Sunday, June 10, 2012

Letter home June 10, 2012


June 10, 2012

Pamilya Ko,

            Let me say this now before I forget.  Call my 2 wonderful grandmas and tell them how much I love them. and look up to them as examples of mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends.  They are 2 great mga halimbawa (examples).

            When I get home and start testifying of something's truth when it is something silly like Swan Princess you need to say, "Oh, Sister Newman, your missionary is showing." (say that like on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, oh toodles).  Remember, it's mahalaga (important)!

            Today my companion was sick in bed so I have spent pretty much the entire day up here with her and because we were learning about the atonement today I decided instead of being in bed I would study.  So, I studied the atonement for hours and hours today.  It was awesome!  I read part of Jesus the Christ.  Incredible!  I learned new things and remembered stuff too.  It was pretty awesome and it made me feel accomplished.

            On Friday I had a flippin' awesome experience.  We taught Randy and we thought it went alright.  We felt pretty good afterward so that was good, but I didn't think much of it until our teacher was doing personal interviews with us and the end of the interview when he asked if I had any other concerns and I just told him that I am still having a really hard time with the language.  I think/hope I am getting easier to understand, but it is still so far from where I should be.

            He then asked if I believed in the gift of tongues and if I believed it was happening to me.  I said yes I believe in the gift of tongues & after some thought I added that I believe I am receiving it because there is no way I could have learned this much without it.  That is when he proceeded to tell me something very special.

            He said, "Sister Newman, I don't know if you noticed this in your lesson with Randy tonight, but you knew there was something you needed to tell him and for a good 5 minutes you spoke in perfect Tagalog.  As your teacher I was surprised.  As Randy I was astonished & amazed that this silly American girl was all of a sudden speaking perfect Tagalog."  I replied, "Talaga!?" (really!?)  "Yes, so the gift of tongues is real and when the spirit needs to say something through you (If you keep working hard and being obedient) he will be able to."

            That was the coolest most nicest thing a teacher could have ever told me.  I felt so good.  It was humbling and wonderful.  My Savior is looking out for me even when I don't realize it.  Pretty cool, huh?

            On Thursday we committed Dennis to be baptized.  WOW!  That was cool.  We really need to ask Randy if he will be baptized.  That is very important to do.

            I have to tell you about the cockroaches.  Brother Doolin told us his cockroach story, well one of them, and if I don't come home it is because I have been eaten alive by those massive flying monsters of disgusting death!  Anyway, he and his 1 month missionary trainee came home after a hard day of work and were going to kneel down to pray when Elder Doolin saw a roach crawling on the counter.  He said "Wait a minute", went over, pulled off his shoe & smashed it.  Went back to pray, another one came! "wait," go, shoe, smash, "wait," go, shoe, smash, "wait," go, shoe, smash, etc. So he decides to see where they are coming from.  He opens the bathroom door and slowly closes it.  "Elder, we have a problem!"  There were 20 roaches in the bathroom.  NOT little American roaches.  We are talking cell phone size roaches from hellllllllllllo!  HUGE! Plus, they fly!  Plus, THEY BITE! (I don't want to die mommy!).  Anyway, they made a plan to take the pesticide (a neurotoxin) and spray, spray, spray, close the door, spray, spray, spray, slam! RUN!  All these roaches came scurrying under the door jerking and flying and gross until they dropped dead. (but they were still gross).  36 cockroaches the size of Nathan's little flip phone he uses as an alarm.  Oh crap!  That is gross.  I am going to die!  Especially when I wake up one morning with one on me.  Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww! YUK!

            And, R.O.U.S.'s (for those of you not familiar with Princess Bride this stands for Rodents of Unusual Size).  They do exist.  In the Philippines.  And! Spiders the size of giant man hands, those too.

            Wish me luck.  Pray for me.  Mahal ko kayo (I love you all) magdasal araw-araw (pray everyday).  Mahalaga ang panalangin (prayer is important).

Mahal (love),

Sister Brittany Nichole Newman

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