Week 30

Wow, there is way too much to write about, I don't know where to
start.  First of all, Congratulations Daniel and Jennifer on your
wedding!  I thought about you all day yesterday and the day before...
haha. I'm glad it was a success :D
So... they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in the Philippines, but the
other Americans in my apartment decided to celebrate ourselves.  We
bought Jolibee and ate root beer floats and slept downstairs.  It was
fun!  that night, we found out that Sister Schocker is going to train!
 Exciting for her!  So, that meant that on Thursday, she had to travel
to Iloilo for a training meeting and I was left in a threesome with
the other sisters.  It also meant I was for sure going to transfer.
Sure enough, I found out Wednesday night that I would be transferring.
 So, early Friday morning, the three of us and the zone leaders
traveled to Iloilo for the transfer meeting.  The new missionaries
haven't gotten here yet because for some reason their visas were
delayed or something... so for the next few days until they arrive,
Sister Schocker will be in a threesome with the other sisters.  I on
the other hand have been transferred to Antique, San Jose.  The ride
here was so beautiful!  I thought Roxas was the best thing ever and
the rest of my mission would be dull in comparison, but just the drive
here got me excited.  We were following the beach the whole way until
we got to the forest area.  It was SO beautiful.  I love it here so
much already.  Yesterday, we were walking to someone's house and when
we turned the corner, my jaw dropped at the view.  I'm definitely
going to get a picture of that before I leave here.  So... the
language here is Kinary-a.  It's a little different, and I was super
scared at first when I found out I would have to learn a new dialect,
but they seem to understand my Ilonggo pretty well and I'm picking up
on the new dialect pretty quickly.  My new companion is Sister
Patricio.  She's super sweet, and my first Filipina companion.  She's
almost done with her mission... in missionary terms, I'm "killing
her."  She goes home in February?  But she's super good, and I'm sure
I'm going to learn a whole lot from her and how to become a much
better missionary.
Yesterday was the primary program at church.  They were so cute, but
small in number. It reminded me of primary programs back home when
there are usually so many kids!! We are actually in a branch, and the
other sisters that we live with are in the same branch as us, just a
different area.  In our apartment, I am the only American and the
other 3 are Filipina.  They are always speaking Tagalog in the
apartment to each other so maybe I'll get a lot better at my Tagalog
as well while staying here.  I replaced Sister Bowen here, my
companion in the MTC.  She was transferred to Kalibo, where they speak
Aklanon, the hardest dialect... I wish her good luck! :D Their
apartment is really nice.  My companion and I don't have a real
bedroom... but it works really well.  There is a big wooden board in
the middle of the living room that separates our room and the door is
a curtain.  It's nice :)
I met one family here... I'm not sure if they're related or not
actually, but they are active members and they are all deaf.  It's so
much fun to talk to them.  I'm pretty sure with one of them I learned
more sign language in half an hour than I did in my one semester in
high school so long ago.  They are SO much fun!  I am excited to
continue to learn more sign language from them as I stay here and when
I go home, I'll be able to sign to those of you who know sign
language! :D
Oh wow, I just forgot something that's kind of important... the day
after I got here, we had a baptism!  Sister Glory Dee?  She's 17 years
old and super active and good!  She was baptized with another woman
who was pregnant and due NEXT WEEK!  That baby will be able to say
he/she was baptized twice! haha.  Both of them were so happy and I
just love attending baptisms.  If any of you haven't attended a
baptism recently, go to the next one in your ward!  They are really
nice... and help me remember the day I was baptized and what it felt
like.
I am so grateful to have a family who loves each other and supports
each other in all that they do.  Some people don't have that blessing
in their lives.  Thanks to each of you who have impacted my life in
some way or other... and all of you have. :)  Can I just say again,
that missionary work is like the best thing ever?? :D  Sorry, once
again, I am unprepared for pictures.  Maybe next week.  Love you all!
Halong!
Sister McClellan