DECEMBER 13, 2015

HELLO FROM THE SCORCHING PHILIPPINE HEAT!

Sunset from our apartment

 
This has been a good week we have done a lot of walking under the scorching Philippines sun! I think this has been the hottest weeks of my mission! Although it is so stinkin hot I pray for help to just be able to endure the heat to work hard and continue without being restricted by the heat. This Christmas will be the first Christmas I will have in warm weather! Yes I miss the snow but this will be such an amazing Christmas I cannot wait!

Sister Thayn & Sister C. take a break

This week we were able to teach an In-Active sister we found a few weeks ago. We have taught her a few times but this is the first time we were able to teach her with her husband. At first I was a little nervous to teach her husband because he is a big guy and looks very hard and strict and we have had some experiences before where we got bible bashed and I was afraid that was what this lesson was going to be... but it wasn't AT ALL! It was a great lesson and her husband participated and at the end of the lesson said he would read and write questions down if he had them and would be there again for the next lesson! I am so excited to teach them again. We have really been focusing on families and what better families to teach than part member families and to get the entire family active again in the gospel! 

We also were able to attend the Christmas devotional last night by the first presidency! That was great! I hope you all were able to watch that! It was also so exciting to have our newest recent convert Tatay Edwardo come to the broadcast. He was in awe at all the people at the conference center and the choir! This church is truly incredible and the gospel is the most incredible and importing thing for us to all be able to receive while we are all here on the earth. And I have the most amazing calling to share the gospel to the people here in the Philippines! I absolutely love being a missionary, although it is very challenging and sometimes overwhelming this gospel is the only perfect thing in the world and as long as I do my best Christ will make up the rest! He will makeup for my language skills, teaching skills, and challenges as long as i work my hardest and do my best! I love this work and am so grateful for the gospel and our Savior Jesus Christ and this Christmas season! 

look what happens when you live together...We all dress alike too!!

Love you all hope all is well at home! Have a good week!

-Sister Thayn

DECEMBER 6, 2015

TRAPPED TOKUS IN THE BATHROOM

Golfing with our District

Hello Everyone! It has been a crazy week but good! We have really been focusing on finding families in our mission and this week we were able to find two families! With one we were able to do a Family Home Evening with them. When we got there it was 6:00pm and it is already dark by then and we thought they weren't home because there were no lights in the house but as we walked closer they were all home waiting for us. They said that they haven't had electricity for a few months so we had FHE in the dark with 2 candles and my flashlight! It is truly amazing how happy people are with sometimes nothing.

Tatay Edwardo was Confirmed this week! He was feeling super sick but still rode his bike as usual to church! Then he was confirmed in Sacrament meet and after when the congregation was dead silent he leans over to the brother who gave him the blessing and said (very loudly cause he cant here how loud he talks) "Thanks for the blessing bro I am just so happy now!" We all started laughing but seriously Edwardo although he is deaf and old he is going to be the life of this ward! We also had a lesson with his this past week where he told us how his life was so hard and his family was so difficult and it got to the point where he considered talking his life then all of a sudden we came into his life! He said we gave him home and we are everything to him! He is now so happy and although his family situation hasn't changed he has and now is incredibly happy all though the gospel being brought into his life! This gospel is truly incredible! 

Something funny that happened this week was right when we came home from proselyting I walked into the bathroom and screamed! (Of course whenever there is something scary or gross I am always
the one who finds it or 

who it touches) There was a Toku in our bathroom! If you don't know what a Toku is, it is a lizard that can get super big that has fangs and when it gets on you it is stuck it is so hard to get off. Yeah well there was one in our bathroom! Luckily it was small so I hurried and closed the door to trap it then we waited for the other sisters to come home so they could get rid of it! So when they got home they trapped it! And this is the result of their Trap! (See Picture) 

Oh man Mission life is crazy! It is so incredible and so fun and so challenging all in one but it is amazing! I am so grateful I am a missionary and get to help bring people to the gospel and to Christ even though sometimes I get attacked by cockroaches or there are tokus in our bathroom. This is such an amazing experience and the feeling I get everyday is indescribable! I love this gospel so much and I don't know where I would be without it! 

Hope all is well at home! Have a good week!

-Sister Thayn

Note By MOM:  Kiera doesn't wear glasses, but she bought some fake ones to keep things from flying in her eyes!!!

