Week 72

Hey family, sorry for the late letter, just as I was about to send it, there was a brown out.
What a week. A lot has changed.

On Monday, we had Family Home Evening with President Aquino and his family. It was super fun and I really enjoyed it!  President Aquino is the best! he really cares about each of us so much!  After the FHE, he pulled me and sister Mendez into another room and informed us that we would both be transferring.  Sister Mendez was given a different assignment and I also was informed that I would be released as a Sister Training Leader and would be opening up a new area, Zaragga, where no sister missionaries have ever been and elders only went there occasionally because it was far from their area.  I was super sad to hear that I would be transferring because I honestly didn't think I would be, with only 6 weeks to go, but I guess God had some other plans in store for me.  When transfer meeting came I was surprised to see that I was being assigned to somewhere other than Zaragga.  Instead of opening up Zaragga, I'm opening up Pavia.  It's also a great area and there are several members living here.  My new companion is Sister Karaponga and I really like her a lot.  She is from New Zealand, but she grew up in the Cook Islands. She's so much fun!  Because we're opening the area, we didn't have an apartment for a while and slept in another missionary's apartment which was kinda far from our area. We have an apartment now though and we love it.  We finally got beds today which will be nice... and a lot of the other furniture and household items which we need. We're still waiting for desks and shelves and things like that, but we're comfortable enough. We've already made good friends with several neighbors and the guards. :D  Our neighborhood has a swimming pool... :D  and a basketball court, a grassy field to play frisbee on in the mornings... and a grocery store, restaurant, and just about everything we need! :D  we love it already! and the management and owner is super, super nice! 

since we're the first missionaries living here, we're kind of a big deal here :D  both of us are foreigners and we are not yet familiar with the area.  Usually one missionary has been there for a while and trains the new one where to go, but we are equally new to the area, so we've been asking a lot of people for directions, haha.  It's been fun!  I love our area actually. it's the first time I haven't been on the coast, but there are a lot of big houses... actually more rich than poor that I've seen so far.  It will be a whole new approach for us to really be focusing only on rich people.

Our ward is really awesome as well. It's kinda weird being in a ward again.  Our bishop is super awesome.  the whole bishopric is SO young! they all look like they're in their 20s... and sometimes they kinda act that way too, haha. but they are so great!  Our bishop likes to rap... and he was especially excited when he found out I could beat box.  hehe. There are now 6 missionaries in this ward. And from what I heard, Oton just split again as well and there are also 6 missionaries there in that branch.  Goodness, the work is for sure progressing!

Yesterday, we had a cool experience.  Sister Karaponga had been writing in her planner and had it on her lap or in her bag or something and somehow, while we were traveling in a tricycle, she lost it.  She was super worried because it had a lot of money and her personal card and all our numbers and things that we needed... we said a prayer and were immediately comforted.  We remembered the 90/10 principle and decided to apply it and keep a good attitude no matter what.  Later that night we received a text that someone had found it and this morning we went to go visit him and he had it, completely untouched. What a great man, and so honest. He wasn't very interested when we asked if he would be willing to listen to our message, but we gave him a pamphlet and he has our number so hopefully something happens there.  I feel that that experience happened for a reason and we are also very relieved that we found that!! We know God is watching out for us! :D 

That's all I have time for now. I'm looking forward to seeing all your bright, smiling faces again! take care! love you,

Sister McClellan