Replacements

Missionary Madi was excited to get to go on splits with the new batch of missionaries who have just arrived in the Philippines Tacloban Mission! As Missionary Madi and her batch prepare to leave and return to their various lives and homes all over the world. There is a new group of incredible missionaries ready and willing to continue the lords work in the Philippines.

  "It was so fun to see how pumped they were for missionary work"!

The Missionaries colored with the Primary children on Sunday.

Missionary Madi found Harry Potters room under the stairs. 

Sister Pike - Until We Meet Again

Sister Pike was in Missionary Madi's batch at the Provo, Utah Missionary Training Center. She has had health issues throughout her mission. President Andaya finally told her enough. Time to go home sweet, valiant sister. Missionary Madi does not like the reality of going home so this stirred up some sad emotions of her mission also coming to an end. Sister Pike knew she had served her Heavenly Father well and bid a adieu to her missionary family in the Philippines Tacloban Mission.

"Breaking news! My batch Sister Pike went home :/ It's so sad. She has been sick her whole mission and so president told her last week she just needed to go home. She hated the idea but prayed about it and she is gone now. I was so freaked out. It's sad she won't be going home with us but Heavenly Father obviously had another plan for her. Sooooo weird to see your batch going home especially when she was pumped."

ALL OUR SWEETEST HOURS FLY FASTEST

RATS! EEEEEEKKKKKKK!

Missionary Madi and Sister Duke have a slight problem with RATS! I can promise you all that this "slight" problem would have been a "HUGE" problem a year or so ago. The best part of all of this is how Missionary Madi  nonchalantly states "So obvy I have rats again. Our apartment is infested...so nasty". Again! What? She spares us most of the gory details or is truly so accustomed to them that she fails to mention them. The living conditions that these American girls have come to accept is unbelievable. They just figure out the best way to be affected the least by each new situation and move on (or rooms in this case).

 

So one of these ghastly creatures got into Sister Dukes bed. It has previously also made it onto one of the sticky traps in the sisters apartment. So there was sticky stuff and fur all over her sheets and blankets. So they did what any girl in her right mind would do.

BURNED THE SHEETS AND BLANKETS!

2 RATS DOWN! WHO KNOWS HOW MANY TO GO!

Missionary Madi said they put so much alcohol on the blankets that she almost lost her eyebrows.

Sister Kramer

Missionary Madi and her zone went to the beach to celebrate Elder Burton's birthday. The weather is very hot in the Philippines and she said that they all had a blast but wished they could go swimming.

Average Temperatures right now 91 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 plus percent humidity.

The Seasons

There are only two official seasons of weather in the Philippines and they are:

• Dry Season (tag-araw) – November to April
• Rainy Season (tag-ulan) – May to October

There are other “unofficial seasons” and they are:

• Winter/Cold Season (tag-lamig) – November to January
• Summer/Hot Season (tag-init) – March to May
• Spring or when things grow (tag-sibol)
• Autumn or when things die off (tag-lagas)

Go Hard or Go Home

Missionary Madi is busting out some serious dedication! She wants to work hard. Time is running out and there is so much work to be done. So many people who will benefit from the knowledge of their saviors love. This knowledge blesses lives in so many ways. Dedicating your life to serve others is amazing in these times when our world is so full of selfishness. There are more missionaries serving all over the world at this time than ever before in the history of the church. It is remarkable. I am thankful for each one of missionaries and their selfless service.

They painted the gate of one of the leaders home.

 Another celebration for the Andaya's this week and the missionaries were responsible to decorate and set up for the event. Missionary Madi said that it was really fun and there was lots of dancing and fun music. She said "The real thing was really fun and I got to see a lot of my batch again :) there was heaps of dances from the youth and it was so hard not to dance. It was like being at a concert and not being allowed to dance or sing (hahaha), but I made it. It's going to be so weird to go home and be allowed to sing....normal songs and not just hymns."

BBQ-Lechon Baboy

Missionary Madi apparently took part in a feast this week. I think I would be happy to partake in this yummy looking meal. Albeit that Pig Head looks just a tad bit frightening. She said they went to a members home and had a fiesta - a party. Like what Americans would call a BBQ.

Missionary Madi decided to display some "Pig Love" these antics resulted in her wearing some of the juices from the plate.

 

Blessings

Missionary Madi was thankful to witness the baptism of the family they have been teaching this week. It was a stormy day and miraculously the weather cleared right before the baptism. It was beautiful!

 

"We had a baptism this week and it was soooooooooooo good. one of my favorites. Yes I say that every time but it was really. So since I was sick and we were busy with the community service project thing we basically had no time to plan the baptism like who would be the speakers and stuff until like the day before the baptism so it was a miracle that everything worked out perfectly. Our original plan was to do it at the church but the water there was soooo gross. It looked like pee so we decided to do it in the ocean and then it started POURING rain until like 10 minutes before the baptism started. It was beautiful. And they were so happy and their mom who used to be less active was so thankful. It turned out so good I don't know why we were so blessed! "

Devotional President Andaya and Sister Andaya

President and Sister Andaya will be released in June 2014 one month before Missionary Madi comes home.

"So after the CSP (community service project) we had a devotional/farewell party for the Andaya's because they go home this June 29. I bawled like a baby. All of us missionaries stood up and sang Armies of Helaman and as you all know that is my missionary jam and I just broke down. I have LOVED being a missionary so much. As i look around its safe to say that I have had a pretty easy mission and I am so thankful for every little second of it. Bad or good. I know that Heavenly Father has changed me into the daughter he wants me to be and I am still not all the way there yet but I have come so far."

 MY BATCH! JANUARY 30,2013 TO JULY 30,2013 

Fuzzy Pictures but still love these two smiles! Content is still worth sharing.

MacArthur Park

"It was the hottest day evs. We went and cleaned MacArthur Park this famous place here in my area. It's where we go when we first get here to get our companions and it got wrecked in the storm so we went and like pulled weeds? idk. It doesn't look that much better in my opinion but I got to see all my gurls!! So I loved every second of it expect that I seriously got the worst sun burn ever. But now it is just a nice California tan :) I look like I have been on vacation."

 

 The Best Way to FIND Yourself 

Is to lose Yourself in the Service of Others! 

Mahatma Gandhi

 

Palo is considered to be one of the most historical towns of Leyte. It is well-known as the site of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's return to the Philippines together with Philippine and American military forces after a period of exile in 1944. Hill 522, a hill located near the town center, was the site of fierce fighting between Allied and Japanese forces during the Second World War. The metropolitan cathedral of the archdiocese, located right across Palo's municipal hall, was used as a hospital for wounded Filipino and American forces. A memorial now stands at the beach site where MacArthur and his troops landed, locally known as the MacArthur's Park.