Week Two

My dear sweet wonderful family,

Oh your letters are so encouraging and uplifting.  Have I told you how much I love you people lately? Thank you for the sweet emails.

And as for everything else.. lets go with a big fat I LOVE YOU.  All of your love and support is unreal.  Seriously, all the letters this week?! It feels like Christmas every time my District Leader puts the mail on my desk!  I love having a piece of you with me and feeling apart of your lives even when I'm in this other world :)  And mom dad, your package!! It was amazing! (and yes it all arrived in one piece) I can't even express my gratitude enough.. me and the sisters in my room were seriously sprinting back to the room after class for our chips and salsa.  So fun to have something to look forward to.  Everything was PERFECT, like I said- Christmas!  You read my mind, everything I needed I received! Thank you

The more time I spend in this place the more I love it.  However, every time I feel like I'm starting to get the hang of things they switch it up.  I'm constantly being pushed outside my comfort zone, but I wouldn't want it any other way.  

I love that I'm learning so much.  I am constantly.  learning.  Whether it be how to be a better student, or how to be a better teacher, principles of the gospel, new grammar concepts in the language,  that life is so much better when you're not thinking about yourself, or that singing all the time has the ability to get on peoples nerves :) oops haha! (where's all my backup singers when I need them-- ladies?)

Speaking of singing, big shout out to Dad and Maddie- we LOVE the music! We listen to it every morning when we're getting ready and every evening when we arrive back to our room.  Its the perfect way to start and end our day.  Brings a really cool peaceful feeling to our room.  We All love it and have been singing your praises! :)

Now back to the learning, there's never a moment that I'm not pushing myself in someway.  In the cafeteria we bear our testimony in Tagalog to any stranger before we can eat.  We pray in Tagalog before we eat.  During our gym time while I'm pounding out miles on the bike;) I'm flipping through my flash cards of words (yes, I'm that person who keeps flashcards on my lanyard- a little funny looking I know- but hey what isn't funny looking when it comes to being a missionary :), or for every sit up repeating references for scriptures.  Honestly, the pushing.. and the learning.. and the trying to figure everything out and be the best you can be never stops :)  Its so cool.  It makes you realize just how much potential everyone has, you can always be doing something more.

Elder Perry spoke to us on Sunday, all about the Philippines.. all the many miracles that happened pertaining to the missionaries.  It was amazing.

My heart is literally breaking for my people.  All I can think about is getting to the Philippines to help.  I get to help and serve these people in the best way.  I get to teach them about a loving Heavenly Father, and His son, our loving Redeemer.  I think without such a knowledge this kind of heartbreak and challenge would truly be unbearable.  This tragedy is so real and personal to me and I can't believe the timing of it all.  That I'll actually be able to help and serve rather than watch from a TV screen at home.  I already love the Filipinos and I just want to be there helping, serving, and giving them a message of hope.

Tell my friends I saw Melanie from the cruise here- she's going to Arizona.  She's just as adorable as ever.

Yes, the language is hard.  I'm pretty good at memorizing words its just all the grammar.. making it make sense stuff that I'm trying to figure out.  However, I'd like to let you all know how amazing I'm getting at charades and you best believe I will be challenging you when I get home.

I had a cool experience the other day when we were teaching our investigator.  I had gotten up early to study what I was going to say.  I read and I memorized and I prayed, for quite sometime.  I was feeling a lot better about things.  When the time came, we began teaching, and of course, I couldn't speak any of the things I had worked on :) ha.  We tumbled our way through the lesson and I was closing with my testimony.  I started testifying in a Taglish kind of way.. and I have to tell you I felt the spirit so so powerfully.  I cried. (surprised?) Everything I had been studying and reading was confirmed at that moment to be so true.  The Tagalog has so little to do with the teaching.  Its the spirit, not me, that teaches.  I was so grateful my Heavenly Father stepped in.

I love this work.  I love how challenging and long my days are.  I love that I'm being pushed because that means I get to be a little better.  I hope it continues.  I love you more than words can say and I realize it more every day.  Wow, we're blessed.  I'm blessed. 

Missing you, and praying for you always

Sister Welling
                                                                   

                                                           

I saw Lexie for the last time yesterday and I wanted to sob as we said goodbye- but I didn't :) heavens I love that best friend of mine. 

