Well I had my first real transfer!  It was pretty eventful that’s for sure. Everything went as planned and I’m here in Silang A. They call it heaven here because it is cooler than all the other areas.  Actually it is cold!  I have to sleep under my fuzzy blanket and wear a jacket in the mornings. I was actually shivering.  And you’ll probably hate me when I tell you this but it was only 77 degrees.  And we were freezing!! And the cold showers are like death.  We’ll start from the beginning.  So as you know I HATE packing.  It’s kind of the worst thing ever.  So I put it off until Tuesday night...bad idea.  All the ward knew that I would probably be transferred on Sunday so I said a lot of goodbyes then.   Bishop called me up and made me give an unprepared talk just because I was leaving.  It was scary but it went well.  I just talked on faith and that’s not too hard.  But then it was just saying bye to everyone which was SUPER sad.  I didn’t cry though. Ok I did but not when people were around.  I’m going to miss them all soooo much it’s crazy. I hate how close you can get to people in just a few months. But time to go, time to grow.  Before I left I had dinner at a bunch of member’s houses.  The best part was at President Arganas house.  I went to their house my first night on the mission and then my last night right before I left.  It was really fun because we got to see how much had changed.  My first night I was super shy and quiet and was in awe at the lizard on the wall.  The last night we were loud and eating a lot and lizards are no big deal.  Gotta love it.

Then I went home and began the packing adventure.  It was awful.  I fell asleep on my suitcase at 4 in the morning and slept for a few hours and then woke up and finished.  There was so much stuff that had built up over the course of 6 months! I left a bunch of stuff at my last apartment and shoved the rest in where ever it would fit.  My bags were ridiculously heavy.  The elders came and helped us pull our bags down the hill but we had to take it from there.  It was tough and we had to pay quite a bit of money but we made it safe and sound to the mission office where all of the missionaries gather and talk until we are kicked out.  We were lucky this time though and we got to eat the leftovers from the new missionary meal.  FREE FOOD! YAY, then we were sent on our way.  The senior couple drove us to our new area because there was a lot of luggage and we asked really nicely.  We were squished in a truck but it’s better than on a jeepney.  Me and Sister Ma’u and Sister Ortile.  They are both really cool.  It’s different to be in a trisome but it’s got its advantages. They both speak Tagalog a lot so it’s giving me the chance to practice. Which I need.  We are kind of shotgunning again.  Sister Ma’u has been in the area for a week cause she got transferred in early.  So that’s all the experience we have.  It will be fun.  This area is the biggest in the mission. It is weird here because there is fresh air.  I had almost forgotten what fresh air was like.  But it’s nice! We went to church and it’s a lot different.  A lot smaller but still nice.  There was no air con so that was a bummer.  And there was no pews.  Only plastic chairs.  But the members are nice.  I’m so thankful that the church is the same no matter where you go.  It has really given a whole new meaning to the scriptures that talk about Christ being our rock.  Because moving to this new area was hard for me.  I was homesick for my last area…not nearly as bad as my first time here.  But it was hard.  But then when you go to church you get that same Spirit and that same love that you get at home.  And it helps you make it through.  It’s a day by day process but then you look up and so much time has past and you can really see how much you have grown and how much you have changed.  A mission is really hard but when you look back it is worth it.  And now it is scary to think about going home.  But all you have to do is make it count and then no matter what happens you’ll be happy and you won’t have regrets.  Well I love you all!  Hope to hear from you next week! Take care always!

