Week 48

Mayad nga aga!  To make this easy, I'm going to copy some of my
journal entries from this last week.  I hope you enjoy. :D

I think I'm finally getting good at washing laundry by hand... and at
cooking Filipino food.  My bata is training me well, haha! :D I
learned how to make Manggo Float this week, mmmm! :D  And it's SO
easy!!!  I've also learned how to make a ton of other things with
rice.  I actually love rice now!  I am becoming dependent on it.  I
don't eat it EVERY meal yet, like some people do, but at least once
every day. I'm really embracing the culture and I'm going to miss it a
whole lot :(  Last week we had an FHE with a less-active family and we
were outside on the beach.  Their little 7 year old boy, while I was
teaching, put a small jellyfish on my seat and then put my hand on it.
 Gross!!! hehe.  They also were playing with a leach... I'm glad they
didn't make me touch that.
We met a group of Babjao? the other day... it's like a race from
Manila and they have no education... they are just a bunch of kids who
are raised to ask people for money. Usually when they beg for food or
things at the market, I feel really uncomfortable because we aren't
allowed to give them money... but one of our potential investigators
live right next to the group and they are actually a bunch of really
cute kids.  I was scared of them at first, especially when the little
baby was pulling on my skirt too... but now I'm hoping that we can
teach them as well and maybe even help them to learn to read if at all
possible.  They are really nice.  We also started teaching a couple
muslims last week who have never heard anything about Christian
beliefs before. It was so hard to explain about Jesus Christ! But I
really hope they were able to feel the spirit and continue listening.
They laughed at me at first... I don't think they had ever heard an
American speaking their language before... I was just glad they
understood the Karay-a because I know they have their own language as
well...?
Haha, in a teaching setting, I have no problem speaking the
language... but in regular day to day settings... I don't know why I
can't just speak to people normally, haha!  It might be in part
because people naturally assume that all I know is English... but I
had a funny experience last week.  I went to the post office to post a
letter... and I don't understand myself... I know perfectly well how
to say "hi, I would like to send a letter to America" in their
language... but instead, I stand there awkwardly and hand the worker
my letter, just looking at him expectantly... waiting for him to
figure out what I want as he stares at me blankly. haha... no wonder
people think I don't know how to speak the language, haha.  We later
found out that the worker I was talking to was the branch president in
the Dao branch.  I felt better after a while because he started to
talk to us and we found out who he was, but how embarrassing! haha. :D
 I have been told quite a lot lately though that I don't really have
an American accent, which makes me really happy.  Sometimes people
actually think I'm fluent!  But I know that's not true.
Last week was holy week.  One day, there was a procession, or like a
religious parade thing down the city and so the tricycles couldn't get
through, so we walked... but we could hardly get through!  People
lined the road and were all watching and there was no way around... so
sister Aurelio and I just walked in front of all the people quickly
all the way down the procession!  I heard people all around me saying
"Hey look! There's an American!" And people were taking pictures, etc.
 I felt so bad!  Like I was being very disrespectful to their
religious celebration.  I imagined the next days news headlines "Kana
desecrates sacred Catholic Procession" or something like that... haha.
So far I haven't heard anything more about it so I guess I'm okay,
haha. :D
Saturday there was a young man activity which was awesome!  All the
young men ages 12-18 were invited for the whole Antique Zone to help
them prepare for their missions.  They first had a devotional thing
where President Pagaduan spoke to them.  Then they split up into their
different "districts" and had a "district meeting" taught by the
elders, where the Elders taught them how to place a book of mormon,
etc.  Then they had lunch, and then for the next 3 hours they went out
in their companionships to different areas to place books of mormons
and pamphlets... but only in the San Jose areas... which means my area
and the other sister's area.  When they came back and reported to
us... we got 40 referrals!!! The other sisters got 20.  Crazy!  I
don't know how we are going to contact them all, but I thought that
was an awesome activity for the young men to get excited about doing
missionary work.  They were all wearing little pin-on nametags and
they looked adorable, haha.  I've never heard of any activity like
that before, but I think it was awesome! :D  At the devotional, I was
part of a group that sang a musical number, "Come thou Fount"  I
really love that song... :D
This was a really incredible week.  I am really feeling pumped about
missionary work.  It's so fulfilling! We taught 32 lessons this
week... and I'm tired... but pumped.  It is so exciting to see people
accepting the gospel.  Sister Thelma's baptism is April 20th and she
is so excited for it as well as us.  She has already seen it changing
her life and she likes the change.  I am so grateful to be a member of
the true church. It is the best thing in the world. We meet a lot of
opposition as well, but we know that we are doing God's will.  I am
surprised at how we can stay so happy and positive, even when someone
is yelling at us or something.  We just love them... and someday
hopefully they will accept the gospel as well.  I love this work and I
love Jesus Christ.  :D  I love you all,
Sister McClellan