June 15, 2015 --- One Little, Two Little Indians...‏

Hello family!  

Just in case you were wondering, it is so much fun here in the Philippines with my little Indian!!  Sister Sarfraz is awesome.  So the church in Pakistan is a working progress.  Her house was actually one of the first houses used for the church members to meet in.  They now have meetinghouses and 12 branches in Pakistan!!  They’re part of the India New Delhi Mission and they’re closest temple are the China Hongkong and Philippines Manila temples.  She is the absolutely sweetest person ever and she says the most humble meaningful prayers ever.  I adore her!!  And so do all of the people here!

San Marcelino is absolutely gorgeous.  Now that our bikes are fixed, we’ve been riding bikes a lot more.  It’s super funny because there are so many tryke and jeepney drivers who totally turn around, definitely don’t look at the road, and wave at us while we ride, honestly I’m surprised that I haven’t seen any wrecks here yet.  It’s so funny.  I love riding bikes because it gives me a lot of time to look around.  In Guagua it was more of a city area, that was super hot, and we had lots of exhaust constantly in our faces.  But here is it so green! There are mountains and field everywhere!!!  Sobrang maganda I cannot get over it.  And the people are so great!  Syempre!

The work is so great here!  One of the families that were working with is a less-active mother, who is returning and helping her sons to prepare for baptism.  The boys are all like Cam.  Super funny, pogi, gentlemen, and are so smart!  I always feel right at home, and like I’m teaching a bunch of younger brothers, when we’re with the Dela Cruz family.  This week we’ve also had a lot of people say “no” when we invite them to be baptized which is actually really great!  Usually we get a “Filipino yes” which is just a yes because it’s probably the right answer.  But when they say “no” we have the opportunity to ask why, and what it would mean to be baptized, and we get more meaningful answers than just a “Filipino yes.”  There’s just a lot of greatness to come forth in San Marcelino. 

We had an area broadcast yesterday which was awesome.  It focused a lot on the ways that the gospel changes families.  The gospel is an incredible change and blessing in every individuals lives, but the way that it can bring together the individuals and change a family is even more incredible.  I love being a missionary and sharing the gospel each day.  It’s the best thing in the world!!

Mahal ko kayo!

Sister Marshall :)

Two Little Indians - we found this at one of our investigators houses and of course we had to take a picture :)

July 8, 2015 --- Goodbye Guagua, Hello San Marcelino!!

Hahaha - that is all I have to say about this week.  I got transferred and while I was packing, it felt like I was packing to leave home again, so weird and I definitely cried a little saying goodbyes but now I'm here in San Marcelino, Zambales and it is maganda!! 

The other day (I wish I'd taken a picture but this all happened during a lesson so I couldn't, sayang) we saw a guy riding by sitting on a Carabao (Water Buffalo) pulling a cart of bamboo sticks, then (dad this is something I can imagine you doing;) haha) a few minutes later we see the Carabao walking along the street pulling the cart with the guy now laying in the empty cart sleeping.  

Then oh my word, in sacrament meeting I don't know what happened but one of the members has an instant obsession with Sister Petersen and I.  During his testimony her shared that Sister Petersen and I are both from Utah, "not Idaho because there's a lot of patatas there.  Here we have camotes (sweet potatoes) and they'll like the camotes..." then I don't know where he was going with this but he started talking about how the camotes will make us fart, and kept going on about stuff like that.  Then at the end he before he left the pulpit, he waved and said "hi Sister Marshall!!"  It's just so fun here!!  It feels a lot like my first week again but it is so fun!!

I'm kabahay (roommates) with Sister Petersen, my MTC companion and it has been so fun!!! But even more fun is my new companion Sister Sarfraz she is awesome.  She's from Pakistan which is in the New Dehli, India mission.  She is for sure the nicest person I've ever met!  It's so cute watching her talk with everyone.  She's one transfer ahead of me in the mission so our Tagalog is about the same.  I've felt the gift of tongues a lot just this past week because there's no Filipina companion to help me now.  Although I feel like Tagalog has been getting a lot better, everyone keeps telling me it's really bad.  Haha oops!  It's super different because in Guagua they always said that I sound Filipina and here they always tease me about it haha but I'm glad for some honesty finally!

