Ok so these are not pics of my birthday but those are coming I promise.  I want to thank everyone for their emails and birthday wishes.  You all made this the best email day ever.  And Elder Green made this the best p-day ever when he called this morning to tell us that we are not getting transferred!!!  We are so happy!  It doesn't get better than this.  Sister Loreto is the best companion ever for me right now!!!  We are growing so much together.  She will actually go home after this transfer so I will hopefully be here for a long time in this area.  I would love that.  I really love the people here and want to stay to help them.  But because we are not being transferred it means we are not going to transfer meeting which might mean that I won't get my birthday packages until the 21st.  I don't know quite yet if our Elders will be nice and bring them back for me or not.

   Mom,  I need you to email me copies of easy Christmas hymns to be able to sing as a zone at Christmas conference and I need them in my email to be printed before Monday.  Please and thank you.

 Mom and Dad,  I think it would be a really awesome idea for you all as a family to have personal and companionship study.  even just 15 minutes would bring everyone closer to each other and closer to the lord.  Suggestion lang.

  Lilly and McKayla,   Have you two thought of getting your patriarchal blessings yet.  If not, you should.

"We are commanded by God to take this gospel

 to all the world.  That is the cause that must unite

 us today.  Only the gospel will save the world from

 the calamity of its own self destruction.  Only the 

gospel will unite men of all races and nationalities

 in peace.  Only the gospel will bring joy, happiness,

 and salvation to the human family".

                                          -President Ezra Taft Benson

He didn't say just missionaries, did he.  It is the cause that must unite US.  Let us all get our there and start inviting others to come unto Christ.

 

And two funny stories for you all.  First off is that on Saturday we saw three Really Freaky Clowns on a tryc and because I am an American of course I stand out and they start making weird faces and cat calling me.  ...  Clowns are not good.  I know it is true.  Whether they happen to come in our dreams, at circuses, or half way around the world in the Philippines...they are kinda creepy...  But oddly enough I quite enjoy them at rodeo's..

  

And my second story is that one of our investigators was floored when we told her for the second time that I am from America.  she said and I quote (in English because most of you wouldn't understand the tagalog and then what would be the point of telling the story),  "I thought she was born in America,  yes, but I thought she moved to Cebu and was living there before her mission. Isn't that right Sister Newman, you've lived in the Philippines."   I of course said no because I couldn't lie we just taught her the 10 commandments and how awkward would that have been.  So she told me I am very good at tagalog for only being in the Philippines for a little over 5 months.  ...  It made me feel pretty good, but I know it is only because I have the Lords help.  He fills my mouth everyday.