NOVEMBER 29, 2015

EDWARDO'S BAPTISM

 


Wow this has been such a fast and crazy week but so amazing too!! We had an amazing zone conference this week that got everyone pumped and ready to work harder than we ever have before! It was so amazing and one thing our mission President really emphasized was having the end in mind. Having an eternal perspective with the people you teach. Don't just think how you are going to teach them or what you will teach them think of their potential and how you can help change their lives and not only make it to the waters of baptism but dress in white twice and make it to the temple! Also one thing that President said that I think is 100% true, he asked what is the cure for stress? and the correct answer is DESSERT!!!!! I like the way president thinks!

This week was Edwardo's BAPTISM!!!!! It was so incredible and When we were taking pictures he was just so happy and so excited to be clean and become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If only we could all be as excited he was about church and this gospel (look at pictures). He was baptized Saturday then on Sunday in sacrament meeting he was supposed to be confirmed but then they realized when he was baptized they didn't say his full name so he wasn't able to be confirmed he was then again re-baptized after church and then next week he will be confirmed! 

We also were working on saturday when we received a text from this sister that she was available to be taught! So we went and taught her and she was so receptive. Her boyfriend is an active member in Peru and told her if she wanted to know him better she needed to try going to church. So she did and now we are teaching her! We taught her about the restoration and then at the end gave her a Book of Mormon.  She said she has been wanting to read it for a while but didn't know where she could find one! We are so excited for her and cant wait to see her progress! 

Life is good and we are being so blessed here in the Philippines! I love this gospel and I love how it truly affects peoples lives and helps them get on the right track and pathway back to our heavenly father. I am so incredibly blessed that I get to share this amazing message with people everyday! Being a missionary is so amazing! 

Love you all and have a good week! 

-Sister Thayn

NOVEMBER 22, 2015

BAPTISMS and Cockroaches... 
HELLO everyone!  This was such a good week! Tatay Edwardo has his baptismal interview and is READY to be baptized! Our District Leader who gave him the interview said that he asked him one question and Edwardo did the rest of the talking and answered all the other questions without him even having to ask them! We are so excited for his baptism this Saturday!!! It is truly amazing how the gospel can change other people lives!

Edwardos Baptism interview

My companion and I goal for this Transfer has been to find and teach families. We have found a few families but none of them have been interesting and wont accept us after the first visit. It is sometimes frustrating because we can see that they are searching for something in their lives and have trials and we have the perfect and exact thing that they need in their life but they wont accept it. But all we can do is offer all that we have and it is their choice whether or not to accept it, we cannot force it on them. 

FHE with Azuelo Family

But good news we found a family this week! The Azuelo family! It is actually like three families but they all are related and live in the same houses. We did a Family Home Evening with them for our first visit and they absolutely loved it and want us to come back! We had so much fun and I am so excited to help and teach them the gospel! 

Something funny but absolutely terrifying that happened this week was I had just gotten into my Pajamas and was walking around the apartment about to go to bed and then one of the sisters yells DON'T MOVE!!!! So i freeze and then they hit me with a shoe so then I start freaking out cause now i know there is a bug on me and I thought it was gone but NOPE! I look down on my shirt and there was a giant Cockroach on my shirt and I just start screaming! It was quite the scene! HAHA but my house mates got it of and my Companion killed it! (Thats what companions are for!!!!) We all laughed so hard but I seriously had a heart attack! it was absolutely terrifying!!!! 



Laundry by hand

Well there is my week for you! Hope all is well at home! I would love to hear from you all! Have a good week!

Love, 

Sister Thayn

NOVEMBER 15, 2015

WHEN YOU GOT TO GO...You got to go!

Sunset from my apartment

 
 


Another Week has gone by! Time goes by too fast! This week was a crazy week but also definitely a challenging week! We were punted a lot this week and it was challenging because lots of the people we were teaching really had no desire to listen. It is so hard especially when we know we have what they are looking for but they don't want to listen or have no desire. At least we are planting and preparing them for the future when they may be ready!

Two weeks ago I finished the Book of Mormon. I love reading from the scriptures daily and truly pondering and studying them. I especially love the Book of Mormon, it truly is the word of God and if we read and ponder from them daily it will give us all the direction and guidance we are looking for in our life, we just have to do our part! 

This week has been very exciting with Tatay Edwardo! He came to church for his 4th time in a row. Even though he cant hear anything that is going on in the classes he just reads his Book of Mormon and pamphlets and loves it! His faith is so strong! We taught him after church about keeping the Sabbath day holy and about the Priesthood we told him after he is baptized he can also hold the priesthood. He was so excited about everything and is so happy to be baptized. When he would get excited and really understand the things we were teaching him he would pound his hand on the table and go "OHHHHHH!!!!! Now i understand!!!" He has his interview this Saturday and will be baptized the next!! This is truly the best feeling ever! I love being a missionary!

