June 22nd email

Huwag Kayo Magalala means don't worry :) We did have a Typhooon...well actually it wasn't a typhoon where I am. They had a typhoon in the mission very far north of our mission and the sisters are sleeping in the chapel, exciting eh? We had a baguio which means lots of wind and rain. They have levels 1-5 or something and I think that measures the wind level. Here in my new area, Lucban we got to about level 2 during the night and didn't have electricity for a day and a half but no major damage. We till don't have power for cell phones or internet so right now we are in the area of the Elder's to email our families etc. I don't know how it is in Lemery, I hear it was worse there but the sisters are safe. Lemery is on the sea and it floods easily plus there are many homes there that would easily be destroyed so I'm a little worried about some of our members and investigators that I know will have suffered. My new area is in the mountains and not near the sea. It is COLD here...haha. I went from the hottest mission to the coldest and I'm sure my body has changed because you would probably not think it was cold, but I do know. We have to heatup our water before we shower so I heat up a pot of water while I eat, dump it in my bucket fill the rest up with the ice cold water and use that small amount to bathe...it's exciting. My new apartment isn't as new or nice as in Lemery. We have lots of cockroaches and mice but I spray the pemethrin frequently :) My first Sunday here was an interesting experience because of the storm. Nobody showed up at first so we only had two meetings in the end and about 30 at sacrament meeting. The bishop made me speak...not just share my testimony, haha. I think this area will make me STREEEEETCH myself. Sister Odo is my new companion and she knows deeper tagalog than Sister Mabalot did, she's also not as good at English and talks VERY fast so that will hopefully help me to learn faster. It's nice to have a start over with meeting people because when I met all the members in Lemery I didn't know how to say anything basically and didn't understand them...I was also very shy to try speaking if I knew it was wrong. I've been praying to be bold and just talk to people. It's hard to leave an area...especially so fast. We had a lot of upcoming baptisms and I finally felt comfortable, I'm once again lost but that's okay. This area is also not progressing as well although we seem to have more support from the leaders than we did in Lemery. As for helping the people here, we're actually told not to have our families send help, etc. for problems here. As we take care of things here you can focus on things at home. As for at home, the news doesn't make me very excited to return indeed...it sounds like nasty times to return to and try to finish school, find jobs and start a family in. It really will take strong youth to live faithfully through these upcoming times. Sister Odo's teaching skills are very good...it's interesting how you give and take with each different person. I may have mentioned my pondering about this before but it's interesting how it's both easier to be obedient and disobedient on your own, when not watched and also when not hindered by others. However, we can't be saved alone, we know that...and you must be together in a companionship of marriage to have eternal life so it's ultimately not good enough to be the best you can be, you have to also help someone else be just as good because you're only as good as the worse of the two, you have to do it all together. Thus, we can only save ourselves by saving someone else...everything comes down to some kind of service and even if it seems selfish it leads you to sacrifice and unselfish actions. I don't have much money here at the end of the month of money and after transfers because that takes extra money so I haven't printed pictures and probably can't send a letter this week. For sure I will next week...and I'll start writing them all now. Ay Pala! I received the package along with a lot of mail at transfers. Except, mom said in her letter that there were skirts in the package and there were not so maybe you sent two or I don't know what happened. I got pictures with your Tagalog phrases, they are cute... the only problem with them is grammar :) The plan of salvation props are great also, they are the same as Sister Mabalot's which were given to her by an American so that makes sense. I had another letter from Amanda and it sounds like she still hasn't received any of my letters... hopefully she'll get at least one of them soon and if not I'll try sending mail again next week, like I said before. Also, once again if you could give me the name of the stake president, you may have actually but I think I accidentally erased some of your emails, sorry. I'm kind of annoyed with myself for that. Hmmm... what else about Lucban, here it is less Americanized than Lemery was and the people seem to be a little better off... or there aren't any who struggle as much it's all kind of middle ground. It's also a little more how I think I imagined the Philippines, here in the mountain Jungle area and the Tagalog is very deep in this area and the culture is seen more, like for the old, you "bless"them by putting their hand on your forehead. Have I ever told you my fabulous idea? Well...if I ever end up getting married I want my gifts to be food storage supplies. It would be somewhat difficult to fully supply yourself with the proper food and safety storage right at the beginning of a marriage so if that's what you were given for your gifts it would be great! Before district meeting last week I read a little bit of John I don't spend a lot of time in the New Testament these days and as I read just a few chapters the Savior's life and ministry came alive to me again. It's amazing how all I have to do is read about it and I know it all happened. That faith for me has always simple and exists but sometimes I have to realize it again. I know that Christ lived, that his life was essential and central part of a great plan for all of us, the Father's accepted plan, that Christ also gave honor to his Father who sent him and in return the message of the Father to all of us is always of his son and to listen and follow him because he is the means provided for us to return to the Father and become like him obtaining all he has -- which is his Work and Glory, I know he lives even now and our lives should be spent in coming to understand the miracle of his sacrifice in our lives and learning to use it to its full extent while sacrificing all we are in return -- Romans 8: as we suffer with Christ we become Heirs with him, we fulfill our work just as he fulfilled his...doing all the Father asked of him. Well, I have to go now, bye. Love Britney

p.s. I'm sure there are many adventures to come in my mission but don't spend too much time worrying -- I probably won't tell you about them all now anyway just so you won't; and they will be great stories another day :)