Maligayang Pasko!

Maligayang Pasko! Wow! I can't believe Christmas is on Friday! that went by fast. This was a great week! It went by so fast but like it seems so long ago we got evacuated..

Yes, I did in fact survive the Typhoon. We ended up being evacuated to the Daraga Sisters' apartment instead of the chapel (thank goodness, because a million members were at the chapel). We pretty much just hung out in the dark because no electricity or water. It was great! And let's just say Sister Delgado is super fun to be around when she's bored (she's crazy. in a good way.) haha :) We had a headstand competition (I won) and filmed creepy videos of each other that you can all see after the mish. haha... we're insane.

I was able to skype the fam on Tuesday after we didn't die so that was an AMAZING early Christmas present! Two skyping sessions. I loved talking to you guys! After that blessed event, we literally ran to a jeepney and then ran to a tricie to get to the mission home to say goodbye to the departing batch of missionaries and to give them stuff to take home for me.It was great. Then Sister Guanzon let us charge our phone and take a shower in the mission home because no water or power there... haha. But it was the first hot shower I have had on my whole mission and it was glorious. Definitely worthy of being in the weekly email. I will never take it for granted again.

So the Typhoon actually happened right when transfers were supposed to happen so everything has been crazy. On Wednesday all of the new missionaries were coming in so we had to be in a trio in the morning and a different trio in the evening to make sure no one was alone. We got to eat lunch with our senior couple the Mulligans and I absolutely love them. We speak in British accents to them and they love us. Elder Mulligan told me that my British accent is really good. I'd like to thank Jim Dale and J.K. Rowling for that. We didn't have transfer point until Thursday and neither of us are being transferred but we went because we had to take our trio member and also Sister Delgado is the new STL so she had to be trained. This means lots of exchanges with the trainee of the other STL for me! She's a visa waiter going to Salt Lake City East mission so I will teach her English. I'm excited!

On Friday we had our ward Christmas party. I. Love. Legazpi. Ward. There was dancing and games and singing and food. Filipino food is the best, guys. Bicol Express. Mmm. Hopefully I'll be able to cook for y'all when I get home. Saturday we finally got to have a district meeting and also we got to witness a baptism for the other sisters. It was such a spiritual experience. So good.

Sunday was the best. Fred came to church for the third time in a row and he's got just one left before he can be baptized. He showed up wearing pajama bottoms and Sister Delgado and I are just laughing. He's just a sweetheart and he's definitely one of the elect that the Lord has been preparing. That night we had the best lesson in my whole mission. President and Sister Guanzon came with us to Fred's house and his brother and his family were there as well as his sister in law Iza and her son, Ichigo, who has been hiding every time we go there. Basically President bore an absolutely incredible testimony and the Spirit was SO strong. Ichigo was asking questions. Fred's brother's whole family were just staring in awe at president, even the little boys. They said after "we'll be at church on Sunday!" It was amazing. I wish President could come to every lesson. I'm very excited about this new family but they live in another sisters' area in Daraga so we won't be able to be their missionaries but still... It was amazing.

This morning we went to Cagsawa, a ruin by Mount Mayon. It's this catholic church that got ruined in a volcano eruption 200 years ago. It was so beautiful there. We made friends with some French tourists and this random guy took some cool forced perspective pictures for us. Life's good. 

I'm so excited for the coming week! We've got lots of stuff happening and it's going to be a very merry Christmas indeed. I love you all and I hope you have a great Christmas! See y'all on Skype!

Love,

Sister Wilkins