The people here are really different too.  So much more willing to listen and progress.  There are a lot of recent converts here (something there's not a lot of in Guagua) and it is awesome working with them!!  I love hearing about the way the gospel has been changing their lives.  It's maganda!  I love being a missionary so much and I love seeing the effects of the gospel in people's lives.  Sobrang great talaga.

I'm really excited to see what this new transfer and area will bring!!

Syempre, I love you lots!!! :)

Sister Marshall

1) Last night in Guagua!

2) My beautiful companion, Sister Sarfraz

3) I've missed my Cache Valley mountains so when I saw these I definitely had to take a picture!  Almost like home ;)

May 31, 2015 --- Just read the Book of Mormon, it's SO good! :)

Hello family!!!!  This week was great as always!  This week and transfer especially we've been finding so many amazing people who are so great!!  

One of our investigators is Arvie.  He's super awesome.  We just met him at church one Sunday and he told us he wanted to learn more about the church.  As we've been teaching him he told us the reason that he's interested: as he's thought about his desire to stop smoking and drinking, two people always come to mind.  The two people are his classmates from almost 10 years ago and are members of this branch. He always wondered and admired how they've been able to go through life without smoking or alcohol.  He knew they were both Mormons so he decided to try out the church.  It's amazing the way being a good example can stay with someone and affect their lives.  He's super receptive and really smart!

There was a guy we met on a jeep a couple weeks ago and he told us that we could come teach him.  Yesterday we were finally able to teach him and his family and they are awesome!  They have a lot of different religions in they're background but right now they're Baptist's.  When we told us that, I thought of the movie Baptist's at Our Barbeque.  Have your seen that?  It's so funny and brother Ray looks just like one of the guys in the movie!  They are really awesome though because they read the Bible a lot and were asking the greatest questions during the lesson.  

Sorry short-lang and email ko, but I love you all!  I love being a missionary here and each day I learn so much.  Everyone always tells me that scripture study on the mission is the best.  And it is. :)  There's so much to learn each day about the gospel and from the Book of Mormon. The reason that scripture study is so good here is because we've set specific time aside each day to study and each time we study, we start and end with a prayer.  Super simple, and something I want to do for the rest of my life!  I know as we set time aside each day, and pray for the guidance of the Spirit, we will learn exactly what we need to know.  I love, love, love the Book of Mormon more and more each day!!  And I love you all too!  Have a great week! :)

Love,

Sister Marshall

We have lots of members preparing for missions or just super willing to come with us in general.  Guagua is so great!!


Lots of pogi mga Tatay at church.  The one on my left (sitting down) is a recent convert and his best friend, they are the cutest!

Goodbye Sister Villaviles!! 
​

May 24, 2015 --- I Finally Got to Wear the Yellow Jersey!!!‏

​Hello family!!  Alam mo ba school is almost over!!!  Crazy!  I hope you're all super excited for summer break, the summer break here in the Philippines ends on June 1...also rainy season should be here in just a couple weeks....SOBRANG EXCITED AKO!!! :)

Pretty much every moment of missionary work is my favorite in some way or another but this was one of my favorites of my favorites this week:

