First week in the field!! :)

This has been my first week in the field! I have had to make a lot of adjustments, but I am still doing great because I have the Lord by my side! :)

Side note: I just have to add that before I left the Manila MTC, I ate balut!! It was nasty

Anyway!

My companion is Sister Tacuban! She is from the Philippines. She is teaching me a lot!! She is also a good cook so I am eating good! :) I actually ate adidas (chicken feet) the other day. It was also nasty haha. My first area I have been assigned to is Taytay 3rd :) It is considered province, but it has city in a lot of the places. It's a good mix! :) My apartment seems really safe. I was thankful for that! You have to unlock 2 gates before you get to our door. Sister Tacuban and I are the only people in our apartment. However, we do have some not-human roommates... hahah I haven't seen any mice or rats thank goodness, but we do have cockroaches (they are HUGE) and lizards. Yes, lizards. I scream every time I see one. They are freaky!

Whenever I walk outside in the morning, I get so many stares. I am so tall and white! I love the Philippines because I get told everyday how beautiful I am haha ;) I have been told: "you look like a barbie" everyday so far. This one investigator we visited had his uncle there that day, and his uncle said: "She is so beautiful. Okay, I will join the church now." haha! I'm pretty sure after my mission I am going to feel very underappreciated after 18 months of all the attention I am getting here ;)

On Sunday during sacrament meeting they called me up to introduce myself and bear my testimony. It was so fun getting to know everyone in my ward that day. It's such a great experience meeting and teaching the people here in the Philippines. They are very kind and loving! Some people are so poor here. It is worse than I imagined. I can't even explain it. I'm glad I can help in some way though by giving them the gospel of Jesus Christ. One thing I love about the people in the Philippines is how much they value families. It is very common here for extended families to all live together. 

We teach a lot of lessons, and I feel the spirit so strong when we do. This week I was able to invite Mark Kenneth and Maxine Lumines to be baptized and they said yes! I am so excited for their baptism! I also have been able to teach the Presa children. 4 of them are getting baptized this week! :) teaching children is my favorite! :)

Another time I felt the spirit really strong is when we were about to start a lesson with this young girl, and then her teenage brother walked in with 3 of his friends. We were able to include them in the lesson. That's one thing I learned this week is that God makes plan we don't know about, but we can still follow his plan if we are obedient and follow the Spirit. For example.. Sister Tacuban told me when we try to find where someone lives we ask people in the area. One of those people we ask can also be potential investigators. So our plan might be to find someones house to teach them, when God's plan was for us to actually find people to teach through that person that we weren't even planning on. Like when that girl's brother walked in with 3 of his friends. Sorry if that doesn't make a lot of sense! God has a plan and he will guide us even if we don't know about it, as long as we are being obedient :) Like in 1 Nephi 4:6&7

6 And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing before hand the things which I should do.

7 Nevertheless I went forth....

I know that if we are trying our best to follow our Heavenly Father and be the best we can be, He will help us be successful and bless us :)

I love being a missionary! I am so thankful for all your love and support! :)

Love, Sister Durrant

Balut

Chicken feet!

Apartment in Taytay