Saying Baybay to Albuerra

Hello!

This last week has been crazy! There has been lots of crime in Albuerra, and it's not safe for sisters anymore, so we picked up our belongings, left our beautiful, progressing area, and left for Baybay, a city that's just about 45 minutes away. Elders will come in on September 11. 

BUT before that, great things happened! Brother Dino got his cenomar! Which you all don't know what that means, but it was the only thing that he needed to be able to be baptized, and is usually a HUGE obstacle for the baptismal candidates. He's hopefully going to be baptized Sept 6, and we get to come to the baptism!! Also, Nelson did a turn around! He's coming to seminary now too! 

Here in Baybay there is a Muslim church that has mass. Loudly. Every morning. At 4:30 a.m. I'm investing in ear plugs! Haha. This area is a little bit slow, but I'm excited to get working and change that. We're the 1st sisters to serve in Baybay since the storm! 

Also, one sister has a sister who is serving at Temple Square right now!! I want to visit her when I get home!! 

I'm sorry this is so short, but I've kind of run out of time! I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week! 

Love, Sister Sprouse

Nindot Kaayu .......

So I just glanced over at my companion's screen and she's writing the mission president. She wrote: How's mission life is threatening you?" I'm trying really hard not to laugh right now. I know I should probably tell her but it might be weird that I'm looking at her screen... Anyways. 

This week was AWESOME! Yesterday we had 11 investigators come to church! There's this family that is SO ridiculously golden but the wife had a c section, but she's finally better and she showed up with her family and their baby! So nindot. And this family that we barely contacted but hadn't even gotten to teach also came to church. The husband afterward was like "everything we talked about in church was so cool! Do you have any books I could have to read?"  It was a great day. Lloyd moved to Ormoc but he showed up at the Church there and he's in the STL's area, so they called and assured me that he was there (I was really sad because I thought he was lost in the wilderness) and that they'd teach the new member lessons to him.

We helped garden this week! It's a lot different than gardening here because we just go to the rain forest and chop things with machete's haha.

Besides that,there's not a whole lot that's new. Nelson doesn't want to be baptized anymore :( once Lloyd left he took a turn for the worse. Just praying for revelation on how to help him. But I trust Heavenly Father that if it's his time, he'll be baptized. And if not, it's better that he doesn't if he's not ready!

Love you all! If you know Sister Ruppe, email her and tell her Happy Birthday!

Sister Sprouse

The weeks go by faster and faster!

Hello everyone! I can't believe I'm already writing you again! Where is my life going?

This week has been kind of interesting. I've learned so much during my mission about how important keeping the mission rules is, ESPECIALLY the small ones like the morning schedule and waiting to write people until Pday. We had a problem with that in our companionship and I was shocked to see a lot of tolerance and even stubbornness in breaking the small rules, even after the rules were made known. It caused quite a problem but then I decided to pray to Heavenly Father for help in what I should say and do to help the problem. We opened our daily planning with a song and a prayer, and I found the words that I needed to say and the questions that I needed to ask being put into my mouth. It really built my testimony that if we rely in Heavenly Father, He will help us, even if it just means being tactful and solving a problem in an effective manner. Since then, obedience has really improved in our companionship, and we have better been able to accomplish the work.

We have two girls who have been going to church, and want to be baptized. The only problem is that their parents are inactive and have been for about 10 or so years. I want them to be able to be baptized, but I know that the bigger picture is that this gospel is for families. So we are praying for their parents hearts to be softened. The mother seems to be almost there, but the father has a long way to go. So everyone's prayers for the Mistola family would be much appreciated!!

I got to go on exchanges with Sister Vea from the MTC. You might remember that she's the Tongan who loved chocolate and hated exercise haha. I had so much fun! She's so cute! She still loves chocolate but she's changed a lot! It was really cool to see someone who began this journey with me and all the progress that she's made with the help of Heavenly Father.

