A Shift of Duties!

Hello my dear ones!

I love you and I am sure you already know that but I just thought I would remind you one more time. also this key board has one " enter"" key missing and one shift key missing so sorry for all the mistakes.  anyways how are you? i hope you are happy and I hope you are laughing and telling jokes. Today is pday (duh) and we had a zone lunch at the Gatchalians! of course it was delicious. it was so fun because afterward we all were so full so we just sat there telling jokes. All the Filipinos would laugh at the Filipino jokes and the Americans would laugh at the American jokes. and we would all pretend to laugh at each others jokes. I couldn't think of any jokes! I was thinking darn i wish Samuel was here he is the funny one. and Alex too of course. anyway. Elder Kaur from idaho told a funny one " Two snowmen were standing in the field and one said to the other " Hey do you smell Carrots?" haha!!!

Sooooooooo i have exciting news! on Wednesday we had just finished a lesson with a less active when the phone rang. I said "hello po!" and it was elder maze one of the assistants. "Hello sino yong kinausap ko?" sabi ko " Sister Stapp" tas sabi nya "how are you sister stapp" and I said "great!" "are you in a lesson?" "we just finished" "Well great sister stapp i have some news for you. do you have any idea what it might be?" "No i have no idea" (i really did have an idea) then he said " Well congratulations sister you will be training this next transfer!" yaya!!!

So yon I will be training! I'm going to be a mommy! We attended what is called "training the trainers" in Urdaneta on Friday. We heard workshops from the assistants and president. He told us that we are "watchmen on the tower" we are responsible for helping these missionaries become responsible, obedient and successful missionaries. I am excited but nervous! I don't know if i will be training here in Caba or opening an area. Most likely I will be opening an area since i have been here for 6 months now. I have butterflies, but the Lord will help me i know He will. He will qualify me if i continue to be obedient. ah!!! Transfer day is on Friday so next email you will know who my trainee is! She will be great i just know it.

Also good news! I have worn holes in my shoes!!!! Well it happened a few weeks ago but i forgot to tell you. yes we walk a lot. I was wondering why one of my shoes was always sandy on the inside then i looked and there was a hole! Now they are Holy shoes. haha! I haven't taken a pic but will soon for y'all.

So this week is great. We are so excited because our investigator brother Charles is progressing really well and getting excited for his baptism on April 6. He said last night that he knows Joseph smith was a prophet and that he can feel his prayers being answered. I am so happy about this because he is 20 years old! He is a potential missionary, plus his mother is so supportive. He said that he wants us to come everyday the week before his baptism so he can be more and more prepared. I feel so good when the missionary and the investigator are feeling the spirit together. Spirit speaking to spirit.

Here on the mission I have more fully realized how involved the spirit is in every aspect of our lives. It is true that he is our constant companion...we are never ever alone if we are obedient and heed to the promptings.

So you want to hear about my every day life here in the phils....Well i wake up...I usually wake up to the sound of roosters and people singing karaoke next door...shower in Cold water. It feels nice though because it is so hot! I have been eating oatmeal for breakfast lately. delicious. When we go out to proselyte there are people selling things like corn, fish, and .....stuff like that. people are also selling things at their stores that they own. Here it seems like almost every one owns a small convenience store....they sell crackers and eggs, oil, rice....the essentials. Either they make a living selling things or giving rides in they're trike. All the trike drivers know us and know where out investigators live haha! Everyone knows everyone here in the phils. Contacting less actives is actually pretty easy if you know what barangay they live in. Everyone is like a big family. When i tell them I don't really know the names of my neighbors they are shocked!!

Chicken Dinner! (the Filipinos are so beautiful!)

I love you all and i love this work. I love Jesus Christ. I know he live and loves all of us. I know that the more we understand his atonement the more we will want to follow and become like him. Make sure you read everyday your scriptures! and keep writing me dear elders! i love them! i get them all!

I love hearing about your everyday lives and the things you are doing to help the Lord's work move foreword. 2 Cor 3:3 > really good scripture. The gospel should be written in the fleshy tables of our heart!!!

Love you!!!!!

Mahal na mahal ko kayo1!!

Sister Stapp

 

ps. love the pics! That baby is so cute!!!

 

PS.  I got grandma's/pa's Easter package!!! tell them i love it and i opened it already so sister dacuno could open it with me :) tell them i love them so so so much!!!!!!

 

PS. I try not to think about the time. i still get a little homesicky some times but i just work it off! Can you believe I have been here 8 months???!!!!

 

 

The Fullmer's are Senior Missionaries in Julia's area.  She sends me little tid bits about Julia. Here is an email from today and below are some photos from their blog.

 

"We went with Sister Stapp and Sister Dacuno last Saturday to visit some families. She is amazing at how great she speaks Tagalog. We know she worked hard. It was a pleasure to listen to her. We went to one family and that was the hardest ever for us. It would have been nice to sit outside even though it was hot, but they wanted us to come into their very poor home. They put a fan on us, but it was blowing the hottest air. It felt like 100 degrees. We were there 40 minutes. We do visit some homes that are hot, but not like that one. It was all tin and was just holding the heat in. We have come to love and appreciate these missionaries because they are so dedicated and really sacrifice comfort. They are coming to dinner Wednesday and we love having them. We could let you know after Friday where she will be but she probably wants to tell you herself."

 

FHE on the beach.  Look at the sunset!

 

Sister missionaries are beautiful too!