XOXOXO from Silang 

Love Sister Van Tassell

And the thunder rolls....but the typhoon doesn’t strike. It’s boring without a typhoon hah

Hey everyone.  What’s up?  So this week was really good.  A little off on the numbers because of transfers coming up but were doing ok.  We had a baptism! That is always a highlight 

We baptized Sister Liza.  Her husband, who we baptized a couple weeks ago, got to baptize her.  It was super cute.  She is so cute.  She is super terrified of water. She had never gone all the way under water before so she was really nervous. She was like ahhhhhh when she went in.  And then after she was just laughing.  It was awesome.  One of the things I love most is when you see your investigators becoming more strong in the church.  Like I don’t know.  It’s amazing to see them be able to share the gospel and to explain things on their own.  And it just makes me so happy and proud of them.  Especially the ones that are just super strong in their testimonies.  It’s amazing to see the changes happen.  I don’t know.  It’s just hard to explain.  I guess you’ll just have to go on a mission and see for yourself :)

      Church this week was an experience.  We had a pretty good turnout.  One of our new less actives...we just found them...came to church. So I played the piano and then ran back to sit by them so they didn’t feel all awkward.  Anyway so then I look up to the front and bishop is trying to tell me something. And I didn’t really get it but then they announced that they would like to invite me to speak.  Which was NEW to me! And very scary. I just had time to grab my scriptures and walk up to the front.  My mind was superrrr blank but I knew I knew where a scripture about faith was so I just went with it.  I think I only talked for like 5 minutes but that is pretty amazing for no prep.  Gotta love it.  I just love my ward.  I’m excited to hear what will happen at transfers but I’m worried that I’m going to leave M2.  They are the best!

   So today it was really funny because sister Heisel was showing me a picture of her friend in Thailand. And in the back of the picture it had a sign that was in Thai.  Which if you don’t know....is REALLY HARD.  Anyway it just got me thinking about the miracle of missionary work.  There are some really hard things that we are expected to do.  There are some nearly impossible things.  But for sure there is a reason and a way behind every trial and every experience we are giving.  I told Sister Heisel that just looking at that Thai made me want to just cry for her friend because I couldn’t even imagine how hard it would be.  I mean I came here and English is SUPER common.  I couldn’t imagine if it was a new alphabet and no English.  I think I was sent here because I needed a little English to survive :)  But it really does amaze me every day.  The help that you can receive when you are doing the Lords work. For me it has been the ability to go on splits.  Now I’m not sure if splits are a scary thing to you but to me it was kind of like death.  I have to go with a member who may or may not speak very good English or who doesn’t always know how to teach.  And I am seriously not that great in the language.  But yesterday we went on splits and I went to a lesson and after it was over, I looked back and realized I just taught a lesson in decent Tagalog.  And I even addressed a concern. And I don’t know. It’s amazing. It’s one of the little miracle we see every day. I have to admit that sometimes I do miss home and I talk about all of you A LOT.  But when I start thinking about my time left...I get a little sad.  I don’t want to think that I have less than a year.  Oh the things that change on a mission.  

    Alrighty once again I’m at the end of my time and I have to sign off.  Sorry that there is no pictures this week.  My memory card got a virus so one of the elders is reviving it for me.  Thank goodness for people in the world that are smart with computers....shout out to Hayley haha.  Because I am not.  But anyway more pictures next week.  Can’t wait to hear from you all again. Love you.  Keep on keepin on. 

XOXOXO from Muntinlupa 2nd!

Sister Van Tassell  :)

Hi everyone

There’s a lot to say and not much time.  So I’ll make it fast.  This week was fun.  We did a lot of OYMing and trying to get new investigators but we didn’t have much luck.  Hopefully it will pay off when we get our return appointments next week.  We had one really fun one. We walked out of a lesson with a less active and her friend was outside filling up some 5 gallon jugs with water.  Anyway she started talking to her friend and telling her about us missionaries so we started to OYM and it was going great and she was receptive and all that good stuff but then the less active was like oh they just want to baptize you. So that kind of killed it. We tried to save it but really there is no saving it because no one wants to talk to the missionaries that just want to baptize the crap out of you.  So yeah we thought it was over cause she kind of stopped talking to us. But then we asked if she needed help carrying her jugs to her house.  And of course she said no and that she was going to go get her son to get them.  But we refused to take no for an answer and we each grabbed one and told her to lead the way.  It’s super funny because they are always so impressed when we can lift heavy things.  But anyway eventually she led the way to her house....saying "huwag na"  the entire way. But we got to her house and put it down and she was laughing and saying thanks.  And no we didn’t teach her but she was a lot more friendly to us.  So I’m hoping that when we go back that she will at least listen to us.  Yeah the little services are the funniest because it just shows people that we are normal and we want to help and we aren’t just stiff missionaries that want to have bible study.

