In every change, He faithful will remain

Hello Everyone.

This week has been crazy to say the least. We are all in Manila right now, but my heart goes out to all my fellow missionaries who suffered more than I did. But I testify that we are all safe through, and only through, the power of our Heavenly Father. I can't even name how many of my missionary friends told me that their apartment was literally the only apartment standing on the whole street. My batchmate, S. Kalonihea, had an apartment that was connected to another one. The connected apartment fell, but their apartment is still standing. I saw a picture of my first DL's apartment, and literally the whole street was devastated except his. There was this group of 10 sisters who's apartment flooded to the very top. There were bars on the windows and they were stuck inside a house that was rapidly filling with water. One of the sisters had the prompting to go to the laundry room, where they found that there was a hole in the roof. This sister punched a bigger hole in the wall and they climbed to the roof, where they lay chest to chest to avoid hypothermia. The flood waters were still rising, and they would have not been able to remain on the roof, but they said a prayer and the flood waters immediately stopped. My best friend Elder Lowe is one of the missionaries who found the member of the American air force who secured four back and forth flights to Manila for all of our missionaries who desperately needed a ride in a city where everyone was bribing the airport so that their flights kept getting bumped. While they were still stuck in Tacloban, the prisoners broke out of the town jail. The missionaries in Tacloban had to walk home in the dark after this happened. All they could do is say a prayer and hope that they could make it home safely with all the criminals free and all the other people driven crazy by lack of food. I testify that it was because of your prayers, and all of our prayers, that all of us are safe and sound. We as a mission all suffered in different ways from this disaster, and we as a mission have felt so much comfort in all that has been done in our behalf.

 

This week has been really interesting. We left Allen without saying goodbye to anyone and took a ferry to picol,and then a 12-13 hour drive to Manila. Here we have stayed at the temple patron house and been fed and cared for by the MTC. What has ended up happening is that the missionaries who have only 3 or less months less are going home, and the rest are reassigned to different missions in the MTC. My new assignment is the Cebu East mission, and I will stay there until the Tacloban mission is up and running. No one knows how long that will take. The MTC president initially said 6 months, but there really is no way to tell.

 

I want to again say thanks for all your prayers. I would like to ask you to do the favor of continuing your prayers for those still in Tacloban. The hurricane is over, but the destruction, lack of food, and lack of electricity or oil remains. They need a miracle to recover. Also the missionaries who lost all their supplies and had to see such terrible things. We try to help them but they have lost a lot.Thank you so much. I love you all very much.

Sister Sprouse

 

There is no title for this week

Family. I am so happy for finally getting to write you. We were supposed to write you ASAP but the whole city along with the other cities near us are in complete brown out. I was so anxious ever since Thursday that you didn't know that I wasn't floating around somewhere facedown.. As in, I had this huge pit in my stomach ever since then. Especially because I thought you weren't getting a lot of sleep, mom. I found out that they had contacted you this morning at like 9 oclock and I just cried because I was so relieved. Right now we were lucky enough to find the one internet cafe in the whole town with a generator and internet.

The thing is, I was never in any danger at all. We were ordered to stay in our apartment but we only had strong winds and a little rain. We were very blessed in Allen. But it is so hard to think about all the cute kids and wonderful people that I met the week I was in Tacloban. Also, my very best friend from the MTC was literally assigned 15 minutes away from Tacloban. I have been worrying about him and praying for him and his family all week. I just keep thinking about how you all got a phone call and how maybe his parents haven't because he isn't yet accounted for.. it makes my heart sick. To be honest, all of this makes my heart sick. There were so many poor little kids that came up to me while I was there asking for money because they needed food. I am sure that they had no shelter at all. We are about 8-10 hours away from Tacloban so it's hard to imagine, but I remember being in America how impersonal it was to hear about the storms, even though you felt sympathy. Now it is definitely personal. It is hard to write how I feel right now. Another typhoon is coming and if it were to hit Allen I would be so devastated. 

