Week 3

MAAYONG BUNTAG, EVERYBODY!!!!!

This week has been really awesome!! I'll give you a little catch up from last week.....So Sister Rodahl, who is going to Bacolod, Philipppines, had a bone marrow biopsy last Monday. Her health hasn't really been her friend since arriving at the MTC 7 or 8 weeks ago. She should have left last week with her branch, but health would not let her. So she is now our new companion! WE ARE A TRIO NOW!! She is from Idaho and is the biggest sweet heart I have ever met! The first two days after her surgery she was really week and stayed in the residence hall, we all took shifts of staying with her. To make sure that she was safe and had enough meds in her system. She is such a trooper!! Through all the pain that she is going through she has remained so strong! Her testimony as well, is amazing. She knows this gospel front and back! Every minor detail, she knows it! It's really cool! She doesn't gloat about it either, which makes it all that more awesome! She will be in our companionship for about another week or so. She is speaking Hiligaynon, and has trouble understanding our class sometimes. But, she is meant to stay back for a reason. What it is, I haven't come to know yet. But, I know it is for something BIG! Either to help and bless us or that there is someone in the Philippines, who isn't ready for her!

Have any of you seen The Best Two Years??? Well, there is a scene where a character, Elder Calhoun, talks to someone who is apparently speaking German. He asks his companion what language that was, his response was that it was German, Elder Calhoun's response, "That's not the language they taught me in the MTC!!" Whelp, that's what's going to happen to me! I won't be speaking Cebauno. No one going to the Tacloban Mission is! Hahahah, we will be speaking Waray-waray. Which in translation, means nothing.... Hahahah :) The grammar is the same as cebuano, just the verbs are different. There is two dialects that we will be learning. Waray-waray H and Waray-waray- I! So I will come back speaking a whole bunch of stuff!! Our teachers speak Tagolog too! So there is a bunch that I will be learning! WE also found out that blue eyes in the Philippines.... means demon. So the kids will see you and just yell, DEMON!! in whatever language they speak. And that 30 seconds later, they will be attacking you to take a picture on your camera and to hold your hand and to talk to you! Hahahah, I couldn't be more excited!! The Philippines sounds more and more enticing everyday!

Hahahaha, So I keep forgetting to share this story! Elder Muir told it to us the first day here! He told us at dinner that he is blind in half of right eye. Your first question automatically, is How? How did that happen? So, I ask him. His response, and I kid you not (Jayne you will get a kick out of this, and anyone who has seen a failed video attempt) "Soooo, you know those elastic work out bands??" Bahahahah!! I laughed so hard right after he said this!! And that's how me and Elder Muir became friends! :) So he ans his cousin were stretching it across their living room,s seeing as far as it would go. You know, normal 12 year-old boy stuff! And his cousin let go and it pelted him right in the eye!! His pupil will now change shape because of it! Randomly it will be a triangular shape! Hahah, It's wicked!

Easter Sunday in the MTC was amazing!! We are at 3,000+ missionaries!! And for Easter Sunday, we had one MASSIVE sacrament meeting! The sacrament was passed to 3,000+!!!! Crazy right?!?! Someone call Guinness World Records!! Well, we're no Vatican, so scratch that actually! :) We had the presiding Bishop and his wife speak to us, Bishop Gereld Causse, he and his wife are from France. So there should be a line above some of the vowels in his name. Anywho, their talks were amazing! truly awesome!!! They shared their testimony of the Atonement.... He truly did live! I have no doubt in my mind that he didn't. Or that he didn't take upon all or hardships and trials or that he isn't the one person who can truly say, "I know how you feel." He OFFERED up Himself fro the job. He was given this job before he came down to this earth and know it's outcome at age 12. /he sacrificed his life, out of love, for all of us. So that we may all be able to live eternally with our Father in Heaven once more! Love is one of the greatest inheritnce' we could receive from our Father in Heaven. He loves us so much that He wants us to be like Him. In doing so, We had to receive a body and be tested. But the Atonement was key in our returning to Him. Without Christ overcoming death and being resurrected, we would not be able to see them again! No one would be able to live eternally! The shepherds knew of the saviors birth and told everyone! The two Mary's knew of His resurrection and told everyone! Bishop Causse said, "Come. Go. And see Jesus. And you will know that He lives." We know that our Savior lives, or else why would there be 3,000+ missionaries in here? We want others to know of this truth so that they may come to have the glory of everlasting life! Valerie Causse said something little funny and something that should be in a MormonAd. We are super heroes, like in the cartoons. But unlike the powers of flight or of ultimate strength, we have the power of the Holy Ghost. To hear the promptings the Lord would have us to and perform miracles in others lives!

Two Elders from the district next door, Johnson-from west jordan and Morley-from New Zealand, have welcomed themselves into our district family. They just pop in all the time and chill with us! So we are all a big family! Jersey Shore-Mormon style, ya know?! :) hahah Cynthia, I know you will appreciate that:) Last night after devotionals we went and grabbed food and sat outside and talked story and ate a bunch of candy, fasting was really hard! They didn't let us eat all day! not until 5:30! SO we had a glorious feast for dinner and BOXES of candy and junk for our dessert! It was awesome!

I love it here so much, and I know that this is really what I have been needing to do with my life! From day one! I love this gospel and have no doubts that it is true! And I am SOOOO excited to be able to share that with the people of the Philippines. The Good News Church, right Dad?? Hahaha :) I love you all so  much and I hope that all is well with everybody! Please, keep me up to date with your lives! I love hearing from all of you!!

YOUR FAVORITE MISSIONARY

  SISTER BRAY