Philippine skies...

Philippine skies...

Pasensyia My letter is late, we didn't get to a computer shop until later today. 

Transfered happened and i'm still in OTON big surprise haha joke-lang. I"m still with sister Guerrero which is great! and Now we have sister Swarna!!!! we are a th3-some for 2 weeks..  Want to know why?? because Sister Swarna is being transferred back to INDIA to open a new area for Sister missionaries!!!!  so they are pulling out some Indian sisters from the Philippines to help train new missionaries in INDIA and Sister Swarna is one of them!  cool huh!!

Also Sister Patricio transferred from Kalibo to Antique and Sister Schocker transferred from Iloilo NOrth to Roxas zone and she is a SENIOR now.. CRAZY! She is following up a sister who just got trained..  So the time is going fast!!!  aHH slow down.

So I"m back with sister Swarna liwat (again) just like the 1st day i was here.

Conference was so great !!  I want more..  I'm so sad I have to wait another 6 months. I loved President Packer talking about my favorite song "Brightly Beams Our Fathers Mercy" It reminded me of Dad and his lighthouses.  I loved Elder Holland about his narration of the story of Peter talking to Jesus.. and How he needs people who LOVE HIM and who will feed his sheep.  He needs disciples, He needs Loyalty, he needs us to not go back to how we were before.  ELder Uchdorf talking about no regrets.. To enjoy the journey. That before we die we should learn to live.. Even if it is hard now, once it's over then it's over.  OH I wish I had brought my notes so i could share more. 

I'm loving the Philippines more and  more everyday. The sunsets are breath-taking.. don't you agree..  they look even better in person..

Oton is really hard, especially with getting people to church.. We are happy that we were able to have 2 investigators come to conference. Sister Lourdann, who is in the picture I sent. so we are excited to follow up with them and what they noticed or felt from the words of our prophet.

OH man.. Time is gone liwat!!  it's so dasig ang tiempo! (time is fast)

Halong Kamo! Palangga Ko Kamo!!  

LOve sister FOwles

Oh my Goodness!! 

Cameron looks sooo different!  He's so big!!  and he has hair now  haha  Cute Cute  He looks a lot like Mike!!

What WHAT WHAT  19 year old Girls and 18 year olds can go on missions now! woa woa big news..  We have conference next week..  SO i'm way excited for that... any talks I should Look out for?? Or that you loved?

Last week I went on Splits with the S.A. in our ward.. And i'm leading lessons.  I never thought that would happen..It's always scary for me not to be with my companion.

I still at times get down because of the language.. And It's so hard to get up in the mornings because we're so tired.. I think it's about time to have another General Conference to help boost my energy and to motivate again.k

Last week we met an Iglesian Ni Cristokk who is staying at one of our investigators homes and he was asking us about our faith.. and it's way cool because usually i.n.c's are very hard headed and are all about debating.. pero we really could feel his curiosity and openness to our message..

The work is the same every day.. I don't really have anything new to say except that it's still beautiful here.  It still rains hard. it's still hard to get investigators to church.. especially when the husbands don't let their wives go  :(  

I still get news from sister Patricio about our converts in Kalibo!!! the Dela Cerna family is doing great!  they have the priesthood now and are passing the sacrament!!! I love them and miss them.

This week is transfers again... I'm so nervous that Sister Guerrero might leave me and I'll have to lead the area. 6 weeks is not long enough.. and it feels way short especially after I had like 5 months with sister Patricio.. If I only have 6 weeks with sister Guerrero it will be too short!!!   

i love you so much.. next week i'll have some better insight for you since I'll get to hear conference!!!  yeah  a chance to listen to the living prophet today..... I don't think i've appreciated having a living prophet like i do now.. especially when this is what we are teaching the people here.. and I hope they take the opportunity to listen to the prophet this weekend... they are so lucky.

Sige Sorry it's short email.. But I love the pictures. Everyone will be so different when I get back.. I hope Cammers will remember me.

Love you all

Love Sister Fowles

More Pics

Dear Pamilya

Kumusta Kamo?  Nahidlaw ako sa inyo gid!    Malipay ako nga nakabati halin sa inyo.      Magpadayon ako nga magpangamuyo para sa inyo tanan.

((How are you?        I miss you so much!                 ( I am happy to hear from you.)                 ( I will continue to pray for you all.))