I want to share one happy story at least from before we knew about all of these terrible things. We had a baptism for this sweet little girl, Shaina. She is 9-turning 10 tomorrow, and was born premature so she is not quite right in the head. She is really adorable though. We finished a lesson with her family and asked if anyone had any questions, so she turned to S. Woodruff and asked, "why is your nose so big?" Then she told us she wanted to be baptised and she knew how to pray. So we set up her baptism. It was the day after the typhoon so we hadn't had the opportunity to plan  for it. So we got to the church, and there were no elders and no bishop. Also no water for the font in the church. So we went to find the elders then they called us (we randomly had phone service in a small patch of the road) and they were coming so we asked if they had buckets to get water from the bumba (well) They had only one so we went to get ours. There we decided to baptise her (and them, the elders had two baptisms also) in the ocean, so we went from there to find the bishop. We walked to his house, then his young son said he thought that he had gone to the church. On the way to the church, he passed us on his motor in a jersey back to his house. We were on a motor, so we went back to the church, then to his house again to get him. Thankfully he was going to the church as soon as we arrived, and we all went to the baptism. S. Woodruff and I had to give the talks, and I had to lead the music too, so it was not very well put together. But as we went out to the dagat(ocean) and I saw our Heavenly Father's little child get ready to enter the waters of baptism, I felt such peace. It felt like the anxiety before was making this baptism even more beautiful. I know that Heavenly Father is proud of little Shaina for her decision. 

We are going to Manila probably tomorrow for I don't know how long. Hopefully I will be able to email soon and let you know what is happening. Thank you for your emails and your prayers and I am sorry if you worried too much. I love you all so much. 

Sister Sprouse

Week of Dengue

Hello family!!

I am so sad I didn't get to write you all because of bad connection last week, but I am glad to be able to now! Before I forget, you asked about what I might need.. so I actually have a few things.

Ziplock bags.Haha

Batteries! The filipino ones don't work in my camera! It's really a bummer!

smores poptarts

wax strips.. (so awkward but shaving your legs is the worst)

capris! Going to the beach on pday in my black skinny jeans isn't really my fav. Maybe just a loose pair that you don't want

That's all I can think of at this exact moment but there's probably something really important that I am forgetting. Thank you so much for thinking of me and please don't make it too expensive after all the bathroom stuff.

So! This week I got dengue. It's a disease from my little friends the mosquitos. So I got to lay in bed all week with a fever. Super fun! Haha at least all the Filipinos are telling me I lost weight from not eating all week.. Haha yeah I know. Don't worry, Mom. I am fully hungry and fever free now. Oh and also, yesterday, a hermit crab made friends with my finger very forcefully. Nature hates me. Hahaha. It's okay! I am tough.

Dad, you would love the Philippines because it's like camping every day. Mom, you would hate the Philippines because it's like camping everyday. Hahaha. I love it though. Everything is so dirty so I get to get over my germaphobiness. Oh, P.s dad, I am teaching my district leader Spanish so I need you to write to me in some Spanish to refresh my memory.

Last week was really good. We have this AMAZING investigator, Ricky Rosal. He is 23 and works in construction. We taught him only once and didn't even get the chance to ask him to go to church again and he just showed up! Love him! He speaks some Cebuano too so I get to try to remember what I learned at the MTC. So it was really great cuz in his 2nd lesson we decided that the spirit was right so I was going to commit him to baptism. So Bro. Nickko finished talking, and I committed him. And I was so excited cuz I said it so well. Bro Nickko was laughing at me and I couldn't figure out why. Turns out he had already commited him to baptism right before me.

... But he said yes both times so that's good right? Haha so awkward. I swear, I am not as awful at the language as I sound.

Okay that is all for this week. I love you all so much! I hope everything is well! We haven't gotten to watch conference yet but I will let you know when we do. Love you!

Sister Sprouse

Hello, Everyone!

