The Anak

FAMILY!! I'm alive!! I'm no longer sick!! Miracles!!! I'm seeing so many blessings in my life right now! I'm healthy, I have a fabulous new companion, and San Carlos is progressing! #work

Wednesday: I was crying like a baby in Toledo. I miss my first area. I saw so many wonderful things there. It was a blessing to pass through, even if only for a moment. We got a jeepney express with the other trainers to Cebu and got there pretty late. We weren't allowed in temple complex because we might see the new missionaries so we walked right on past and saw some senior couples! These lovely people pulled 1000 pesos out of their pocket and told us to get something good to eat! We found this fabulous chocolate cafe and got these delicious things called Frio's! and I got this like dark sipping chocolate. Mom, you would love it. pure dark chocolate. it's that tiny glass because it's soooo rich. we all shared it. Then we went to this super fancy build your own pizza place that reminded me of one of those fancy restaraunts in Seattle. We built our own DELICIOUS PIZZA's and then went back to the apartment. Sister Abenoja was there because she's training too! BEST FRIEND! 

Thursday: we got up early and headed down to the temple. President had us for breakfast at his house. peach cobbler, bacon, the whole nine yards. We are so spoiled! I love it! It felt good to eat after 2 weeks of almost no food.
They lined the new missionaries on the lawn facing the temple and then we walked out behind them and when I stood behind my new missionary I started to cry because I knew she was mine. The trainers sang called to serve and then the new missionaries turned around and saw us for the first time. It was a really special experience. 

When I walked down to distribution I saw Mai2x, who i haven't seen since my training! I cried when I hugged her, she got me through my training, and now she's in the MTC. I'm so proud of her!
We took a bus back to Toledo, and I got to FTE a sikad driver, and her remembered me from my training! I got to see Sister Atienza, my follow up trainee, she's follow up training now, it's amazing to see how she's grown. We got a boat back to San Carlos and didn't get in till late. 

Friday: weekly planning, everything is a teaching moment. It's interesting having someone watch my every move to see how I do things. That's what training is i guess, teach by example.
I'm almost out of time so I just want to give shining moments to Sister Angar. She's from Davao, her and her brother are both on missions. She's super white, like as white as me, everyone here thinks it's really funny. She's native visaya so I dont have to train in the language (thank goodness), She's so good I swear she's pretrained. I learn so much from her every day. I'm so proud to have her as my companion. She loves the people here so deeply. 

I was able to go on exchanges yesterday and I had a heart to heart with my STL sister Larsen. She was trained in the same area as me, so she loves the same people i do there. She is so down to earth and a really good listener, I'm learning a lot from her. It feels really nice to have a good support system in the house. I feel exceptionally blessed.
I always feel like I have no time, is it bad to complain that 2 hours isn't enough? 

I loved my personal study this morning. I was reading in Joshua about when the waters of the river jordan receded when the feet of those bearing the ark of the covenant stepped in. Then they laid twelve stones as tribute. I chose 12 stones in my own life that represent the things I have gained since I've started striving to make Christ the center of my life. I wrote them down and I just want to say I've gained so much strength from my Savior. Jesus Christ has done it all for me. I'm trying to now go the extra mile for him. 

I love being a missionary!! I'll see you family on Christmas! love youusss!
-Sister Katrina Dunn

Spoiled

Hello family!

I know I say that every week but I can’t think of anything else to say. This week has been long! Yet short… And I’ve been really sick. Thank you for the prayers you’ve sent my way.

Wednesday: Sister Iongi worked with us because the Gihulngan sisters were staying the night at our house because…

Thursday: ZTM! Zone training meeting. We have them once a month. This time the workshop was on the missionaries first needing to improve their attitude, and then work hard for the miracles. I agree, there’s always room for improvement.

We went out to Trozo and the Castillo’s had made us pinaypay and Bicol express. I was in food heaven! It was glorious! That night I deep cleaned the bathroom, because I wanted to do something productive. The smell of bleach was so strong.

Friday: We had weekly planning for week 5. I can’t understand/believe where this transfer has gone. Time is moving so fast. We went to Joy and we were teaching about Pre-Mortal life and she just says “No, I want to talk about heaven.” So we changed lessons haha, she’s our recent convert, I love her so much.

Saturday: I woke up sooo sick. I was throwing up, I spent the whole day nursing a large blue Gatorade. I couldn’t even make it through personal study I went into my room and passed out. I wanted to rest but we had things we had to do, so we went out to Trozo and the Castillo kids were interviewed for their baptism. They passed! Then we had to go back to San Carlos, because it’s Russel’s baptism! I was so excited! I gave the talk at his baptism, go me! I’m a trooper.