Last week we had a Family Fun walk where we walked along the river bay with our families and wards to celebrate Family week.

We had these cool yellow shirts with a shoe print logo and I got to see Sister Schocker again!  She is assigned in Iloilo North zone which is right next to my zone (Iloilo)

I sent you a picture of Sister Lourd Ann and her two kids (Princess and JayLord)  They are so cute.

I haven't received the package you sent for my birthday yet.. haha it's been like 4 months.. :(  

It's way hard to send letters here.  It costs a lot and it's hard to travel to a post office. But i'm planning soon to make a trip and send some letters to my friends.

Thank you for the Email Dad.. your short insight really help me keep focused and keep me from feeling down..

Thanks for the email MIKE I hope that I will get emails like that from the people I teach in 15 years time.

It's getting harder as more and more of the responsibility is falling on to my shoulders.. I still struggle with the language and with understanding people..  not only do I have to translate the language but I have to discern the spirit in lessons and try to be a instrument for the spirit to testify.  It's So BUDLAY!! (Difficult)

We are so excited to hear conference.. we get to see it on Oct 14 at our stake center.. Buhi nga propeta!!  (living prophet!)  I can't believe this is my second Conference..  I only have one more left after this one... Weird!

The Oton apartment is way nice.. it's inside a gated compound.  Their are two homes inside the gate and our neighbor constantly will come by and give us fruit, and remind us to take out our garbage.  They have dog named Neelo who always greets us when we come home.. 

Our area is nice but it is huge and their are tonz of less-active members.. 

Thanks for the pictures! Mom you look skinnier :) the yard looks nice and green.. Are you excited for your first Christmas in the new home?? I'm excited for my first Christmas here sa PHilippines.  Apparently it's a big thing.. 

PS Jared  Yes  I have had the siopao (show-pow) and it's pretty good.. But there are things here even better than siopao haha  Things like Buko shake which is a coconut smoothie!  Masarap, Namit,  or in other words Delicious. 

Some things have happened this week like we were in an accident with a jeepny and motorcycle but I won't tell you about it because it will just scare you haha.. But we are fine.. it's just crazy that we were right there when it happened. And plus Sister Guerrero is a nurse so if something were ever to happen to us I know I am in good hands.

Sige  I love you all and I am glad to hear about MOM!

I love you. Keep being disciples of Christ and make your Heavenly Father proud and "well-pleased" with what you do.

Lift where you Stand

Sister Fowles

-from iloilo mission...So nice they named it twice ;)

Pictures from Ashley

Good Morning! Maayong Aga!

Good Morning! Maayong Aga!

This Last week we had a giant Tuko in our bathroom.. Those big gecko Lizards. It was so scary lookin with its white skin and red dots..  Me and Sister Guerrero had a good time throwing permitherine at it and trying to shew it out of the house.. I have a pretty funny video of it.. mostly it's just us screaming as the tuko starts running.

Last week we washed sister LourdAnn's clothes for her because she has been sick and had a mountain of laundry to do.  I love her and her cute baby Princess..  I've met three babies now in Oton with the name Princess..  So if in doubt just say Princess because you have a better chance of getting it right..

This last week I slipped in the mud again.. I'm so clumsy now.. plus I came away with four big scratches on my leg.. Just another remembrance to take with me..  

This last week I gave another talk on Sunday and I said it in the language.. of course it wasn't the best talk I've given due to my limited use of vocabulary but I think it went well. 

I found out that my trainer Sister Salway is working at the MTC now teaching Hillagaynon!!  ugh these new missionaries are so lucky!  This last transfer we had the 1st batch of missionaries who started learning Hillagaynon in Provo. They have all these way cool materials in Hillagaynon!!  they are so lucky.. and they also have a small PMG.  instead of the huge booklets we have... 

This last week we went back to Sister Leah Mae who is a Less active member we met and we picked up Mac Mac (11) and Michael (8) for church on Sunday! THey are her nephews. They are the cutest boys.

Sister Guerrero and I felt like we haven't had a normal week yet during this transfer.. there has always been something out of the normal.. We've had to go to the doctor for Guerrero's check-ups, or meeting with trainers.. etc. etc. We just want a normal week. 

