Shiblon

Hi loved ones!
How is everything? I hope you all had a good week with many successes! The Lord is on our side! I know it :D 

Wednesday: We went to Toledo to do our shopping. The jeepney ride makes me want to throw up, it's an hour both ways.. patay na lang. I did end up getting a pedicure so all is well. 

Thursday: We had a successful day, and we had fresh buko twice! So very delicious! And my companion and I are continuing to eat healthy. We eat mais rice and fresh fish pretty much every day. We went to two of our IBD's and had very good lessons with them before hiking out to the middle of nowhere to visit one of our investigators. Always an adventure. 

Friday: We OST'ed a man who was taught by missionaries before. Besides being a little bit proud, he was still receptive, and for the most part kind. 

Saturday: Cyrus' baptism, it went well. Success!! But then after that everything went downhill, we were SUPER PUNTED! It was painful. We walked all day trying to talk to people and they didn't want anything to do with us. 

Sunday: I am the Branch Pianist. I'm not very good, but i can bang out a tune with both hands. I also gave a talk on scripture study. We were punted all day again... so... hmm... 

Monday: I had kinilao for lunch. it was delicious, i hadn't had it since Bacong. We tracted again and finally saw some success. It's a process. We also had a member kuyog with us and that really helped. We've started teaching Cyrus' brother as well. It's really awesome seeing his example for him. 

Tuesday: We OST'ed this woman who makes seashell necklaces for a living, and so i bought a few from her, they are super cool and only 1 peso each!! She was taught many years ago, but doesn't remember much. Her husband passed away a few years ago because he fell out of a coconut tree. She's raised her 7 kids by herself. Wow. 

Wednesday: We got another tricycle to Toldeo... kapoy kaayo! still feels like death. they drive so SLOW! I'm hoping for more sucess this week. 

I had a cool study the other day in Alma. I was reading Alma's letters to his three sons, and I noticed some things. In his letter to Helaman he says "now you may think this is foolishness in me, but it is for a wise purpose." I imagine Helaman, he's the oldest son, probably a little bit proud, think's he's got his life together, and probably thinks his old man doesn't know much, but Helaman get's things done.
Then you read Alma's letter to Shiblon, all he does is thanks him for his steadiness, and encourages him to continue. Shiblon is probably the quiet, dependable one, does what he's asked, doesn't care about recognition, he's the reliable one. Alma doesn't need to worry about him.
And then there is Alma's letter to Corianton, where he basically says "you have been very bad." Corianton is the selfish, free loving, baby of the family who does what he wants. 

I remembered a stewardship implementation when i was serving in Sibulan. Every day before you go to bed, identify which of Alma's sons you were that day. Some days I feel like Helaman, i can do it all myself (that's a lie, you can never do it all yourself, but sometimes I'm prideful) some days I'm Shiblon, I do what I'm supposed to, I'm obedient, i recognize the Lord's hand in all things,
and i hope i'm never like corianton, but some days we ALL are.

I honestly hope we all strive to be like Shiblon, that's what the Lord needs. A lot of Shiblon's.
Just a thought, that's what i studied yesterday, it really stuck with me.
I love being a missionary!


-Sister Katrina Dunn

Bukid, Beaches, Small Dipper

Okay... I don't think I'll be sending pictures because this Internet Shop is super sketch... So until we find a better one.. I'm sorry about that too because Aloguinsan is a BEAUTIFUL AREA! As in! We have bukid, we have white sand beaches, and everything in between. It's hands down the prettiest area of my mission. And, it's close to my first area! I asked the STL's that on our exchanges if we could maybe go and visit my Recent Converts from Toledo! 

My companion is Sister Corachea, she's 23, she's a med tech, she's from Batangas, which makes her my 2nd companion from Batangas. She's in her follow up training, so she still uses a lot of Tagalog, but I'm learning a lot from her! I love her! 

Wednesday: my last day with my beloved anak, Sister Angar. We (sister angar, sister perez, and jen) all went to People's Park and took a bunch of pictures with all the miniature buildings. You feel like a giant in People's Park, it was a lot of fun! We went to the Reantuco's for the last time and they fed me my favorite for dinner, misua and sardines, and pusit! I cried leaving their house. And then we went to Joy's and I had to say goodbye to her, and I cried there too! I love the people in San Carlos, it's such a beloved area to me. 

Thursday: I got up, did my last minute packing... lingered around the house waiting for the ZL's to come pick us up... they took us to Pantallan and we all did like an assembly line with the luggage to get it all onto the barge. I spent the ride on the barge talking to Sister Biolena and Sister Kahoalii, it felt like 2 transfers ago when the three of us were riding to Cebu to pick up our anaks, and now we are all done training. The mission is dali kaayo. 

