Survival + Healing + Patience = HAPPINESS

Happy Valentines Day! Still celebrating her favorite holidays.

Missionary Madi is adapting to her new area. She states that she walks around like a tourist looking at all the beauty around her. It is so beautiful where she is serving that she is still in awe. Her and Sister Mier have to travel from city to city until they are able to find an Internet cafe that is open and has Internet service functioning. This week on their Pday they were hoping that they would not need to travel as far to e-mail however they had to travel to Naval. Which is 36 Kilometers from her area (Cabucgayan). As the picture below depicts this is Missionary Madi's version of PARADISE!

Missionary Madi states she has never taught so many lessons in a week since serving a full time mission. She loves being able to share the gospel with all those who are excited to hear the message and are humble, receptive and eager to accept the gospel. VanVan got baptized on Saturday and Missionary Madi says it was the most spiritual baptism she has ever attended.

She is starting to pick up her third language Waray Waray. 

She states "it is so pangit (ug) but I am trying."

"I realized this week how much I learned in Cebu East. I learned there the blessings that come from being exactly obedient....the rules were easier in Cebu East so I followed them all and now that I am back here in military land I am still following them all and it has made a world of difference. I was never really that bad but I just take it all more seriously now. 
Heavenly Father truly just can't give us all the blessings unless we are obedient. No matter how much he wants to there has to be justice and we have to follow his commandments. All of them. Exact obedience truly does bring miracles."

Back in Tacloban Philippines Mission

Missionary Madi is back in Tacloban Philippines Mission. She is on Biliran Island in a place called Cabucgayan. It is very beautiful. When she first arrived in Tacloban it was a strong reminder of all that the missionaries have experienced. She was happy to see lots of people from America there helping to rebuild the homes, churches and provide clean up efforts in the city. We are happy for her and pray that she will be blessed to heal and continue to grow and serve the people of Leyte.

Missionary Madi's new stylish apartment. She has been super blessed with nice places to call her home. I am sure that she loves the pink detail on the stair cases. Looks like a princess should live here.

"It is so good to be back here in Tacloban and super surreal. It doesn't feel real at all. We got here yesterday morning at like 10 and went straight to the Tacloban chapel. Seeing all of the destruction again was pretty hard but after awhile you just go numb and it doesn't bother you anymore. There is improvement to it all though so that was nice to see :) I was so excited to see President and Sister Andaya and everyone else it was like going home. The chapel in Tacloban looks pretty good and there was heaps of white people there that are volunteering and doing service. I have never seen so many Americans here and they are mostly all members who are giving up their time to come and help out here. We are truly so blessed :)
- It's like I'm a newbie again back in here and I am so pumped for the work.

- This area is half Cebuano and half Waray Waray so I can understand half of what is going on. :)
- The church attendance here is up like 50 people.
- This place reminds me a lot of my first area.
- I feel the motivation and love for the work again already and I am so excited. |:)
I am truly just so happy. :) It's crazy that we are back and I am so thankful. In all of my prayers I just thank Heavenly Father for sending me back and I thank him for all the hard stuff that he made me go through. It sucked at the time but now I can see why I needed it and how  I have changed and learned so much from it.

Please keep us all in your prayers because as excited and happy as we all are we still need your help.  "

Farewell Cebu East

“Remember me and smile, for it's better to forget than to remember me and cry.”
― Dr. Seuss

Missionary Madi made the final decision to return to the Tacloban Philippines Mission. She was able to say her goodbyes to her Cebu East Mission Family and then was on a plane back to Manilla and then to Tacloban. It was bittersweet for Missionary Madi to leave. She loves her Polynesian sisters.

Missionary Madi will miss Elder and Sister Caycayan. This Senior Mission couple have offered lots of love and support to Missionary Madi. I am pretty sure that they were mindful of her struggles before she truly understood them herself. They were on Bohol Island with her. Missionary Madi was able to enjoy Thanksgiving in their home. Kramer Love to the Caycayon's!
Missionary Madi is leaving America (as she calls Cebu East) and that means she is also leaving McDonalds. Sad face for Sister Kramer - No more Micky D's. Last Day at MacDo.........

