I found a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup!!

Eat all of these chocolate eggs for me! It is weird to think that this is the second Easter I have been here for. Strange. I am going through Cadberry eggs withdraws ... wait is that even what they're called? You know, the ones that we always chow down on, and they now have at Christmas? Anyways, THOSE ONES! But is is all right I live in the city, which means I found a Reese Pieces Peanut Butter cup that when I saw it, screamed, grabbed it (without looking at the price) and promptly bought it. Oh, was it good! A year in the province does things to you. 

Monday was great. After we chatted :) we went to dinner at this ladies house that lives in a boarding house. When we were done we asked if we could share and if her friends/other borders would be willing to listen. She was nervous, but she invited them and 3 of them listened and it was really good! At first I was a little concerned, cause they kinda acted like they didn't want to be there, but when we started they got serious and actually listened and asked questions and excepted a return appointment.

Tuesday was district meeting. Our whole district all lives in the same apartment complex, so we did more laughing then anything. And it is so hard to practice with them all seriously like. It's like trying to teach your little brother. Then we went to this less active man that we had never met before. He had a stroke in 2003 and has not been able to walk or talk since then. He is the only member in his family so he can't really come to church. We asked if we could share with him and his family, and they said yes. Because he can listen and he understands. We asked him if we had a Book of Mormon and he reached right to this bag right by his bed and pulled out 2 copies. When Sister Thompson and I looked at them we almost started to cry, because they were all marked up with notes and everything. We asked him if he read everyday and he shook his head yes. Here is this man that has not been able to go to church in more then 10 years, but he reads his Book of Mormon everyday. It was amazing! We shared about the Resurrection it was perfect!

On Wednesday we taught Ryan Fajardo, who is a less active return missionary. He made a dumb mistake after his mission and just feels guilty about it. He calls himself the Lamanite and is such a punk. He never really listened to the Elders but every time we go there, he always stays and listens and he even showed us some of his mission pics. We taught about the Atonement using the pit story in Sister Burtons take. It was great. I love teaching the Atonement that way, cause it makes sense. And I secretly love teaching punks :)

Thursday....yeah, about that.

Friday also happened. We taught a recent convert family about the temples, because they are really close to their one year mark, and are super active! I love stories like that. The missionaries found them when she was doing her laundry. It's stories like that, that just want to make me talk to everyone. Then we went to dinner at the stake president's house as a zone. Which was fun. But the trip home was a lot funnier. I wish I could just record our Elders, they say the funniest things, but it's how they say it. And then half of the time it is in Tagalog. Oh, well, if wishes were fishes....

Saturday was a day of walking.

Sunday! We had our first investigator at church! We had one and the Elders didn't have any. That tell you a little about the city. But we were super excited about our 1! She is great and was super excited and nervous. She said she would come back next week too! :) Sister Thompson and I gave talks. She stressed about it all week and I pulled my typical self and procrastinated until I was sitting up in the front listing to the prelude music. But no one ever knew.... :) But Sister Thompson almost throw up because she was so nervous. Then we sang "I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord." And she burst into tears. The poor little elders in the congregation looked so concerned. But they were cute about it and didn't say anything to her afterwards. Then we ate dinner at a newlywed couples house. Ewww! Ewww... But the food was good.

And then today.... Went to Market Market, eat pizza, and shopped in an American sized store. With way to much American food in it for me. Then we came back here to email you! And later on we are going to ask the Elders to teach us how to throw these cool Filipino tops that we bought. It is going to be great!  

Times up! But I still love you!

Love you more then thunder and lightning at night!

Sister Lyons

Release Date: July 3!

... and family and friends are all excited about it... but Danielle doesn't want to talk about it. We're afraid my parents may not be able to get her to come back to the United States. Cross your fingers...

Here is her most recent email :)

We walk a lot. and a lot of people have moved. But we still have a laughing attach EVERYDAY! Sister Thompson is hilarious. And so are the Elders that live a floor above us. There are 4 of them and 4 of us and we're like a big family. Except all the boys are Pinoy and all the girls are Canas or Fijian. It makes for a great jumble of language. Which makes us laugh even harder.

Sister Thompson is amazing, but is going through american withdrawls right now (she is handling really well) Just buy her a Kitkat and she can handle anything. Including eating pig skin, taro, and nose bleeding in Tagalog. She doesn't really nose bleed. It is just a joke among the Pinoys that if you make them speak in english, it is so hard for them that their noes starts to bleed. Nagnonosesbleed sila! She's doing awesome though, and I totally remember being in her shoes.

The ward loves us. They have a dinner calendar and every one of the dinner appointments was very specific that it was just for the Sisters. Needless to say the Elders were a little bummed. And someone made a public announcement that they needed to give the Sisters referrals. The Elders just don't get it! But it makes us smile.

Then we did some more walking.

And then got lost. And walked up and down the same street about 50 times. The city is a little bit different then the Provence, but I love the challenge. This zone is actually really struggling and is the lowest baptizing in the mission, but our area is going to baptize, someday! We just have to find them first!

I think I told you this before, but I am pretty sure Chad is the the 12 week training program. Like I am 100% sure. We were studying, and i was like, hey... I know that kid. He married my sister! Strange.

Mara is as adorable as ever! I love seeing her pictures! I found the picture that Jen and Kevin gave me of her when I left. Oh, man has she changed! Kevin should be very worried about her in about 15 years. I love getting all of your letters. Now that I only live about 3 minutes away from the mission office, I actually get them more often. There are benefits here. :)

Sister Hunt sent me a Palawan bag and real pearls! (Dad you might want to give mom a limit on the pearls she can buy, because they are real, and they are cheap)

We went to Market Market again to day. That place is the size of a small (ok not that small) city. I feel really our of place there, even though there are more Joe's there. But I don't belong to them anymore. They are all a little weird.

I once again have used all my time and English up. But I still can say this...

Mahal kita! (if you type that into google translater it might say love see, but it means I love you!)

Love you more then American things!
Sister Lyons