Rex, LETICIA finally comes around and food that sounds gross but I can't get enough!

Hello Family!! I’m so pumped to tell you about how great this week was! But before you all get too excited just remember that it’s just as great as any other week here… I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! I can’t even tell you all how much I love this work. We had some really amazing highlights this week. (I wish that my missionary life could be COMPLETELY recorded so one day we can all just sit down and watch it- bloopers and all haha). Oh and I’m dying laughing right now because I just got stuck in the bathroom in this computer shop… I didn’t know that the door is broken and I crammed it shut so that I could pee (in the dark because there’s no light and you just have to feel where the toilet it and squat and the toilets are elf-size toilets…) but anways there’s a hole where the door handle should be and I had to shout through the hole and some kid hear me and got my companion and I was just dyyyying laughing. Our branch President owns this computer shop so a member that we’re close with works and runs it and we all had a good laugh as he somehow finally got the door open. Hahaha
Okay well that was a random story but let me tell you what happened this week :) So first thing first we had a baptism! (I’ve been waiting way too long for this one!!) Brother Rex!! He has really come a long way.. we met him through a recently returned less active member. They are neighbors and close friends but Brother Rex is almost half the age of Brother TingTong. But anyways Brother Rex is 28 years old and lives here in Cadiz all by himself. He has no communication with his family and he opened up a little bit about it one time and explained when something happened to his father when he was 5 everything changed. It’s really sensitive so I won’t share it but he only completed school up to grade 5 and lives in one of the most humble circumstances that I have ever seen. He has had a hard time giving up coffee because it is his basic food. He usually asks for rice from friends when they have some to give. He walks to church every Sunday and when Sister Manosig and I were together we thought he would be baptized but it just wasn’t the right timing. I am so glad that I was still here when he was baptized! I really saw a different side of him when he bore his testimony at his baptism and it always my favorite part of baptisms!!
This week I had what might be the most joyful experience of my missionary life! (wow I’m so dramatic). But for reals I am so happy!!! Sister Lilibeth’s mother and sisters accepted baptismal dates and are preparing to be baptized!!! Remember the dream of Lilibeth’s uncle that I sent last week?? Well Sister Lilibeth’s mother was really really changed by the dream of her brother. We realized that it was more a sign for Sister Leticia than it was for the brother that actually had the dream!! Sister Leticia is suuuuch a hard investigator. She from the beginning wouldn’t sit through a whole lesson and when she would she would make it pretty obvious that she wasn’t accepting the things that we taught. Then she opened up to us and told us that she’s been praying for a way to know if what we share and the things that Sister Lilibeth shares to her every day. She shared that the dream of her uncle help her realize that the church that we represent is really the true church and she feels so strongly that she needs to be baptized. Their family is so close and we all chuckled as they joked how they never thought Sister Leticia would come around. Even Sister Leticia joked how she thought this would just be “Sister Lilibeth’s church” but she explained how she can’t deny the way she feels and the desire that she has to learn more and be baptized!! WOW!!! This was such an amazing lesson. Sister Arcinas and I were so happy for the feelings that they were experiencing and the spirit that was felt so strongly! Sister Aricinas was especially touched because she was reminded of her mother and aunties that are so against the church right now but she knows that one day they too will realize and feel that this church is true! The spirit was so strong!! MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE part of this lesson was the end when the tears were gone and Sister Leticia did a little happy dance as she sang “Magkadto ako sa teeeemmmppoool” (I will go to the teeeeempppplllleee) :D So cute!!! They are all planning a temple trip to Cebu before the end of the year when they are all members now. SO AMAZING!! Sister Aricinas and I just feel SO much love for and from this family it is the most overwhelming joy!! I know that many many people will follow because of them :)

I’m out of time!! But I just want to tell you all (since my family has no mercy sending me descriptions and even pictures of the amazing food that they’re eating)… I too am eating some amazing food!! Haha Dried Fish (uga) is a specialty here in Cadiz and it smells SOOO BAAADD but tastes SOOO GOOODD! I finally tried it for the first time and I’m hooked! I’ll try and take a picture this week. Also Sister Lilibeth’s family has been feeding us and they cook some awesome food for us!! Crab (served like the picture that I sent.. you have to push on the soft part of the shell really hard and the top cracks off and it’s guts come out and then you eat the meat. You even bite the legs and suck the juice and meat from the legs and pincher things…), also shrimp! You also have to bite off the head and peel the skin and legs. Oh and yummy pork adobo with the hair still on the pork. YUM! This all sounds really sarcastic but I’m not kidding when I tell you how much I love this food. No matter how gross it might sound! 
Love you all so much! Thank you for your support and love. :)

I have a little bit more time than I thought!
my letter continued.... This week we volunteered at this government event that gives vaccinations and immunizations (I don't know the difference) haha for kids of all ages. even 1 month olds! It was really enjoyable to be a part of it (even though it was kind of awkward that it was held in a Catholic chapel). They let us give the Polio Vaccinations which is 2 drops into their mouths. We also had to hold down screaming kids that were afraid of the other vaccinations and we also helped answer questions and control lines.It is for the rest of September and we're really hoping to have the schedule to be able to volunteer again!
Also because it is now septemBER it is the start of the "BER" months... which translates here in the Philippines to CHRISTMAS SEASON! Yes, you heard me. It's Christmas here! Christmas songs are everywhere, all the text end in "merry chrismtas" and I decided just to enjoy it :) It's refreshing to sing new hymns.. Christmas hymns!
We went to one of our investigators house planning to serve their family (their mom passed away a couple of years ago and the two teenage girls have to do all the laundry for more than 10 people). So we brought our buckets and laundry soap and brushes and helped them do their laundry :) They have a homemade well (hole in the ground- water from a huge tree behind their house) and it's actually completely clear water! (I was so surprised). It took us a couple hours but we finally finished. We actually had a really good time as the little kids sang to us as we brushed and the view was soooo nice! It was a cool morning (not hot at all) and their house is amidst miles and miles of sugar cane fields. (That's also their bathroom). I really love serving the people here even though at times it's really challenging because they are so shy to let us help them. But we somehow let them let us help them and they cooked us these camote (kind of like a sweet potatoe) donut things. Mission accomplished :)   (well errr... not yet) :)