Cige so before I forget momma:
Philippines, Tacloban Mission
Fatima Vlg, Tacloban City
6500 Leyte
Philippines

So we only get mail through the mission home. It gets sent there then
we get our mail like once a transfer.. Haha. It's pretty awesome. Also
I guess packages are super duper slow so they take like 3 months and I
think it's three weeks to a month for letters also. I'm not sure if I
told you already but if you get like Jesus stickers and put them on
the mail it will keep it from being stolen.
So anyway!!
This week we had a training down in Tacloban so instead of getting to
work very much we just got to take a very very long 7 hour bus ride
and then home again.. Haha so fun. But it was awesome because I got to
see my batch! Elder Lowe looks so good! I missed him so much. He is
already such an awesome missionary. I have pictures with him and
Sister K and Sister G and Dial but it's really hard to send pictures
here cuz they easily get corrupted and I really don't want to lose any
of these pictures from this beautiful place! So I can probably print
and send some, we will see.
I am excited to get back to work this week. Sister Perdida went to
church again! She is so good. Like seriously a golden investigator. We
taught her sons too and they are so so good! Sister Bessy was out of
town so no church for her.. We are really grateful though because she
is not as shy as she used to be. She is ten and she used to cover her
face with her hands every single time we asked her a question. But she
came with us to FHE and she was super talkative and cute. We are
hoping to have her baptised soon but she keeps missing church.
So besides that I guess there's not a whole lot to say. Oh yeah!
Brother Nickko! I am so so happy that he talked to Jamie. He is
seriously my favorite ever. He was inactive last year and he came
back, and ever since then he has worked with the missionaries EVERY
SINGLE DAY. He is leaving soon and I am so sad. He was really excited
that he talked with Jamie also. I asked him if he was leaving the
other day and he said "Of course not! I promised Jamie Sprouse that I
could protect you!" Haha so funny. He is the best guy ever in the
world.
My language is still not good but I can get my point across and
understand a little.lt is helpful that almost every single Philippino
knows English.
There are so many inactives in our community because it seems that
some missionaries a while back taught everyone only like the first
lesson, baptized them, and never came back. That's the reason that
Bro. Nickko was inactive. It is super sad. We try to visit everyone as
much as we can and pray that they will have the desire to come to
church.
Well that's all for now! Love you all so so much!
Sister Sprouse

First Week in Philly(pines)

Oh my goodness I just knew that you all would be anxious when I didn't write as soon as I arrived. Haha. I am writing you as soon as I possibly could though! I love you all! All the emails that I received made me feel so loved. 

The Philippines are amazing! I love it here! There are so many new sights and (interesting) smells! Haha I'm trying so many things that I never have before. I keep having the wish that I could just snapshot every moment so that you could enjoy it with me. 

The mangoes here seriously taste like candy! Haha I love it. There's also this really interesting fruit that I have no idea what it's called but it's so so so good. I actually like the humidity which is so interesting but yeah. Haha. The Filipinos are so kind! They all are really loving to me. Everywhere I go I feel like a champ because everyone stares at Sister Woodruff and I and yell "Americanos!" Haha so I am basically famous. 

I am going to be speaking Waray Waray S. That has been a challenge because I was so good at Cebuano! All the Filipinos would tell me how good I was at it and I felt really confident speaking it. I guess I needed to be humbled. Waray waray has a lot of the same gospel words but the conversational words are not even close. Also I have an American accent so that's interesting. Thank you for fasting for me. That really means a lot to me because I was SO overwhelmed with the language on Saturday. Like really. I felt like I was going to die. But on Sunday I felt so much better about it. I still don't understand a lot but I'm overcoming it. 

We have no apartment yet, but we are staying with some sisters in this area and we went to teach nonactives with some members yesterday. All those that we were teaching bailed, but I have learning the language time so that was really helpful.

I just looked over my shoulder and 3 filipino boys were looking over my shoulder at the screen transfixed. Haha. I told you. Famous. (I'm in an internet cafe)

We did laundry today and I will never again complain about laundry in America. We have it so good here.

MAN. This place is built for me. I have seen over and over again the reasons that I have been called here and why they work perfectly for me. I am so happy. The Lord knows what he is doing. I'd better go, but I am safe and sound! I love you! Have a good week! 

Sister Sprouse

P.s please tell Jeff and Tiff how wonderful I thought their package was! I was so happy to get it! I felt like the most loved gal in the MTC. Thank them for me please! 

