Cloud 9!

With new companion, Sister Pamesa

The Miracle! 

This is called Balut! It is a fertilized duck egg, and yes I ate it..beak and feathers and all. :D  Disclaimer: It is not allowed to be eaten if bought off the street in our mission, but Rose was so awesome that she bought it from the farm for me. She's the coolest.  

This is Robert!! Don't people just look so good in Sunday's best?! 

This is Melonie Marquez.. She's like a former Miss Universe or something...lol i don't really know. Sister Pamesa was excited to see her and asked for a picture because she's really famous here. 

Dear Family, 

This week was THE BEST. I have had times in my mission where I have felt like my companion and I have been doing everything right.. When we've been obedient and working really hard, but the teaching pool is just not very good. I especially felt that way on the long hot days in Santa Monica. I have come to understand now that those days were a test! Heavenly Father was testing my obedience, my love and care for investigators, my diligence. He needed to know if He could trust me. In retrospect, I am so thankful for those days because I really do feel like I am reaping the rewards now! Our area has so many investigators, I feel like we barely even have time to teach them all!! It feels like every week, new people come from out of the woodwork who are so prepared for us!! It is awesome! I just feel like we are on fire right now. This was the best week yet, for sure.

We have so many great people who we are working with! I'll just tell you about them...

Robert!! Robert is 18 and came to the church last Sunday! He is half Korean half American and said that as he walked by the church he got this feeling that he should go in and talk to some people.. He shook off the feeling and kept walking. That's when he said that he felt like if he didn't go in, he would regret it. So he walked right into the mission office filled with missionaries!! Sister Narag and I talked with him and then we were able to teach him twice this week and he came to church yesterday!! He is really really searching for truth, and was really led to us. When he asked us what the attire for church was, we said, "Whatever is your Sunday best." When we saw him in a suit yesterday, I literally could have cried! He looked so good and so happy. We are sooo excited to keep teaching him. 

Jerry! Haha, Jerry is awesome. We taught him again with Brother and Sister Ho. They translated for us and things are just going really well! He came to church again yesterday and is on his way! (And the Ho's took us to a super nice Italian restaurant after the lesson.. definitely a win)

Carol! I don't know if I have told you about Carol..but she is dating a member in the 4th ward. She has been coming to church and we were able to meet with her this week! She is really just a cool person and I feel like we're really starting to have a connection with her. Yesterday we taught the gospel essentials class during Sunday school, and I felt prompted to share kind of a funny story about me in high school praying for someone to ask me out.. And in Relief Society she told me that she had like the same experience and we bonded over it. Everything happens for a reason! Keep her in your prayers!

May is doing great!! She wasn't able to come to church yesterday but she told us last week that she posted a picture of her and her family at church last week on Facebook. (She is less active but comes from a really active family in the province). She said that her family is so excited for her and that she really wants her kids to be baptized. Sweet!! 

Tita is still doing great!! We are hoping to have a baptism scheduled soon for her! Sometimes she forgets things we teach her because she's older..but she has great faith. She comes to church and is just the cutest little 63 year old woman (: 

Kaizy!! Haha..she is our newest investigator who came to church yesterday and told us she wants to be baptized!! She is a model who is dating a member from Utah. Pretty sweet! We are excited to get to know her better. 

Paul is also great!! He is the brother from London. We love seeing him at church with his family every Sunday. Pray that he can be baptized soon!!

Other people to keep in your prayers are Bernarditta, Rey, Margie and Tom, Rose and Edwin, Sam and Melonie and Chris!!

So that's how all my people are doing!! I am so so thankful that Heavenly Father let me stay in this area. I am just FULL of love for the people here. I can't wait to see what all lies ahead in the upcoming transfer!! It's going to be a blast. 

And now that you know how everyone in my area is doing.. I'm doing great too! Living in Makati is such an adventure. We work in squatter areas to the richest condo's around. We have lots of dinner appointments and life is good!!

This week we start exchanges with the sisters in our stewardship!! I am so excited to get to know them and love them! (: 

I hope all is great back in the States! I mourned when I heard the Cavs lost. But...at least when they win next year I'll be there to watch (; 

LOVE YA!!!!

xoxoxoxoxo

Sister Lockwood