Sunday: Fast and testimony meeting. The most interested fast and testimony meeting I’ve ever been subject to, but I’ll talk about it another time. The Dunne’s had us sisters over for dinner and it was fabulous. Potatoes and Chili and creamed corn, and REAL PARMESAN! I’m so spoiled. It was amazing, and a lot of fun just talking with them!

There’s a fiesta in Campo 7 this week, so we went by to visit a family and this drunk German man approached me and asked “From what are you?” in a really thick, slurred accent and I had no idea what he was talking about, but he left us alone after a second so it’s all good. He thought I was German because of my blonde hair.

Monday: We’ve been doing this 22 days closer to Christ program for Christmas and its super awesome. Also our DL gave a really good workshop in District Meeting, I was impressed. We went on exchanges and I worked with Sister Iongi, and we were able to visit Charlyn and she was sick, but let us teach her anyway. We’re trying to help her feel the love in the church, and not feel so discouraged.

Tuesday: We had a CSP in the morning, it was fun, and we pulled rocks from the river, so I got to hang out in a really warm, beautiful river. It was all great until I started feeling sick again, so when we got home I had to rest. I feel sad, I want to be working but I’ve been so weak lately.

Wednesday: I woke up this morning and I thought I was going to die. Be thankful that I have enough energy to give a full accounting of my week. I do in fact love San Carlos, do not fear, I just have not been feeling so great lately. This week I hope I’ll feel better because we are headed off to Dumaguete tomorrow for Christmas conference. I hope the bus ride doesn’t make the situation worse. Anyways, I love you family. Always remember that Christ is working alongside us!

I love being a missionary!

Love,

Sister Katrina Dunn

Lechon Thanksgiving

Yea, we celebrated thanksgiving here! It was delicious do not worry! Also big happy birthday shout out to Dad and Kyle! Happy birthday:D I love and miss you guys! Basta, this week, was long but short at the same time. Missionaries understand what I mean. Also I have had an ongoing headache for well over a week now and it won't go away. Ouch. 

Wednesday: We celebrated Thanksgiving with Filipino style. Lechon Manok and rice. It was delicious, lechon is my favorite. Y'all don't know what you're missing. While all the missionaries played frisbee I sat and talked with Sister Dunne about the mission. I love her, she's so cool! Everyone was playing barefoot and one of the elder's cut his foot on some glass and it was bleeding pretty badly, but he's okay. 

Thursday: EXCHANGES with Sister Jopson. She's such a stellar missionary, and she's my kabalay! She gets it DONE! I'm so amazed whenever I work with STL's because they've got it together gyud. We met some really amazing people that I'm excited to continue teaching. 

Friday: Weekly planning, a huge stress-er for me. Organizing interviews and baptisms and everything. But it'll all work out. 

Saturday: We went out to Trozo and it started POURING down rain at the end of one of our lessons and we had no umbrella. So we had to run through the rain to the next house, it was quite interesting trying not to slip. My goal for Saturday was to smile at everyone I saw, and I got pretty darn close to hitting my goal! I was able to talk to more people because of it, everyone just says my face is so isog! I'm working on it, i'm working on it! 

Sunday: No impromptu talks, thank goodness. 5th sundays are always interesting though. There's a family visiting the branch from Utah and the little girls only speak English and it's so hard for me to talk to them. Because everyone here that speaks english also speaks bisaya so i can mix them together.. the struggle is real. I don't think I can talk when I come home.
We were able to teach Evelyn! She was home finally, and she had some friends with her. She's a LA who was baptized a few years ago, she's 16. She's really awesome! I'm trying to get on her good side haha. Her friends were excited to join in as well. 

Monday: the leaders all headed off to Cebu for MLC so we had the apartment to ourselves for 2 days, it's pretty cool hahaha. in district meeting we were practice teaching and I got super distracted by the elder's thumbnails. They've started this new disgusting thing where they think it is appropriate to grow out there thumbnails several inches long. NASTY! 

Tuesday: I pulled out all of the former investigators that I thought were potential to go back to and we tried to contact all of them but most of them weren't home or still weren't interested. At least I tried. We worked our butts off tracting yesterday but it was to no avail. Lisod kaayo, apan padayon lang mi. there's nothing else we can do. 

So I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ALREADY DECEMBER. I was looking at the date and I realized I hit 1 year next month. Who can believe I've already been gone that long? I can't, that's for sure. Time moves SO RIDICULOUSLY FAST as a missionary. Have pity on me that's it's going by too fast, i blink and I transfer, or another month has come and gone. I swear it was just my birthday, but that was 2 months ago. A LOT IS HAPPENING! And members keep telling me I need to get married IMMEDIATELY after my mission, like within a few weeks and I'm just like 'WOAH WOAH calm down there!'. But it's funny too, anyways, keep the prayers coming. I could use them!

I love being a missionary!
Love, Sister Katrina Dunn