MORE PICTURES!!!!!

PICTURES!!!!!!!!

A slight chance of rain...

Hello Family and Friends,

I didn't think the Philippines could get any greener, but you would be amazed what a little (hahaha) bit of rain each day can do for the greenery. And we are not even in the rainy rainy season. Now that I have done my weekly weather report.... 

So the exciting news for this week (there is actually a lot of exciting news) is the we had Elder Russel M. Nelson come and speak to our mission. He came to rededicate the MTC here, and do a bunch of firesides. I got to shake his hand! Cool huh!?! Do you remember that talk that he gave where he showed the pictures of his daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter? And those intense blue eyes they all had? Well, they inherited it from him. He has the most intense, piercing blue eyes ever! It was a cool experience. Instead of giving us a talk, he had missionaries come up and practice teaching him, from the very beginning. And he gave us tips and ideas of how to do things better. Can you imagine teaching an apostle about the first vision? I wasn't brave enough to volunteer. But it was still good, and of course he had really awesome ideas and insights. 

Because we have so many Less Active families in our area, Sister Afu and I decided to block out a whole afternoon for finding less active families. Now you have to understand in the Philippines they don't have addresses. And only once in a while does a street have a name. So you just have to ask... everyone. So we did. Puwede po ba magtanong? I am getting really good at that phrase. We were having no success. We were finding the houses but there were either no people or they were not, how should i put it, interested. Finally we decided to move on to the next closest area. The first family we ask about. Boom home. Boom interested. Boom there were offended along time ago, but know the church is true and want us to come back. Yeah! They are a great family and with a lot of love and work will come back. We set up a return appointment, at which they fed us (here that means you are family). We moved on to the next family on the list Manalo. Turns out every one in that Baringay has that last name, and i mean everyone. We had the WHOLE Baringay trying to help us find this person. It was like a circus. We had about 40 people trying to help us at once. People would just find the closest Manalo they could find and pull them over to us. Once they realized they were not the right Manalo, they would go find another Manalo, and this process just kept going and going. We were all laughing so hard. But there was one lady, that had the most beautiful smile, and I was like, "I want to talk to her." when she came up to us, and said that she used to be a member. She was not the one we were looking for but she said we could come back (she of course had married a Manalo... so that will be fun trying to find her again). It was just a cool experience. And someone said I sounded like a Filipino, which of course made my day. But then I realized he asked me one question and I answered it. Boo, oh, well. 

Tatay Godofredo, is so excited to get the Priesthood. And he payed his tithing yesterday. He didn't think anyone was watching, but it was so cute to see him struggle to fill out the form. And he was basically glowing, when he handed it to the Branch President. And his tie was tied wrong. But one of the members helped him, it was just so fun. 

Irene Tutol has returned! She was the one that didn't go to church, so her mom would go. She is active now, and is even one of our fellowshippers for the new family we found last week. She sat by her in Relief Society and everything. I basically did a happy dance! 

RJ has been working with the Elders twice a week now. He loves it! The Elders say he is one of the best people they have worked with. He shares scriptures to answer the peoples questions and introduces and explains the scriptures like a missionary. The Elders said at one point they didn't know what to say to this one investigator, and RJ just jumped in with a scripture that shot the mans argument right our the window. He is going to be baptized next week, and it will be so exciting. 

It's festival again, which means fireworks and radio trucks all night long. And parades. 

It is such a good feeling when the members say that they want this to be my only area on my mission. Aww, they love me. I really do have a Filipino family here. But don't worry, I still love you all, and I might come home some time...

Loves, 

Sister Lyons

PS So mom, I live next to these really funny, crazy Elders, and one of them is obsessed with pink ties. He only has pink ties. And he is sure that you will send him one if I only ask. He thinks that you love him or something. Anyway, I had to included this, because he did something for me, and in return I promised to ask you. There, I asked. Random, I know, but you have to remember who my neighbors are. :)

Pregnant squid is edible???

Did I tell you I've eaten a pregnant squid? Eggs and all? Oh, and it's ink? And that all the fish and crabs still have eyes? And I eat sardines whole? And I didn't though up? Didn't even gag!  Also, I am a lot tanner, skinnier and blonder then I use to be. I put on my jeans for service and was worried they were not going to stay up. Elder Stirland offered me some rope. Elders... always so helpful. 

This week we had a new investigator. She just lives down the street from us. She always smiles and waves at us like she knows us, but we are always running late to an appointment whenever we walk that way, so we have never been able to stop to talk to her. We have even written her in our planners twice. So finally this week we were determined to visit her. The moment she could tell we were coming to talk to her, she was like come in come in! And feed us. She said that every time we would walk by she would wish we would come and visit her. She was almost giddy that we came. We had only been there for 5 minutes and I already felt like we had been visiting her for a long time. We automatically loved each other. We shared about the Book of Mormon, and the next time we came she had started reading from the beginning and talked about how good it felt when she read it. We had planned to teach her Lesson 1 through prophets, but we started talking about the Holy Ghost. When we explained that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost were three different people, it was like a light bulb turned on. She said that she had been wondering her whole life how they could be 1 person. She said that it never made sense to her before, but now it was clear and made perfect sense. It was just cool. She has two cute little kids, who already love us as well. We gave them a copy of the picture story book of the Book of Mormon and they were already looking at it before we left. 

