Two Words: TYPHOON and PYTHON

Just a little background.. a few years ago, I bought a stuffed animal snake, wrapped it up nicely and gave the "present" to my sister sandy. She opened it, threw it across the room, and started to cry. I guess I didn't take her fear of snakes seriously enough. Actually, I didn't realize it was that bad! She lived with this fear for years. Then when she got her mission call to the Philippines and heard there were snakes there, she decided to seek therapy (i think i mentioned this before). Along with therapy she prayed that her fear would go away so she could be a successful missionary and not have that constant worry. Before she left, she also talked to a handful of people who had also served in the Philippines and they reassured her that they never saw a snake the entire time on their mission.

With that being said... here are just a few pieces from the first e-mail we received from Sandy in the Philippines. (she gets to email once a week). I highlighted the parts that made me either 1. cry or 2. scream.

Well hello! Can you believe that I'm in the Philippines!!? I'm actually starting to believe it after these last couple of CRAZY days. Honestly...I don't even know where to start. I can't believe all that I've seen and done in just these past two days!!!

Friday morning was TRANSFER MEETING!! I finally met my companion! Her name is Sister Manuel. She's a Filipina. SHE'S AMAZING!!! Seriously, I could not have asked for a better trainer.

So friday after transfers, we take a 2 hour jeep ride to our apartment. When I walked into our apartment at first, I was super grossed out. All I could picture were the cockroaches and spiders I would be sleeping with...and yes, we have to shower with a bucket. So then we plan a tiny bit and then go to our first appointment. It was a lady named Sister Lorna. Her barangay was flooded, so to get to her house we had to cross this really tiny plank of wood with nothing to hold onto. But we made it.
Her house is made out of all bamboo and has no doors, windows, beds...nothing. And at that moment, when I walked into Sister Lorna's VERY humble home, I fell in LOVE with our apartment here. Bring on a few cockroaches...I don't care anymore. I have a door, a roof, windows, and walls.

At the appointment with Sister Lorna I was able to read a scripture, testify about it, and pray. It was pretty cool. Our next appointment was an awesome family. They're house has dirt floors and no doors. Sister Manuel and I sang them "Let the Holy Spirit Guide," and then I prayed.

(SIDE NOTE FROM SARAH: here is where she shares a really special experience that I feel is too sacred to share on the blog, so I cut that out, but shared the ending part where Sandy had just shared her Testimony of the Savior in Tagalog, she was nervous but she did it)

I felt the spirit so strong and started to cry. I looked over at Sister Violi and she was crying too. At that moment I realized that I don't have to speak PERFECT tagalog to change peoples lives and to really do missionary work here. That helped me so much.

The next day was Saturday and we woke up to POURING rain. Turns out it was a bagyo(typhoon) and so our zone leaders said that we couldn't work. So we walked to the market nearby for some food that we needed....

The next morning we went to church. Not very many people were there because their houses were flooded from the typhoon :( A member of the bishopric asked if i would bear my testimony, so I went up and shared my testimony in tagalog. I felt really good about it. The people at church are SO nice.

After church we had a bunch of teaching appointments planned. So our first appointment was the Osio family. While we were there, it started pouring rain again. But, when we were done, we went to our 2nd appointment and when we got there, their house was flooded. So we decided to go visit another family. To get to their house, we had to cross a flood on a boat, and then walk through a flood that was a little above our knees. Finally we get there safely.

So this morning we find out that one of the apartments in our district is flooded up to their chest. And an hour later I find myself in a flood up to my chest...no exaggeration. There were about 10 of us missionaries crossing this crazy flood to get to these elders apartment to help. On our journey we saw the following: 2 dead dogs floating, dead mice floating, poop floating, and ...a PYTHON. Yep... a python.

The coolest part was that it didn't even phase me. I knew that there were snakes in that water and I didn't even mind because I know I'm being watched over. So we got there, moved all their stuff into the attic, and crossed the flood again. We were in water for probably 2 hours. It was an intense adventure.

Anyway, those are my first couple of days in the mission field.. and they're exciting ones! I love you ALL! PLEASE count your blessings. We live in a 5 star hotel compared to all of these houses. I'm so happy here. I shower with a bucket next to cockroaches and I don't care. I'm just so happy to be a missionary. Don't worry about me! I'm better than ever! I love you all!! Send my love to everyone.

**So, after I was done highlighting, I realized I cried and or screamed through almost all of her letter.

Can you even handle those stories? I am for sure upping my prayers for that girl now!