Pose of the Day!

 Missionary Madi got a package from home just in time prior to her departure. The best gift ever T Swift love. Looks like she added a little graffiti to sass up her look. Missionary Madi Antics!

Missionary Madi's last Sunday in Liloan. Arjie is getting baptized on Saturday. Happy that he has accepted the gospel. Sad that she will not be able to attend his baptism.

TYPHOON BASYUNG SURVIVOR- CAMOTES ISLAND

Typhoon Again! Is this possible? Missionary Madi was on a another Island when Typhoon Basyung hit the Philippines:
"We went on splits in Camotes (another island) that is so sick!!! That's what the pictures are from. It is beautiful there and we were there during that typhoon and it got hit really hard haha #typhoonsLOVEme we did alright though and I mostly just slept through it. I was so tired. I did wake up to the ceiling leaking on my face though and that was gross. So because of that we got stuck there for 3 days. 3 days of finding or exploring the island :) then we finally made it home on Sunday for church. It was a tiring week. I slept in my own bed once last week."

PEACE OUT! MISSIONARY MADI IS HEADED BACK TO THE TACLOBAN MISSION!

"So big news of the day is I got called back to Tacloban this morning and I will be leaving this Monday. I know that is really fast. I love it here in Cebu but I know that is time for me to go back. I'm not all better yet and I'm still having headaches but I am sleeping now :) a step of improvement. I don't know what area I will be going back to or who my comp is but I'm praying for Ormoc or pretty much anything than the other language of the mission."

Tacloban Philippines Mission Return Update Info

What up guys??

Its (p) day eve and I am here in the mission home emailing you fools because I am so pasaway (disobedient)!! jk. I am supposed to tell you guys this super nindot (cool) info about Tacloban Mission. idk why you guys cant just wait till ugma (tomorrow) but president told me to do this so I am listening to him. (I am so obedient now, you lucky parents)

 

1. We currently have the mission President and a former General Authority, Elder Ben Banks going to every apartment in the mission to determine if missionaries can return. They are checking on food, water, power, and condition of apartments.

2. We have returned  26 missionaries already. 20 more next week and probably another 20 the following week.

3. Our goal is to have the mission back together within 60 days.

4. We do not anticipate putting missionaries in the city of Tacloban at this time, but as conditions improve they will be slowly returned as conditions warrant.

5. If a missionary has feelings of trauma about returning, we are having them speak to our mental health advisor with the opportunity to remain in their current mission.

-Elder Nielson (the area President of phili)

Well. now you guys know as much as I do :) I will talk to you all tomorrow! Have a great sleep and if any of you get bored you could send me quotes/talks about the gift of tongues/spiritual gifts.

Sincerely,

Sister Madison Bailee Kramer

12 Months

What? No Way! Way! We cannot believe that Missionary Madi has been serving her full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for a YEAR! We dropped her off at the Provo Mission Training Center on January 30, 2013 at 1:00 PM. Hard to believe we actually SURVIVED! 

January 30, 2014 we celebrated her 
One Year Anniversary. 
Our numbers continue to dwindle as most of Missionary Madi's friends are also serving full time missions all over the world. 

Love and Admiration for this incredible girl! 

Such an Amazing Example of Sacrifice and Dedication.

BK & MK Understudies - JK & KK

Missionary Life is the Life for me.......

LIFE

IS NOT WAITING FOR

THE STORM TO PASS

BUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN

Missionary Madi has been able to travel to many new areas in Cebu. She loves all of the people and areas that she is able to see. Her super excitement this week was finding a 7 Eleven. She looks a little dazed by the whole prospect of actually finding one. These are the little things that make her happy.

"Monday we tried to go on splits in Camotes (another island) but the waves were too big so we couldn't. So we are going tomorrow. :) So instead we went to Bogo to go on the splits with the sisters there. Bogo is one of the places here on Cebu that was hit by the typhoon so I saw a lot of destruction up in there. Things looked pretty familiar mostly haha and I  think I handled it pretty well. I didn't cry or anything! :) I was just sad...maybe I wont die if I go back to Tacloban."