Transfer WEEK!!!

Well, as you can see from the title of this email...this week was transfer week. It has been a long six weeks here in the mission field. My trainer has been through a lot with me. But, I guess president Monahan decided that I needed a new nanay because my trainer got transferred to Dagupan. So now my new trainer, my pagalawa nanay is sister Navarathna! She is great! I just love her. She is from Sri Lanka or however you spell it. I'm not sure. But, anyways, she is just so fun and outgoing and we get along so well and she's really not my new trainer and my old trainer didn't really get transferred we are still stuck together for another 6 weeks...yayyyy:/ haha. Anyways, not much has happened this week. It has been pretty slow. I was sick on Wednesday and Thursday...nothing big, so mom don't freak out;) haha I am ok now:) So yeah, it has just been a slow week. Nothing really exciting. Sister Alvarez got transferred which makes me sad because she was my little 26 year old buddy, we did a lot together haha. But, she is still in my zone she just got transferred to a different area within our zone. So, I still get to see her on Mondays and Tuesdays:) Friday we had exchanges with the STL's again and that was fun. I went with Sister Briones to her area and we taught her investigators there. She has this investigator who's last name is also Briones and we went and taught him. He is an interesting man because when we were teaching him we would ask him if he believes the BOM to be true and he said yes. Then, we asked if he believed that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and he said yes, and we asked him why. And he said because he testifies of God. And so we asked if he believes that Jehovah's Witnesses are true and he said yes and we said what about Catholics and he said yes. And so we were at that appointment for 2 hrs talking to him. But, for a good hour of that time our member present talked to him. It was such a good lesson, we committed him to read the BOM and pray to know if it is true and if the things we taught him are true. He finally realized that there is only one true faith. So we will see how that goes haha. Well, thats it for this week, sorry it is so boring:( I will try to make next week more interesting haha! Have a great week everybody! Love you!:) -Sister Ramsey

Oh boy...long week!

Kumusta lahat! Oh man this week has been soooo long. Tuesday my companion and I had exchanges with the STL's and that was nice because honestly...things are getting a little hard in my companionship. Having a native for a companion is never easy I heard. But anyways, so I went with Sister Merrill to her area and that was really fun because a lot of the people we ran into spoke super good English because they have had jobs of some sort where they were required to speak English. We also had the opportunity to visit with a man who lived in California for 25 years but moved back to the Philippines because quote "There is no place like home". It was so nice talking to someone who spoke English because learning Tagalog is difficult and finding someone who understands English that well is a blessing haha because its not very common. So that was a great day. We also met a family who's mom is in Baguio because she is undergoing chemotherapy because she has breast cancer. So sad:( I had the opportunity to offer a prayer with them for them and for their mom and we shared a brief overview about the plan of salvation. They really needed to hear that. I am not sure how things are going with them because thats not my area but I will ask the sisters if they went back or not yet. Another cool event for the week was Friday. The six of us sisters performed a community service activity here in Villasis during the Talong Festival (Eggplant Festival). It was soooo cool! The schools make their students perform a dance at the festival and they were so amazing. I have pictures but I cant send them this week...I forgot my cord to my camera. Oops:) I will next week though! Anyways, our service activity consisted of us giving out free filtered water to people who needed it. We also gave out free Ang Ebanghelyo ni Jesu Cristo (Gospel of Jesus Christ) pamphlets. It was so cool. And it was really spiritual because we let the spirit guide us to who needed a pamphlet because we didn't have a bunch of pamphlets and there were a bunch of people. So, we had to pick and choose. And I really think that we allowed the spirit work through us and direct us to the people who were prepared by God to hear about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a really good experience. As for today, we had zone studies this morning and we watched the best 2 years. Boy do I love that movie Thank you mom for making me watch it before. It really is a great movie. And it is so much more different watching it while being on a mission haha. Things are just different. I love it out here. I am so blessed to be a missionary for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know that the work I do is true and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the one true church on the face of the Earth and that through the Prophet Joseph Smith it has been restored. I am so thankful for that 14 year old boy who knelt down in a grove of trees and offered his heart to his Heavenly Father. Because of him I am here. I love you all and these things I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week!:) Talk to you later! -Sister Halley Ramsey

Wow...time flies!

Well, today marks one month of being in the field already. Holy cow does time fly! I can't believe it! My training will be done it 6 weeks...and I could be training somebody. That's a scary thought haha. This week has been pretty slow because we had curfew on Tuesday and Wednesday due to New Years. But, Tuesday was great! My companion and I were able to go to a FHE with a family who's daughters Birthday it was. She turned 11. The entire time I was thinking of Justin and how I hope he was having a great Birthday. After the FHE we had to go home because we had curfew at 6, pero, the sisters next door stayed the night in our apartment and we had a sleepover haha. We stayed up till midnight and watched the fireworks from our apartment. They were soooo pretty! And SOO loud haha. I felt like we were under attack again. And we watched Mormon messages. It was great!:) Then lets see, Thursday we taught a new investigator and we invited him to church and surprisingly he came. We were in complete shock because that NEVER happens here. They say they will come because they are so nice but they never do. So, it was so great that he came! We found 5 NI this week so we are really excited about them:) Today was a great day, we went to the zoo and we hiked up a big mountain. I don't have pictures of the mountain but I definitely have pictures of the snake! It was so cool! And there was an awesome Iguana that I named Enrique. And there are Koy fish here and they are soooo pretty! It was just a fun day. I will try to attach some pictures of today:) Well, that has been my not so busy week:) Love you all, talk to you later! Have a wonderful week:) -Sister Halley Jean Ramsey Picture 1: THE GIANT SNAKE! And Sister Alvarez and Gonzales Picture 2: Sister Lee, Alvarez and I with our "Just Look Up" faces:) Cute huh? Picture 3: Our zone :)