So this week we were going to teach one of the tryke drivers that we met last week.  Anyways, when we'd talked to him he told us that we could come over at Wednesday at 10am.  And seemed super, super excited for us to teach him and his family.  So syempre we were really excited too!  As we tried to find his house we realized we weren't exactly sure where he lived.  He told us Ligaya, but turns out that place doesn't even exist...so the tryke driver we were with told us it was probably this other place so we went there looking for a tryke driver named Jonathon. No one knew him but people told us there's a tryke driver Jessie and he lives by the basketball court.  So we went there and met his wife, who was nice but super, super uninterested!  We knew the tryke driver we'd met wasn't her husband so basically we're 90% sure this "Johnathon" guy gave us lots of fake info and we totally fell for it.  But okay-lang because everything has a purpose!  So while we were kind of lost in one of our farthest areas we decided to ask if anyone knew any of the people in the list of members in our area.  The first name we asked actually lived right across the basketball court!  When we went over to her house it was incredible.  Apparently she and her daughters had been baptized a couple years ago in a different area and had been super active there.  A year later though her and her family moved and they had never been able to find the church in Guagua, and they lived so far away that every other time we'd asked about them, no one knew where they lived.  It was so amazing being with them.  The humble spirit was incredible as they told us how much their lives have changed and the ways that they've been blessed from having the gospel.

It's incredible the blessings that come from the gospel.  And knowing it.  And living it.  The gospel is amazing!  Everytime I think about the gospel I just think ah this is my favorite part! but really it's just all my favorite. :)  I love the way that you can never stop learning.  The more I learn the more I understand how much Heavenly Father loves us and how everything about the gospel and his plan for us is to bring us safely home.  Constantly throughout the day as Sister Cervantes and I talk about the things that have happened throughout the day and the people we've been able to teach we're so grateful to know the gospel and be missionaries because "sobrang great si Heavenly Father." :)  I love you all and hope you never stop learning about the gospel.  No matter how busy your days may be, there's always time to learn more about the gospel and read the Book of Mormon.  

Mahal ko kayo!!

Sister Marshall :)

We did a community service project helping one of the elementary schools clean the gardens and yard helping them get ready for school to start and we were all wearing these yellow vests!  Sorry I didn't actually take pictures while we were out and about but it was so fun!  And so great to see how many of the branch members were willing to come and serve together!

Lunch after the service project and it was so fun!  I think it's called a "budo fight."  Basically you do exactly what you see in the picture, use lots of leaves, put rice and meat down the middle of the table and everyone eats with their hands.  It's sobrang masarap!!!

  

This is the cutest old man in Guagua.  And I finally got a picture with him!!!  He'll never stop to let us talk to him but whenever we're walking around in San Antonio, I'll feel a tap on my shoulder and when I turn around see him giggling to himself and shuffling away with his big walking stick.  Sobrang cute siya!  He always makes my day!

May 17, 2015 --- This One's For Africa

Family of mine!

It was so fun Skyping with you last week!!  I love Mother's Day!!  And it prepared me for speaking to speak a little more English than usual.  Something fun that's started this week is we've taught a couple of the lessons in English because the man is from South Africa and his girlfriend speaks perfect English too.  The first lesson was actually kind of hard because from day one in the MTC we try everything in Tagalog so I've never really taught a lesson in English so I was just nosebleeding the whole time (here a nosebleed is not a bloody nose, haha cause that would be gross during a lesson, it's just when it's hard to speak English correctly).  But it's really fun now and Sister Cervantes is super magaling (talented) sa English so it's been really fun teaching in English!

One of the great things about challenging times in life, is if you just keep going, great things/miracles start to happen.  After getting punted and punted and punted even by every lesson we had scheduled, every back up, and every back up for our back ups we decided to try one more person on the other side of town.  As we were walking, we saw a girl standing all alone in front of a gate to a house.  Cathy told us that she was a caretaker of that house and she had left her phone inside, but there were 15 dogs behind the gate barking at us and she was too scared to go inside.  She didn't know her husbands phone number so she couldn't call him from anyone's phone, so she'd just been outside waiting hoping her husband would show up to help her.  While we waited/talked with her she told us her name which is a super uncommon last name and was the same last name as less-actives members who we've been trying to find for a couple of months.  We asked her if she knew him and the less-active member is actually her father!  Cathy was really excited to talk to us about the church and wants to come with us to meet her father when we go to their house.  I love what Sister Cervantes said after that, "sometimes Heavenly Father gives us exactly what He knows we need for His plans to happen." Heavenly Father let Cathy forget about her phone, and held back for a couple minutes from blessing her with courage because He knew what needed to be done for His plan to come forth.  It's amazing because right after we'd talked with her and made plans to meet her father, she opened the gate with the dogs behind it, went in the house, and got her phone.  She wasn't even scared when she went in, as if she'd just been waiting for us so we'd be able to meet her and her father. :)  It was one of those times that bears witness how incredibly aware Heavenly Father is of each of His children.  Even if we think we need courage (or whatever it is we need), sometimes Heavenly Father just let's us wait a minute until we learn something that will bless our lives even more. :)