Waiting for other sisters while we are
locked outof our apartment

I love being a missionary so much! It is definitely not the easiest but it is so incredibly rewarding! I love this gospel so much and love how it brings everyone together and unifies us no matter what race or culture you are. Although there are so many languages in the world we all speak the language of the spirit and that is the most key thing in missionary work is to have the spirit with you at all times and in all lessons. 

Something funny this week was having to use the bathroom while out proselyting... Wow that was quite the experience! But when you got to go... YOU GOT TO GO! They led me to this shed thing in the back that had curtains as walls. I walked in and there was this kind of toilet thing in the middle and well the rest is history! I never thought I would be so grateful for something as simple as a toilet I am just so happy i remembered to bring toilet paper with me! Also the bathroom door in our house is broken so sometimes when you are in there the door swings open! It is quite the adventure when you are in a cold shower trying not to freeze and then the door opens... HAHA we have just learned to be careful while in the bathroom!!! HAHA  Something crazy I ate this week was Chicken Intestines! That was interesting! It wasn't terrible but definitely was different than anything I have ever tried before!!! Well that is all of my CRAZY week!

Love you all! Hope you have a good week! 

Love,

Sister Thayn

NOVEMBER 8, 2015

Sister Thayn and Sister Crisanto

New companion
 

 

HELLO EVERYONE!

It has been another crazy week in the Philippines! This past week was transfer week! Monday we took my companion to the mission home and had to say goodbye cause she was done with her mission. That was so sad especially going home without a companion... dont worry i just joined another companionship! But i got a new companion! Her name is Sister Crisanto! she is so kind! we have lots of fun together! She is from the Philippines! She is so good at teaching so I am so excited to learn more of the language with her and learn and increase my language skills! 

My first attempt in making
Chicken adobo all by myself! SUCESS!!!!

EXCITING NEWS! I am pretty sure Bro. Edwardo will be baptized on November 28! That is our goal and we are really excited for that day!!! I can truly see the gospel working in Edwardos life. Right now we are teaching him repentance and repenting is a huge deal for him cause he has some hard feeling in his family but we are doing our best to help him and he says he is going to swallow his pride and repent! He also told us yesterday how excited he is to be baptized and be fully clean from all his sins! I cannot express my love for him! He is truly prepared and so ready and willing to be baptized I am just so excited for him! Also every visit we have with him he has read so much and studied so much and has so many questions! It is the best feeling ever when people get excited to know and learn more about the gospel. And i have the most amazing job ever to share the gospel everyday! 

Bowling

Right now we are really working on finding families to teach and baptize. It is our mission goal. And me and my companion made a goal to find a new family every day this coming week! I have a question for you all and who ever is willing to reply but if you could answer this one question for me: "How has the gospel blessed you and your families life? and What is the thing that brings you the most comfort about the gospel?" I cant wait to hear the replies. I will use these in my teachings! thank you so much!

 

NOVEMBER 1, 2015

Happpy Halloween!

Rambuton (Yummy fruit)

Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a good Halloween Weekend! This week has been a little crazy but so good! We got punted a lot this week because of the holiday but we were able to meet so many people and share a little bit of the gospel with them. In our area we are mainly planting like it says in the scriptures there is a time for planting and harvesting but in our area it is time for planting which is sometimes difficult because we don't always see huge results but is so fun cause we talk with so many people each day!

EXCITING NEWS!!!!! Tatay Edwardo has a baptismal date! Our goal is November 28th I am just fasting and praying that he will  be able to make that goal! He is truly prepared from god and is starting to really recognize the truthfulness of what we are teaching him! Also he came to church for the second time in a row so we were ecstatic about that!!!! Even though he cant hear always his faith is so strong! 

Edwardo brings us food

Also this week we were standing outside a giant house debating whether to knock or not so we did rock paper sissors to see who would knock and sister Fantone lost so she knocked and the people opened the door and then shut it right away... well we were bummed about that but kept going and were just walking and i was praying in my heart that we could find someone and within 3 seconds we were walking past a gate and a man opened the door and it scared us so bad! but we said hello and stated talking to him and he let us in! His name is Clyde and wow he has quite the life! I am pretty sure we are his new psychiatrists! But he separated from his wife and his children have started ignoring him and then we was put in prison because he was sold a stolen motorcycle that he didn't know was stolen and now is living a lone and well long story short has quite the life! But he is also so prepared to learn the gospel! We returned to him to actually teach him yesterday and he had so many questions and we talked about the Plan of Salvation and he says he wants to make it to the Celestial kingdom. We also challenged him to be baptized and he accepted! I cant wait to see how clyde grows! We have so much to teach him but he is so open and receptive and wants to know the truth! And the best part about it all is we have the truth that we can give him! 

