The Pig

This week was wala'y klaro. If you speak visaya then you will know what I'm talking about. There was a lot of crazy/interesting things! 

Wednesday: There was a zone activity.. i think it goes down in history as the craziest zone activity ever. We go out to Calingling with the Dunne's and meet the rest of the zone there. We are right by this river and everyone is working hard to prepare the food. We have people skinning bananas, cracking open coconuts, scraping the coconut out of the shell, building what looks like a fire altar out of stones and banana tree trunks, and then me and my companion organized the vegetables.
So the zone leader shows up with a pig, pulling it behind him with a rope around his neck. When I was told we were going to eat pig, i didn't imagine we would see it alive. But alas, it arrived alive. The elder's ended up killing it (it was very loud, lot of blood, can't say I've ever seen anything quite like it before), preparing it, and putting in this homemade altar oven thing. It cooked so fast, and it was super delicious. I think our zone should get a reward. 

Thursday: We deep cleaned the apartment. It needed it badly. We spent a good 30 minutes looking for a less active. We found her singing in the videokehan. Mom, she sang "when you say nothing at all" and dedicated it to you. Just letting you know. Later that day we saw our investigator also singing videoke at the top of her lungs so we couldn't teach her... we're losing everyone to videoke.
This tatay we always walk past in campo 7 finally told us his name. tatay mente.
We had an FHE with the Lopez family, had a lot of fun. 

Friday: went out to eat for lunch, witnessed a guy from canada have a fit over his food because he didn't like the turkey. peasant..
I met the CUTEST little girl on a tricycle, she's 5, her name is Babylyn. she reminds me of Taylor, she kept asking me a bunch of questions.
Saturday: We got papers organized so one of the baby's of our less active can have a free cleft lip surgery! I hope it works out,their baby is so cute.
we were late to district conference because they told us it started at 5,, but it actually started at 4.... ka-awkward. 

Sunday: I ran out of milk. rough morning. District conference was really good. I really enjoyed the talks, we're trying to help sancarlos become a STAKE! It's going to happen, I can feel it.
I made this american flag out of these block things and it looked like a rocket so I called it a "freedom rocket" like those popsicles in america. we followed up with this member family on their reading, they haven't read since last year. I'm shocked by how few members of the church actually read their scriptures daily. I need to step up when I come home. 

Monday: we led zone language study, it was a blast. jokes... but i love having a native speaker as my companion. we met this old drunk tatay putting pink lipstick all in his beard so that he could "get rid of the white hairs" he found the tube on the side of the road. 

Tuesday: Some man walked into our lesson and tried to debate with me. I've been getting that a lot lately in my mission. I don't know why.. i think it's to help build my patience and kindness.... i'm getting sent the difficult people now.. I'm a seasoned missionary apparently.
the past few days have been really rainy and cold so we heated water and I had my first hot shower in the past year. It was glorious, i forgot how good it feels. all y'all are lucky with your hot water just saying. 

Love and miss you all!
I love being a missionary!
-Sister Katrina Dunn
P.s. we made our plates out of coconut tree leaves. #fabulous #bukidlife

Oh My Gulay

I started my 5th journal this week. Journal #4 was the biggest one so it took a whopping 5 months to fill in. I have many journal goals for when I come home as well, that's something I wish I did more as a teenager.

Wednesday: We had a productive day at the market, buying fruits and vegetables and fish. (BTW we cooked the fish later and it was delicious! its called bilongbilong). we're trying to eat more fresh foods instead of chips and other snacks. Hence, the homemade popcorn as well. Char. 

Thursday: I got hit with a mad cold and cough. I've been coughing all week. i think that is my biggest challenge on my mission, i can't stay well for very long. i think my health is almost back.
We taught a less active who stomped around her house like a 5 year old, i felt my patience being tested but i endured. Loving kindness, kana lang.
Shout out to the Reantuco's for feeding us Lechon Manok for dinner, still one of my favorites.

