6.09.2014

5 NEW THINGS I LEARNED THIS WEEK

the kids that follow me around
(I found nerd glasses againnnnn)!
 You can pretend to have to reeaally pee in order to get inside someone's house, use their CR, and then by chance ask to share with them about Jesus Christ:)  Take that, tricked new investigators!

The old Chinese embassy is in our area.  It's this big, really strangely decorated white, two-story building with really pretty. big red flowers everywhere.  The architecture is amazing.  We always go past it and I always look, hoping one day I'll see an actual Chinese person come out.  Then, earlier today, they finally told me it's the OLD embassy.  As in, no one works there anymore... (but I still look for them:))

Most of the call centers for the electronic companies are in the Philippines, it turns out.  One of the members here works for one.  He also told us that all the "annoying Americans" that call always ask to talk to someone that speaks English because they don't und
MLC (the only day we actually get ready)
erstand their accent.  They are trained to always say that they are the best person to handle the situation and the supervisor isn't available.  But turns out, when they say that, it really means there's no American that works there:).  Haha The bad accent is just something they have to deal with.

Sleeping for 2 hours a day as a missionary is not smart.  Especially the day before you have meetings all day.  And the speakers talking have the most calm, soft voice when they talk.  I would from now on recommend foregoing the games/late night talk, and actually sleeping...

guagua zone right before transfer
day, we had an activity because
we achieved our goals
Here, the Filipinos can take any kind of trash and make it into something new.  They don't waste anything!  Last week, we had to sell our old, broken refrigerator, and the people that came ended up fighting over it.  They have a big piece of plastic to now recycle and our apartment now has money!!!! (which we are using to finally buy some spoons!).
second of the matching skirts)

Looking over that list, it makes missionary work sound really 'work' based over here.  Haha.  But our work here is actually really doing well.  It's slowly picking up and there weren't as many doors slammed at us!:)  We've started coordinating with our branch president every week (and he's feeding us) and actually are filling up our whole day with members!  I'm happiest when I have work to do and a purpose to find:)
Getting here, I'm realizing how important my attitude is.  My attitude has changed from thinking of all the frustrating things happening to all the things I get to help with here in Guagua.  It has changed into an

'I'm so lucky to be able to leave my family and work for Heavenly Father!',

'It is so great to be able to get tan, laugh with a good companion and exercise all day!'

'I'm so glad these people are humble enough to at least believe in God.'

We had pig's blood for our meal on fiesta day!
Everything has become an attitude game for me.  Days can be so happy with a good attitude.  When the trials come, we can get dragged down with the details, become a rock at the bottom of the ocean our problems can be so big.  Everything is dark, you sit and wait for things to change, and the only other thing around you is probably other rocks.  But I would much better like to be a cork.  When the trials and hard stuff comes, be a cork.  Bob at the top of the water, going with flow, changing your course to learn from your trials.  Be a cork and don't let the hard stuff drag you down.  I put a sign above my desk this week that says "be a cork."  Sometimes, we come home with almost all punted appointments and dirty feet.  Sometimes, nobody listened to us that day.  But I'm learning to become that cork.  I'm trying to just bob on the top of the water and
I'm not letting any of that get me down.  Because I am so lucky to be here.
one night we just decided to do
 oatmeal face masks...
Funny story:  I got the April general conference Ensign this week (thanks mom!) and the first thing I did was look at all the pictures in it, to see all the different things the people were wearing.  The Ensign has become my only source of information of the what the styles are in America right now.  It's funny to look back at the past versions and see where the styles have changed haha.  I actually cut some of the outfits out to copy this week with one of my skirts.  Even on the mission, I've realized I haven't changed too much:)
LOTS OF LOVE!
SISTER TAYLOR