TO KEEP MY STUFF TIDY.

 

Tricycle - Sister Wood's method of transportation

 

OUR FORM OF TRANSPORTATION IS LITTLE TRIKES, AND I DO NOT FIT IN THEM SO I HAVE TO BE ALL HUNCHED OVER AND EVERYONE JUST LAUGHS! AT THEIR LITTLE SHOPS THEY GIVE US GLASS BOTTLES FOR DRINKS, BUT THEN THEY TAKE THE BOTTLE AND DUMP THE DRINK INTO A LITTLE BAGGIE! AND WE DRINK IT OUT WITH A STRAW HAHA HOW AWESOME RIGHT? 

THE BIGGEST THING IS EVERYONE STARES AT ME. EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE. THEY DON'T CARE EITHER!!!! LIKE I THINK THEY THINK I AM AN ALIEN AND DON'T SEE PEOPLE LOOKING AT ME, BUT I AM HUMAN, LITTLE DO THEY KNOW HAHA. GOOD THING I COULD CARE LESS, SO IT DOESN'T MATTER. BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN GUYS ARE PLAYING BBALL THEY LOOK AT ME LIKE I SHOULD BE OUT THERE PLAYING! (WHICH I SHOULD). PLUS WHEN WE WALK PASSED GUYS THEY THINK I AM BEAUTIFUL JUST CAUSE I AM AMERICAN, AND HALF THE TIME WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SAYING TO US OR ABOUT US, SO THAT'S GOOD. MY COMPANION IS SISTER RICO FROM CALIFORNIA. WE GET ALONG SUPER WELL. 

WE WERE IN A LESSON WITH THE MOST ADORABLE FAMILY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, OUTSIDE, SOMEONE STARTS BLASTING TAYLOR SWIFT. I LOOKED AT MY KASAMA LIKE HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FOCUS AND TEACH WHEN THIS IS PLAYING?!?!?! HAHA BUT I LOVED IT. I LOVE THE ELEGADO FAMILY.... AND THEY LOOKED AT THE PICTURES OF MY FAMILY AND LOVED IT. 

THE MOST "PHILIPPINE EXPERIENCE" LESSON WE HAD WAS LAST WEEK WHEN WE WERE TEACHING A LESS ACTIVE LADY. THEIR HOMES ARE HARDLY ANYTHING, SO WE WALKED INTO WHAT WAS THEIR HOUSE AND SIT DOWN AND BEGIN SHARING OUR MESSAGE. WE SAT THEIR AT GAVE HER THE LESSON WHILE HER KIDS WERE RUNNING AROUND WITH THEIR UNDERWEAR ON, THEIR GOATS WERE NEXT TO US EATING THEIR BANANAS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SAVING TO EAT, AND ANTS WERE CRAWLING ON ME!!!! I GOT A LITTLE FREAKED OUT. BUT ITS OKAY ITS OKAY. THE SPIRIT WAS STILL THERE AND THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS HAHA.

I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH ALREADY FROM BEING HERE. I AM SO BLESSED FOR ALL OF THE THINGS I HAVE. 

EVERYWHERE I GO I GET CALLED ON BY THE PEOPLE TO GIVE THE OPENING PRAYER. I  FIND IT HILARIOUS. IN RELIEF SOCIETY AND EVERY SINGLE LESSON HAHA! IT WAS FAST SUNDAY AND I HADN'T GOT UP AND BORE MY TESTIOMONY IN SACRAMENT, AND THE BISHOPRIC LITERALLY CUED TO ME FROM THE STAND THAT I NEED TO GO UP HAHA I THOUGHT IT WAS HILARIOUS. THE  WHOLE SACRAMANET IS LIKE A ZOO OF LOUDNESS AND THEN WHEN THE TALL AMERICAN GIRL THAT HAD TO LIFT UP THE MICROPHONE TALL GOT UP, THE WHOLE PLACE WHEN QUIET. :) I LIKED IT. 

THE TAGALOG IS COMING SLOWLY BUT SURELY HAHA. THE LORD HAS BLESSED ME WITH THE POWER TO BEAR AN EXTREAMELY STRONG TESTIMONY IN ENGLISH, SO FOR THAT I AM GRATEFUL. THEY UNDERSTAND ENGLISH, THEY JUST CAN'T SPEAK. THE LORD HAS BLESSED ME IN COUNTLESS WAYS ALREADY SINCE BEING HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES.

THOUGH I KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE THE HARDEST THING I DO IN MY LIFE, IT IS GOING TO BE WORTH IT, AND I REALLY AM HAPPY HERE, AND EVERYDAY IS BETTER AN BETTER!!! :) I KNOW THAT THE WORK WE ARE DOING OUT HERE IS REAL, AND IT IS A BLESSING. MY TESTIMONY IS STRENGTHENED EVERYDAY.

SALAMAT FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT I HAVE RECEIVED IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME.  

- SISTER KAHOY (WOOD)

PS CHURCH IS NOW MY FAVORITE THING EVER. AIR CONDITIONING. I SIT RIGHT IN FRONT OF IT IN EVERY MEETING.