    Speaking of missionaries.  There are soo many Jehovah witness missionaries in our area.  There are some that set up a little stand that we pass on the way home almost every day.  So one day we decided to stop and say hi.  And it was awesome.  We talked to them and made friends with them and so now every day we stop and shake their hands and ask them how they’re doing.  One of the best and worst parts of being a missionary is talking to everyone.  But this time it was fun. Because you just get to smile and make friends everywhere.  And walking down the streets is a lot more fun when you have people to wave at and say hi to.

    So this week one of the elders in our district got emergency transferred.  So that wasn’t fun.  But we had a district dinner.  So that was fun.  Our district is super fun and we all get along really well.  So it’s sad when one leaves.

  I had to give a talk this Sunday.  I did it mostly in English.  But speaking in church is harder than just speaking to regular people.  I don’t know why but my Tagalog sucks worse when I talk to members.  But I guess that’s just because a lot of them speak English so well.  I only spoke for like 5 minutes and it was good because I didn’t have to play the piano.  But the one cool thing about still being in this area is seeing people from m1 and then they hear my Tagalog and see the improvement.  Because they have been around me from day one.  So they’ve seen a lot of improvement. 

   Sorry if this letter is super spastic and doesn’t make any sense.  I only have a little time because we are going to las pinas to play laser tag for a zone activity.  So more next week ;)

Love you all.  Keep on keepin on.
XOXOX from muntinlupa

Sister Van Tassell

You must be in the Philippines when you get bored because there hasn’t been a typhoon in a week

Hi everyone,

   Once again I have left this letter to the end so I’m tired of typing but I know it has to be done haha.  And I don’t have two elders here pressing random keys on my keyboard this time.  So I can kind of focus.  Before I left on my mission I began to realize how elders are really not as mature as we think they are.  Now I KNOW its true haha.  Don’t get me wrong.  Elders are amazing guys.  And they take care of us really well.  But they are only about 19 years old.  So they have their moments.  But that’s part of the fun of the mission.  We played basketball with the elders this morning and it was great fun.  Because we all really suck so it was just messing around.  And getting really really sweaty cause it’s like a billion and a half degrees out here.  Cold showers are heaven on days like today. 

     It hasn’t rained in like a week.  I hate to comment on it.  Because rain is amazing and it cools down everything.  But there are a lot of people here whose houses leak like crazy.  And not just leak.  Like when it rains....patay.  Everything is wet. So I don’t like to wish for it.  Because it’s not good for them.  But the heat is killing me this week.  I couldn’t sleep last night cause it was soo hot and I just sat in front of the fan all morning.  In the summer I was doing ok cause I was used to it.  But we’ve had some amazingly low temperatures...mid 80s...so this is a big difference.  I realized when we get back and have cold and hot running water on demand it’s going to be pretty darn cool.

     This week as our ward had an indoor games competition.  It was super fun and I realized how much I miss board games.  But I kind of got my butt kicked in scrabble.  I won in boggle though which was amazing cause I don’t think I’ve ever won that game before.  Even though the people here speak Tagalog they can still kick my butt in English games.  It hurts a little bit haha.  Also I got a Tagalog word wrong the other day when President Tye was driving us back to our apartment.  And he corrected me.  That hurt a lot.  Cause he doesn’t really speak Tagalog.  So if he corrects you it’s a little sad.  haha nah president Tye is awesome.  He’s the best Mission President ever. 