Sister Sprouse with her roommates from Fiji and New Zealand

 

 

 

Sister Sprouse with Sister Sprouse except one of the Sister Sprouses' name tag is not showing

 

 

Sister Sprouse with her companion Sister Laub from Idaho



Month Mark!

Comosta akong pamilya! 

Gugma nako kamo!! Kaayo!

Wow. This week has been AMAZING. So good. Like for reals. (Can't believe I just typed that.) Salamat para tanan sa mga letters! I was so excited to get them all and here from all of you. 

So Sister Laub is from Idaho, but she went to BYU here for the past two years. She hates that she can see the pretty mountains but is not able to hike on them. She loves to run like me. We're opposites, but the same too. She's so much quieter, but besides that we are both very quirky and our catch phrase is salikwa-ut (awkward.) She loves poetry, and nice glass of byu cookies and cream milk, and of course her companion, me, here. 

 

What an eventful week. Sister Laub and I found a picture of this man whom we are not familiar with under our bunk bed. In the photo, he is enjoying a nice tall swirl of cotton candy. We decided that we love him and that he is our boyfriend, so we placed him on our residence door. But the next day he was gone! The Tongan sisters were very upset that someone stole our boyfriend. (He apparently was their boyfriend too.) And blamed Sister T (The figian) for stealing it. Sister T said, "An eye single to the glory of God. No boyfriend!" She is the funniest girl I have met, possibly ever. My love for her is great! 

The other day we were talking, and all the sudden she asks me, "Sister Sprouse, can you give me your pants?" Hahaha. I told her that I could not, in fact, give them to her, to which she replied, "Pelihog?" (please) Apparently we Americans are not good at sharing. "Fijians are much better." 

Oh, so I slept talked again in Cebuano. Sister Lolesi said that I was going at it pretty hard; it was like I was having a conversation with myself. I can remember my dream. It was when I was home from my mission, and Kait and Brisa could both speak Cebuano. Actually Brisa spoke elongo, but they're pretty similar. Sister Laub said that at one point she heard me say, "salikwa-ut". Haha. I don't even know.

This Sunday I got to listen to a talk by Elder Bednar about teaching through the spirit. It was incredible! I learned that success on a mission is a gift from God, and I need to live to be worthy of it. I need to become a missionary, not just go on a mission. It was so wonderful! Read D&C 100:5-8. Such a cool promise! 

But that's not even the best part. On Tuesday, an apostle came to speak to us! It was Richard G. Scott. I love him! He is so adorable. I also love how he always talks about his wife. This time he said, "I am emotional tonight... Because my wife has been gone for a long time, but I feel strongly that she has been permitted to be here tonight." WOW! So cool! He said a really awesome quote, "To reach a goal you have not yet obtained, you must do things you have never done before." He said so much, and I just felt to lucky to be able to hear him and know his message was true. He also blessed all the language learning missionaries that we would be able to learn the language as long as we tried! So exciting!

It was funny because we all knew that an apostle was speaking to us, so it was pretty hectic going to the Marriot Center. Elder Vander Vloidt called it "The running of the bulls." Pretty accurate. That guy is the funniest guy I have ever met. The other day he picked up the fan and pretended that he was a snake charmer and his tie was the snake. I have a few pictures of it. He's so hilarious! The other day at lunch, Elder Hughes was trying to get a rhyme for purple. He said not nurple. So he asked for the second best. Elder Lowe said whirlpool. So Elder Hughes says okay, third best. Without even pausing, Elder Vander Vloidt says, "Third best? Turd Vest!" Okay, so I don't know if it sounds funny over email, but I was almost crying. To put sa pag in front of a word makes it a verb (sa pagampo is "to pray") so they turned him into a verb. Every time he says something like "Your mom" to you, you know that you've been sa pag-Vander Vloidt-ed. 

Well, I'm going to go, but I love you all so much! I love being here and feeling the spirit and knowing that if you ask for something from God, He will help you. 

Love you!

Sister Sprouse 

(Dang it, I forgot my converter. I'll send pictures next week.)