I sent you a picture of the big squid I cooked for lunch.. and my new haircut.. and the kids we played with in this big pile of rice harvest.. and Leah Mae Vergara's Family. Oh and the Tuko.

Last night I was thinking as I was looking at my scriptures.  And I was looking at where my name had been engraven on the cover..  My name has started to rub off and It hadn't started doing that till these last few months.. It's almost all gone now... just my first name is left and it's half faded.. I started thinking about the scripture in Matt 10:39  "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."  My name has slowly started disappearing the longer i've been here.. I'm slowly started to forget myself and "losing" myself for his sake.. And as I'm doing that, I'm coming closer to finding.. what matters most.

I look at the calendar and it has been 7 months since I entered the MTC.. It is crazy to think that I'm not the Newbee anymore.. Even though I still feel brand new.  Soon I'll be the senior companion or training!  yikes!!!  that scares me so much... I keep thinking, NOt yet NOT YET.  I'm still new and I"m still learning the language..  

But I love these people i'm meeting and teaching.  I love the culture.  the time is going fast but slow at the same time.. 

I'm grateful for all the support my family is giving to me and to Mom and my Dad.. I love you all and am grateful.  PLease stay safe for me and send me pictures!   There should be a trade... I'll send you some pics if you send just a few too!  alright!?

I love you.

Sister Fowles

So Oton is fun

So Oton is fun.  Here we ride Jeepnies not Tricycles..  Jeepnies are the famous long buses that have no windows and inside there are 2 side benches that run along each side of the bus.  I only rode one once in Kalibo but here it is the main way of transportation.  There is also C-cads here which are just like Tricycles pero.. It is powered by a bicycle not a motorcycle..  So it is a lot slower and you really feel sorry for the man powering the bicycle.. :(  Budlay (difficult).  It is September now  the start of the "BER" months.. like SeptemBER NovemBER DecemBER.  During these three months the Philippines celebrates Christmas!  So its awesome.. the Christmas lights are going up, the Christmas songs are waking us up in the morning.. It's great having Christmas for 4 months.. I'm excited to have my 1st Christmas in the Philippines and to have a Christmas with no snow.. that will be different.. plus the closer Christmas Comes the sooner I'll get to s
Last week Sister Guerrero and I found a Less-active member Her name is Leah Mae and she lives right next to  the baybay (beach). We taught her and some of her neices and nephews!  they are the cutest kids ever.  They were so happy to have us and they were thinking of going to church.. but we didn't see them this week so maybe next week. There are a lot of less-active members in this area so we have a lot of work to do.. 
There is a Sister Veronica and She is amazing.. She has seven kids and her husband passed away not too long ago.. they Call her the missionary mom.  She loves the missionaries and always wants to work with us..  I went on splits with her and I was strengthened by her strong faith. I can see how hard her life is but how she is so selfless and cares more for everyone else.  I was so proud of myself because I could have a conversation with her ( in the language!).
Last week both Sis Guerrero and I were sick, I had tonsillitis and She had the stomach flew.  We had to stay home for a day and Sister Pagaduan and President came and dropped off medicine and Gatorade. I love her. Pero subong (but now) We are feeling great.
Last Sunday President Torres spoke in church and I really loved the things he said.
Also we found this family, Sister Melanie and brother Leonardo and their 3 kids, Cherry ann, Cherry rose, and Cherry mae haha We have been so excited because we heard that brother was really hard and doesn't want to listen to missionaries but we finally were able to teach them and brother said that he's been curious and wants to come to church.. He's heard a lot of good  things about the church and has seen what is has done to his brother-in-law (Junel who was baptized this year). Sister Melanie comes from the Genger family. a family of 12 kids. Half of our less-active members and investigators come from this family.. So it's hard for me because they all look the same and there are tons of children and cousins and they are like all related in the one big family.. and they are always at each others homes so I don't know where they belong or who is who.. haha it's been fun.
I can't believe you said So you think you can dance is almost over.. Time goes by fast now. 
For mom and her surgery I'll be praying and fasting. I know that the power of priesthood blessings are real. I know that if I am struggling I can receive a blessing of comfort.. It works according to our Faith. If we have faith we have hope.. those two go hand in hand.. and IF we have faith there is no room for fear to dwell in us.. 
I love you so much.. I can't express the love I have for you and my family.