Also, I still talk in my sleep in Visaya! I wonder if it will be like that for the rest of my life. My subconscious is a Philipina! Also, my companion hit her 1/2 way point this week! I remember when I did that! It feels like yesterday! My mission is going by in the blink of an eye!

Okay that's all I love you all so much!!

Love, Sister Sprouse

Oh, also, Lloyd blessed the sacrament yesterday. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard (:

Lloyd's Baptism

Lloyd got baptized this week!! It was SUCH a beautiful baptism! His family are all recent converts but they couldn't come.. Except for his little brother, who is the only one now of their family who is not baptized yet. He didn't get converted at the time of all of his family because he was really not on the right path, but now that Lloyd is home and became converted he has REALLY come around. It was so cute because when we ask him if he's going to church, he's like "if kuya (big brother) goes, I'll go." So he got to see all of it, especially when Lloyd bore his testimony! He talked about how he feels like a brand new person and he will continue in the church "hangtud sa hangtud" which basically means until forever ! It was so cool! 

After the baptism, all the members were so welcoming to Lloyd and they even gave him a polo and a tie! My heart was so warm and I felt so much happiness. And the next day, Lloyd got confirmed and sustained in church. He also got the priesthood! It was one of the happiest Sundays of my mission. He looked so good in his polo and tie and he told us how happy he was. He may be one of my favorite conversions of my whole mission. 

Sister Webber found out she's training this week! It was really weird because they told us like a week and a half before the transfer. But anyway, she's going to do really well and I'm super excited for her!! While she was gone to a training meeting in Tacloban, I got to have my first Philipina companion for a day! Her name is Sister Tierra and she is the sweetest, most humble person in the world. I love her so much! I want a Philipina companion. Haha. 

We stayed at the STL's house during this time. I actually slept really well, but I woke up with something literally right next to my face. It's in the photo I uploaded. Look at the corner of the bed. 95 percent sure it was climbing on me during the night. 

Okay that's all for this week! LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Sister Sprouse

Hitler's Grandchildren

Good week! Haha I don't know if that works like goodmorning? But it
will be a good week and so I will say that.
The title of this email doesn't really have a super long story
connected to it; it's just really funny. We met this man who is a
professor at a college here, and he asked us if we were German. We
told him no, we're Americana, and he said no, you are the
grandchildren of Hitler. We laughed so hard. That day, because of that
Typhoon "Rasmussen?" Or something like that it flooded in Baybay up to
the knee! We almost couldn't get a bus home from District Meeting! But
other than that, that typhoon didn't leave too bad of an effect here.
This week, I almost passed out. Haha. I had to get my blood drawn! We
thought I might have dengue again and actually wanted to test for it
this time, but none. We don't really know what the deal is but I've
been feeling a bit better! But I am really glad that I can't even give
blood now that I've lived in the Philippines. That way, I won't feel
guilty for being selfish with my blood because I hate getting it
drawn.
We met President and Sister Maurer! They're so great! I love them so
much. Super excited for them to get to work here. They came and
visited all the zones.
I am a year old in the mission now! We celebrated my year mark by
buying cake and having some recent converts eat it with us! I would
send pictures but this internet cafe is not loving it.

LLOYD IS ACTUALLY STAYING AS OF NOW! He is so awesome! Turns out his
dad didn'twant him to take his place in the job because it wasn't very
good. He is getting interviewed tomorrow and hopefully getting
baptized on Saturday! Cross your fingers!

Okay, I don't have much time left, but I love you all! Oh mom, I got
your letter! Thanks so much it meant so much to me! Oh also, I got the
ensign of the conference talks. The priesthood session one by Dallin H
Oakes is SO GOOD! Everyone should read it, boy or not!

HAVE AN AWESOME WEEK!

The week of July 7th - 13th

This week has been full!! We wanted to work a whole week without staying home for sickness, so we pushed through even though neither of us were doing good. But we were so glad that we did it, because we had some really successful lessons that were full of the spirit. We did come home and crash though on Sunday after church.

