Night Time Visitors

Well Hello Once Again!!

I really cannot believe how fast these weeks fly by here! I knew that time was going to go by fast, but I never understood how fast it really would go! This week has been great! We weren't able to get a lot of lessons in, but the ones we were able to teach went really well.

Last Wednesday we had Zone Conference for the entire day in Cubao. We had wonderful workshops and the theme of it all was "Increase Expectations". It was such a great experience to me and I am so excited to start increasing my expectations and my faith. I know that this area is so ripe and there are SO many people who are ready to hear the gospel, but I just need to have that faith that the Lord will lead us to these people and that He will provide miracles in this work.

The Honrejas Family is doing great! We were only able to teach them once last week, but they are really progressing. We had to move their baptism to June 28th because they missed church and Brother was struggling with the Word of Wisdom. As of last time we visited them though, Brother Allan hadn't smoked it quite some time- YAY!! This was such a miracle and I think he is finally understanding more so the importance of this commandment and the reason why Heavenly Father asks us to obey all of His commandments.

Yesterday was ward conference and because no one showed up last week for choir practice for ward conference, Sister Judd, Rupp, Racaza. and I got to sing both of the musical numbers yesterday! I think it turned out okay... Maybe... Then again, a good portion of the people here are tone deaf, so it probably sounded just fine to them!

The language is coming little by little. It is definitely not as discouraging as it was. I have never prayed so much and so hard to receive help with something, and the Lord is literally pouring out his blessings upon me. I am still so very far from being fluent, but I know that Heavenly Father is blessing me with the gift of tongues. There is absolutely no way that I could be speaking this language without the help of the Lord. I am feeling more and more comfortable conversing with people... although I definitely don't understand everything that they are saying. I just smile and nod and say, "really?" a lot and it seems to really work out in my favor!

Nakakatawa... Funny... or maybe not so funny..

So you are probably wondering what the title of my email means... Well on Wednesday night, Sister Judd and I went to bed at the usual time and everything at the house was normal. Sister Racaza and Sister Rupp had gone on exchanges in Marikina, so it was only the two of us our our apartment. During the night I woke up to a huge crash somewhere in the house. I woke up startled and had a feeling that someone was is our room. I tried to adjust my eyes to the dark, but couldn't seem to get a good look at our room because it was pitch black. Sister Judd didn't wake up, and so I just tried to go back to sleep, hoping that the big crash wasn't anything to be worried about.

In the morning, I went outside the door that is connected to our bedroom to the place where we hang our laundry. It is fully exposed to the sunlight, and the wall is just iron and wire. I noticed that one of wires to hang our clothes on was on the floor with all of our laundry. I quickly made the connection that that was what the huge crash was. Sister Judd and I couldn't figure out how it happened, but just figured that the wire was weak so it just fell. I was eating breakfast downstairs when Sister Judd called down to me and said that she couldn't find the cellphone. She then went onto say that she saw that the wire on the wall in the laundry room was slashed. The whole was pretty small- too small for an adult to fit in and that only a small child could fit through. As we were talking, the doorbell rang and we went downstairs to open the door. It was our district and zone leaders. They asked us if we had our phone and we told them that we couldn't find it. They went on to show us some text messages they received from our number last night at like 1 and 2am. They were like, "I love you, babe," and that kind of stuff. Elder Masula said that he called our number this morning and that a grown man answered. Elder Masula asked where Sister Judd and I were and they said that we had a sleepover at his house last night and that we were still asleep. Elder Masula asked if he could talk to us, and the man hurried and said the we just left... AHHHHH!!! How creepy is that!! There was, just as I had felt, a person in our room... Right next to our beds and could have been watching us sleep... AHHHHHHH... And they went through Sister Judd's bag which was sitting right next to her bed and got our phone. I am just glad they didn't take anything else!! The next night I didn't sleep at all and kept having dreams that people were breaking in and reaching their arms through the windows and grabbing me... EWWW!!! We still don't have a new phone yet, but the District Leaders talked to President and he says he highly suggests that we move... Man!!!! I don't want to move! Our house is way too nice.. Man!! So until we have to move, we just set up boobie-traps so that if people try to break in, we will here them!!! Don't be worried, Mom! I am fine, I promise!!

Welllll that was the excitement of my week!! Pretty cool, huh? I really am loving it here and I cannot imagine serving anywhere else!!! The Philippines is the BEST!!!!!! Thanks for everything!! Hope to hear from you all soon!!

Love,

Sister Anderson

                                                               Shanin and Eunice