Day 292 Allen, Philippines Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Sooooooooo I pretty much love this zone. Cuz we go to the beach every
week for p-day! Catarman is the prettiest zone. :) Sorry there were no
pictures last week. The internet goes crazy sometimes here so we go to
a different internet shop each week. This is a really good place this
week! yeah!

As far as health wise, I'm doing great. (except, i think i've
developed an addiction to homemade peanut butter. . . but I'm staying
healthy when everyone else in my apartment has been sick like twice
already.) I think I've stayed about the same weight my whole mission,
but maybe dropped a kilo or two. Ambot (not sure).

Yeah i got to go to a Relieft Society thingy tooo! We all wore aprons
made by a lady in our ward and each ward performed dances and then we
played games and stuff after the program. What did you all do in Utah?

I miss scones.

Tell Ari I say hi!!! ;) :) :)

Soooooo, Mom, don't worry buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut, I love motorcycles!!! We
rode hubble-hubble (that's what they call it here) to our zone
activity last week (Cabacungan beach-----we call it Caba-kwankwan). We
fit 5 people on one motorcyle; it's an oversized motorcyle so there's
room. :) That beach was gorgeous; tons of coral, shells, white sand,
and giant volcanic rocks to climb on. And then today, we went to Life
of Spice Beach which is also super gorgeous. I found some starfish and
a flatworm. . . Then we played volleyball and badminton on the beach.
:)

This past Sunday was our ward conference and then we attended a
funeral of an elderly man who lives in the bukid. I arranged a little
something for the ward choir and a lot of people actually
participated! I love our ward. One of the members feeds us white
sliced bread and ice cream because "that's what white people eat."
hahahahaha! But for reals, I love this ward. Actually, I met an elder
in the MTC who is from this town! And I'm teaching his sister in law!
He is currently serving in Ogden, Utah. We basically switched places.

Also, President Andaya is trying something new: for the wards with
more than one set of missionaries, there are no area boundaries! So
basically we can go to their area and they can come to theirs and we
can focus on the women of the ward more easily. It's working out
really well so far. Our investigators have hit some road blocks since
we just found out their marriage wasn't legal, so we're trying to work
that out, but the people are generally receptive here. We've had a lot
of success, especially with returning less-actives. :)

Hey, are you all doing personal study everyday? I know you already do
family scripture study, but it's amazing how much you can learn just
on your own. That's how we're able to gain personal revelation and
strength. Since on my mission, I've been particularly interested in
the Plan of Salvation, especially the pre-existence. Why were we
placed in the circumstances we are in now? How did people become noble
and great? What is the election of grace? The more I've found answers
to my studies, the more I realize who I really am, who our Father in
Heaven is, and what a miracle it is that it is even possible to become
like Him!

I know we all carried over our spiritual and divine capacities into
this life depending on our righteousness before this life. But that
doesn't mean that we don't have the same opportunity to act. We have
been given equal opportunity to use our agency based on the knowledge
we have obtained in this life.

I love you all and pray for you all like crazy! :)

Lots of love,
Sister Amanda Smith