We had national day of service on Saturday. That was fun to go and do something different. We planted trees in this national forest place and then 'raked' leaves. I put that in quotes because the gardening tools here are not the same as at home. We dug holes with bamboo and racked with sticks tied together in a bundle. It was awesome, and super pretty. 

We have two baptisms this Saturday. Tatay Godofredo and Lecel are going to be baptized. They are both so ready and so excited! As am I!

Loves you all so so so so so so so so so very much! 

Sister Lyons

I am Filipino...

Sometimes I look in the mirror and wonder why I have blue eyes, when I'm a Filipino. Humm?

I went to the temple on Wednesday. We were going to wake up at 3:15 to get ready to go, so we could leave at 4, get their by 5:45 and be in the 6 session. I say we were going, because that was the plan. But we woke up at 4:05 to the cell phone. Aw shoot it's 4! It was the Elders calling to see if we had already left, because the night before Sister Stonick threatened them that if they were late, we were going to leave them. No, we are still here. They were more compassionate then we would have been and waited for us, but we were out by 4:17... not to shabby if I do say so myself. I only forgot to brush my teeth, but I did put on deodorant. Because sister Stonick and I were on this adrenaline rush, we sang hymns the whole way to the bus stop while the elders looked like they were a tad dazed, and too tired to even notice were they were going. Funny boys. (They look like that even when they wake up at 6:30) But the temple is beautiful! It was cool because all the flowers inside are native and the men get to wear native Filipino celebration dress. I love the temple so much! We get to go again this week (not for a session) for temple tour. That is were we take investigators, RC, or LA and teach them about the temple. I think it will be a really great experience. 

We got a new elder next door. Elder Lindford got transferred and has already sent us a hello through Elder Stirland that he misses us. Awww! But the new Elder is great. He is Filipino but we have all decided that he is actually from Samoa and there was a huge storm that blew him all the way to the Philippines and his parents found him in a banana tree and they just forgot to tell him he was adopted. The Filipinos don't even think he looks Filipino, and they claim anyone with dark hair and eyes. 

We've had two awesome FHE's this week with the elders. Which always includes yummy food. I think FHE's might be one of my favorite things to do. It is so fun to share with the members and the Elders always have the craziest games. We also have a new investigator with a baptismal date. He is 13 and his whole family are members except his oldest sister. They were both away at school when the family joined. At their one year mark they were deciding whither or not to got to the temple or wait for their other 2 children. The decided that they needed the influence of the temple right away, so they went right away, having faith that the other 2 children would join them. He is super cute and was so excited to see us at church. It's like he got two new older sisters. 

One of my favorite people is Irene Tutol. She has gone through the temple but has become inactive because her mom won't go to church if she does. It is kinda a stranded relationship. She want to go to church so bad but she also wants her mom to go to church. The first time we went to visit her she looked so exhausted. Physically, mentally, and spiritually. After we started reading from the Book of Mormon, it was like this burden had been lifted off of her. When we went to go visit her this week she thank us for coming right at that moment, because she didn't know how she was going to get everything done and she just didn't know what to do, but she said that she felt so good as we were sharing and after we left.        

Yesterday in RS there was a little girl that had just had enough of sitting still (and I was feeling her pain) so I handed her our family picture I carry and a picture of the manila temple and she stared at them, just stared and smiled at them for a good 30 minutes. She thought they were the most beautiful things she had ever seen. I was afraid I wasn't going to get them back. It was so cute. And her mother was sure grateful. 

Tatay Godofredo's wife was at one of our lessons with him... kinda. She always disappears right away but this time she stayed to talk to us, but then left when we started the lesson. But then she sat under the window were she though we couldn't see her and then continued to edge closer to us until she was in the doorway through out the whole lesson. We were pretty excited, as was Tatay. 

Love you all so so very much! I wish you could just all be here for everything! It is all amazing! 

Love, 

Sister Lyons

I have a new favorite scripture....

It is Jacob 3:1-2

(I think... if it is about the law of chastity... it's not the right one)   

Some more evidence that I am turning into a Filipino...

I have a funny shoe tan line

My clothes are too big

My toes look like I have spent too much time in the bath

Sister Paddock handing me a just a fork to eat one day and I didn't know what to do...
I literally sat there for like two minutes wondering how I was going to eat my food.

I put 'po' after everything I say, even in English 

It's great!

She loves the Phillipeans... Wait, I thought she was in Asia?

