.: Week 3 "WHOA....I'm halfway there. WHOA....living on a million prayers!"

Week 3

Dear Family and Friends,

HELLO :) Another week down in the MTC and it feels so good. This week was another busy week and I can't wait to tell you all about it.

So the days have been blending together lately but there have been some super awesome things that have gone on this week. One of the nights here we had a Filipino Culture night and it was so fun :) It was exactly what I needed to just get recharged because sometimes we spend so much time studying and learning that its hard to stay motivated all day everyday. :) It was so cool to hear about all the funny things about the Philippines, weird cultural things and all of that.

This week we were able to go get our immigration status completed :) and I got to go right into my Manila mission and honestly I could not be more excited that in a few short weeks I will be able to serve in this crazy city. I'll spend 6 weeks in the MTC and I leave the MTC July 12th so "WHOA...I'm halfway there!" Hard to believe!! We were able to eat at KFC which was a Godsend, having rice and veggies are nice and all but sometimes I just need some cheap fast food haha. First off, there are people everywhere here and the poverty is unreal here. But people are always smiling and we say hi to everyone on the streets. It is so fun to be a missionary :)

Language status, the language is coming. Same as last week. Everyday I feel more confident and the Lord really does help me the more and more effort I put into it :) In my studying this week I read "Our Search for Happiness" and it made me realize how simplistic this work is--I think that is kind of the theme of the week, that all we need in this life to be happy is the relationships around us and the gospel. :) We were able to have a lesson this week on the importance of serving those around you with charity and love. And what the Lord asks of us is so simple again :)

With Sister Gloria and Brother Adong this week -- Fake investigators -- Sister Singer and I had monumental things happen. Brother Adong committed to go to church and we got a yes to being baptized from Sister Gloria :) And you know this is even more of a testimony to me about the simplicity of this gospel. The spirit testifies to people and we are really just his mouth pieces to the gospel, that even through broken Taglish these people can feel of the spirit and know that this gospel is what they are missing in their lives.

Funny moments in the week...I think what is so funny, call it tuning in to our companion wavelength, Sister Singer and I always seem to have the same song stuck in our head at the time, I think it means our companionship is as strong as it gets haha. We played some really wicked basketball with some Filipinos this week and my team crushed it. Me and Singer played ping pong with the Indians this week as well and I don't know what Indians do but they are supreme ping pong opponents.

Well anyway this week was a good one! So grateful for all the support and love :)

Mahal Kita,

Sister Zarbock

Jack moment....this is a package that one of his Filipino companions took
Abby in the MTC. Packages from home aren't allowed there but he was
able to get some good stuff to her! Sister Moreno (above) who Jack
knew from one of the areas he served in!