Sister Brown in the Philippines: Just another week in the Pines‏

First Sunday together! Sister Meti and Sister Burt our new comps.

Maligayang kaarawan! I have survived an entire transfer in the Pines. We went running this morning to celebrate. Unfortunately, being in another country has not increased my love of running. At all. It rained all week though, so that's a blessing. And I got a bunch of letters everyone wrote like a month ago so that was cool too. I must say the Brown family (my Uncle and Aunt and their cute kids) wins for most loyal letter writers and my darling little sister wins for writing my favorite letters. Believe it or not, she's a pretty funny girl ;) Thanks for the smiles Kayla! Probably my favorite moment of the week was Tuesday night. We got transfer calls and guess what!!!! I did not get transferred. You thought I did, huh? However Sister Banzali and my companion did. So we made smores in our little toaster oven as a parting party and it was awesome!

So that means I got a new Nanay (we call our trainers nanay which means mom). Her name is Sister Meti. She is from Hydrabad, India. She's 24 and she never, ever, ever wants to leave the mission. Her only goal is to serve the Lord, enjoy every day of the mission, and make sure I'm happy 24/7. She's amazing! I loved cute little Sister Calla but this change is seriously the biggest blessing. Sister Meti was baptized in 2009 and had to beg her parents to let her go on a mission. She came here with no language training, they just sent her out to the field with a green vocab book. So she learned Minion on her own! Now if that isn't worth something, I don't know what is. She loves the work, she loves the Lord, and she is exactly what I need to whip me into shape.

Our investigators, Randoni and Mawin Babor had their baptismal interview this week and they passed! Wahoo!! So this Saturday we're having a baptismal service. Mawin was really nervous she would have to bear her testimony next Sunday so she wanted to practice on us. She is seriously the most adorable thing! And they are both so excited to be baptized! I just love them!

As for an inspirational thought, Sister Meti and I were talking and she told me how she loved the mission because there were just so many little blessings. She loved when people said hello on the street or members offered us a meryenda (snack) or people were kind because that was Heavenly Father showing her that He was there and He loved her. I could really do a lot better at recognizing those little things, the little assurances that He's there and that He really does love me. This week in my personal prayers I decided I would ask for nothing (which was super hard because I need a lot of help). So for the past 7 days every night and every morning I have said a prayer of gratitude. And let me tell you, there are A LOT of things to be grateful for! So this week I'm giving you a challenge. You can choose to do it for a week, 3 days, or just 1 day. But in your prayers don't ask for anything. Just thank Heavenly Father for all of the blessings, big and small, that He's given to you and I promise you will feel His love for you and your day will be just a little bit happier.

Thank you again for all of your emails, letters, prayers, and love and support! You seriously are the greatest people on the planet. Mahal kita!

XOXO, Sister Brown

(Note: She sent all of the pictures from the last 2 weeks so there are a few of them and the good news is she put captions on most of them so I don't have to make up stuff anymore!) :)