Week 6

Just so you all know, it's week 6 of the transfer again... actually week 7. Week 6 ended yesterday. I'll let you all know on Monday what happens. I don't really like to talk about transfers...

Happy Valentines Day! We got a great present! 3 Baptisms on Saturday! It was awesome. They are these three great girls. They live really far away, and it's hard for us to go teach them, and it's hard for them to come to church. But they FINALLY got baptized on Saturday and confirmed yesterday!

We also got banned from one of the most beautiful places in Silay. It's a place called Adela. It's just little, but there's a less active family there, and a woman who has HUGE potential. We didn't do anything to be banned (don't worry we're obedient missionaries)... other than be missionaries. The man who owns the land is Catholic and doesn't want any other religions there... It's really sad for them, and for us... but it's also a good thing because we are always running to get to appointments. So that freed up our schedule a bit...

I met a Jedi. That's for all you Star Wars fans... Yes, I met a Jedi. I think he was 5. He was adorable.

Yesterday in one of our sacrament meetings, there was no pianist, so we were singing a cappella. The congregational hymn was Hope of Israel, and the way you sing a cappella here is the chorister sings the first line and says "ready sing" and then everyone sings. Well, the chorister didn't know the first line of the song... she started in the middle with the tune, but at the beginning with the words. It was hilarious. S. Fair spoke yesterday so we were sitting on the stand and I was just thinking, this is so wrong! what's going on?? Everyone was kind of mumbling to themselves... All of a sudden, Sister Fairweather and I just burst out in song... very loudly. You should have seen the looks on everyone's faces! It was really funny cause we basically did a duet at the beginning of every verse because they kept messing up... I'm not going to lie, I miss singing in my student ward...Also, yesterday... we split (sort of, for like 2 appointments). That was interesting, but a good experience. I feel like I am now in the same place I was in Tagalog when I left the MTC. So... yeah, except now it's Ilanggo. :) Yay!

Anyway, that's all for this week!

I love you all! The church is true!Love, Sister Jennie Adams

Life is just better in Jodys and braids

Ok, so we have these planners. Each Planner is a transfer and a transfer is 6 weeks. I just turned to week 6 in my planner. I'm not ready for this... I told Sister Fairweather that I refused to continue on to the 6th week of the transfer... but we have to. I just can't believe the time has flown so fast! I basically only have a year left! Ahhh! The language is coming... sort of. anyway...

The other day I was called tambok again, but this time, the lady was like, "well you're not so fat... fatso!... you're not fat... just chubby-chubby" It's ok though, cause if that was true, my clothes wouldn't fit anymore... and they still do, so we're good. But I wasn't wearing a Jody that day... so I decided life just goes better when I am (they are looser than a skirt and shirt). And the braids that make me look 16 are the easiest way to do my hair. So yeah, I definitely don't look like a missionary that would serve there (with my braids and bright dresses), but hey, I'm not serving there! I'm loving it here! I hope you all are doing well!

Love Sister Jennie Adams

Maguba Sia

(It broke)That is to say: My Mission broke. Yep, they’re dividing the Philippines Bacolod mission into two. There will be a new mission that is Panay and Guimharas. And Negros Occidental will be the new Philippines Bacolod Mission. Effective July. Lots of missionaries are going to be reassigned. And no one knows where they’ll be going. Sister Fairweather doesn’t have to worry about it because she goes home in June. But I am not going home in June… I have like 8 months after June. Personally, I feel like I’ll be going to Panay… but lantaw lang (~just have to see). This is a good change…

Also, I found the best thing in the Philippines! Mangos! Or mga Mangga (depending on what language you speak)… And guess what. I also found the only thing in the world I’m allergic to… Mangos. They, unfortunately, make my throat itch. But not if I eat something like bread right after… so I will continue to eat mangos, the best fruit in the Philippines.

