.: Week 67 Broken Toaster

Week 67

We had transfers this week and I came to my new apartment and all of the Sisters that we live with go...YOU ARE THE ONE THAT BROKE THE TOASTER. Hahaha I was sooo confused. But then I started thinking about it...I did exchanges here all the time when I was in Makati and I totally remembered I broke their toaster like 8 months ago and they still hadn't gotten a new one. I just laughed and laughed. Good times.

Dear Family and Friends,

Hello! :) So good to be talking to you...it is every week but I am so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends. Thank you for your emails and support and love. I appreciate everything :) First off, I transferred! And it feels SO good to be in a new place and have a fresh start. I always feel like a second wind of energy coming to a new place. Its awesome. My new area is Mandaluyong 1st ward. Its the weirdest De Ja Vu thing of my life because when I was a brand new missionary...the missionaries in this area were my STLs. Now everything is so weird because I am the STL now. Makes me feel old but still feel like a baby...you would think I would feel like an old, dignified missionary....haha just a greenie who forgot my umbrella twice this week and still doesn't know how to budget.

My new companion is Sister Baldelomar...I call her calbo. So random. Bald in Tagalog means calbo. So thus calbo was born. She was my batch coming in to the mission. She is super awesome, super serious too....it takes so much for me to get her to laugh. I feel like I am put with all of the serious people of the mission. But nonetheless, we get along just fine. I am excited. She has been in this area for 6 transfers. Holy crap that is sooo long...she knows EVERY single person in our area. Its great.

New companion--Sister Baldelomar

When I left Paranaque I said goodbye to Gemma and her cute family :) She is super awesome and I hope she progresses. I will get updates from Sister Lubas and at MLC. Still am praying for that one. It was a bittersweet moment leaving Paranaque. But excited for a new place and new experiences.

Saying goodbye to Gemma and her cute family

We had some awesome lessons for the week...one of them was teaching Mattvey (12 year old girl) that will be baptized on Saturday. So we are looking forward to that. She is so awesome and is the Bishop's niece. The bishop is super awesome here...he is only a convert of like 7 years actually. So that is super fun. I don't remember names of anyone but her...but I am excited to work with Sister Baldelomar. She is awesome!

Me and Sister Baldelomar at our Bishop's house

This is the bishop

Awesome view from our Bishop's house!

Makati is on the left side, Mandaluyong is on the right!

More pics we took 10 minutes later.....so sweet!

Awesome sunset!

Something very cool happened on Sunday. Mandaluyong Stake was created and with the creation of this new stake...there are now 100 stakes in the Philippines. SO COOL :) Feel so blessed to be here, everyone is so excited because Mandaluyong has been waiting for SO long to become a stake. We didn't have tickets to attend the conference at the fancy theater but we watched it at Buendia Chapel. Elder Andersen came to speak and everything...it was a big deal! A lot of pioneer members of the Philippines were able to bare their testimonies...and it was such a testimony builder for me for them to talk about 'their' missionaries that taught them. One thing Elder Andersen talked about was "finding joy in the process." I actually love that. Often times we think if we are rich enough, far enough in school, better at Tagalog, skinnier THEN we will be happy. But often times we just need to find joy in the process. It was a super special meeting! Blessed to be serving at this time!

To finish off with a spiritual thought...Before I left I bore my testimony in Sacrament meeting at Paranaque and was so inspired by hearing the testimonies of members of the Philippines and Elder Andersen (the apostle)...and the power of testimony has been my study for the last couple of days. I really like in 2 Nephi 31 and 33 how Nephi says he "glories in plainess" and I think the most powerful testimonies are the simplest ones.

Just thought I'd end with my testimony in Tagalog

Alam ko po na ang simbahan na ito ay totoo at ito po ang kaharian ng Diyos dito sa mundo ngayon. Alam ko na sa pamamagitan ni Joseph Smith ipinanumbalik ng Diyos ang simbahan na ito sa mundo muli. Kahit anong nararanasan natin sa buhay, alam ko na maaari natin hanapin ang kapayapaan at kaligayahansa buhay kung susundin nating mga kautusan ng Diyos. Nagpapasalamat po ako para sa ebanghelyo ni Jesucristo at ang kaalaman na meyroon ako na ang pamilya pang walang hanggan. Kung gagawin natin na lahat na makakaya natin, magtagumpay tayo sa buhay. Maganda yan. Sobrang masaya na ako ay isang misyonero ng simbahan ng Diyos sa panahon ngayon. maganda naman ang oportunidad na ito.

Have a great day errybody!

Love,

Sister Zarbock