Monday, February 10, 2014~Week 26
Quezon City; 1:47 PM Mon (PH); 10:47 PM Sun (US)

Happy Valentine's Day my beautiful, wonderful family and friends! Today is kind of a cool date because 4 years ago today, Nick went into the MTC to serve his mission in Russia! And in one year from tomorrow, I'll be home!! Craaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy! PLUS! Friday is not only Valentine's Day, but it's MY 6 MONTH MARK!!!!! I can't even believe it honestly. I have no idea how I've already been out here for 6 months. Sometimes it feels like an eternity that I've lived here, and sometimes it feels like I just stepped out of the car and shook hands with Brock and Sam at the MTC. I don't really understand time here on my mission. It's like time doesn't exist. It's just like a schedule without time. Get up, study, work, teach, plan, sleep, repeat. Hahaha I don't know if this makes any sense but I would just like to convey that time does not exist when you're a missionary! Yung lang.

TODAY!

Tibs Today!

Sooo I had a HannsBoNanns moment last Tuesday. I was reaching for something underneath our staircase and when I stood up, I stood up REALLY fast and then the back of my head hit the edge of the staircase SOOOOOOOOO HARD. It honestly dazed me for a second and then the pain set in and I just crunched up into a ball and sat there rocking back and forth for like 5 minutes. I wasn't crying though. It hurt too much to cry. Haha so that happened and it hurts to this day but it's on the mend! There was no blood so I consider that a successful bump. I'm excited for the next life because my head won't be so lopsided anymore from all the times I hit my head! And then Thursday I was sick all day. I had body malaise and the biggest headache ever and a weird sharp pain in my side. It was a long day. But then we went to dinner at the Dulalia's and she gave me some medicine to help with the headache and the body malaise and the sharp pain and it worked! Haha I'm doing okay now! So there's my sick stories for the week!

I forgot to tell you.
We had to reorganize our room because they
wanted everyone's desks to be facing each other.
So this is our room now!

My Happy Wall

So I'm super super excited because our investigator Arnel, Jenie's husband, has been coming to church every week and he's really really receptive to everything that we share with him and when he doesn't understand something or wants to know more, he asks! Which is something a lot of people don't do! He really understands that being baptized is a sacred ordinance and he truly wants to be ready for it. He's doing everything that he can to understand the gospel and gain a testimony for himself! It's so amazing! This is basically the first time that I've really had an investigator who has such a strong desire to learn and understand the gospel. His baptism is on March 8 and he's so excited! And so are we! It's my first real CONVERT baptism and I'm stoked! I'm glad that he'll be able to be baptized before I leave! And Jenie! Jenie is soooooo happy! Ah! THIS is the best part about being a missionary! Is watching the gospel take root in people's lives and give them true happiness and joy that can't be found anywhere else! It's just so so amazing and I feel so blessed to be able to experience this as a missionary! There's nothing else like it in the world!

Somewhere in Kaingin

As far as the rest of the week goes, it was pretty normal! The Kaingin sacrament meeting was stupendous! 42 saints were there! What a blessing and a miracle! I can't believe how much this ward and area has grown since I got here!

Our "little" group in the mountain!
It started out so small and look at it now!
It's a miracle!

Future Missionaries!

Priesthood Power!

This is me in the Kaingin sacrament meeting
yesterday DYING because it
was SOOOOO hot!

I LOVE being a missionary! There are ups and downs and sometimes the downs really hit hard, but the ups are ALWAYS there directly after to lift you back up and I end up forgetting the downs anyway! If you were to ask me if there was something sad about yesterday, I wouldn't be able to answer you. But if you were to ask me about something happy from yesterday, I could give you an entire list! I have a testimony that the Lord blesses us with added strength to overcome our hardships here in the mission. No matter what they are. I've seen it in other missionaries and I've experienced it first hand. I'm so grateful for this opportunity that I've had to be a missionary for these past 6 months and I'm so lucky that I still have 12 more! Missionary work is the greatest work!

I hope that you all have a LOVELY Valentine's Day on Friday! Eat some chocolate and smell some roses and sing some love songs and hug lots of people and don't kiss people unless you're married to them and just feel the LOVE!! I LOVE all of you so so much! I miss ya tons.....but not too much! Thanks for everything! Thanks for all the support and the prayers and the LOVE! You're all the greatest!! MAHAL KO PO KAYONG LAHAT!!!! LOVE YOUUUUUU!!!!!

LOVE, Sister Andersen