Friday: the ever thrilling weekly planning. we taught a woman who spoke mostly in Illongo so I had no idea what was going on. okay, i had a little bit of an idea, but it's quite different from the language I've been speaking for the past year.
some woman on a random trike kept taking pictures of me on her cell phone.
Also Cristale Mae, one of our recent converts is an absolute rock star. She's 12 and she took her book of Mormon to school so she could share with her friends. i was so proud of her example. I love the Castillo family. 

Saturday: sister Angar and I took a nice walk in the morning, and a pack of stray dogs wouldn't let us walk down one street so we had to back track. they just told us to leave, barking at us and such. "okay okay, we get the message"
We got asked if we were nuns... that was pretty funny. I bought a refillable star wars cup from 7/11, Kaylyn you have have it when I come home considering you like it so much. also, we don't know who the character is on the side of it, but he's wearing all black and he has a red light-saber so we just call him Satan.
there was a woman on one of the trikes who wanted to debate about religion, but all the stuff she was saying was a bunch of lies, i think she'd been misinformed. 

Sunday: Sister Angar gave a beautiful talk on reverence in sacrament meeting. It was so quiet, it was nice.
We learned about the tree of life in sunday school, we need to hold fast to the rod of iron. buot pasabot WE NEED TO READ OUR SCRIPTURES. somehow that doesn't click enough with people.
We went to a less active, she's only 15. she was skipping school with a bunch of her friends. bad environment, i wish she'd just remember what she knew before, and realize what she needs to do.
Trying not to get tired, trying to keep going here. I do love San Carlos, it's just truly difficult as well. that may have less to do with the area, and more to do with the fact that missions are just hard. staying optimistic, imma keep smiling :D

I love being a missionary!

love,
Sister Katrina Dunn

The One Year

I'm almost finished writing in this journal. That will be 4 journals filled in only 1 year. I've been kind of slacking lately. Only doing a page. I used to do like 2-3. At least I have something written. Cge... this week. 

Wednesday: Surprise interviews with President. Mine was good. :D But that's all I'm gonna say! SECRET!! 

Thursday: My one year mark. Officially. We celebrated with balut. Which by the way I have eaten 4 times this week alone. I haven't taken pictures yet, maybe next time. 

Friday: We shared about the Atonement with our recent converts and their family. It was a really good lesson. they are an example of a family who has sacrificed everything for each other. They are amazing. 

Saturday: We were teaching a lesson and the neighbor across the tiny path had a very loud argument with herself, and so we had to close the lesson because there was no spirit. One of our LAs knows what she needs to be doing, but she's being lazy... and not doing it. We're trying to help her.
I ate balut, but it was only 16 days so it wasn't very good, so i moved up to 18 days, much better. 

Sunday: many small miracles. we had an MCM, and were able to discuss the work. it was really good to see the involvement of the branch. I was so happy.
There was a broadcast for the philippines area, and it was late getting started so we missed most of it, but what we did see was good. They talked about the goals for multi generational families in the philippines, and also keeping the sabbath day holy.
one of our favorite members fed me bananas and sinkamas. 

Monday: I've been learning tagalog. I'm getting pretty good if i do say so myself. I'm learning it through visaya because it translates better than through english.
We got in this tricycle and this woman took a selfie with me without asking, so i just smiled really big haha, I'm famous here. jokes!!
We read to gemma out of 3rd nephi 11 because it's her favorite story in the book of mormon.it was really neat getting to read it aloud with her. she loved it. 

We went to get balut again, and when I peeled the first part of the shell off the little duck head was right there and I was like "hold up, usually I don't see it" so i was a little bit apprehensive, but i just drank the sabaw out of it and peeled the rest of the shell off, and put some salt and vinegar on it. and then when I tried to shove the whole thing in my mouth, the body broke away form the rest of the balut and fell into my hand, so I'm just holding this dead baby duck in my hand and chewing what actually got into my mouth and my companion just goes "come on sister dunn, you can do it, that's the best part!" so i take one more look and the adorable little beak and feet and eyes and then I pop it in my mouth and start chewing., I think I'm a changed person. Then I ate a second one. delicious. 

