Philippines Angeles Mission: My New Companion and Area

Dear family and friends,

Let me tell you about my new companion Sister Foukimoana.

-She is from Tonga

-She is the youngest of 9 siblings

-She is my first companion that is taller than me

-She is my first companion that is younger than me (she is 21)

-She plays rugby

-She knows how to hula dance

-She knows how to play the violin

-She has been out on her mission for 7 months

-She had only been in our area for two weeks before I got here, so we only get lost sometimes

-She has a loud and warm laugh that just makes everyone happy

-She is so loving talaga. She has a way of just putting her arm around people and making them feel loved. Everyone loves her (including me)

-Even though she is still far from perfect in Tagalog, she doesn't let that stop her from communicating with people.

-We have the same favorite color (orange)

-We both love so many of the same things so we get along fantastically

-Some of the great things we do for morning exercise: play basketball at the church with the Elders, go to aerobics with the Young Single Adults, hike mountains.

-She tells me I am the best companion she has ever had

All of my companions so far have been Filipina and I have gotten used to them and their culture. The Tongan culture is different, so there are things that she does that is just different than I am used to. But different is not bad. We seriously have so much fun together.

I love my new area here in San Jose. I also love my new zone and my new district. I know we will accomplish amazing things and have so much fun doing it.

Something that happened this week:

We were walking back from an appointment when we passed the house of Nanay Lorita. We stopped to talk to her and she let us into her home. Nanay is sad and lonely and was so happy to have someone to listen to her. We found out that her husband died twenty years ago, and although her children are alive still they don't live near her or take very good care of her. She has had a pretty hard life. At first I didn't have much hope that she would be a progressing investigator because she is so old and frail, but I knew that she needed us. We came back again later in the week, and she was so happy to see us. We call her our Nanay (mother) and she calls us her anak (children). She cried as she told us that we do more for here than her real children do. We shared a message with her again and we were happy when she said she would come to church. So Sunday morning we went to her house to go with her to church, she was ready and waiting for us. There at the church we introduced her to our bishop, who after talking to her for a while realized that she was actually already a member. She used to come to church with her husband before he died. That's crazy that she had failed to mention that to us, but it's all cool. We love Nanay and are excited to help her come back to church, and I know her curious neighbors will make great investigators.

Side note: I am the official new pianist for my new ward. I love that this was the one of the main reasons I even learned piano: to play on my mission.

I know that God has called me here in San Jose for a reason. I know there are people here whose lives will be changed. Even if it is just my life.

Ofa atu!! (That means I love you in Tongan)

Love,

Sister "Tonga" Curtis

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