It's More Fun in the Philippines:
- The storms last week were absolutely insane, and we came home soaking wet everyday. Fortunately those storms have now stopped and the hot sun has come back out. SO we are still coming home soaked each night, but it is due to sweat instead of rain.
- The Tagalog here has quite a few differences from the Tagalog that I am used to. People here in Batangas have different accents, which changes pronunciation of certain words and even involves using a few words that are brand new to me. I have adjusted quickly, and I'm doing my absolute best to copy the accents of the natives here. Pretty soon I'll be speaking like I grew up here hehe.
- The water hates us in our new apartment. We woke up Thursday morning to a small flood inside our house due to leaking water coming from our fridge. And then later that night we came home to no water in the house. Apparently we didn't pay our water bill, so our water was shut off haha. We ended up showering at our neighbors house instead.
Someone we are teaching recently went through a very difficult hardship. Their 6 year old daughter passed away due to Dengue Fever. This little girl was always so happy to see us and of course we were so happy to see her. She is deeply missed by us, and even more so by her family. We have been going back to the family often to support them through this trial, and each time we visit the father opens up to us about the pains he is experiencing. He described to us that he always cared for his daughter and did all he possibly could to protect her and keep her healthy. But even with everything he did for his daughter, he says, "A little mosquito was all it took to kill my daughter."
This father is going through a trial that outweighs all other trials I have ever experienced. As I look back I realize that my life has been all in all without any large hardships. Everything in my life seems to work out for the better. Even the small difficulties I have encountered have ultimately just been hidden growing experiences for me. I feel a great deal of sympathy for this man and his family, but I also feel Hope in the plan that Heavenly Father has created for us. Trials are often difficult to accept and endure, but they are ultimately there for our growth.
WEEKLY CHALLENGE: I testify that God has a plan for you, and it does not end at death. We can enjoy the peace that comes from Hope even in our hardest trials, and I know that God will not leave us comfortless IF we seek his support. Because of the plan of our Heavenly Father and the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ "we may Hope and be assured that the ending of the book of our lives will exceed our grandest expectations."
Explore the following videos and put your Hope in God:https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media-library/video/2013-05-009-a-mothers-hope?category=topics/hope&lang=eng
Ether 12:6
Elder Hemmert
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| A picture of the meeting house that the sisters go to for church |
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| Elder Curtis trying to avoid getting wet in the flooded alleys of our area |
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| The view of the ocean from the home of someone we are teaching |
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| a little girl that asked if she could have my keychain, so I gave it to her |
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