P-Day fun!

That's the thing that I love most about this work is we have the answer to every problem. Through Christ's Atonement any problem or hardship can be solved! And I get to share this message and truthfulness with people everyday! What a truly incredible calling I have as a representative of Jesus Christ! This gospel is the most amazing thing and the restoration of the Gospel truly changed the world and now we have everything we need to return to the presence of god and obtain celestial kingdom! All we need to do now is endure to the end by Reading the scriptures especially the Book of Mormon,  Praying with all sincerity of heart, Going to church, and doing our best to be more like Christ everyday!

This week is transfers and I will be getting a new companion! I don't think I will change areas but nothing is impossible so we will see what happens this coming week! I have to say by to Sister Fantone today cause she goes home! This coming week is going to be challenging but I know with god anything is possible!

Thanks for all the Love, Prayers, and Support! Love you all

-Sister Thayn

 

 

OCTOBER 25, 2015

WE MOVED!!

Wow this week has been crazy! We finally found a new apartment and moved in... well the Elders moved us in! The day we moved in we had everything already packed and the Elders came over and then we told them where our new apartment is and then we had to leave cause we had a laundry service project to do. I don't think the Elders realized what they got themselves into when they said they would help cause our new apartment is on the 3rd floor of a tall building.... But during our laundry service project we got a text that they were already done! It was a great and easy move... well at least for us! but nothing was broken by the time we got there so that was good! We have a fantastic new apartment that will give us a work out every time we walk up and down those stairs!!!

Something exciting this week was Tatay Edwardo came to CHURCH!!!!!! I was so excited when I saw him coming down the hallway! I jumped up and ran to shake his hand! He is such a sweet man and I am so excited to see him progress! We gave him a gospel principles book and he says he loves it and is so excited to read it! Our lesson we had with him this week we sang an opening hymn and then right after he said "Hamburger or Hot dog" and then he said "okay ill be back!" then he hopped on his bike and rode away.... he came back 15 min later with a bag and gave us each a hot dog and hamburger. He always feeds us! He also always tells us that he wants to because he knows we are brothers and sisters and it is our duty to help one another and he says we are pretty much his daughters and he loves us and always wants to help us! Edwardo is such an amazing man!!!! 

Also this coming week is my last week with my trainer before she goes home! Transfers were changed and now are 2 weeks earlier than we thought  so next week I will have a new companion and I will be sending my Trainer home which is going to be hard... But we are going to work our hardest this week and see all the miracles and blessings it brings! Being a missionary is one of the best callings anyone could have. I am absolutely loving it! Although it is hard it is completely worth it! 

Love you all at home! Thanks for all the prayers and support!

-Sister Thayn

-No pictures this week the computer wouldn't load them.. :(

OCTOBER 18, 2015

SISTER PUSSYCAT



This week has been such a successful week! It has been so hard but also so rewarding! We did a lot of tracting this week which I don't always like but we had a lot of success and have a lot of return appointments and new investigators.

We finally got the guts to knock on this big house and the house help came out to try to shoo us away but then owner's son came out and we were able to talk to him and give him a Book of Mormon and then we were able to return to him the other day and he told us that he has been waiting for us. He straight away asked us for an English Book of Mormon so he could understand it which made me so happy so I can actually understand everything that goes on in the lesson cause he speaks English! His name is Bon he is 28 years old and is a nurse and going to school. He is very receptive and I am so excited to keep teaching him and watch and see his faith grow! 

We had such a funny lesson with Edwardo this week. He always like to tease me and he calls my hair pussycat and then he told me my nickname is sister pussycat! And when he was praying in our lesson he said please bless sister pussycat and sister Fantone and when he said sister pussycat he grabbed my hair. I couldn't contain my laughter during the prayer he made me laugh so hard! He is such a funny man! He always likes to tease me. Yesterday we had a lesson with him and all of a sudden we feel this drop of rain and then BOOM! it started pouring rain so we all grabbed our things and ran inside. The rain is crazy here! one second it is sunny and hot and the next second down pouring rain and... well still hot!!!! 

Missionary work is truly incredible and I love sharing the incredible message and good news of the gospel every day with the people here in the Philippines. This gospel and being baptized is our key into the celestial kingdom! We just have to continue to endure to the end and do our best and we are promised everlasting life. The blessing and miracles here are just pouring out exactly like the rain here. 

Love you all have a good week!

-Sister Thayn (pussycat)

OCTOBER 12, 2015

GENERAL CONFERENCE MAKES IT TO THE PHILIPPINES!

HELLO everyone!

