Spoons

Okay I'm writing to the big batch first because I always run out of time and I feel like a guilty goat... Sige, 1.2.3. HIT IT!

Wednesday: We had beach activity with the District. Sister Hartog and I just stood in the water, it was so warm and nice. Their was a storm blowing in so the water looked really cool. The District Leader made us play this 'District Unity' game where we had little lonzones (this tiny fruit) and plastic spoons. We put the spoons in our mouth and had to run around the person in front of us and then pass the fruit from one spoon to the other. Luckily the teams were divided Sisters against Elders. It actually turned out to be pretty fun. We were so exhausted after working that night. We had gone to Meler's house and she kept singing "I'm Sister Dunn and I am tired and I have yellow hair" I was laughing really hard in between bouts of exhaustion. 

Thursday: We had a CSP in the Elder's area in Dumaguete and they dropped us off down the hill from the place we were doing the service project so they could go pick up the other group of missionaries and as soon as they drove away it started to pour down rain. Hmm.. We had to sprint to a roadside calendaria to take cover. When the rain was finally light enough we continued our trek up the hill.
At the actual service project we were moving blocks and there were all sorts of massive spiders and cockroaches crawling all over them. Sister Hartog and I were like "oh no I am not touching that" and then Bishop comes over and says "No spiders here are poisonous" and then starts tapping the spider for it to run away. It was easily the size of a baby orange. It was huge.
At the bottom of the stack of bricks was a rat, when the Elder's chased out and then it ran over a sister's foot, and she screamed, and then another elder kicked it, and it went flying through the air squealing. We were dying of laughter.
We tracted that afternoon and I got so muddy. Man.. 

Friday: I commemorated 9/11 by myself because no one here knows what it is. People still seemed to be in a bad mood regardless because we got punted and rejected like no other. There was one lady we tried to introduce ourselves to and she said "ayaw na lang, I know who you are" in ENGLISH and I was stunned and hurt at the same time. We walked from one end of our area to the other, and I was absolutely exhausted but it was lovely nonetheless. Working hard bitaw. 

Saturday: We taught the grandmother of one of our recent converts, she seems interested in listening to us. She read the pamphlet we gave her last time we talked to her. 

Sunday: I got to go on splits with a wonderful ward member named Sister Dinglasa. She's been a member for almost ten years, and I adore her. She is so amazing, she doesn't know how to read but she doesn't let that stop her. She works with missionaries whenever she has time so she can learn about the gospel that way. She is so fun to work with, and she FTE's which is a miracle with kuyogs because they are usually way too shy. 

We've been teaching this man who is a preacher for another religion and he is actually really progressive. The only problem I have is his visaya is really deep and really fast so I have trouble understanding him. Whenever we teach him we have our kuyogs with us who help translate for me.
Monday: We went to District meeting and then came home immediately afterwards and ate lunch at home because we have no money. Yea! Life! Budgeting! I mentioned something about 

Saturday'sWarrior to Sister Hartog and she was like "YOU'VE SEEN THAT TOO!" which branched into a discussion about Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. Wow. Char mormon movies. I miss it. BTW I heard they are making a new Saturday's Warrior someone please keep me up to date on the progress of that lol. 

I convinced one of the Elder's in our area to draw me a picture of dinosaurs because he's really good at drawing. I'll get it laminated and bring it home.
AND THAT WAS MY WEEK IN A NUTSHELL! 

Well, I hope that it was both entertaining and instructive, but just to let you know, my weekly emails don't even give a glimpse of what life is like here. It's otherworldly, it's FABULOUS!
A bit of my personal study this week: I've been studying about our purpose in preparation for zone conference this week and I found a quote one of my MTC teachers had given me and I wanted to share it with y'all. 

"I am part of the 'Fellowship of the Unashamed'. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear."

I just think it's SO TRUE! AS IN GYUD! Don't be ashamed of the gospel, declare with the voice of a trump bitaw..
I love all of you, go forward in faith!
Love,
Sister Katrina Dunn