Adventures in Baguio: Masipag Kami 10/26/2014

Kumusta!
Wow, this week was so fast and so great!
1. Exchanges - so I had exchanges again this week with a new missionary, Sister Faka'osi. She's at the end of her training now and she's from Tonga, she's so nice and we had a fun day in her area. Funny story, we are teaching this investigator with the cutest little baby sitting on her lap. In the Philippines, people don't really put diapers on their babies, not sure why, but it's more weird to see a baby wearing a diaper than without one at this point. So we're teaching her, and the baby just rips one haha, the investigator just laughed it off and picked up the kid, and she had pooped all over her lap! But the lesson was still going great, so we just kept teaching her like nothing happened! Only in the Pines! Then the next day I got to go on exchanges with Sister Sidwell which I was way excited about. This is the longest we have been apart since we got to the field, so it was fun to be her companion for a day. We did a lot of finding in her area, and saw this giant house with a ton of Santa Clause decorations. We decided to just go for it and knock the house, and they were so nice and let us right in! Turns out, the owner is a doctor and so is his wife, they were way loaded and fed us and told us how they respect our sacrifice as missionaries and they would read the pamphlet because they know it's important to us. So golden! But he works for an oil company and left last Saturday, but hopefully they can keep teaching the wife. Funny story there, when they gave us a snack, the brother asked his maid to make us some juice, but she made tea instead. We weren't sure what kind of juice it was, but we didn't say anything until after Sister Sidwell took a tiny sip and then asked what it was. It was iced tea haha so slightly broke the Word of Wisdom, but we repented!
2.Baptism- This past Saturday Sister Alalaine was baptized! It was a kind of crazy day because a lot of things got changed at the last minute and her friend who introduced the gospel to her couldn't baptize her because he wasn't from our ward, but it all worked out and she was baptized and it was a beautiful service. So many people were there, and she bore such a strong testimony afterwards about how she came to know that the church was true, and she knows that this church has the fulness of the gospel and she can't wait to be sealed! Unfortunately, her son Gab was a little scared to be baptized, but after watching his mom and the other primary be baptized, he said next month he would! So, we think he was a little afraid of the unknown, but he is so smart and said that he knows this is the true church too.
3. Work, work work- this week we worked so hard and we were so dead each day! But it really showed in our stats and I'm so happy with how this area is progressing right now. We have some great people that we're teaching and I know that as I continue to work hard and give it everything I have, we will see miracles in our work.
Sorry I'm running out of time, there's so much more I want to say, but just know that I love my area, my companion, and my mission. Things are just going really great right now, and I feel so blessed to be apart of this work and a small part in others path to eternal life.
Oh, and I have done a lot of thinking and praying, and I have talked to my mission President and will be coming home on February 18th now. I feel really good about this decision, and hope that I can satisfy the Lord with my work for the time that I have remaining. This way, I will be able to spend more time with my wonderful family before I leave for college again, and I'll be able to go through a session in the Manila temple before the long flight home. I love my mission so much, and I know that each day I have here is a blessing for me more than those that I teach.
Mahal Ko Kayong Lahat!
Sister Bangerter