.: Week 64 "HEY JOEYYYY...."

Week 64

I had to dedicate one subject line to "hey Joe". All the American Elders get called "Bad Joe" because they are white and that's what the Flipinos call us. I get called that sometimes. But one time this week I said to the trike drivers we see every morning, "Hey brother, babae ako, siguro JOEY na lang!" or "Brother I am a girl, maybe you could just call me Joey!" Every time I walk by them now they call me Joey...be careful what you ask for :)

Dear Family and Friends,

Grateful to be emailing all of you today this rainy morning. We had an interesting week, I think I have learned to never get comfortable on the mission. Cause right when you do, God sends you something you weren’t really expecting. That is what happened to us this week, but it was a great week nonetheless. Can never complain cause being a missionary is just the happiest thing despite bumps in the road.

So story time. Since I was little I had this hair disease called Alopecia. Basically it's when you lose hair in sections of your scalp and for the longest time my mom and I couldn’t figure out why I was getting it and how to get rid of it. We came into contact with a dermatologist who gave me lots of injections in my head where I was losing hair to shock the hair follicles and it would evidently help the hair grow back. Not fun--but it worked! And over the years sometimes it comes back and sometimes it doesn't. Well since being on the mission it just started to happen again but its all good, we got it taken care of. A senior Sister serving here from Utah is a nurse and she got me all lined up with a dermatologist here who could give me the injections :)

But had kind of an awesome thing happen this week. We just found a new investigator named Gemma. We were talking to this huge group of kids that wanted us to teach them and so Gemma was the nearest adult in sight so we went and piled in her house to teach them all. Then we came back to teach her a second time...and it was perfect timing for us to develop a strong relationship with her. Her uncle had just died THAT DAY and so we were able to teach a little bit about the plan of salvation.

Then when she was praying to finish the lesson she just burst into tears...and of course I thought it was because her Uncle just died...but she talked about how her daughter had started to lose hair all over her scalp and she had NO idea why. As a mother, she was overwhelmed with this problem--understandably so. I was thinking that's so sad...then it dawned on me....maybe she has Alopecia. So I showed Sister Gemma that bald spot that I had and told her that I had the same thing and maybe her daughter has Alopecia. And she just had the biggest look of relief on her face that there was nothing seriously wrong with her daughter.

Now I don't know if it was a coincidence or what. But I just thought what are the odds that I found a bald spot on my head the very week we met this distressed mom. My guess is that it wasn't really a coincidence. As little as it was I am grateful I could give some sort of comfort. Just made me feel like a real missionary. Gave her a big hug and later came back and gave her the rest of my vitamins I use for my hair. Sweet moment with Gemma this week.

Some other surprises for the week was when Lubie got a wart, callous, growth thing removed from her foot...ewwwww ;) She hasn't been able to walk for the last couple of days...so shoot some prayers for her. And so I have had a lot of new companions for the week to be able to work. But it has its perks because we sat in the church through 2 baptisms and I am getting really good at setting up chairs, being a leg rest for Lubie, and being a chorister :) WHOOP.

Lubie using me to elevate her foot :(

The Elders' baptism

Visiting the Caraan kids during exchanges with Sister Ta'ofi.
They got baptized on Saturday!

The Caraan kids' baptism

Sister Craig attended the baptism--so fun to see her :)

Spent like 2 hours making these candy leis with Sister Ta'ofi for the Caraan kids

Candy leis--WHOOP WHOOP!!

Also some updates is that Sara is still doing good...we gave them some bananas because her husband was sick. She was not able to come to church but we are praying for next week :) She is super awesome! Reading the book of mormon and everything. And the Tripulca family is a little MIA right now...bleeehhh...but we love them! Maybe their time isn't now but we just wanna stay in their life :)

Well just wanted to finish off with a little spiritual thought...just my testimony that God places trials, people, experiences in our lives for a reason. And a thought I really liked from Zone Conference was when President Fermanis asked us what are the trials of being a missionary. We all raised our hands and said being dropped, no appointments, no investigators at church. And he stopped and said "Are these trials? or just missionary work?" And then he said the same with what are the trials of life. We all said our thoughts and he said again, "are these trials? or is it just life?" and that kinda sat with me for a little while. That ya know...is our life full of trials or is really just life? And I testify that God loves us and I think he sends us exactly what we need even if we don't think we need it :) He knows us and I am grateful for His divine plan.

Have a good week everyone :)

Love you all,

Sister Zarbock