Lloyd might be moving!!! :( Actually he definitely is we just don't know when! He has to go to Manila to work. We're so so sad about it because he has been doing SO good. He's been reading, and GOING TO SEMINARY! And ward activities, and he even came to church even though the rest of his family stayed home. He is really sad because he has loved coming and really enjoyed himself. We can see it in his eyes that he really has been touched by the light of Christ. But it's been a cool experience because we've been able to learn how to trust the Lord and the fact that His will is better than ours, or anyone else's. I've been praying for a miracle to happen, whether it be that he gets to stay or that he will still accept the gospel even if it's not here. Either way, it's a comfort to pray to Heavenly Father and say 'Thy will be done."

We also found this really good family! Their last name is Casero, and they just had a brand new baby. We were able to teach them the first time and the Mom started crying because she said she felt so heavy before we came and it just left as we were teaching. When we came back, she told us she read the Plan of Salvation pamphlet and she really remembered lots of it! The dad is really sweet too and they both really listen. We're excited to go back! 

Oh, I also held a baby pig this week. It was really cute, but when Sister Webber held it, it started screaming REALLY loud and the mom got really mad. Haha it was pretty funny.

OKAY I HAVE TO GO. I love you all!!! 

Sister Sprouse

President Maurer

We have a new mission president! This is his address to us:

President Maurer

Missionaries of the Tacloban Mission,
It has taken me almost a whole week to review your letters, and what a THRILL it has been for me to get to know you. You are an amazing group of missionaries. Please keep up the great work and tradition that surrounds this mission.

I have just been so touched by the MANY "welcomes" and warm wishes that you have given to Sister Maurer and myself. We look forward to serving with each of you, and learning from you. Thank you for your kindness.

I was, however disappointed that a largeg percentage did not write, this week. Please be assured I will read every letter and would love to hear to from. I also hope that you write home to your parents each week. If you could share with me any insights you are learning thru your experiences or study, then that might be a great way to reflect on your own progress. In addition, if you could share a miracle that happened during the week. If we look for the miracles, then we will have them.

The Assistants, Sister Maurer and myself look forward to meeting you all this week and next. We will meet by Zone in your area. So please be reminded that we will come to the location for YOUR Zone only.

With regards,
President & Sister Maurer

I don't know how to get it off grey...Anyway. I haven't met President Maurer yet, but everyone who has says that he's AWESOME. I'll get to meet him on the 16th. We have zone interviews that day. I'm really excited. He is from New Zealand so he's got a pretty cool accent, and I'm pretty sure he served in the Philippines before and knows Tagalog. I'll let you know more about him when I meet him.

This week was a bit of a stressful one, but it had a beautiful end to it. We went to get this Recent Convert family and their two sons who are investigators (Nelson and Lloyd) to come to church. We were going to walk with them because they don't have pamasahe. They were very, however, late to get started. (Philipino time) and we were a little bit late to church. The two sons said that they would follow after on the family bike but then the other RC son biked past and they didn't come, so we were pretty bummed about it. But we were able to stop by another Investigator Sister, Wilhelmina, whose mother is also a RC. We sat in Relief Society, and then we got to teach a really lovely Gospel Principles lesson about Charity to our recent converts and investigators. 

When we got up to sacrament, we saw that Lloyd and Nelson had actually come!! We were also so so grateful to see that 5 other investigators had come to church! We had 7 attend sacrament meeting, when last week we only had 2. I know it was a tender mercy from the Lord. We had been working very hard during the week, but I still know that it wasn't from us. It was only through the Lord helping us along the way. There were a couple time when I could only pray to the Lord for the strength to make it through the day, but I received the strength to go above and beyond that. We learned this week that as to our strength we are weak, but in the Lord we can do all things. 

Also, I LEARNED TO MAKE PANCIT. I am so excited to make you all try Philipino foods when I get home (: They're really yummy! 

I love you alll!! Have a wonderful week and remember that I love and pray for you always!! 

Love, Sister Sprouse