Tuesday, February 4, 2014

CarCar Week #9

The kids sure love the toys from Miss Allie Sue  :)
 
 
Hello everyone!

Last week after I emailed, we had a super fun zone activity at some waterfalls here in Carcar (Barili- elder's area) it was way fun. Sister Weller rented 2 jeepneys- one for the elders, and one for the sisters, and we all hopped on in and took the 45 minute drive to Barili! On the way we stopped at a dairy farm and got to have fresh ice cream. It was this super cute little place and they had cows, peacocks, etc. Then we went to the waterfalls and got to walk around, take pictures, etc. Sister Weller made pancit for us and it was a fun time to just be with all of the missionaries and have fun together! I love the Carcar zone. I have loved being here for my first 3 transfers. The missionaries here like to call it the "Carcar Dream Team". :)

Thursday we had interviews with President Schmutz. I absolutely LOVE President and Sister Schmutz! I was able to talk with President for about 30 minutes and receive counsel and advice from him too. President Schmutz is such a wonderful person. He has this unique ability to make every missionary feel like they are his favorite missionary. I loved the blessing he gave me too, I just can't say enough great things about the Schmutz's!
Yesterday I accidentally butt-dialed Sister Schmutz, and she immediately called back, within one minute. That just shows the kind of people they are. Loving and caring to all the missionaries.

Friday we had an apartment cleaning inspection by one of the office missionary couple, the Sommerfeldt's. I was super nervous that they were going to come in with white gloves and wipe dust haha but all they did was walk in, open the fridge, check all the rooms, took pictures, and left! They liked our apartment which was a huge relief. It is definitely a sisters' apartment with all of the decorations we have, and the air fresheners, etc. I love the Sommerfeldt's, they are from Draper so hopefully I will get to see them after I go home.

Saturday there was a baptism for a little boy, Joshua, from my first area, in Sibonga. Since there isn't a baptisimal font in Sibonga, they came to Carcar for the baptism. So I got to see a ton of people from my first area! I loved being able to see them, AND especially being able to talk to them! Something I couldn't do very well when I was there :) They were all telling me, "Oh! You speak Cebuano now!" That was way fun and it is fun to see how much I have changed since I came on my mission.

Sunday was a fun day. There were some young women who wanted to work with me. I can't believe that these 15 and 16 year old girls would want to work with the missionaries! :) But we brought Charisse since they are underage and we had a great time visiting a less active family and another less active sister who just moved here from Davao. The youth here in the Philippines are incredibly strong and they have such great testimonies. I loved being able to work with them and talk to them about serving a mission. So much fun.

The members here in Carcar are amazing and so willing to work with the missionaries. They are all so enthusiastic about missionary work! I was also able to work with Sister Weller this week, her first time going on splits. Also, the Weller Family went to SNR (Costco in the Philipines, in Lapu-lapu) and I gave them money to get me cinnamon rolls and CHERRY DR. PEPPER. Last night I told Sister Sepulveda, "I can't believe you can just walk into a grocery store in America and get these things!" I had a box of chicken alfredo from Mom and I ate it with rice... so I think I am definitely becoming a Filipina :)

Monday we were able to go on splits with the sister training leaders, Sister Neri and Sister Kaafi. Sister Neri is actually going home at the end of the transfer (next week) so I was probably one of the last sisters that she went on splits with! She is from Bohol, so pretty close to here, and I really need to work on my Cebuano, so for the whole time we were together I told her to just speak Cebuano, so she did! And we had a great time together, and I realized that my Cebuano is really improving because I didn't have much trouble saying the things I wanted to say. It's amazing the ways that Heavenly Father will bless us if we turn our lives over to Him.

I want to be remembered as a bold missionary and since I am pretty comfortable with the language and it is no longer a barrier, I am able to be more bold with the people. Something Sister Minguez would always do is she would take away cigarettes from youth who were smoking, and we would tell them how important and sacred their bodies are and turn it into a teaching opportunity. Well this week I took away 2 cigarettes from youth. And it was a great experience, for them too! We went back through their neighborhood a few days later and they weren't smoking and said they hadn't smoked since. So I was super happy about that.

Another bold thing I did this week was yesterday, when we went to visit a less active who didn't want to talk to us :) She saw us coming and closed the curtains of her window and I just went right up to the window and started talking to her because I knew she was inside. Then slowly she started to warm up to us. She opened the curtain and said she would just talk to me through the window. So we did that for a little while, and we sang an opening song and said an opening prayer through the window. THEN, she told us we could come inside, and told us that we were the only missionaries she has let inside her house in years. I can see her heart being softened and I am so thankful that we were able to teach her.

We had a less active family come back to church for the first time on Sunday. I've been working with them since I've been here in Carcar. The mom is so cute, she texted us and asked what manual we would be using for the lesson in relief society so that she could study. It's always great to see people come back to church, and they brought there 4 cute little kids too, who were so well behaved!

I was really happy this week when Sister Sepulveda told me that she now likes the color pink and painting her nails. Now if that isn't Sister Harris having an effect on someone, I don't know what is! :) Heavenly Father knew we needed this transfer together to make things right. I love my companion.

Transfer calls are on Monday, and transfers are next Thursday, so next week when I email I'll know if I'm staying here in Carcar another transfer or if I'm going somewhere else. There are only 2 incoming sisters this next transfer so I don't think the chances of me training will be very high, but you never know! Gotta be prepared always :) I know that whatever happens is Heavenly Father's plan for me and will be exactly what I need to grow even more.

Have a great week, and never forget how much I love you all!

Love, Sister Harris :)


Cute Family in CarCar

Elder Glines and other Elders in a Jeepney headed to waterfalls.

Our entire CarCar Zone at Waterfalls.

Best Ice-Cream Ever at this Milk Station!!

Me at the waterfalls.

Beautiful area and so much fun!!

At least we can get our feet wet!!

Me & Sis. Tueller, oh how I LOVE her!!

Paradise in the Philippines!!

Sis. Weller got me some much needed Cherry Dr. Pepper!!

Sisters riding in the jeepney headed to waterfalls.
 

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