No longer a teenager!!                           

One year older and wiser to! I am now done with my first and last birthday in the mission! And I’m quickly approaching my one year mark.  I just like to testify what Nami said in her email.  That there almost isn’t even time to straighten out your thoughts.  I don’t think I have thought a complete thought in a few weeks now.  Maybe it’s true that when you get old you start forgetting things haha I’m seeing the signs!  Joke lang.  But it’s true.  The time is flying by. 

   So this week we had a lot that we did.  On Monday we cleaned our apartment.  Deep cleaned.  It was disgusting.  There was spiders and dirt everywhere.  We were so exhausted after that.  But it feels a lot better now that it is done.  Our house is like infested with cockroaches.  There’s like no way to get rid of them.  It’s nasty. But such is life. And this morning I was rearranging my closet and I moved some shirts and there was a crazy huge spider right on the wall and I had almost touched it!  Ahhhhh it’s so creepy. I got my companion to come kill it but she just tried to catch it and throw it at me.  SO I had to take care of it myself. I’m growing up here in the mission haha I can kill my own spiders now. 

   Also this week we had zone meeting.  Which was fun and a good spiritual uplift for the week. 

  Then on Thursday we had to go to SM Bacoor because my companion had an allergy that she had to get checked at the clinic.  So that took the entire day.  2 hour ride there and back on busses and then we sat forever at the doctor. 

   Finally we got to do some work on Friday and Saturday and then Sunday we went with the relief society to visit less active members.  We rode in a car to most places but then there was a house that was kind of close so we just said we can walk.  So all of us got out of the car to walk and me and sister Aguinaldo took off in our missionary walk and the we got to the top of a hill and looked back and they looked like they had barely made it 10 feet. haha we are used to walking fast I guess. 

   Ok so also it was my birthday and that was fun.  The sisters in my apartment surprised me with a cake and a pizza so that was really nice of them. The cake had a huge candle in it.  Not a cake candle haha a candle to use in the house for light.  It was funny.  Also the members fed us.  And some of the youth made me some birthday cards even though they don’t really know me that well.  It is really cute that they put in the effort even though I’m just new to the ward. I love it.  And also president and sister Tye called me and sang happy birthday.  It was so nice of them. Once again I have to say that they are the best mission president and wife hah. 

   And I had an awesome birthday present this week.  We found two families.  One was a referral and one was an OYM but then one of them came to church this week so that was even better.  

  And also this week our district leader shared a scripture with us.  Mormon 9:20-21.  Because we were saying that we didn’t have good numbers and stuff.  This scripture is about how you don’t see miracles because you don’t trust in God and stuff and then if you believe in Christ then you will see the miracles.  It was a joke when he shared it but it is really true.  Sometimes we hope we see miracles but then when we look back at our effort and our faith...it wasn’t really enough.  Of course there is a way and we can see miracles in our lives and sometimes even every day. But we need to know where they come from and we need to trust in God with all our hearts and doubt nothing.  And know that his plan for us is bigger than this earth.  So just take each day and learn and grow and make it a day that is worthy of miracles.  

  I love you all and I love hearing from you. Don’t be afraid to write. :) Paper is cheap hahah.  Keep on keeping on and keep on strengthening your faith!

XOXO from Trece!

--Sister Van Tassell