    I don’t really know what else to write about this week. Not much has happened.  Only the normal teaching.  We actually taught a complete family.  Mom dad and 5 kids.  It was kind of amazing cause that never happens.  But I’m not sure if they’ll progress or anything.  I sure hope they do.  But just the fact that they were all together at home made me super happy.

    We did learn a really good lesson this week about prayer.  Prayer is really cool.  Basically there is some sort of calming power with prayer I’ve decided.  Something about just being able to talk about the things you really need.  And to be able to ask for help.  Also I was reading in 3rd Nephi this morning because I was trying to figure out what to teach for our family home evening tonight.  And I opened to the part about the signs right before Jesus came.  It was interesting to read because of the fact that there was such a lack of faith among so many of the people.  Like they persecuted those who did have faith.  They mocked them and pushed them to the max.  They were even about to kill them.  But you know what.  Those people that did have faith were strong and they believed.  No matter what.  It made me think of the movie Santa Clause.  How the little girl says "seeing isn’t believing.  Believing is seeing."  That is so true.  No matter how many miracles we see, it won’t make any difference unless we have faith.  Because without faith there will be a worldly explanation for every "miracle."  So when you know something is true, don’t be afraid to stand up for it.  Be one that has that conviction and isn’t afraid to show it.  Don’t stoop down because you’re afraid.  Because if you are standing for something that is true. God will give you strength and you can be that example.  I know that God strengthens us in our times of weakness and that if we are willing to stand as an example to be the believers he will be right there standing with us.  "At all times and in all things and in all places" :) 

     I love you all and I hope you have an amazing week! Keep on keepin on. Keep in touch and send me letters!!!! :)

XOXOXOX from Muntinlupa

-----Sister Van Tassell

Hello family,

How goes the battle? I’m bad because I always leave this email for the last so then I’m super tired and I have to really strive to get energy to write this.  But let’s see how it goes. 

So this week was boring. There wasn’t much that happened.  I ate intestine this week.  That was the best.  Joke it was gross.  But I ate it all.

We had exchanges this week again.  I was worried because we got a new STL.  But she’s American.  And it was the funniest thing ever to have an American companion for a little while.  So that went well. 

There were three baptisms that I had to play the piano for.  Two were little 8 yr. old girls so that was adorable.  Their dads baptized them so all of us missionaries were in the back just so into it cause we miss our dads a lot.  But it was good.  There was food at both of the baptisms so I was happy. 

We have a new rule here in our mission.  Our apartments have to pass a cleaning check in order to have a zone activity.  Well we clean our apartment every Monday on pday because we actually have time.  And then through the rest of the week it just slowly gets worse and worse until next pday.  Not the best way to go but unfortunately we don’t have that much time in our apartment so we don’t always get around to cleaning.  Anyway on Thursday morning we looked out our window in time to see the senior couple coming up to the door.  We had no time to clean and let’s just say our house was looking a little crazy.  We were in the middle of switching the laundry and yeah it wasn’t pretty.  So we failed.  Hah it’s bad but thankfully there is a repentance process.  They’re coming again tomorrow so I hope we do a little bit better.

Let’s see.  Spiritual highlight of the week.  Well just recently.  Like right before I emailed this I was watching some Mormon messages.  And let’s just say this week has been a little more challenging.  But all the ones I watched just had such a strong message about the fact that the Lord loves you, Individually.  No matter how awful your day is or if you just fail at everything, you can receive peace from him.  Just to help you keep pushing forward.  It was really cool this week because I was trying to really work on my prayers.  And one night that I was having an awful night I just prayed and just felt peace.  It wasn’t really a super strong answer but it was peace and it helped me sleep so that I could have the energy to make it through the next day.  The little miracles like that are the ones that are the most important.  Because you really have to be watching to see them.  But they are there.

I love you all and I love hearing from you and about everything that is going on back at home.  You’re the best.  Keep on keepin on. 

XOXOX from Muntinlupa

Sister Van Tassell