Sister Harris // Philippines Cebu Mission: Welcome to Bacong‏

Hello to all of my dear family and friends from the little quaint province of Bacong! Kamusta mo? First of all, I think this week I hit the record for the most emails I've received in one week (40+) so thank you so much for everyone who emailed me and for all of your love and support :)

It was really hard to leave Labangon, but I am really happy that I have the chance to serve here in Bacong. My companion is Sister Kiley Sue McCann and she is from Pleasant View, Utah...she went to Weber High and we are having all sorts of fun talking about things back home. She's been out a year. It's my first time having an American companion in 7 months, but it's been so easy and fun and stress free so far. I'm excited to see the miracles we can work together here this transfer :)

Last Wednesday after I emailed, we didn't even really take a p-day because I had so many people to say goodbye to...and it was really hard to say goodbye to everyone in Labangon because all of the people there have become like my family! We pushed saying goodbyes right up until curfew at 9:00...at 8:45 we stopped by the church because I knew the youth were there and we took pictures with them and said goodbye, and I decorated Labangon Ward's bulletin board with tons of pictures from my time there and all of the baptisms and stuff.

Thursday morning at 8:30 I left but I was even saying goodbyes that morning too. We had members wanting to meet me and give me food and things for the boat ride which was nice and sweet :)

The whole travel from Cebu to Dumaguete and then to Bacong took about 6 hours. We rode a bus to the bottom of Cebu Island and then got on a ferry boat to Dumaguete and I got to go through my first two areas on the bus ride through Cebu which made for some super sentimental times thinking about when I served in Sibonga and CarCar. Just wish I could've seen all the people I love from those areas :)

Bacong is really a province and it's so much different from the city, but I LOVE IT. It reminds me soo much of my first area in Sibonga but it's just on a different island. My first area was in the bukid (rural) and my last area is bukid :) I love it, I am so happy and so thankful to serve here in Bacong because it's like I can actually handle serving in a bukid area now being on the mission longer haha. We don't have a church building (just like in Sibonga) we have the cutest tiniest little meetinghouse. I've never felt so much love in such a tiny little meetinghouse. The members are super close and the missionary work here is doing great, the branch president is wonderful and everyone has just loved me and welcomed me right in since the first day.

The work here is really going great and so much different than the city too. Everyone is so laid back and stress free here, they live such simple lives and are always at home. We teach so many lessons on the spot because people are just always at home and let us right in. The Cebuano is a little bit different here but that just means I'll come home with a really cool accent in February :)

We had a baptism on Friday for a little half black half filipina girl named Julia. She is super sassy and reminds me of Allie. The baptisimal font in Bacong is outside the meetinghouse. It was definitely a different baptism but something I'll never forget. So much love for little Julia!! It was a great day.

I love my companion, I love my area, I love the investigators and members here, and I am soooo blessed and so happy to be a missionary at this time. Now I need to reply to all of you! :) I love you all and thank you so much for everything :)

Love, Sister Joslyn Harris