Christmas Week! :)

Kumusta sa lahat!:) Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taong! It's been a pretty slow week...and in all honesty I don't remember too much of it except for skyping home on Thursday haha. Is that bad? So, Thursday I was told that a girl named Kimberly added me on FB and she said that she saw talked to me the other day. I wasn't really sure who Kimberly was because I have met two Kimberly's while I have been here. So, like all week I have been like who is Kimberly. Well, yesterday at Church one of the Kimberly's that I have met was there. She is from Urdaneta 3rd Ward and was just visiting my ward. She is actually not a member, she is an investigator. She isn't being taught by the missionaries though, I want my second area to be Urdaneta 3rd Ward so I can teach her! That would be so awesome! Anywho, she came up to me in the gospel principles class and says "I met your mom" I was like "Kimberly! Ah tell me everything". We talked like all of sacrament haha and she showed me a cute message that my mom sent me saying that she loves me:) Thank you mommy:) I love you too! And she showed me a picture of somebody that really made me smile haha. And then we just talked about America, Books, pretty much everything that I said in my blog. So she knows how I feel about the Philippines and the differences it has compared to America haha. Like the dogs all looking the same and that I can't pet any animals haha. It was so nice getting to talk to her. She is such a great girl. She is only 16 and she is going to be attending college next year. And her English is soooo good! I wish I was that good in Tagalog. But it really gets me thinking. English is the hardest language to learn and if she can learn English then I can learn Tagalog. I do admit, being engulfed in it 24/7 is really helping me learn haha. Sige, well that has been the highlight of my week. This week I have curfew again tomorrow and Wednesday because of the New Year. Speaking of the new year. Happy Birthday Justin! I Love you and I hope you have a wonderful birthday:) Something should be arriving in the mail for you soon I hope:) Mahal Kita everyone!:) -Sister Ramsey

I don't remember which week it is!

So, this week has been suuuppperrr great! I had my first baptism this last Saturday!:) It was so exciting. His name is Wilfredo Tugare and he is 67 years old. He was so excited about his baptism, it was so sweet. I know that he was definitely missing something and now he has found it and his life has and will change so much now that he has the gospel in it. His baptism was a really difficult process because his job that he has is kind of like gambling and so our bishop here did not want him to get baptized, pero the missionaries before me got him set up with a new job that starts in January so he no longer has to do that one and we asked President Monohan (my mission pres) if it was ok for him to be baptized regarding his job and such and president said it was ok. So, now hes baptized...YAY!:) Other than that not much has really happened, we are working on getting some more IBD's, we have a few potential ones so we will just have to see how this week plays out:) We have a curfew this week on Tuesday and Wednesday because things get crazy here with fireworks and stuff so we have to be home by 6. So we get some me time. Look forward to possibly getting some letters because I'm going to have a lot of spare time haha:) I seriously love it here. It is soooo beautiful. I love all the wondering animals and all the ginormous cows haha. Literally there huge. And I love all the chickens that roam the streets same with the goats. I never get to pet them though because my companion gets after me:/ Which is sad:( but, it's ok! And we don't eat dogs...did I mention that in an email yet? I don't remember but I am so happy because we don't! They are actually pets here:) But they aren't as cute as dogs in the States...they all look the same. Only the rich people here have like cute dogs and stuff. I know that I am not going to be there for Christmas but I am really looking forward to Skyping home on Thursday because it will be Christmas there:) I look forward to seeing a lot of your smiling beautiful faces at around 6-7 pm haha. Love you!:) talk to you either Thursday or next week!:) Have a Merry Christmas! Maligaya Pasko!:) Love, Sister Ramsey P.S. Heres some pictures from since I've been here in Villiasis:) 1. This is our investigator/recent convert. Wilfredo Tugare 2. This is a picture of our Christmas party today!:) So much fun!!!:) We had a flour fight! 3. These are the Elders in my Zone. They are great. The one on the very end is my Lolo as is the one in the middle because they are my first Zone Leaders, and the one in the White tee shirt is my Tatay because he is my first District Leader. Hindi ko alam how that works but yeah haha. 4. This is Elder Sikat, Sister Alvarez and I today at our gift exchange. Oh and that's sister Briones and I...These are so out of order. Sorry:/ Sorry, I kinda forgot my other sim card so I will send pics of the area and stuff next week:) Well, that's all I can fit this week:) I'll send more next week:)

2nd Week in sa Pilipinas!

