First a chicken, now a duck!

Hello everyone!

We traveled to Tacloban this morning and as we were standing in the bus squished like Sardines, Sister Malu and I said, "Wow, if our parents saw this they would be really worried."  We have become so used to how they do things here we forget that it is not normal to have 55 people in a 33 (34 if you include the driver) seated bus flying down (speed limits aren't real) twisty and rocky roads! Yeah, and that wasn't even bad! I love it here.

This last Monday and Tuesday were AWESOME. Having the whole Tacloban Mission come together was such a great, fun, and memorable experience!! On Monday we played games and just got to have fun together! There was one game that Sister Dumale, Sister Vallestero, Sister Clergio and I were really good at and Elder Anderson kept telling us we were the best so that was funny because the Elders started to get frustrated and try to beat us but yeah, didn't happen. We then got to watch Meet the Mormons together and it was SO GOOD. I have been dying to see the whole thing and of course I got emotional watching the missionary mom. I have seen it here 3 times now and I still cry. And when I told all of the Filipinos sitting next to me that I have been there they just couldn't believe it! They thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Tuesday was a great day as we all got to sit and learn from our leaders. We talked a lot about covenants and how we made covenants before we came to earth and how we make covenants here and how important it is to keep our covenants and how blessed we are to be able to renew our covenants every Sunday as we attend church! One of our ward members told me that he was told on his mission by a leader that we should partake of the Sacrament 48 times a year. The missing weeks are for General Conference and Stake Conference! I couldn't agree more. I hope we all remember the importance of the Sacrament and that it should always be a spiritual experience. We got to hear from our AP's and Elder Oaks gave a powerful talk and shared his experience during Typhoon Yoloanda. As he spoke he showed a picture of water coming into their apartment (it was HIGH) and he said as himself, and 3 other Elders sat in the back in the corner preparing to die a picture of Jesus Christ floated up to them. As he told us he held up the picture that floated up to him and it brought tears to my eyes. He knew then that he wasn't going to die and that Jesus Christ was aware of him and was with them.

After our Combined Zone conference we ate lunch (which was so good) and had transfer meeting! I was really excited for Transfer meeting because I had nothing to worry about :) Sister Malu got her new companion Sister Laniton who is actually from the same place as Sister Duamle so they knew each other before the mission! Small world! She is really sweet and we all 4 have a good time :) (She is also a really good cook so that's a plus)

We had an amazing lesson this week with the Aguilay family about Temples! We have taught them all together before (Brother is really listening now!:)) and it was a great lesson but seeing the spirit work on him while teaching about the Temple was amazing. We had a picture from the Mission office of the Cebu Temple and as he sat and looked at the picture there was just a pause and he then looked at us and said, "I want us to go there." Joemar (12) Angel (9) and Angielyn (9) all passed their baptismal interviews on Saturday and couldn't be more excited for their baptism on the 18th! The Elders have a baptism as well and Jushrei's little sister just turned 8 so all together there will be 9 baptized and it will be at the beach! We can't wait! There will be a ward party that follows which will be so fun. The missionaries are in charge of games so that means Sister Dumale and I because the Elders have no idea what they're doing ;) Brother Aguilay isn't ready to be baptized but we are helping him to be ready August 1st as well as Sister Rhodora who came to church again yesterday with her boys who also want to be baptized. Jemily also will be baptized on August 1st and we are so excited for her as she really has changed so much and when we taught her Word of Wisdom yesterday she immediately said she would stop drinking coffee without question. I love her!

Do any of you remember when I killed that chicken a while back? Well I also killed a duck. Yeah. But not really because I was actually pretty scared to do it so I just had to hold the wings and everything which was really sad and hard because they are strong. Kevin is a big duck! I don't want you all thinking I am some animal killer here on my mission so I wanted to share a scripture. Doctrine and Covenants 89:10-12 "And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man-- Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving. Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;" I think Kevin is the last animal I will buy but now Jeralyn and her family have rice and food to eat and we have the experience of eating duck. I haven't tried it yet but I'll let you all know next week if it's good. (I hope so)
 

Nahigugma ako ha inyo bug-os!

Love,
Sister Wilde

I saw Elder Cotcher again of course and a picture was a must!

HAPPY FAMILY :) :)

We helped Sister Hansen (Senior missionary) stamp books for the cute kids here! The others translated a little portion of the story in Cebuano/Waray Waray so she could read it to them in their language too :)

Meet Kevin (sorry but it only gets worse from here)

Sister Malu liked him.

Poor Kevin. Be prepared for what is next!

I love Sister Dumale! We are drinking my favorite drink! (Buko! Coconut) Yes, we drink out of bags here and I love it.

We all have matching fans now thanks to Elder Esika and Elder Means!

I have finished 2 journals now! (Are you proud of me Mom?!)

Bathroom selfie with Myla!

LOVE THESE GIRLS!