I love you all and hope you have a great week!!

Mahal kita, 

Sister Marshall

We've started having a super fun English classes every Saturday night. "No more nosebleeds!"

The two Nanay's closest to me are basically pioneers of Guagua branch.  Nanay Luciana (orange) and Nany Belen (pink) are both 81-years-old, sobrang sweet, and they remind me so much of Grandma Cook.  Oh they're just so cute!!

Sister Cervantes and I always have lots of fun at church! Syempre!

May 3, 2105 --- 6 Months Down...WHAT?

Dear family,

DID YOU KNOW I'VE BEEN GONE FOR 6 MONTHS!!!  Seriously, I don't know where the time has gone.  It's crazy!  Now I'm just on a downhill slope, and I'll be home in less than a year.  It's crazy and I just with time would take it's time and slow down a little.  So now that I've hit my 6 month mark this is what it's like...

Tagalog - I still definitely don't understand everything, but people here are saying that my Tagalog has gotten better and I make sense more and they can't usually understand what I'm saying...haha maybe one day I'll be fluent - I can hardly wait for that day!

Weather - it's summer time and really hot.  Cold showers are maybe even better that ice cream (which means a lot because you know how much I love ice cream)!  I have this annoying heat rash or something and I don't really want skin cancer so I've been thinking about being one with the Filipinos and using an umbrella all day to block the sun...haha but that one is just a maybe.  PS rainy season should be starting in a couple weeks!!!  YAY!!!

Guagua - I'm still in Guagua and it's still great.  The people here are so nice and they still say the funniest things!  Honestly, I don't think I'll ever get used to the times were walking down the street and guys say "Hey Joe, I like you!"  Haha there's so many more funny things I need to start making a list for you.  Everyone that was in my zone when I got here has over the past few months has been transferred - so basically I'm a pioneer here.

Food - the food is still delicious except sometimes rice makes me sick, which is maybe a good thing because I think it's the main reason I'm getting fatter.  Haha seriously it's pretty likely I've gained 20 pounds or something.  But I can't figure out the exact number because all the scales are in kilos, too bad!  Haha so many members say "Ah Sister Marshall, your waist used to be this big, now it's this big. And your cheeks are chubbier (and they love pinching my cheeks ay naku!)." So funny and I guess it's true!  But from what I've seen, everyone gains weight in Guagua because the members feed us so much!!  Busog na busog palagi! (I'm always so full)!

Random Filipino Things - I wash all my clothes by hand now, we used to have members wash some of our clothes but now we just do it...haha what a joy, but it's actually kind of fun.  I'm getting okay at cooking Filipino food, it's actually super easy and fun!  I LOVE trykes and jeepneys.  Honestly, I don't know how you do it at home without a tryke or jeep.  Yesterday there was a boxing match against Paquiao (Filipino) and Merryweather (|American) it was probably as big as the superbowl!  The American won - too bad. I love filipino humor!  It's so just cute and simple (basically pickuplines one after another) and haha they're so funny!!

Pinaka-important...THE GOSPEL - Each day more and more I love the gospel.  Honestly it's just so great.  I love being able to teach the gospel because it helps me understand/love it more and understand how important it really is.  Every aspect of the gospel just shows how much Heavenly Father loves us.  Ah He just loves us so much!!   My testimony grows in different ways each day.  I love that getting a testimony isn't just a one time deal, but something that can be worked on and grow constantly.  The gospel is just maganda (good/beautiful).  I love it and I love you!!

