It's Rainy Season!! Which means Mudsliding to Investigators :)

Hello from the Philippines!!  And since it's July, hello from the rainstorm!!  We get lots of rain everyday, which I don't mind because I love the rain, but it definitely makes it a little sketchy sometimes to get to investigators.  Especially in one of our more poverty areas, where we slide down a muddy slope, cross a very homemade bridge, try to climb up another muddy slope while sliding backwards, and basically mud wade to our investigators houses.  Lots of mud.  And all of this is in skirts!  My dad has this thing that he says when he thinks we're being wimpy:  "Hike up your skirts, Alice!"  I have no idea where he got it from, but let me tell you...I've had to hike up my skirts a couple of times!!  One of the ward missionaries asked me if I had the blood of Dora (as in The Explorer) after I managed to climb up a slick, steep hill without getting covered in mud.  I don't have a lot of pictures because I'm nervous to take my camera with me when it's raining this hard, so just take my word for it lol.  And there's bullfrogs here!  I'd never heard a bullfrog before, so I thought somebody was practicing the trombone or something until one of the ward missionaries told me it was a frog.  Welp.  Live and learn.

And happy Independence Day!!  It was basically one of the most boring independence days ever, actually.  We just had a normal day, and even though I absolutely love missionary work, I was definitely missing parades and barbecues and fireworks and family and friends.  And I didn't even get to celebrate the Philippines Independence Day, because they don't really celebrate it!  It was in my last area, and I wouldn't have even known it was independence day if somebody hadn't mentioned it.  I was just like "You people do not know how to celebrate Independence Day.  In America, you know it's Independence Day on the 4th of July, and here it's just mentioned.  Boring!"  

The syrup was the only thing that had an American flag that I was able to take a picture with.  I've seen lots of American flags on shirts and stuff, but I couldn't find one to get for myself to celebrate haha.

And we had another Bible bash -.- I'm pretty sure these people were from the same group as the others, because a lot of the questions were the same.  The thing I don't like about it is that their questions aren't actually questions, they're challenges to see how much we know.  It makes it impossible to feel the Holy Ghost.  It makes me wish that I would have been more diligent with my scripture mastery in seminary so that I could help them understand how the Book of Mormon and Bible are connected, but oh well.

And we got to go to the temple today!!  I miss going every week like we did in the MTC, but I'm grateful that I'm in a mission that even has a temple.  It's always so peaceful inside the temple, and it definitely rejuvenated my spirit for this next week :)

2 Nephi 4:16 "Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard."

The quote is just another random one I saw:  "Know your limits, but never stop trying to exceed them."  I read an article this week about the difference between weakness and sin.  It was very powerful, and in it were outlined some steps to overcome our weaknesses.  I've come to realize that I have many weaknesses; but I also have the Lord on my side, and with His help and His grace I can overcome the things I struggle with.  I am so thankful for the gospel in my life!!

Mahal ko kayo!!

XOXO

Sister Pectol