Holy...COW! This week has been sooo long and sooo hard. I hate to admit it, but, yesterday during our missionary meeting with the bishop to discuss our activities for this coming up week, I just cried. It's so hard not knowing what people are saying and what to say to them. And it stinks because I'm not going to know what to say or what they are saying for at least 6 months...according to all the other Americans. So, to say the least this week has just been really rough for me :( This last week, we were able to teach lots of people, so that was really good. Oh Ryan, I have a sister here who is going to be getting off her mission here in the next few months and she said that she really wants to marry an american. I recommended you...sorry haha. She's really pretty though. I'll send a pic with this email hopefully :) Anyways, We have a baptism this coming Saturday for a 67 year old man named Wilfredo. He is so nice, and so smart. He is ready to be baptized. He passed the interview and now it's just on to the baptism. I'm really excited for him. I have exchanges this Friday and I'm pretty excited about them. It should be fun. Last night, we had the opportunity to go to Urdaneta to watch the Christmas Broadcast. It was soooo gooooooddd! Did you watch it? Well, you should. It was really good haha. On Saturday we got to go to Urdaneta too and we brought a couple of our investigators dahil it was a youth activity and the only way we could go was if we brought investigators. The activity was watching BOM movies that the youth in the wards created. They were soooo good and sobrang nakakatawa haha. They were so creative:) Our ward did the Stripling Warriors. Well, I have to go now, i'm about to get kicked off the computer. Talk to you all next week! Love you! -Sister Halley Jean Ramsey

Unang Week Sa Pilipina

Holy Cow! I don't even know where to begin. Well, I arrived here on Wednesday December 4th, so I skipped the 3rd of December all together which was pretty cool. I feel like we discovered time travel or something. Anyways, we stopped in Hawaii too along the way which was exciting except for the fact that it was dark out and we couldn't see anything except a bunch of lights here and there. But, I can still say I have been to Hawaii which is AWESOME!:) When we arrived here in the Philippines my feet were sooo swollen...I was surprised my shoes still fit haha but so were my companions it was funny. I was actually expecting it to be hotter than it is here. Its hot don't get me wrong, but for some reason I was expecting so hot you can cook an egg on the sidewalk hot and its not that hot...yet. I am actually here in there cold season. Its like 90 degrees haha and thats cold here. I'm not really looking forward to there hot season, I am however looking forward to the rain! The people here are so humble its crazy. Our investigators are soooo cute and soooo nice and soooo yeah. I just love them and I have only met them all like once. But they are just the most humblest people I have ever met, and they are just so willing to listen and learn about the gospel. My companion is Sister Gonzales, she is a local. So, she speaks fluent Tagalog...yeah. The good thing is she knows English really well also. Shes a super great teacher and we get along really well. As for learning Tagalog, I was pretty surprised when I got here and the other sisters in my district told me that I am farther along with the language then a lot of other sisters were when they first got here. Which surprised me because I didn't think I knew anything haha. But, being here and actually having to SYL because I don't have a choice because the people don't understand English very well has really helped me realize how much I really do know. And it's pretty cool. I live in an apartment...its kind of more like a duplex. Our neighbors are another companionship of sisters so its pretty nice. I don't have a bucket shower (thank goodness!). We have a shower, the water is cold though, but I have come to enjoy it because it really does feel super good with the hot and humid weather. Church was great! I really enjoyed it. The primary had their presentation during Sacrament and it was soooo stinkin cute. Just imagine about 20 little madroneros singing primary songs and that is exactly what this was. It was so cute. I had to get up and introduce myself to the ward and I am happy to say that I said more than half of it in Tagalog...oh yeah:) I did take lots of pictures, but...I took so many pictures that I kind of drained my battery. So, now I have to wait to send them because my battery is dead. Oh, and there are sooooo many water buffaloes around here! ITS AWESOME! And dogs, chickens and goats roam the streets like its nobodies business haha. I saw a stampede of goats the other day, they were so cute haha. Oh my goodness, I just love it here. MY first day in the actual field was Friday and that was soooo hard. I just wanted to cry, everywhere I went. The air is so different, everything smells weird, and EVERYBODY stares at me everywhere I go. I don't like it. My companion tells me over and over again that it is because I am white and they think I am really pretty but it still makes me super uncomfortable. Last night, our investigator who is 8 asked me why I had green eyes. It was really cute but I had no idea what to say to her haha so I just said because my mommy has green eyes. And then on Saturday, we were walking down the road and literally everybody was staring at me. People even came to the street from their front porch to watch me walk by. And as we were just standing, talking to a lady, a girl and like 3 guys were like peeking out from behind a gate at me and so I looked over at them and the girl yells to me "Your so beautiful". It was super sweet and all I said back was aww thank you but no, your beautiful haha. It's just a super different environment that I am going to have to adjust to over time. But I am really starting to love it and I look forward to every day to come:) I hope you have all had a super good week and I am excited to hear from you next week!:) Love, Sister Halley Ramsey