I totally forgot to tell about Sister Fairweather in my last letters. Her name is Sister Sarah Fairweather. She is from New York. (close to New York City). She is the youngest of 3 and I’m teaching her to love the idea of being a mom . She was Sister Grant’s first companion and she’s hilarious. I love it! President told me we would be together for a few months (which means at least 2 transfers...). But I’m not sure if I want to get excited about that yet… we’ll see if it really happens. I hope so. Note: It’s fun to be with an American! But we get ripped off a lot more than if I were with a Filipina… hmm, maybe it’s payment for the fun I’m having…

So we had Zone Conference last week. The conference was good :) But at lunch afterwards, an elder that was in my district last transfer saw me and said, “Sister Adams, tambok ka na!” That means, “Sister Adams, you’re fat now!” Yep. It means something different here… I think. We’ll just say it does because I don’t really like being called fat. It’s actually funny… if you translate any conversation in Ilanggo to English, its way weird. You just don’t say the same kind of things to people in English. I hope I don’t come home and start telling people that they are fat…

There’s this place in our area called Patag. We REALLY want to go. However… When other missionaries went, they didn’t get permission. And President said we can’t go. If he changes his mind, I’ll definitely let you know and send pictures!

I am now sporting sticks in my ears. They’re made out of coconut. And I wear them because it’s the cool thing to do if you’re an American missionary who may or may not wear Jodys… speaking of Jodys… I just went today to a place and they’re going to make me 3 new Jodys… then I’ll have 7, one for each day of the week. I’m excited.I'm so busy. We plan like every second, even on p-day. It's fun to stay busy, but sometimes I just want to sit and relax...

Ok, Spiritual:We have this AWESOME family. The Dad has a hard time reading, but he does it anyway. He takes the pamphlets to work and studies them. And after he went to church the first time, he said "why don't they teach the same thing there as you taught?" (apparently they were going into some deep 'doctrine' in Gospel Doctrine class... we sent him to gospel principles yesterday) They are very prepared for us and I'm SO excited to see this family progress :)

To friends who have written me:I’m sorry I haven’t responded to ANY of your letters. I will, I promise. But I’ve got no time today… Just be satisfied with this blog message for now… You'll get letters, I promise.

p.s. just another reminder: it is VERY important that if you send a package of any kind, to put religious pictures on it... it's less likely to get stolen or opened and more likely to make it to me :)

Love always, Sister Adams

Sister Adams and some future missionaries

Camping and Camping

So before I left on my mission, I knew I would be camping while I was here. Here's something I didn't realize:

I'm here camping. The people here are also camping. But there's a difference here. I'm camping in an RV. They are camping in the woods with a tarp draped over a rope. I'm only here for 16 months. They live here their whole lives. I am so incredibly blessed. (note: they don't actually live under tarps and I don't live in an RV. It's just a comparison)

It's been a great week! We went to a place called Adela. It looks really beautiful on the outside, but I was kind of expecting same old same old on the inside. But when we went in we really wanted to find a way to live there... It was SO beautiful. Actually Sister Rellora wanted to go there, but we never had time. We found lots of people. It's like a little hidden community. And I'm excited to go back there because it's so beautiful and the people there seem receptive. More on that...

So... I don't have much else to say. I love you all! The Church is true!

Love Sister Jennie Adams

Dear President

Haha, that's the line of the week. You know, new companion and all. We joke a lot and it's fun. But I'm learning a lot too :) I hope that we get to be together for another transfer (fingers crossed).

A few experiences from this week:We are teaching lots of people. I want to tell you about 3...First, there's Lorfely. She's deaf. Sister Rellora knows sign language... but she's in Panay. S. Fair and I went to her once and it was rough... Anyway, soon, there will be 2 blonde americans in the Philippines learning sign language together.

And then there's Garen. He's like 30. And VERY educated about the Bible. He met the missionaries at a clinic and he said they could come and share. It turns out HE was the one sharing and we didn't really say much. We're going to go back one more time and see what happens, but it was a very interesting experience.

And last there's the Gallo (Galyo) family. We taught them once and left 3 Nephi 11 and when we came back and asked about what he read, he described not only chapter 11, but 12 as well. AND when we asked him to read aloud, it was evident that reading was not very easy for him... so we're REALLY excited about teaching this family! The only hard thing for them will be coming to church. (their house is about the same size as my room at home... and they live kinda far away)

Ok, it has rained for like 5 days straight! Ulan! It won't stop! Yesterday, we walked in the rain and when we got at the investigator's house, I was DRENCHED. Haha, it was awesome. We also went jogging in the rain. And because of the rain, the river that we have to wade to get to an investigator's house was swollen... but they have baptismal dates, so we had to go to them... That was an adventure and there are pictures to go with it.

That's all for this week! Love you all!

Love, Sister Jennie Adams

Sister Adams, Sister Grant, Sister Stadler