This week we finally got to watch General Conference and it was AMAZING!!!! I loved every talk in it and felt like it was exactly for me! I hope everyone got a chance to watch it! Some of the things talked about was how dark our world is becoming and how we need to become better disciples of Christ and have him be the center of our lives and our families lives. Also how life will never be easy but through God anything is possible so we just need to rely on him! Also how we need to keep the Sabbath day holy! It may not seem fun or convenient but I know it will be true peace and joy into you and your families live. I love the question asked "What is keeping me from progressing" we all need to ask ourselves this question because we always need to be progressing in our lives and striving to do our best to draw closer to god. Also how God does answer prayers but he doesn't answer prayers that are out of curiosity we need to be pray with a sincere heart and we WILL receive answers! Conference was absolutely Incredible!

TayTay Edwardo with Sister Fantone and Thayn

This was hard because we got punted a lot in our lessons so we did our best to find more investigators. It was hard especially going to the whole other side of our area for a lesson just to find out that they aren't even home. But we didn't let that stop us! We met this lady names Cynthia sitting on the side of the road watching her daughters play with their friends so we went to talk to her and she said we could come back and visit her. The next night we were planning and decided we wanted to go visit her but for some reason we could not remember her name or couldn't find her information in our planners so we just went to the area that we remembered she said she lived and we found this other lady named Linda and she helped us find Cynthia and as a result we were able to teach them both and now have a return appointment. It is so amazing to see the lords hand in our work. If we had remembered where we wrote her information in our planner we would have never met Linda and been able to teach her. God works in mysterious ways but his way is always the best!

Our Morning Workout!

A mission is one of the hardest things that I have ever done but also the most rewarding. People here just always make me happy and laugh. We always have so much fun and I love sharing this amazing gospel and helping people come closer to their savior Jesus Christ! I know this church is true and is the only way we can return back into the arms of our loving heavenly father! Thanks for all the support and prayers! LOVE YOU ALL!

-Sister Thayn

OCTOBER 4, 2015

 

Zone Conference at the Beach and MICE!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Everyone!

This week has been good! We have another amazing investigator whose name is Joselito! We were teaching him the other day and invited him to be baptized and he accepted! We gave him a date to be baptized but he said he needs to know all before he can be baptized and we said perfect! thats exactly what you need to do! He is really progressing and loves reading the book of mormon and he asks lots of questions and I just pray every time that I can answer them well enough! 

We also taught Edwardo and he said that he is praying about the prophets and really has a desire to know! I am so excited for him! After our lesson with him he took us to a Tyangge (little convenient store) and bought us coke and cupcakes! He is the funniest and sweetest man ever!!! 

Snack Time with Edwardo

A funny story this week while we were teaching Joselito i saw 4-5 mice running across the floor and was just trying to contain my fright and they kept running by my feet and my companion could tell that I was a little jumpy and all of a sudden we were just all talking and my companion reaches her foot over and taps my foot and I almost jumped in the air I was so scared cause I thought it was a mouse and she just laughed!! haha but I was terrified! That was not the first time I have had encounters with mice! I was walking into a members house and a giant rat ran across my foot... Yeah I screamed!! haha and everyone just laughed at me! 

Today we had a zone activity at the beach which was very fun! I am loving my mission. Although some days are very hard and get overwhelming I do my best to see the eternal perspective and see how I am bringing others unto christ and it always makes my day better! Thanks for all your prayers! Love you all!



Zone Conference at the Beach

-Sister Thayn



SEPTEMBER 27, 2015

Sister Bernadeth and Children

RAIN AND LOUD THUNDER!!

Hello Everyone!

This week has been good! It has been raining a lot this week! The thunder is so loud here is scares me to death! LOL We have had a pretty sucessful week! 

The other day we were walking down the street and said hi to this old man walking and he just kept walking past us. Then my companion leaned over to me and said if he stops then we will go and talk to him and sure enough he stopped right then. So we went up and talked to him and then we came to realize why he just walked past us... he is almost deaf! He just couldn't hear us talking to him! His


Sister Thayn & Edwardo's Grandson

name is Edwardo and he is 75 years old! We were telling him how he is so fit for his age and he said well more like yelled! Although I cant hear my body is still strong and then fell to the ground and started doing push-ups! I almost had a heart attack when he fell I thought he was dying or something but no he was just doing push-ups! LOL! We have started teaching him and he is amazing! He said how he knows that god sent us to him and he says that he believes everything that we are telling him! and he knows that Thomas S. Monson is the true living prophet. He is so fun to teach because we pretty much have to yell in his hear when we talk to him! He is just a funny and such a sweet man! In one of our lessons with him we got there and he said wait one second! He hopped on his bike and drove away and 15 min later came back with a box of pizza and said its 4:00 which is snack time so I had to bring us a snack to eat during our lesson! HAHA he is the best man ever! and he also came to church last   week  which is AMAZING!!!! 



