1st PDay in the field

Sister Huguely's first email from the Philippines.  We were so happy to hear from her and to hear that she is safe.  We are a little worried about Sister Huguely's ability to stay out of the way of the Jeepney!

Hello my loves! 

First off happy 22nd Anniversary Mom and Dad! I am glad you got married so that we can be a family! Well it is finally PDay here and I only have limited time to email so I am going to try and reply to as many people as possible but if I can't respond to you just know that it doesn't mean I don't love you and that I will try and get to you next week! 

I miss you guys tons! My trainers name is Sister Dimacuta. She is from the Legaspi Mission here in the Philippines. She is super sweet and awesome! She only has 12 weeks left on her mission so I hope that means she will be my trainer for the whole time! The Philippines is so different than America. My first area is Cubao, which is right in the middle Quezon City. The temple and the mtc are in my area so when I was leaving the Manila MTC I didn't have to go far! Haha. The drivers here are super crazy and I am always kind of worried that I am going to get hit by a jeepney! haha. There are also TONS of stray dogs and cats walking around. The sidewalks always have poop on them so you have to really watch where you are walking. haha. Also it is so hot here! I thought I was prepared for the heat but I definitely wasn't! It is so hot that my black crocs shrunk! They don't fit my feet anymore! But it is okay because it is pretty fun being in the city. It is definitely different from back home! 

Also wherever I go here people stare at me and men catcall me. My trainer said that it is because I am an American. It makes me really uncomfortable wherever I go. But Sister Dimacuta says that all the American companions she's had have eventually gotten used to it. So hopefully I will too.

We have two investigators with a baptismal date this month. Sister Maggie Beth Ballon for August 15 and Sister Ricki Mae Espinosa for August 22. They are both super ready to hear the gospel and I feel so blessed to have them in my first area during my first transfer. Sister Maggie is so ready that she went to the distribution center on her own and bought the Bible, the Triple, the Hymn Book, and the Gospel Principles Manual all on her own! She is already talking about wanting to go to the temple! 

These past few days have been the hardest of my life. Here I am in a another country with another culture and whose language I don't speak. It can be really frustrating in the lessons because I have so much I want to say but I don't know how to say it. I just keep fighting though. I keep fighting because I know that this is where the Lord needs me to be right now. I am humbled for the opportunity to serve Him. I love and miss you all! 

Mahal ko po kayo,

Sister Huguely 

All the captions for any pictures are what Sister Huguely writes for a caption. 

Sister Huguely's Provo MTC "batch" but hindi ko alam (but I don't know). 

Sister Huguely and Sister Livermore outside the Philippines MTC.  

Shrine to the Soldiers

Great seal of North Carolina at the memorial for American soldiers who fought in the Philippines.  Sister Huguely's cousin, Alex Dondich, fought in the Philippines, was a POW there and, unfortunately, died as a prisoner there at 17 years old.  Baba wrote about this the week Sister Huguely left for the Philippines so the memorial has special meaning.