So... I went out to lunch with Mom and Jen today and found out that apparently Danielle didn't want anyone outside of family seeing unedited emails. Oops. So I apologize Miss Danielle, 15 months before you read through these, for previously posting uncorrected emails. We'll blame it on the foreign keyboard, the P-day rush to get everything done, funny Tagalog words mixing in with your English. But there is one that I will not correct from this email because I think it is cute... Danielle wants every one to know that she absolutely loves the Phillipeans. Sounds similar to a book in the New Testament... not a country in Asia. But we get the gist :) And for the record, I think your creative English is charming. :)

So this week I have become officially initiated into a real Filipino missionary. In ever sense of the word. Tuesday... oh, Tuesday, let's just say now know what it means to be a foreign missionary. We didn't go very far that day, let's just say. But before you start freaking out mother, I am fine now (and I was fine then). It happens to everyone. I actually lasted pretty long in the not getting sick area and it was only one day long, so I'm pretty blessed. And the whole district now knows, and every time they see us or text us they ask how I am doing. So embarrassing that every 19 to 21 male in the area knows about my bowl movements. But I did get a few candy bars out of it. :)

Second initiation. I ate fish. And not normal American fish. This fish still had eyes and scales. Yum! It actually was really good, I just couldn't think about it too hard. I also ate a giant shrimp... with my hands. And shrimp paste, which is really salty and nasty. But I still gagged down enough so the person feeding us didn't know that I thought it was gross. Good missionary. 

Third Initiation. Got attacked by an animal. Not literally, but I was afraid for my ankles. And no it wasn't even a dog. It was a stupid goose. 

Forth initiation. I got rained on and it was beautiful. 

Fifth, watched the sunset on the beach (and almost lost my shoe) 

Sixth and most important... drum roll please! I'm not the newbie anymore in the three complexes! Which is kinda sad and exciting at the same time. It is sad because the Forinash's got transferred. It kinda came as a shock to them. There was a new couple coming in to take an assignment that just opened up in another area, but when President Stucki meet them, he felt like they should come here and the Forinashes should be moved to the other assignment. So we spent all Thursday helping them clean and pack... and giving moral support to Sister Forinash, who was really struggling with it. It was just two bad news thing right in a row because right before they got the call she was looking up online what was wrong with LeRoy. LeRoy is 'our' dog. He actually belongs to the people next store but they never took care of him and the Forinash's  feed him and we all play with him. so he kinda moved over. The elder's tried to give him a bath once... that was funny. Not of Leroy or the Elders but Sister Stonick and I enjoyed it. Anyway, he was acting funny, so sister Forinash looked up his symptoms and he had doggy pneumonia and was probably going to die and then they got the call they were being transferred. It was a rough day. But LeRoy is all better (and is not going to die, unless someone tries to give him a bath, but I think that person might be in more danger then LeRoy) and the Forinash's love their new assignment. The new couple living in their apartment are the Paddock's and boy o' boy do they have stories... they are really nice and will do a good job. 

We found a short cut this week to one of our areas... through the beach... bummers.... :) 

There is a store called Rachmelies (Rach-smellies!)  here, You can imagine why it made me giggle 

We had a really good FHE with the Fornash's and the Elders on Tuesday night with a less active family. We couldn't figure out why  tatay didn't want to come to church (his kids do), so we thought maybe it was because he felt guilty for something he had done. So we gave the lesson on repentance. It was perfect! Tatay asked a lot of good questions that you could tell he had been thinking a lot about. I love the Spirit! Then we played this really goofy game, that was so much fun and really broke the ice and let him and the rest of his family see we are normal (hahaha kinda) people. We were all laughing so hard! 

So we dropped by Tatay Godofredo on Wednesday, and he wasn't there so we just left a Word of Wisdom pamphlet and a note saying we would come by the next day. When we came back, he had underlined it and was asking how he could follow it, like what was the application. He smokes 12 Sticks (that's what they call them here) a day. We talked to him about it and he was so willing to quit, he just didn't know how. So we told him to write down his plan on the back of the pamphlet and follow it. When we came back the next day he had a detailed plan of how many he was going to smoke a day until he quit and what he was going to do every time he felt like smoking. But he hadn't followed his plan. Before you get too sad.... he did better then his plan! He went from 12 to 3 to 1 by today he should be done and can get baptized on his scheduled day! Yippee! He is so amazing!

We haven't taught a ton of lessons this week (between me feeling less than perfect and helping the Forinash's) but the ones that we have be having have all been amazing. We had one part member family and we asked the dad (who isn't a member) to pray at the end of the lesson, but he was really shy and didn't want to. But we waited and talked him through it until he tried. He started to cry half way through, and at the end said he felt like it went right to his heart. We also had this person come up to us, ranomely  yesterday and ask what religion we were. Oh, let us tell you! We basically taught him the whole first lesson right there and set up a return appointment. We also have this Lola who the night after we gave her the Book of Mormon, she couldn't sleep, so she reached for her Book of Mormon and felt immediate peace. The next day she started to read it. So cool!

I love being a missionary! I love all of you! I love the Phillipeans (and I'm never leaving!)! I love hearing all about you and home! 

Loves all around, 

Sister Lyons