We also found this Less active member and the past two weeks he has been at church! He also bore his testimony in sacrament meeting and his first week back paid his tithing! He is coming back to church and it is so amazing and hopefully is getting a calling soon! 



Chicken head and feet at a
 members BBQ stand

A mission is nothing like I thought it was going to be but it is so incredible. It is so hard but so rewarding at the same time! With all the miracles and blessings that happen all the hard times are just washed away!

This week my testimony has really grown about scripture study. Before my mission I always had a hard time reading and understanding the scriptures but now on my mission I absolutely love my personal study where I get to read the scriptures I look forward to that everyday! 

Well I hope all is well with everyone at home! 

Have a good week!

-Sister Thayn
 

SEPTEMBER 21, 2015

THE FLOOD

Flooding in the streeets

Wow I cant believe another week has just passed! Time goes by so fast! This week was good we found a new investigator named Joselito. He is very interested in the gospel and loves when we visit so I cant wait to see what happens!

We also had our mission tour this week which was amazing. It really motivated us to do our best because this time isnt ours it is the lords and we owe him everything. We learned more about the Abrahamic covenant and the house of Israel. And I swear at every meeting we have as a mission they talk about marriage. And every time I think I JUST GOT ON MY MISSION AND THEY ALREADY WANT ME TO BE THINKING OF MARRIAGE??? I think it is funny but I know that it is only through marriage in the temple that we can receive exaltation! 

Our cute investigators chldren

I still get laughed at when I am talking to people especially children. When we are in lessons the kids will whisper something in my ear and I will just nod and pretend like I understand what they are saying lol! Sometime I wonder what they really are saying. Also the kids love my hair they always ask to touch and braid it! so I have crazy hair sometimes after a lesson. 

This week we also met this very anti Christ man. He was very upset that we were calling him brother and went off about how there is no Christ. All he wanted to do was contend with us so we just smiled and wished him well and left. There is probably something we could have done or said but all he wanted was contention and that is not of Christ so we just left. 

It also rains every day! Which is the best cause it cools things down but this week it rained so much and I witnessed my first flood! It was crazy and what ever you do you dont want to walk in that water.... GROSS! so we were jumping from rock to rock and dry place to dry place so we didnt get wet! We probably looked really funny! 

This week was good but I know next week will be better because every day we all need to do our best and strive to be better! Love you all have a good week!

-Sister Thayn

SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

PORK BLOOD SOUP!!

This has been a good but crazy week! We had a big zone training this week which was good and gave us all more motivation to do our best! We also have been visiting one of our investigator and her family every day and teaching them everyday! They aren't really progressing which is so sad because I know how much this will bless their lives!

Me in front of Rice fields

The other day when we were teaching them after the lesson I decided to help them learn a little English so I taught them the song head shoulders knees and toes and they had so much fun and were laughing then they sang me a song and then decided to help me with my language so we sat there and I would point at things and they would tell me how to say it and when I would say it they would just laugh and laugh at me cause I would pronounce it weird! HAHA we all had a good laugh!

ME with Cute children

On Friday we did exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders so I was in a different area and..... I got fed some interesting food!!!! I got fed Dinuguan, which is..... Pork Blood Soup! It actually wasn't terrible but luckily I had coke to wash everything I ate down LOL! But as the day went on I realized what I ate and I just grossed myself out but luckily it never made me sick! 

Pork blood soup

On Sunday we went to go pick up our investigator for church but she said she couldn't go so she sent her children age 9, 8, and 6 with us. It was stake conference so I just hope they weren't bored out of their minds cause we just sat for 2 hours but I hope and pray next week their mother will come! 

My kitchen

Life is good here in the Philippines! Still hot as ever and raining every day but So amazing and so good! Thanks for all the emails and prayers! 

Have a good week! 

-Sister Thayn

 

SEPTEMBER 6, 2015

HOT! HOT! HOT!

 

Coke in a bag?!

 

 

Time is just flying by here in the Philippines! Tomorrow I will have been out for 2 months! I am still just trying to adjust to everything but things are getting better and I am getting more comfortable. Well except for the heat.... it is so stinkin hot here I can't even explain it! 

