I have soooo much to write but i will try my best to hurry and make it as detailed as possible.
On sunday we sang the EFY medley and it was SOOOOO SPIRITUAL!!! omg i cried the entire time. so good but it was also fast sunday and i bore my testimony in tagalog and talked about the priesthood, the m\temple and missionary work. Chad Lewis the NFL player for the eagles(?) and his wife spoke at our last devo and it was sooooo good. super good. he said so many things that really stood out to me. Like the fact that i have been saved for this time and the lord is mindful of me. my mission call is divine and just like in football we prepare, drill and practice the language, the teaching and everything for these people. i am so happy that i have chosen to serve a mission. it is so rewarding. so difficult, forsure but super rewarding. i am so happy to be here.
my last day at the mtc was really sad. actually super sad. it was sad to say bye to all the younger districts, my branch presidency, and my teachers. i cried, alot. especially on sunday. it was ridiculous the spirit was SO strong and i was so grateful for all the experiences and what not and especially the gospel knowledge i got there. on monday we still had class and whatnot and stuff, then we got to say bye, pack, send things home and everything. on the way to the SLC airport i was overwhelmed. excited, scared, nervous, everything. but it was all good. i couldnt believe that my 6 weeks at the mtc were over and that i was on my way to the philippines. on the plane to LAX i sat next to sister vinson, she is the husband of a member of the 70 and is awesome. she is from australia and i lovedddd getting to talk to her and hearing about her experiences with getting called into the prophets office and whatnot. it was incredible. at LAX we had a long layover, our flight didnt leave until like 2:40 am and i was super tired but tried my best to stay awake until we got onto the plane inorder to semi set my sleeping schedule. the flight to hongkong seemed forever.
When i got off the plane in hong kong we rushed to another flight to get to manila so im really sorry i didnt get to call. i wanted to and almost did in manila but i didnt have time. so once we got here we went through immigration and customs and got our luggage and what not and then i exchanged some of my money for pesos and i still have some american cash, i figure ill just keep it until i go home so i have spending cash.
So on wednesday in the philippines i got here and i was SO SWEATY immediately. it was ridiculous. i am constantly sticky and really greasy but its all good. we drove to the philippines mtc and then to the mission home. super nice. my president and his wife are awesome. i love them already. keep updated on sister martinos facebook: deanie martino. we introduced ourselves, had a little orientation and the slept. the next morning we headed to the mission office to meet our trainers and my mtc comps and i were seperated. we all cried. dont worry. my trainer is sister dullete from iloilo, she is tiny. a head shorter than me. when we got to our apartment i was surprised at how nice it was. i am so happy i got assigned to the city, its easier for me to adjust. i am assigned to the tarlac 5th ward in the tarlac b area. my zone is tarlac. the mission office, home, and the APs live in my zone. immediately we unpacked cleaned and everything. i had a few minor meltdowns. feeling like i just wanted to get back on a plane and go home, homesick, missing my old comps and everything. we went out and met some of the members in the ward. the noto family and a RM named RJ, we taught a few lessons and at first i just testified and prayed but i was happy with how it all went. we taught to a 10 year old Ilijiah, she has a baptismal date. and to her brother Epraihm. he is less active. we ride jeepneys everywhere. our area is a lil bit away from our house so we cant walk. we ride until we get to san miguel and then walk from there. that night when we got home i went to shower and a HUGE roach was on the shower curtain. i nearly died. my heart stopped and i couldnt kill it so i just let it be. haha. on my first night here we didnt have a dinner appt, but i was so hot that i wasnt hungry and just went to bed. that night i woke up a few times because i was soooo hot and couldnt sleep.
the next morning i woke up grumpy. i didnt wanna be here and just was suuuuper homesick. i needed badly to change my attitude. so i read in PMG the chapt on christlike attributes and focused on hope. which was awesome. i needed so badly to read that. i cried from pure joy of heavenly father answering my prayers to comfort me and help me adjust quickly. i have never in my life needed my heavenly father more than now. this is hard. really hard. but i know with Him i can do it. i know for a fact that i cant do this on my own. the first day i was at my lowest low so far in my mission. i felt inadequate, completely lost, and so upset. but i know you all at home are praying for me and i know it is helping. i am tryinh with all my might to be happy and make the best of this. it is tough right now but i will adjust im sure. when we went out to work that day we OYMed (open your mouth) to 15 people and we taught a few lessons. One man was Tatay Espinoza. He was about 70 and had lots of questions about our life after earth and he seemed really interested in our message. we are visiting him again this week. we didnt eat dinner again that night but i made soup when i got home and then went to bed.
my emotions have been INSANE since ive been here. each morning i wake up wondering what i am doing here and by the time i am getting into bed i am so happy to be here. teaching and meeting the people here is awesome and i am so blessed and understand WHY i am here. my work as a missionary is so important. on the 11, the noto family fed us Bulalo, pig ribs and rice. we taught and OYMed lots that day and taught the daughter of the noto family, she is a recent convert. my tagalog progresses everyday and the members really help me. i am trying to open my mouth as much as possible in order to make my language come faster. it rained super bad that night and flooded while we were tracting. up to my shins. ill send a picture. i love when it rains. its not as hot and people will let us in because we are soaked. the nice thing about the people here is no matter what they will listen to our message. its great cus that way more people hear the message and feel our spirit.
on sunday we got up and church was at 9. i had to share my testimony and people told me it was good. it was pretty short but thats okay. i just said what i felt and got teary eyed. haha my ward is awesome. about 160 people. Sunday school was good and so was RS. i was happy to be at church. it was like a total relief. i was so happy to be there. last night two families fed us. one fed us pancit and the other fed us soup.
i am so happy to be here. it is hard. literally the hardest thing ever. but i am good. i am adjusting. i can do it. PLEASE pray for me. i think about all of you always.
mom- email sister martino for the mission home address. here is the mission office address:
Philippines Angeles Mission Office
F. Tanedo Street, Barangay San Nicolas,
Tarlac City, Tarlac. 2300
Philippines
the N in tanedo is a N-YA. it that even makes sense. lol spanish n
dont send packages through fed ex or ups. reg mail only.
ratu.vunibola@myldsmail.net
JUST EMAIL ME EVERYWEEK. i miss you soooooooo much. i love you all so much i will look forward to PDAY to talk to you all.
TOP 10!
10. it rained & there were lots of flooded areas.
9. i eat pancit almost everyday!!
8. i rode a jeepney, reminded me of tatay since he drove one back in the day haha
7. i taught two lessons on my own, one on the holy ghost and one on joseph smith :)))
6. every morning i eat oatmeal, energen and mangos. MASARAP!
5. my shower is cold. ITS TOOOOO HOT to have a hot shower
4. i got to see sister marcucci today!!! soooo happy about it. i love her. we cried hahah
3. the little kids are the CUTEST. i loveeee filipino kids. even if they dont have shoes on hahaha
2. i got to skype the whole fam, and trey! i love and miss you all soooo much!!!
1.I AM IN THE PHILIPPINES, I AM A MISSIONARY. i am overwhelmed, but i am happy
i love you all so much!!
i miss you like crasy but i am so happy. continue to pray for me. i could use the prayers. pray i can learn tagalog and start to speak fluently. MAHAL MAHAL KITA!!!!!
i think about you always and pray for you always!!
Sister Littlefield
i think about you always and pray for you always!!
Sister Littlefield
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