I saw Jenessa last sunday on our temple walk!! She brought me a letter! and we both cried when we hugged.  So So Soooo good to see her!

Week One

Kumasta po kayo!?

How are you doing my dear family? I want to start by saying all your letters and packages have meant the world to me.  Seriously, I have the best family and friends in the world- what did I do to deserve such incredible people in my life? Thank you for taking the time and for all the support!  IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME

I made sure to write my first night, and so you could know I was alive and well, did it make it to you?

This place is incredible.  Its true what they say about being on the Lords' time because honestly you don't have time to think about yourself- or anything else for that matter.  Your time is scheduled down to the very second.  I had no idea it was even possible to fit so much into a day. But to be honest, I love it. I love that my planner is completely packed every single moment of every single day :)  The other thing they say about days feeling like weeks is definitely true as well.  Time is the strangest thing around here, I already feel like I've been gone for at least two months.  My days are so long but so fulfilling.  I love getting back to my room after a long day and lying in my bed knowing that I worked my heart out.  Hard work brings happiness (this work brings just about every other emotion as well) :) but I couldn't ask for more.

I have the most amazing district. We balance each other out perfectly.  

I already wrote about my companion, but I truly adore her.  Like I said, we couldn't be more different- but I think we're good for each other.  I like having a best friend that isn't allowed to get sick of me ;) She really likes to talk, and I really like to listen...so it is perfect.  The better I get to know her the more I appreciate and love her-- so like I said, I'm constantly asking questions.

The teachers here bring the most amazing spirit.  My teacher Brother Poole is the best teacher I've ever had.  I really appreciate all he teaches and the spirit he brings to every single lesson.

I already want to teach here when I get back.... :) ha I'm SUCH a missionary cliche.

But all the staff is amazing.  The whole system of teaching here leaves me in awe.  

The first day you walk into your classroom and all you hear is Tagalog, and the teacher only speaks and responds in Tagalog.  My language is the most beautiful language I'm telling you.  

We taught our first investigator last night, I managed to say hello- how are you doing.. MAYBE two other sentences.. and then I just sat and smiled the rest of the time.  It was cool.  I figured I can only improve right?  That's the nice thing about starting at the bottom.

I live in the LeGrand Richards building :) how perfect? yes.  I smile every time we go inside and I see his picture.  And every day we leave I tell him I'm going to make him proud :)  

It was the best thing in the entire world to see Lexie the other day, she is such a good friend- always taking care of me.  She had already bought me a clip for my name-tag that makes things so convenient.  Honestly, what would I do without her? I also saw Michaela Jensen- she is a doll.  She is doing so well, it was nice to see her so happy! She leaves this week for New York.

I've never prayed so much in my entire life.  I feel my thoughts are just one continual prayer.  

I already have bruises on my knees :/ but then again, I bruise very easily...

I adore my Branch Presidency.  The Branch President's wife reminds me so much of Grandma Brown, even the way she looks.  I almost lost it when she was hugging me and saying all these sweet things to me.  

I feel like I'm in a different world,  I don't think I could ever properly explain this place- you could only understand it by experiencing it.  Today we walked up to the temple.. leaving the gates was the strangest feeling- safe to say we took the long way there.. and the long way home :)  I wanted to spend the rest of the day in the temple.  Its amazing how you can receive every answer in that white perfect building, even answers to questions you didn't even know you had.  No place compares.

On Thursday my companion had to use the restroom and so I sat outside the doors and waited.  As I sat there I heard a class being held on each side of me.  Both in two completely different languages-- and then I heard down the hall, a group of Elders singing "Until we Meet Again" in yet another language.  

I feel that my thoughts at that particular moment sums up my missionary experience fairly well up to this point.

I didn't understand a single word being said.  

Everything here is going through my mind in a different language (even the things being spoken in English) yet, the spirit that fills my heart is completely clear and overwhelming.  All I can think is how incredible this work is.  I'm apart of a movement.  This army of missionaries all bottled up in Provo, Utah- waiting to strike. :) I feel like just a number- I can't help but wonder what the Lord's purpose is for me.  I am blessed and absolutely happy and honored to be on His errand.  I know I can't do this without Him.  I pray for the strength to become the missionary He wants me to be :)

I love you guys more than anything.  Honestly.  I wouldn't be out here if it weren't for you incredible people, I want people to have what we do.

I'm praying for you always.

I love you!!!

Love,

Sister Welling