What a week this has been. Sister Webster had her toenail removal surgery thing last Tuesday. Pretty much they wheeled her back in a wheelchair (hilarious and totally not necessary) and sent me to sit in the hot, un-air conditioned hallway to wait. That was a cool experience though because it was just this man and me sitting out there in this hospital hallway. (btw it was very very weird not to have my companion with me, I was freaking out inside the whole time, "where's my companion?" "I'm supposed to be within sight and hearing range always!" "Ahhhh what if she gets kidnapped?!" "What if I get kidnapped?!" yeahhh internal struggles of a sister missionary haha) anyways, I committed to myself at the beginning of my mission to try my absolute hardest to talk to as many people as possible and to never let an opportunity pass in which I could have shared the gospel. It is impossible to talk to everyone but I try to talk to as many people as I can and for those who I may not get to actually share a message to, I smile, wave, say "Hi" to, etc. I am just determined to be the best I can and to represent Jesus Christ and His church in the best way possible. Anyways, the man in the hallway terrified me. Not because he was mean or big or anything, but because I knew I had to talk to him but in case any of you lovely people forgot, I am not fluent in Tagalog. Yeah, it is kind of difficult or something at times. So yep, you betcha, I started talking to him, and yes, you better believe my heart was pounding like crazy, sweat building up on my forehead, and the Tagalog slowly, terribly, spurting out of my mouth, but it went well! No he is not getting baptized, no I did not teach him the entire gospel, but I was able to talk with him, visit with him, give him support and comfort as he was waiting for his 2-yr-old son to come out of cleft lip/palate surgery, and plant that seed in that man's heart. My Taglaog was terrible and my heart was racing but I felt the Spirit speaking through me and helping me know what to say to the man. It was a really cool experience. I felt accomplished after giving him a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and keeping true to my commitment to talk to everyone I can. Sister Reeder, Preisdent Reeder's wife came to the hospital and stayed with me for about 40 minutes while I waited. She asked me if that man I was talking to was a member and was very surprised to hear that he wasn't but that I was talking to him and sharing the gospel with him. That surprised me that she was so surprised. It was a good reminder to me though that I am doing good, I am doing the best I can and that is all that is asked of us. Isn't that why I am on a mission? Isn't that why we are blessed to have the gospel in our life? So that we can share it with others?...Why would anyone want to keep this gift and truth and blessing to themselves? It is too wonderful not to share. I love sharing the gospel. :)
Alma 26: 35-37 "Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we...
Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever."
Sooo after about an hour they let me go back to see Sister Webster. They made me put on a gown and shoes and a hat thing hahaha when I saw her we both about peed our hospital gowns laughing so hard. She was sitting in the hospital bed with her toe all wrapped up and big. We sat and waited for the doctor to let her go, taking pictures of course, and talking about how weird it was not to be with each other for the past hour. It was so good to see her again! It is so funny how attached you can get to having a companion. It seriously was the weirdest thing not to have her with me even though it was just an hour! Anyways then Sis Reeder drove us to get medicine then we went back to our apartment to finish studies and let her toe feel better. She still wasn't feeling so great but we went out that night anyways for a few hours :) We were blessed for sure. Every lesson we taught that night, the spirit was just so strong and we both knew that Heavenly Father had blessed us for our efforts to go to work despite the pain she was in.
Remember Ace? Welp he is doing just dandy. We had dinner at his house again last night and it was some of the best food I have ever had! It was SO GOOD. Yum. Really, we could not stop eating. His Mom's lumpia is the best lumpia I have had here so far in the Philippines, is is delicious! Anyways he is doing great! He came to church for the 4th time in a row yesterday and is so ready to be baptized. We are really excited for him to be baptized and are so excited for the 21st of December to come around! :) Oh earlier this week, we were leaving his house after teaching him and I couldn't find my shoe...well turns out his dog, Power, took my shoe and chewed it up. Yup. It still works though so that's good. haha Yes Mom it was my tan Keens shoe too. I couldn't help but laugh, there was nothing else I could do haha he offered to have it fixed but we'll see, I feel bad. Anyways that is excited eh?
I had my first fish on Saturday since being here in the Philippines. Yep, already been here 2 months and just had my first fish. Luckily it was tilapia so it was one of the less fishy fish...haha It was pretty good but I am still not the biggest fan of fish. It takes so much effort to eat around those dang tiny bones. It was an overall good experience though, hopefully it always goes that well. :)
On our way to teach a recent convert this week, there was a group of teenage boys standing around the canal (there is a little river, canal, gutter thing that is allllllll over the place here to drain the water, I don't know how to explain it, but the water is disgusting and if you touched it you would probably die on the spot) Anyways, we asked what was going on and apparently there was an eel in the gutter thing and they were trying to catch it! HA! What?! Where did that thing come from?! We didn't get to see it but I thought that was the craziest thing.
Also, we went to visit one of our investigators earlier this week, whose uncle just recently passed away. When we got to the house, her son told us that she was at the hospital because she had gone in to labor...we didn't even know she was pregnant...She was 5 months along and things went bad and the baby didn't make it..Mom is okay but the baby passed away. We were shocked and felt so bad. Two major losses in this poor family's life one right after the other. Although this was shocking, terribly sad news, it made us even more grateful for the gospel in our lives and the opportunity we have to share it with others and with this family to give them hope, guidance, and comfort in this time of sorrow in their life.
This has been a long week but a very short week all at the same time. Oh one more thing, we missed Thanksgiving. YEP. It is true. That's what happens when you lose yourself in the work I guess. :) Kind of sad that we forgot but it shouldn't really surprise me with the amount of things on our to-do list always. I hope everyone else had a splendid Thanksgiving though! Lots of good food, football, and giving thanks with friends and family! :) What could be better?...Oh yeah being on a mission ;) haha just kidding, but really, there is no place I would rather spend my Thanksgiving. What a great way to spend Thanksgiving, teaching people about our Savior, Jesus Christ. Sometimes, I wonder how I got so blessed. I am a missionary. I have the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life, the knowledge of how I can be happy here in the life and someday return to live with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again. I am happy. I am so unbelievably happy and at peace. :) That's what the gospel does for you folks. And we get to share that with others! What is holding you back? Whatever it is, put it aside and get to work. :) We have great reason to rejoice!
I love you all so much and am so grateful for all the letters and support I have received! You guys are the best. Make this week a good one. :) (especially you Charlie, party hard, have lots of cake and ice cream, and be nice to everyone) LOVE YOU!
-Sister Roderick
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