July 31: The Philippines-- Different than Anything I've Ever Seen

I made it to the mission home this morning. We traveled for over 2 days and slept for 5 hours in a hotel. We are in Bacolod now and its GORGEOUS!!! It's like Hawaii but better. It's so pretty. There are fields and beautiful trees everywhere.

But it's crazy. So crazy. Different than anything I've ever seen. The poverty is so evident. There are shacks built connected to each other everywhere with bamboo walls and dirty floors. Seriously so crazy. And those will be my areas. They keep all the sisters close to Bacolod so the senior couples can help if they need to. They greeted us at the airport today and they are so cute.

All the food I've had so far has been delicious.. the fish heads will come later.

It doesn't feel real but ill meet my companion today and start teaching tomorrow. (She is with her trainer, Sister Rosdahl, in the photo above.)

I love you, I love you, I love you!!!!!!

Love,
Sister Foote

July 25: God Will Bless You When You are in His Service

I leave for the Philippines in 4 days!!! I still love the MTC but I'm getting more and more ready to leave. I only have one real day of class left. It's so crazy and a little bit sad. I have grown so so close to my district. I love them all so much and my teachers are the greatest thing that have ever happen to me. They are so sweet, so funny, and so incredibly in tune with the spirit. It is amazing. It feels weird to be leaving and I just keep thinking there are other things I need to learn but our teachers say they are confident that we are ready! It's really amazing all we have learned. 

 

This week has been great. We got to host new missionaries again which was super fun. I loved meeting the two girls I hosted. They are going to be awesome missionaries. It's cool to remember how  far I've come and how much I've changed.

 

Probably the best part of the week is that I was able to memorize the whole 1st vision in ilonggo in one day (last friday). It was awesome. I really love it and can feel the power of the words even if they do just sound like gibberish. I know I was blessed to be able to learn it that quickly and it's been fun to help the other missionaries in my district learn too. My companion and I will just stop random missionaries outside and recite the first vision or bear our testimonies to them. It's a lot of fun.

 

I sang in the choir for the last time on Tuesday and we sang Praise to the Man. It was an awesome version and really cool. 

 

Life in the MTC is great. I love it. I love it. To all those considering a mission.... Go :) Don't be afraid or feel too inadequate. God will bless you when you are in His service. This work is so so important and can truly change and bless lives. All the things I thought I'd miss? I don't. I don't feel like I'm really sacrificing, I'm just getting blessings. We are helping God find His children.. What a great call. He is absolutely involved in this work. It is truly worth every sacrifice.

  

Anyway i love you lots and lots and lots. Kabalo ako nga makahimo ko ini (I know that I can do this. haha)

Next time you hear from me ill be in the Philippines!!!!!! And I'm sure I'll have a lot of adventures to report. Love you all so much! Pray for me. I'll need it now more than ever :) 

 

Sister Kimberly Foote

July 18, 2013: Faith and Fear Cannot Coexist

Kamusta Kamo!  Maayong Hapon!

I love you all so much. This week has mostly been really great. I had a lot of great experiences... 

including being able to see my dear sweet parents everyday. What an absolute blessing. I sad goodbye for real 2 days ago and it was a much better, more confident goodbye. I now understand more about being a missionary, being a companion and I have learned so much about this gospel and following the spirit. 

I get my travel plans... TOMORROW!!! Which means I leave for the Philippines a week from Monday.  Only a few more days of real showers and I only get to use a washing machine one more time.. but it's all so worth it. The other day we were sitting in class and I was just overcome with the thought,"This is worth every sacrifice. Every single one." And so I am more encouraged to study harder, to learn more, and be positive even though things are hard.

Every week we teach at TRC and last week we taught a woman from Bacolod. She is like 50 and so nice. It was so awesome to talk to her and I really was able to understand a lot. Forming sentences comes a lot faster for me now. It's still hard but I am trying to recognize the progress I have made. Funny story... 2 days ago I was trying hard to SYL (Speak Your Language) so I was trying to ask my district..."Can I please sit here" but it was taking me a long time to get the words out and in the mean time someone else sat down in my seat. It was awkward and hilarious.

Oh possibly the highlight of my week was that I learned Head Shoulders Knees and Toes in Ilonggo! It's awesome and way funny. (I've gotta entertain myself somehow, right?)

Ok, awesome thing happened yesterday!!! We got to host the new missionaries. It was so much fun. I loved getting to greet the new missionaries and tell them about how much I love the MTC!! It's the greatest. But I forgot to mention the chocolate milk... what was i thinking??? I dropped the first girl off at her Portuguese class and her teacher wasn't speaking any English. I felt bad leaving her with that shocked overwhelmed look on her face. I know I looked just like that a month ago. But I know she'll be great. She will learn and progress just like I did. It really was so cool to be able to see how far I've come, how much I've grown and how much I've learned.

But the best part of hosting was that I got to host KAYLA RICHARDSON!! She was so so so excited and happy. She is doing so great and I love her. And i happened to see her at night when she was going back to her residence and she said she had a great day and gave me a huge hug. So let her parents know she is the best.

One of my goals this week is to work on memorizing the first vision in Ilonggo. It is super hard but I now know what all the words mean so hopefully it won't be too difficult. Oh, and I memorized the "My Comission" by Bruce R Mckonkie. ....so so so good! You need to look it up. It was when I heard the Las Vegas missionaries recite this that I actually got excited about serving a mission. What a blessing it is to represent Jesus Christ.

I love the idea that faith and fear can not coexist. Our teacher was talking about how we pray all day for the gift of tongues and the spirit and to remember what we have studied. We prepare our lessons but when we walk in the door we say to ourselves, "I can't do this." We let fear back into our lives and our faith shrinks. We need to truly trust in God. Trust He actually will help us. His promises don't just apply to everyone else. They are for you, and for me.

Love forever

Sister Kimberly Foote