Week 58: You are not American!

Dear family and friends, 

This week was a little busy with some things that made spirits and satan much more real to me. But on the bright side, I have learned that Christ's authority and power, the Priesthood, here on earth is a very real thing. I am so grateful for the Priesthood which has been restored through Prophet Joseph Smith. Worthy men who hold this Priesthood authority truly have the power to protect us from sickness, evil spirits, and bless us in unimaginable ways. 

As a result we also have the 4 other sister missionaries sleeping in our apartment and it has been a blessing beyond measure for me personally. 

As the sisters have been living in our apartment, they have talked about their childhood life, the punishments of being in rice sacks, kneeling on mongo beans, the time they worked in a sugarcane field, their aunt who build her own restaurant and how they learned to cook. Speaking of cooking, these sisters have added more recipes to my little recipe book Ive made and I am being blessed by having the yummiest food cooked for me by these sisters :) I have also learned that I apparently have NO american accent when I speak 2 of the Ilocano dialect of the 2 Ilocana sisters in our apartment. They had me say words like "kunanamut", "won", and "Iiatin ka" (I love you) and every time they had me speak they would laugh and yell in shock they were so excited because I apparently am super good at their accent. Apparently other filipinos cant even pronunce it correctly. I am also having a good time just talking to them and laughing, learning Tagalog, learning more about their culture and just all around feeling filipino. It also helps because they always make me feel so proud of myself as the sisters are always saying, "Sister Masters, pinay ka na" Youre a filipina" :) GOALS ACHIEVED. 

Highhlights of my week: 

1) A member after meeting me said in Aklanon: "Sister Masters, bukon ka kana" (Sister Masters, you are not american". THIS MADE MY WEEK. Oh happy day!!!!!! Apparently I can now speak pretty ok even in Tagalog.

2) I ate chicken skull and brain. That had no meat, just a mushy texture. I was disappointed.

3)I ate chicken feet, it was alright

4)Sister Peralta is one of the sisters here who has truly been a blessing and become a dear friend in a matter of days. On Tuesday I had exchanges with Sister Peralta where I am supposed to help train and help her learn, and I feel as though it was the other way around (Always seems to be that way which is humbling and should be as such). I learned from her the importance of teaching investigators better the reason for WHY they should be keeping the commitments we ask them to do such as reading the Book of Mormon and praying to know if it is true and if Joseph Smith is a prophet and if this is Christ's only church here on earth. I have learned to be more direct in that aspect and to teach repentance. She explained to the people and less actives we taught that repentance is a matter of becoming better than we were and changing by the 3 basic things we ask all people to do: to read the Book of Mormon, go to church and pray. My companion (Sister Doria) and I have been applying what I have learned from Sister Peralta and we were blessed to share the simplicity and joy of repentance and shared Alma's experience in Alma 38:8. I love Alma the Younger and I truly feel that if we read his experience and truly repent as he did, that joy of Christ's atonement will flow into our lives and we will be filled with peace. 

That was my week, we also met some new people and have new people to teach, but are working hard to find those the Lord has prepared to hear His gospel. 

I love you all. 

Take care, Halong and know that I love you and God loves you!

Love, Sister Masters

(Sister Peralta is wearing Tan, the one with the Elders is our District and the sisters are all in our cute little apartment)

Also I forgot to tell yall. Theres a joke Ive been saying that when they ask if I am american I say "Anak Araw ako" I am albino. hahahaha They die laughiing. Its pretty great. Also this is the poicture of me eating the chicken foot and the lovely members who fed us.