Anyhoo, for all those who are worried about me and how i'm doing, ayaw kabaraka! (don't worry!) I'm actually doing great. Yes, things are different and I've been experiencing a lot of change, but I really feel happy. I have no doubt in my mind that this is where the Lord needs me to be right now. I can feel the influence of Satan trying to pull me down and get me discouraged or distracted, but I know I am his target right now, after all I've been through. Because I can testify that I know there are still miracles today, he wants to prevent me from sharing the gospel. I know that God gave me these experiences for a reason---so I can bear powerful testimony that I KNOW God will deliver us as we put our trust in Him. He is a God of miracles, of mercy. He will never leave us comfortless. There are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason. I know that He is mindful of us always. There is a plan of happiness for each one of us. All we have to do is act and follow it. I feel happier than ever, strangely, seeing the gospel in action.
My companion is Sister Zamora from Butuan mission, Mindanao, Philippines. She's a dancer and she loves to sing. She is a recent convert of five years now and she's the only active member in her family. I'm senior companion, so I'm her follow up trainer! She just barely finished her 12 weeks. She's a fireball with lots of energy and spirit. Love her. She doesn't know much English, so she was nervous to get a foreigner companion. I told her that I want to be a Filipina and that I can more or less understand Cebuano. She gave me the biggest hug and speaks almost straight Cebuano to me ever since. So I'm catching on really fast to the language. My mind is blown away at how much I can remember from the MTC, especially since I don't have my notes or study materials anymore. I'm able to teach and have conversations already in Cebuano. It was hard to switch all my "H"s to "S"s and all the pronouns and stuff, but it's easily to switch when i can just copy what I hear all around me. The best way to learn is to mimic.
My new area is in Car-Car, about an hour bus ride south of Cebu. It's gorgeous bukid all around the city, and it's fairly near the ocean. I'm the first foreigner in my area (this area is newly reopened). Everyone is so shocked that I can speak Bisaya and people gather around me to hear me speak, haha. Which is perfect when I go finding! Also, there's a lady in my ward, Sister Mildred, who can speak Waray2x!! So we speak to each other only in our secret language and everyone else gets upset because they can't understand. It's pretty funny.
Also, sorry to everyone that wrote me letters in the past month or two. I got them and responded, but now they're gone. . . so everyone email me their addresses so I can write you all back! :)
Sorry this is so short. . . I've been trying to read all the emails that i've gotten. Next week! I love you all!
Sister Smith
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| The B family |
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| Sis Zamora and I |
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