I met Sister Shirley (the follow up trainer of my anak, she was on her way to San Carlos) and I told her "take care of sister angar!!!" I met Sister Corachea in Toledo, and she immediately asked me if i was hungry at we went to mcdo. That is the RIGHT QUESTION to ask your travel exhausted companion. We got on a jeepney for an hour to go to Aloguinsan, and then called the Elder's to take my luggage upstairs to our apartment, so very nice.
That night we walked to the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE BUKID in the PITCH BLACK DARK with only flashlights, to get to an investigator. the upside of it was that i caught a firefly. it's the first time i've seen one in real life.. i think, anyways it was cool. 

Friday: everyone thinks i'm sister quinney, it takes them about 5 minutes to take a good look at me and go "OH you're new!" well mao gani!
We finished an appointment and went down the side of this mountain to FTE and there's all this white sand and clean clear water and it was magical gyud!
We visited our IBD Cyrus, and are helping him prepare for his baptism next week. He's 10 years old but he's so serious some times it makes me laugh. 

I was trying to explain the constellations to S. Corachea and so i mentioned about the Big Dipper and the little dipper and then later that night we were walking home and she looks up and goes "oh, it's the small dipper!" I laughed so hard!
There's a part of our area, you stand on this bridge and look out to the water and it's like 4 different colors of bright blue it's so pretty! 

Saturday: Cyrus had his interview for his baptism and he passed so he's all good to go!
We went to an appointment at a less active's house and they were trying to get me to impersonate Jennifer Lawrence from Hunger Games. 

Sunday: We had a successful PEC after church. I was pleased, things seem to be working here in Aloguinsan branch. 

Monday: Nanay Coring came to work with us! she's so good, she loves to work with missionaries even though she's in her 70's! She walks all over with us, and never complains! #rockstar
We had a wala'y klaro zone council. nothing was counseled, so i'm confused as to the point of it. all we did was eat so i think it just constitutes as a lunch.
The Elder's called when we were planning and said they were going to stop by the apartment on their way home and give something to us. so i said jokingly, if it isn't food i don't want it. it was a white chocolate toblerone! I was like, "WHUT?!?" BUOTAN!!! MABAIT!!! NICE!!! 

Tuesday: Nay Coring worked again, (and she's going to work on thursday daw) Sister Corachea made me lunch #BLESSED. she made dulingan (fish) and monggo beans with pork chop and then we had latu (seaweeds) in vinegar and onions. SO DELICIOUS!!
Iris took us on a short cut, and we found another beach. They are popping up everywhere here! I'll try to send pictures at some point in my life hahah.
I love Sister Corachea, we are ALWAYS laughing, she's so much fun! There's never a boring or quiet moment! She thinks I'm crazy haha, but it's okay! 

I know we are going to see miracles in Aloguinsan this transfer!
I love being a missionary!


-Sister Katrina Dunn

Seashell

They are currently playing Lady Gaga's best hits in this ghetto Gaisano and I'm getting a headache. I used to think I liked Lady Gaga. No, I don't actually. Took a while to figure that one out.

Sister Quero gave me this massive seashell from Sipaway.. It made me think of something from ZTM. What you see may not be what you hear. Open your spiritual eyes and ears :D
This week was interesting. And fabulous, but my life always is.
News Update: I am officially caught up on my journal, but that partially has to do with the fact that Sister Larsen went home, and I'm not overly chica'ing with anyone.

Wednesday: Sister Larsen's last p-day. Go big or go home. I picked up the pencil skirts I had made. She made them 4 inches shorter than I wanted... It's at a questionable length. The struggle is real. I bought a pair of knock-off Ray Bans, because they were cheap and no one is ever going to know the difference in America. We had a shirt made, it's fabulous. And we went to the Merkado and I saw a guy there that had worked with me and Sister Conjelado in Toldeo A YEAR AGO! and he remembered me. Wut?!? Also, I took a nap. P-day success. 

Thursday: We were tracting in San Jose and we met 2 cows named Sofna and Asnar. You might not think this means much, but it does, because they were HALF HOLSTEIN. American's take holstein cows for granted, but when they don't exist in the Philippines, and neither do the words "fresh dairy" it means quite a lot. Also I saw baby turkeys, and if you think baby chickens are cute, you should see baby turkeys.
I mention all these things because on Thursday there was much walking and much punting and I'm trying to focus on the upside. That night when we walked up to Clark's house I could see through the kawayan that he was reading the Bible I got him for Christmas. He's so awesome. 

Friday: Sister Angar ROCKED weekly planning. I was proud. A member told us a story about how 2 snakes got in a fight and one of them died, and so the other one went and got tree bark and then brought it back and used it to heal and bring the snake back from the dead.... and as a result of that she bought a serum made from this tree bark that would heal all her wounds but then she used it all to help her neighbors and she doesn't have it anymore. 

