Another Week in this Philippine Paradise

Things that happened this week:

-Most of the people we teach don't have TVs or DVD players. So one day we brought our portable DVD player (we use it to watch training videos) and showed everyone the Joseph Smith Movie. It was a good day. 

-I got a hair cut (I trust my companion enough to let her do it, even though this was her first time. It actually turned out pretty good) You can't really tell in half the pictures I'm sending because it was pretty windy...

-We have so many Ward Missionaries who work with us on Sundays that we go on splits every week. Good times, good times. 

-Because today is our preparation day we went on an adventure as a zone. See Pictures.

-At the above mentioned adventure, I got to ride on the top of the jeepny for the first time in my life. I loved it with all my heart. 

-As it is drawing nearer to the end of my mission, I have been evaluating myself and who I have become. I am reviewing the goals that I set at the beginning of my mission and evaluating how I am doing so far and what I still need to improve. My plan is to sprint to the finish. I still have a whole two months left. That is a long time. But I will do my best to sprint the whole way.

Love,

Sister "I can watch the Joseph Smith Movie a milliontimes in one day and still love it" Curtis

Elephant noise... a very useful skill for a missionary

One of my talents in life is I know how to make an elephant noise. I had no idea how useful it would be on my mission. I use it regularly in Family Home Evening games and talents, or just to impress little kids. If you are preparing to serve a mission that is a skill you should develop.   Just kidding, there are more important skills to develop such as the following: asking inspired questions and really listening to people (and the spirit). I was super inspired with what Sister Wheat did to prepare for her mission; she talked to one new person every day. Talking to new people everyday is a very important skill for a missionary to have. 

This week we had an amazing zone conference. There were five different zones who went, which means about 100 missionaries.

My favorite workshop was, of course, from President Martino. It was all about the Atonement. The first 45 minutes we watched the Bible videos (biblevideos.lds.org) about the last 24 hours of Jesus' life. We sang songs in between each video. It was super powerful. Afterwards we had a discussion about the Atonement. Then President Martino gave us all a Book of Mormon and challenged us to spend the next 6 weeks using it to study the Atonement. I'm super excited. I've already been so enlightened. 

Another great thing about the zone conference besides the spiritual boost was getting to see so many missionaries. I got to see old zone mates, old house mates, and the best of course was seeing old companions. My two anak (daughters/trainees) were there, along with two of my apo (granddaughters). *pictures included below*

On the down side of the week, Sister Foukimoana has been pretty sick. For three days we barely left the apartment. I spent the extra time studying, catching up in my journal and doing anything I could for my poor companion. On the third day we were understandably pretty sick of our apartment. We were sitting outside on our porch eating ice cream when a 10 year old boy came to our house asking if we had any plastic bottles. We gave him our plastic bottles and a bowl of ice cream. We sat him down in a chair and while he ate his ice cream, we taught him a lesson and he said he would come to church.  

Also. Our neighbors are from India and they have pet pigeons. After we taught the boy a lesson, our neighbors let us play with their pigeons. *pictures included*

Thanks for reading. Tune in next week.

Mahal ko po kayo,

Sister Abish "Elephant" Curtis

Pictures:

-Pet pigeon

-San Jose Sisters

-Sister Carter is my youngest granddaughter and I just love her (and all my posterity) 

-My daughters and granddaughters. Left to right: Sister Carter, Sister de Guzman, me, Sister Ocampo, Sister Tui'one

-What happens if you kiss a pigeon? Do they turn into a prince?

How to eat a dog....you just don't.

Sister Foukimoana told me I don't just talk in my sleep, but I also teach entire 10 minute lessons in my sleep. She was still half asleep when she testified what I was teaching was true, and then she remembered we were not really in a lesson.

 

We had some pretty awesome service projects this week. On one day we harvested onions by hand. It made me cry. Another day we helped someone move a big pile a rocks. I know that doesn't sound fun, but it actually was. 

 

Sometimes in the Philippines people eat dogs. It is definitely not an everyday thing, but it does happen sometimes. I ran into this week for the first time of my mission. The next door neighbors of our investigators were eating it. My companion asked for some and ate it. They also eat dogs in Tonga so it was no big deal for her. But for me... I completely refused. I don't think it would taste that bad; I just can't endure the thought of eating dog.   My companion had us take pictures with the head (see below).

 

A handful of young woman/ young single adults worked with me and my companion yesterday. I went with half of them and she went with the other half. I am so impressed with the youth here. I am excited for the future of the church in the Philippines. 

 

You know, missions are pretty amazing. Not because every day is amazing, but because you learn amazing things from all the different experiences, both good and bad experiences. Missions are hard. But that’s what makes it worth it. One of the missionaries we are living with is brand new. At times it is pretty rough for her, as it was for everyone (myself included). I don't know if there is anyone who doesn’t struggle at the beginning of their mission. But it gets better. Before she knows it, it will be near the end of her mission and she will wish she still had more time. 

 

I know the message we teach is true. I know God loves us. I know we need to know the truth about God and how to return to him. God reveals that knowledge to us through prophets; men who have authority from God to teach. After the death of Jesus Christ and his apostles, this authority was lost. But God has again called a prophet to teach and establish His church. Because there is a prophet in our day, our knowledge of God and His plan for us is complete. If you want to know more about it… ask the missionaries they can help.

 

Sister Curtis “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints”  

Transfers!​!!!

 

 

We had transfer announcements this week and.......... nothing happened!!! Me and Sister Foukimoana will be staying together again. We are going to rock San Jose city to pieces because we are just that awesome. Fun fact: I  have never been with a companion for only one transfer. Always two. 

 

 

 

But one of the Sisters we lived with got transferred, and now we have a brand new missionary living with us. Sister Ofahulu from New Zeland. She is Tongan and her and my companion are so crazy together its funny. Sister Ofahulu was so convinced that she new me from the pre-mortal existence, but then she was looking through my pictures and realized that she had read part of my blog before her mission. Even if we weren't friends before this life, we sure are good friends now.     

 

We went to two birthday parties these week. And many dinner appointments. If it weren't for Fast Sunday I might have gained a lot of weight. Just kidding. 

My companion was pretty sick this week so we didn't get to go out for the full day of work for a couple days. But we still did amazing things in the time that we did go out.

 

It's always a bummer when you find out your golden investigators are married yet to their live in partners. That happened this week. 

 

Two of my favorite testimonies that were borne this last week at church came from two primary aged boys. They were super simple, but super powerful. 

 

I know when things are hard and we can't do it on our own, God will help us. 

I know we need God. 

 

Mahal ko po kayo,

Sister Abish "Almost all grown up" Curtis