Yesterday during sacrament meeting was my first experience with a brownout.... A brown out is what the Philippines call it when the power goes out. The power went out for like 15 minutes which means no fans or air conditioning which means SOOOOO HOT! we were all sweating like crazy! Then luckily the power came back on but later on that night there was a Brownout again and we were in a less active members house and then we decided to go home cause the power wasn't going to come back on and it was super dark outside. So we walked home in the dark with a tiny flashlight and we were home early because of the Brownout so we decided to make Pasta! We had candles lit all around the house and a few flashlights on, but it gets so dark here at like 6pm. But luckily right before we were going to bed the power came back on!!! I was so grateful for that because I wasn't excited to sleep without a fan on me! Fans are like your best friends here in the Philippines! 



FHE with the  Equilla Family

This week we were doing our best to try and find people to teach! And we were just walking around tracting and my companion says I like to tract to every house and get rejected until I can recognize the spirit tell me where to go! and we were about to stop but then she said lets go down this last street and so we did and at the very last house down the street it is this tiny hut in the corner and we knocked and.... THEY LET US IN! They are now our new investigators! If we wouldn't have followed that prompting to go down that last street we would have never found them! Their names are Sister Bernedeth, Brother Joseph and Brother Edeltes. Joseph and Edeltes are Bernedeth's brothers. Bernedeth has 5 little children! They are all so cute! They are very interested which is so exciting! They are reading the book of mormon and they say how much they like it! They also keep telling us how they want to go to church so hopefully they will come this next week!

Well all is well here in the Philippines! I still get stared at all the time walking down the street and people always want to talk to me and smile at me so that always makes me happy! I tried some new crazy fruits this week that were really yummy! I hope all is well with everyone! Thanks for all the emails! Love you all have a good week! 





Rice cooked in coconut milk and brown sugar wrapped in Banana leafs! (we bought it from this lady walking around with a basket on her head selling things!) So yummy!

banana trees

-Sister Thayn





 

 

AUGUST 31, 2015

 

I MADE IT!!!

 

Sister Thayn, Sister Hein & Sister Briggs

Wow it has been forever since I was able to email but I am now officially in the Philippines! The flight here was so long and it took over 24 hours to get here! We then got picked up by the Manila MTC president so was so kind! We stayed at the Manila MTC for 5 days! The time adjustment was quite hard but the president was so nice and would tell us to go to bed whenever he thought we looked tired and I was so grateful for that because I was able to adjust to the time faster! Then on Wednesday morning at 5:00 am we went to the airport to fly to Iloilo.

Sister Thayn & Sister Fantone

We stayed at one of the sisters apartments near the mission home the first night! Me and my two companions shared 2 mats and 1 fan and that was our bed for the night! I had no idea how hot it was going to be here! You always have to sleep with a fan or else you serious will die it is so hot! and to keep the bugs off of you! Then the next day I found out who my trainer is! Her name is Sister Fantone, she is from the Philippines and she is so sweet! And she speaks English very good so that was a relief! Actually lots of people here speak or understand English pretty well! The language is pretty hard and i am just trying to do my best to understand and I have a really hard time speaking but eventually I will! I just pray every day for the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues. 

 

The Philippines is so different! First of all the driving here is INSANE! my first time in a car I literally thought I was going to die! Our driver said there is one rule in the Philippines with driving and that is FILL IN THE BLANKS! and that is literally what they do! It is insane but it seems to work for them cause I haven't seen an accident yet! I have only eaten a few things but all were yummy! I tried a coconut they cut it open with a huge knife thing and gave me a straw to drink out of! I at this meat off a skewer I actually don't know what it was but it was good! Maybe it is good that I don't know what it is! I ate this sardines mixture thing. Also funny thing was the first meal in the Philippines was breakfast and we had rice and this meat stew stuff. So different than breakfast at home! and then my second breakfast was rice and hotdogs! But the hot dogs were like giant Vienna sausages in a can so they were kind of gross! They eat so much rice here!!!! 

My first area is in the city! I am in the Jaro 2nd ward! The people here are so nice and welcoming! We live in a 2 story apartment with two other sisters so there are four of us in the apartment! It is so fun! Sometimes during the day we do not have water but we always have extra buckets full of water just in case that happens! And bucket showers aren't as bad as I thought they were going to be! The few short days I have been here i have truly come to realize how blessed we all are with what we have. Here in the Philippines people have a tiny room with a few mats maybe and possibility a bathroom. They are the most humble people though! They are so kind! 