Love, 

Sister Marshall :)

PS - I CAN'T WAIT TO SKYPE YOU NEXT WEEK!!!!

In the Philippines, rather than pinatas they hang up pots filled with candy and break the pot.  But this is actually my favorite...this kid has a stick in his hand and everyone is shouting at him "one more step, right two steps, no too far!"  Then whenever he thinks he's under the balloon he pushes the stick up (he only gets one chance too) and tries to pop the water balloon above his head.  Haha so cute!!

One of our investigators makes delicious buko (coconut) pie and mammon (tastes like angel food cake).  Because her oven is so cool and her food is so delicious syempre I had to take a picture :)

My p-day groupie...haha these kids just hang out by the window and wave at us/watch us while we email!

April 26, 2015 ---- Transfer Time!!!

Transfers have come and gone and I'm still in Guagua...everyone says I've been here for sooooo long but I'm glad because I love it here!  Sister Lim is done with her mission and at home now.  It's so sad saying goodbyes, but all is well because my new companion is absolutely AMAZING!!!  Her name is Sister Cervantes, she is from Bicol, Philippines.  Before the mission she studied elementary education and she's so cute with kids and everyone!  She's just so, so great, positive, creative, basically everything a good missionary should be - that's her!  So I am super excited for this transfer!!!

As a missionary, we always have funny stories because we spend so much time with so many different people.  Yesterday, while we were contacting people we were talking to an older woman and her daughter.  Then a man walks out of the house and says goodbye to the women.  (We'll call him Cortez because that's the name of the spys on Spy Kids right? Haha) I recognized the guy because we've taught him once, but before we could say anything to him he did this funny little "hurry and turn you back from the missionaries/run and hide behind the door" like a super uncoordinated spy.  Later, while we were talking to these other people, I glanced back at the house Cortez the "spy" was at and he was peeking out the gate at us, trying to hide behind his ball cap. But when he saw us he hid again.  As we kept going down the street, we just happened to see him every time he was trying to leave the old lady's house.  Finally I guess Cortez got sick of getting caught and just wanted to go home.  As we walked to another house we saw a guy walking next to us.  But really it was just Cortez and he'd taken his shirt off, wrapped it around his head (like an Arabian spy), put his ball cap really, really low, and stuck a cigarette in his mouth through his t-shirt.  It was too funny to not say anything so we said "Hello Brother, kumusta po kayo?" to which his only reply was just running into the nearest gate and then finally made his way home dodging in and out of the neighbors plants and laundry.  Haha we could not stop laughing!

The other day, as we were "tao po"-ing a house but instead the neighbor answered their door and let us in.  The father invited us in to meet his family and we were able to share with them.  They're so great!  It's so, so much fun being able to share with families because it makes me see more and more how the gospel applies and blessing us at every single stage in our life!  Ah the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint is just so true!!  I love, love, love seeing the effects it makes in everyone's lives ALWAYS!  Seriously just seeing it's effect on me even as a missionary is so great.  I don't really know what stories or who to tell you about this week, but the main message of anything I would tell you is that the gospel is just so great.  There is really nothing better than it.  And I am so, so grateful to have the gospel in my life and the opportunity to be a missionary.  It's really just all so great, and awesome, and just ah I love it here!

I love you all so, so much!  Have a great week and share the greatness of the gospel with someone!  Mahal na mahal kita! :)

Sister Marshall

It doesn't rain very often yet but I AM SO EXCITED FOR RAINY SEASON!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saying goodbye to Sister Lim!  Sister Mclean, me!, Sister Villaviles, Sister Lim, Sister Cervantes

To pick mangoes out of the tree they have these next things on 10-15 foot poles.  They're awesome and the mangoes are so good!!