Tuesday: a long difficult day. sigh, it wasn't too bad. I think we're making progress with one of our investigators so that's good. 

Oh family, i love the philippines. It's my favorite.
I was reading in Mosiah 8:20 this morning and what struck me was the fact that the lord continutes to 'suffer with us' even when we're off the path. It made me feel better, how much he loves us and is willing to keep going along with us. He wont leave us alone.

I love being a missionary!
-Sister Katrina Dunn

New Years (wala'y resolution)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
January 6th. Exactly 1 year ago was my last day as a normal person. I remember getting set apart, with the best blessing, and then sitting in the living room of my home with Debbie and Logan discussing mission life, terrified out of my mind, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and I think on the plane I did a weird mixture of the two.

Tomorrow is my one year since I entered the MTC. I think of all the amazing people I've met, and I don't want to get nostalgic but I have a lot of thank you's to extend when I come home. I have the most amazing support system. I love you all!

Wednesday: We had a district activity. I watched them play, so that I could write in my journal, but then a group of 11 year old boys sat with me and we talked for a few minutes, so I was successfully distracted. The store was so busy so we did our shopping at the Mercado. It's okay, I'm native now.

Thursday: I got asked by my recent convert if animals could talk in the garden of eden, i think she was a little disappointed when I told her that they were just normal animals. We went to the Dunne's that night (sister Angar made tsamporado, my favorite!) to watch movies as a zone. We were supposed to watch Inside Out and Big Hero 6 which I was SUPER excited for, but inside out wouldn't download so we watched BH6 and Frozen. Sad to say I've never been so disappointed to watch Frozen. It was still enjoyable. 

At midnight was one of the loudest things I've ever experienced. People were setting off bombs and fireworks. In the Philippines, the objective is to, at midnight, make as much noise as you possibly can. It was fun, but I was exhausted, and as missionaries, it is impossible to catch up on sleep. 

Friday: EVERYTHING WAS CLOSED! It was difficult. 

Saturday: Our IBD's are giving me a hard time. I'm still working at it. I love them, and I want them to come to church. 

Sunday: So we went to their house to pick them up and they refused to come with because one of them was kind of sick. Okay, we will keep working at this, because I want them to succeed. I don't give up easy.
I finally cooked the pasta and mashed potatoes you sent me Mom and Debbie. They were delicious. No i have not yet seen a sighting of the package, but I have a hope that it will appear tomorrow!
I consumed more food on Sunday than any human should. I couldn't stop eating, I don't know why. Oh and I gave Clark his very own bible for Christmas, so we went to his house and talked about it with him. He's the most diligent 13 year old to read the scriptures ever! And his grandma, nanay po is the best! 

Monday: Exhausted does not look good on me. We practice taught on the Dunne's. In English. It was so hard! I'm not a good missionary in the english language. I have very limited abilities. They wanted to come work with us, so we went to our IBD's and she opened up more to us about what's holding her back. We went to my favorite LA and we're trying to help her get married. I saw some real miracles there, I see her faith building. She's so strong. 

We went to Trozo to the Castillo family whom I LOVE and ADORE! They are the best.
Tuesday: we finally managed to pay our electric bill. We waited in line for 1 hour and a half. Have pity on me please, it was a madhouse. At least the teller was still kind and not in a bad mood, that's good. 

The security guard at 7/11 started making fun of me because I eat there all the time. They have cranberry juice, don't judge! and their hot dogs, y'all know I love hot dogs.
We went to San Jose, Rosie is doing do good! She's coming to church, she just has to. Of all the problems in mission life, getting investigators to church has to be the hardest. 

Wednesday: The construction on our street this morning was SOO LOUD! Studying was difficult. But we're alive. I have no plans today, just boring shopping. Maybe something crazy will happen that I can tell you about next week. 

San Carlos is my hardest area, but I LOVE IT! I'm stretching and growing, and it's always a challange, but I'm stronger now than I've ever been before. Tomorrow is one year. that only leaves 6 months. See you all then. Kita kits, halong mo!

I love being a missionary!
Love,
Sister Katrina Dunn