Saturday: ZTM. Burgers and Beer (its the name of the restaurant, I'm not drinking beer I promise), all in all a good morning. But then we went to a lesson with one of our investigators, and after talking about the "wheat and the chaff" in ZTM i saw it in person. The whole lesson her son was yelling from the other room. "WE AREN'T GOING TO CONVERT SIS, STOP TRYING SIS!" and he was being really rude and sarcastic. We invited him to join but he was like "I'm busy." yea he was busy giving us a hard time
We ran into our american again, the one that debated with me last time as well. The pain NEVER ends I swear. But he was at least nice this time. He was buying a beat up 1976 Honda Motorcycle, he restores them as a hobby. He was buying it from our investigator.
My last night of chica with sister Larsen, it was sad. 

Sunday: in the morning. in the mourning. I wish I could explain my feelings whenever Sister's that I love go home. It's really difficult. But we had to say goodbye.
We got pretty punted by our investigators. One of them was having a celebration for her baby's baptism that we walked in on, that was awkward. Note to self, avoid awkward moments. 

Monday: Junnah worked with us. It was fabulous. Having an RM work with you is so effective. because they know how to teach, and the share just the right amount. 

Tuesday: We went to one of our investigators who is quite elderly. she told us that she was upset because last night her husband came home drunk. I was about 100% that her husband had passed away so i asked her, "nay, diba namatay imong bana?" and she's like yea, but I fought with him last night?" so Sister angar asks her "in your dream?" and she's like "no, last night, but he died not that long ago.." so we were really confused. and then she asked us where our third companion was and we were really confused because it had only ever been the 2 of us to come and teach her, but she was certain there was 3 of them. 

Anyways Transfer calls came and I'm going to Aloguinsan which is known for being a hard area. I'm follow up training again. It's an area just south of cebu so I feel like I just went full circle in my mission. I'm right back where I started. Sigh.. when I work with the STL's it will be in my first area, which could either be a blessing or a curse.. 

Anyways... I'll just keep smiling. I love being a missionary!
-Sister Katrina Dunn


This is traditional clothing for festivals in the Philippines. The Quero's let me try it on.

Bunyag #4 sa San Carlos

For lack of a better title that will have to do, I'm drawing a blank right now. My creativity skills have taken a graceful swan dive down the toilet. Bah, I'll improve one day! 

Wednesday: there was a poorly structured zone activity that the ZL's didn't really even come to, so I don't know what happened there. Sister Larsen and I just kicked a soccer ball back and forth. My coordination skills are on point!
We found all of these jeans at the house so we did a little bit of acrobatics while trying to put them on... when you've been eating deep fried foods for over a year and only been wearing skirts things like 'skinny jeans' are not physically possible. 

Thursday: MASSIVE BROWN OUT!! Life was not fun, and when we went home in the night it was so creepy, it was pitch black and there was this one abandoned tricycle on the road with just an eery blue light shining from it so THAT wasn't fun.
Junnah and Annalie came to work with us, and i somehow got suckered in to Junnah trying to do my eyebrows, but she did it dark so i felt like a clown hahahha, it was fabulous. 

Friday: i made the anak start week 11 early, so she led weekly planning.
these little kids were being loud during a lesson, playing with this plastic bottle, so when they threw it on the ground I picked it up and hid it, and the little boy got SUPER mad at me and went to tell his aunt, (we were teaching the grandmother she didnt even care... and neither did his aunt) so i gave the bottle back to him and he HIT me with it! The little stinker hit me with a coke bottle. I just started laughing.
we went down this abandoned road, looking for these people for the elders, come to find out later, it's super dangerous out there so it's a good thing we survived. #blessed. 

Saturday: we got a call in the morning that there was no water because of the huge brown out and the reserve water had been used to water the grass at the church, so there wasn't going to be water for the baptism, so we were freaking out, not sure what we were going to do, we tried to find a clean beach to go to, and we were stressed all day, and then an hour before the baptism was supposed to happen, the water came back on!! SUCCESS!!! The baptism was super nice, I've been working with him for 4 months so i was happy to see it come together. 

Sunday: I gave a talk in sacrament meeting and i got a little bit teary eyed. I love San Carlos. Hooray for dinner appointments!!! Lumpia and chicken!!! 

Monday: We got to help translate for a temple recommend interview, it was super nindot nga opportunity. It was a long day, the Dunne's were nice and gave us a ride home from Trozo, so shining moments to them!!
It's always weird when the STL's leave for MLC, the house is always so mingaw! 

Tuesday: PUNTeD gihapon.. our golden investigator is avoiding us:( i don't know what happened. I managed to do a weeks worth of laba in only an hour and a half, i think i should get an award!

Wednesday: just going to go pay our bills. It's sister larsen's last pday in the mission field so we are going to have fun, relax. I'm sad, I don't want her to go. It's always really hard saying goodbye to missionaries that i love!! 

Anyways: I love being a missionary!!
-Sister Katrina Dunn