Sister Thayn  in front of first apartment

It is so funny walking down the road because I get honked at all the time and waved at! I get called beautiful all the time and people always want to talk to me. One time I was walking down the street and my companion was in front of me and said hi to this little girl and then I walked past and the little girls jaw dropped and she said WOWWWW! HAHA it was so funny! We went up to her and talked to here and my companion said she was speechless! She says people look at us American's like celebrities! She said we are going to use that a benefit for tracting! I think everyone needs to come to the Philippines for a self esteem booster! I don't think I have ever been called beautiful so many times in my life! And I have crazy hair and no makeup on! So life is GREAT! LOL 

I am still trying to adjust to everything but I have truly loved my morning studies and have had my testimony grow so much! Although people may be different we are all children of god and all are important and god loves us all! Yesterday we were able to give away 5 Book of Mormons and talk to so many people! We were carrying around an English Book of Mormon to give away and I was really confused why but god sure had a plan for us because he found the most perfect person to give it to! We found this lady walking her dog down this street she is 89 years old and she lived in Hawaii for 60 years as a teacher and she spoke English! We told her who we are and our purpose and she said she is a Baptist and she loves god! And long story short we asked her if she would like a Book of Mormon and she accepted and said she only reads in English so it was perfect and we were able to give away that Book of Mormon! 

I hope all is well with everyone! I love receiving your emails! Thank you for all your prayers! Good luck with everyone who is going back to school and hope you have a good week! Love you all!

-Sister Thayn

​

 

AUGUST 27, 2015

 

Safe Arrival of Sister Kiera Thayn in

Iloilo, Philippines

 

Sister Thayn with President and Sister AQUINO

Iloilo Mission President

 

 

AUGUST 14, 2015

Maayong Hapon! (Good Afternoon)

Next Thursday at 6:30am  I will be on my way to the airport! This week has been good! Yesterday we had In-field orientation for 8 hours straight! That was exhausting but I learned a lot! I learned how important members are in missionary work! I am so excited to get out into the field! 

We has something really funny happen in a lesson this week! Our investigator asked us who Jesus Christ was to us, my companion was responding and said "Siya utot lalaki ko" which she thought meant "He is my boy sibling" (They don't have a word in Ilonggo for brother so you say boy sibling) but the word fr sibling is utod not utot. Instead of saying "he is my boy sibling" she said "he is my boy fart". After she said that our investigator laughed so hard and we couldn't figure out why until after the lesson we asked our teacher what she said... We sure got a good laugh out of that!

Today we went to the Provo Temple and did an Endowment session. Then after we went to the cafeteria and ate breakfast. I can not tell you how incredible it was to have real food again!!!! Also this week I learned how simple the gospel is. There is no reason to make it difficult or hard when sharing the gospel with others. The gospel is a beautiful and simple thing!

I cant believe next pday I will be in the Philippines! Thank you for all your prayers i have really felt them! Have a good week! I encourage everyone to pray for an opportunity to serve someone this week! 

Halong! (Take Care)

Palangga 'Taka!

-Sister Thayn

AUGUST 7, 2015

MTC LIFE

I cannot believe I have been out on my mission already for a month! Time is just flying by and I am starting to get scared that it is going to go by too fast! This week has been incredible! It has definitely had its rough days but so much good has happened that its hard to remember those hard days!

This past Sunday we had and awesome fast and testimony meeting! Someone brought up the saying from the scriptures "And it came to pass" She said how this line is repeated over and over in the scriptures and she said how hardships come into your life but they also will pass. Just like Nephi, he had hard times but they did also pass. Two quotes that I loved from Sunday was, "Its not a testimony without the test" and " Work not worry, Faith not fear" 

Sunday night we had a devotional and Sherri Dew was the speaker! Tuesday night we had a devotional that was absolutely INCREDIBLE!!!!!! We never know who is speaking until we are all seated but on Tuesday we knew it was going to be an apostle! As we were all singing the prelude music the doors opened and in walked our MTC president, his wife, and then walked in.... President Russell M. Nelson and his wife! When we all saw pres. Nelson we all stood up and I was in instant tears! The spirit was so incredibly strong! The second he walked in the room it was as if the world changed! The spirit that he carries with his was unlike anything I have ever felt before and was undeniable! It confirmed to me that he is a man of god and was here to speak to us for god! It was such an incredible experience! He talked a lot about the second coming and us being reunited with god and how incredible that homecoming will be! When the talk was over and pres. Nelson left the entire room stayed silent and nobody wanted to leave and ruin the spirit that was there! It was INCREDIBLE!

This week the rest of our zone left for the Philippines! Then 35 new people came in! Crazy! But we got our flight plans today and we leave in 2 weeks!!!!! It is starting to be more real now that we have our travel plans! 

Well life is so good and I am just doing my best to learn more and more about the language of the spirit! Thanks for all your prayers and letters! They are very much needed! 

Hope you all have a good week!

Palangga 'Taka! ( I LOVE YOU)

-Sister Thayn