Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Easter in the Philippines!

Kamusta mo??? 

First of all, I know this is so like 2/3 weeks late, but I finally got to watch General Conference here in the Philippines and I just want to say - it was SO GREAT!!!!!!! (: I'm so grateful for living prophets and apostles and inspired leaders who were able to deliver messages straight from our Heavenly Father to me (:

Moving on... Wow, my first Easter here in the Philippines! It was quite a fun one! Let's get to the nitty gritty!

1. I thought I'd try to be cute and "celebrate" Easter over here by eating Balut. For those of you who don't' know what balut is, it is a developing duck embryo. Basically like a fermented egg that's almost a baby chick, but not quite there yet. So yeah I ate that. And it was SO.GROSS. Hahahaha it was SO. GROSS. I slipped about half of it into my mouth, swallowed it, then threw it up in my mouth, then swallowed my throw up. No one should ever have to go through what I went through. Lol and the worst part about all of this was that the natives told me my tounge would be loosened and I would become Bisdak (translation: very fluent in Bisayan) if I drank the juice of balut. They lied. They straight up lied haha

2. So balut aside, Easter Sunday is honestly not a big thing here in the Philippines. Sadly, about 70 % of the people we visited on Sunday, didn't even know what Easter was. They just know Easter Sunday as that Sunday after Good Friday where they all go to the beach. But do you know what is HUGE here?? Holy Week! Because most of the population is Catholic, it's celebrated here in full force over here, especially Good Friday. Basically the entire city shuts down and at night they have a big procession of floats with plastic figures of the crucified Jesus and the Virgin Mary. And they believe that because Christ was dead by Friday, the night of Good Friday they can commit any sin they want without consequence. Hmmmmm, pretty sure that's not how the whole thing works, but who am I to judge haha. Oh, and do you know what else they do here for Holy Week. THEY LIVE CRUCIFY PEOPLE!!!! Like exactly the same as Jesus Christ was. Thank goodness I didn't see it for myself, but we heard of someone being crucified the next town over. It's really so sad.

Even though the circumstances were a little different here than back home, I am so grateful for my Easter Sunday that I had here. Though I didn't get to die easter eggs or receive an awesome basket from the Easter bunny, I got to reflect on the most important aspect of Easter: my Savior Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful He loved me enough to not only die for me, but to suffer for my sins, pains, afflictions, and trials. Because of that atoning sacrifice, He can understand me perfectly, and be my best Savior as well as my best friend through all of the ups and downs of life. I'm especially grateful that He was resurrected from the dead and that He lives now. He is real. He leads and guides the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on the earth today. He knows me. He loves me. I really am so grateful that I get to be His representative, doing my best to become like Him everyday. Though Easter is gone and passed, I hope we always remember our Savior in our minds and hearts and honor Him by trying our best to be like Him. Love everyone tons and tons! Hope everyone is doing just amazing! Happy days aren't given, they are made!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Gugs!
Sister Lauck (:


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