July 6, 2015 --- RAINY SEASON IS REALLY HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

Hello family!  Alright, here goes for a record fast email! This week's been great and just a little bit of everything else!  In our apartment, no one's lived there for a few years so there are plenty of critters.  The first couple days we killed a HUGE spider in the bathroom each day.  One morning I woke up and while I was walking downstairs I felt something tickling my shin, when I looked there was nothing on my leg.  Then a few minutes later, I felt it again super confused so I tried to itch it and felt something hard....I was so freaked out I just dropped my pants and screamed, "THERE'S A COCKROACH IN MY PANTS!!!!"  Sobrang gross and now I'm a little nervouse everynight before bed, ugh cockraoches!! But thankfully, Sister Lutao came to my rescue and killed it so it's gone now! 

Reasons I adore Sister Sarfraz:

1) While teaching about the Word of Wisdom, Sister Sarfraz said, "Tatay!  Do you want to become pogi (handsome)? Then you need to do this!"

2) When Sister Sarfraz realized the transfer's almost over, she said, "This transfer is so super fast, maybe I love you?"

3) Last night Sister Sarfraz let me try on her Pakistani  outfits, they are maganda.  I think she's secretly a princess over there or something.  The clothes are really so gorgeous.  With sequence and jewels , I felt like I was trying on some of Grandma Cook's fancy gowns and jackets.

4) She's just adorable in general!

It's hard to sleep at night now because it rains and rains and I can't help but watch it.  My bed is by the window and it's like watching my favorite movie/trying to fall asleep, I can close my eyes because I might miss my favorite parts.  The Philippines is a whole new world in rainy season.  Last night, we learned how to boil water for baths because we got SOAKED from the rains!! 

Our FHE on Monday was crazy because on the way there the tryke ran out of gas and we had to push the tryke until we could get gas.  While we were pushing the tryke two people stopped to help us, one was a less-active that wants the missionaries to visit and the other was a woman who's late husband was a Mormon.  She told us that she's finally ready to be a Mormon too.  They're both in some other missionaries area so we won't get to teach them but it was really fun to meet them.  I'm amazed at the way Heavenly Father leads us to people through small and simple things, even if at first they may seem inconvenient, there's always a greater purpose.  

We had exchanges again and I got to go to the beach again :)  We even taught a lesson, sitting on the sand watching the sunset...so fun!  

This week, we were finally able to teach Ricardo.  He lives near a couple of the recent converts here and he just will not let us teach him, I think he's just been a little shy or something, and always say, "sige next time."  We were about to start a lesson yesterday and he was just kind of hanging around by his house.  So we started talking to him, and tried a different tactic.  Instead of asking if he'd join, we just said, "We have a message that will bless your life and you're not doing anything right now, you can sit right here."  Well it worked!  He listened and so did his friend!  Ricardo said that he has the pamphlet we give out and he's read it and it was good.  We gave him an Aklat ni Mormon and he was so grateful for it and said he'll read it.  Afterwards, I just thought, "Ah why didn't we do that sooner?" The people who are ready are just right in front of our eyes, all in took was us going that extra step.  

I know that at home and everywhere else, those "missionary moments" are waiting for you.  Each of us is truly is a missionary and Heavenly Father uses each of us to help others learn of His plan.  We know the way that the gospel has blessed our lives and everyone else deserves the gospel in their lives too.  We need to be ready and ask for courage and the Spirit to help us recognize those opportunities and reach out to those who Heavenly Father has put in our pathway. It is part of Heavenly Father's plan and syempre he is more that ready to help us! 

So I guess the email wasn't record fast, just really scattered.  But I love you all and hope you have a great week!!

Love,

Sister Marshall :)

PS The 4th of July was great here!  The Wright's (a senior couple) made us shrimp, crab, beans, and BBQ ribs...might have been the best 4th of July meal ever!!