where we decided to go jungle trecking. A member from our ward took
our whole district up to this waterfall up a mountain. The clouds were
black all morning and it was raining before we even left but we still
went anyways. Everyone shoed up hardcore except me and Sister Baguio,
we went Philippino style in thongs. Scaling the mountain was alright,
except for the Elders at the back as someone had the genius idea of
bringing real lunch instead of like sandwiches or something, so
they're carrying plastic shopping bags with a rice cooker, curry and
plates and cutlery. Kawawa, sad for them they had a rough time. The
member that took us rocked up in his business clothes and fancy shoes
from work and stayed in them except for a sneaky pair of gumboots. He
stops to chat to all the mountain people on the way and hes like this
is my brother, this is my cousin, and were like uhh sweet haha. It
took us ages to get to the top because half the group wandered off and
got lost and walked for half an hour in the wrong direction, but we
finally got to the top and it was wicked! This amazing waterfall and
we found coconuts and the elders cut them open with machetes and we
sat and ate them. So legit. Then all of a sudden came a torrential
downpour as we start to climb back down the mountain. It was hectic,
the path turned into a river, both my thongs broke so I carried them
in one hand and walked barefoot. We got given massive palm leaves for
umbrellas except after a few minutes I realised mine had ants on it,
and my whole filthy body was covered with a swarm of ants. The other
sisters had leaches, everyone was falling over and covered with mud.
Survivor style. Philippines.
So in other news, we had two earthquakes this week. One was on Tuesday
night when we were planning, I thought Sister Baguio was rocking the
table until Sister Storey started screaming that it was an earthquake.
It was my first earthquake that I ever actually felt as I have a habit
of being in them and not noticing. So on Friday night we were sitting
in our coordination meeting when the whole meetinghouse started to
shake. It was HUGE. Sister Baguio literally jumped out of her chair,
and we just had to wait there for it to finish. I'm not gonna lie, I
did not like it. The mission has been going crazy about having 72 hour
kits, everyone thinks they're something coming, so.......they're
better not be. We have a sister in our house who came here from
Tacloban so odds are she won't have to escape death twice on her
mission...I hope.
In other other news, we taught 50 lessons this week, plus found 24 new
investigators. It was rediculous. We literally were teaching non stop
for the entire week. The district leader said it was the most he'd
ever seen (and I know Elder Armatage is reading this thinking he does
this every week no big). Plus we have so many new people set for
baptism who are really gonna do it, plus we have 3 baptisms coming up
this weekend. Sanchez Mira really is a promised land, and it doesn't
hurt that my comp is amazing too!
In more news, we had one more investigator set for baptism and I have
been so worried about her. As much as she wanted to get baptised and
as much as she did all the right things I was really worried she
wasn't ready, but I didn't feel like I could tell her she couldn't
because I didn't really have a reason for it. And then on Sunday when
her baptismal interview was meant to be, she didn't come to church. We
asked her neighbours why and they said she 'nag-asawa', meaning she
moved in with someone. We'd been at her house two days earlier and she
was talking about this boy she'd been hanging out with who was her
age, but turns out it wasn't him. She's 16, and she moved in with the
48 year old cousin of her mum who'd come up to stay to scope for a
wife. Yep, that happens. I was praying that she wouldn't get baptised
if she wasn't ready, so I guess it was kind of a weird answer? I don't
know, we're still gonna go try fix it, I don't like that thats a
thing. We also have a 75 year old less active lady with a 25 year old
boyfriend. That's apparently a thing too.
So I love you all, sana there's no more earthquakes or torrential
jungle downpours this week, but if there is, its all part of the
experience hey. Just remember always to be physically and spiritually
prepared for everything. Haha, I love it here.
Mahal ko kayo,
Sister McKim
No comments:
Post a Comment