BAGONG TUIG!

Hey y'all!

Hoping everyone had the best Christmas ever! I sure did! It was simple and Christ-centered and perfect!

Christmas highlights include:

- skyping with my family (of course!)

-  the 6 of us missionaries singing and dancing for our ward party (needless to say, none of will be pursuing a performing arts major in college)

- caroling with the Elders to less actives

- sister clegg and I teaching a grandpa who tried to pay us for our message with tobacco and peso's (which we obviously did not accept lolz)

And then probably the most memorable experience was Christmas Eve night. The four us sisters in our apartment got together, turned off the lights, lit some candles, sang our favorite hymns about Christ, and then shared our testimonies of Him that we have gained on our missions. It really was magical and it was so neat to celebrate Christ's birth as His representative. The biggest blessing of my mission has been for me to know my Savior better. Missions do wonders for you (: Love everyone! And happy 2015!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Sister Lauck

MAAYONG PASKO

Hey y'all! LOTS of happened since I've been able to send an email (sorry about the lack of emails.... I've been a little sick.... will explain later), so lemme give everyone the quick version!

So like 2 weeks ago, it was forecasted that "Typhoon Ruby" would hit Cebu and with the memories of Typhoon Yolanda still fresh in everyone's mind, everyone PANICKED, including our mission! Well actually know that I think of it, it's not really in Filipino's people nature to panic. The night the storm hit people were just casually having weddings and partying outside with their neighbors haha but we definitely took precautions as a mission! Missionaries were evacuated and we were held up in our apartments with our 72 hour kits ready! But thanks to the power of prayer and fasting, Typhoon Ruby ended up just being some strong winds and a little bit of rain for us here in Cebu!

And then while all of Typhoon Ruby was going on I got an ear infection that turned into an allergic reaction to antibiotics and having a 104 degree fever and throwing up for 7 days and not working for about 10 days. And then my ear drum burst. So I'm deaf in my right ear until it heals. I hope haha needless to say, I'm back to full strength and am so grateful for health when I have it (:

And then when I had my 104 degree fever I still decided to go to our big mission party. Because I couldn't miss out on that! But I hadn't eaten in 5 days so Sister Clegg wheeled me around in a wheel chair and then the elders were trying to wheel me around the chair because they thought it'd be fun. It wasn't haha but gotta love Elders!

And the coolest part about all of this is that Sister Liza got baptized yesterday!!!!!!!!! I can't even put into words how much joy I had watching someone who has become one of my best friends follow the example of Jesus Christ through baptism. The Spirit was so strong and it was such a special experience that I'll hold close to my heart. Days like yesterday make all of the months of getting punted and rejected totally all worth it (:

Last but not least, Christmas is almost upon us! And I can honestly say that even though as a missionary I have not been able to enjoy the things that I though made Christmas special (lights, decorating the christmas tree, presents, music,christmas movies,baking holiday goodies), I'm truly never experienced more joy and peace and happiness in my life than this Christmas. As I've truly centered my Christmas on my Savior and the light and joy that is in my life because of Him and His Gospel, I'm just been beaming everyday with so much happiness and love. And the best part is that as His representative, I get to share Christ with others and watch them come closer to Him. That's the beauty and miracle of Christ and His Gospel. Living the Gospel is what brings those blessings in our lives that no trial or challenge or person can take away. I hope everyone truly has a magical Christmas and joy that stems from knowing we have a Savior who makes returning back to our Heavenly Father possible. 

I love everyone so much!

Sister Lauck (:

P.S. Pictures: Everyone that participated in Lisa's baptism yesterday and a picture of all the missionaries in the Cebu East Philippines mission (:

Dugay in Danao

Hey y'all!

Transfer calls came yesterday and I'm staying in Danao! That will make 6 months here in my 2nd area, with six months in my first area as well. And my new companion will be my batch, Sis.Clegg! We went into the MTC together so we go way back and are total buds! So you can say I'm pretty pscyhed about that! It was a little unanticipated, but I feel so blessed that I get to soak up all of this goodness here in Danao (:

Speaking of soaking, Sis.Salima and I got soaked this week! It has been raining , in the words of my investigator, "cats & goats" (hehe I think she was confused, but in her defense there are a ton of cats and goats here). In my first area in Tagbi, the members told me that there are 2 seasons in the Philippines: the rainy and the hot. The hot season lasts they said from around march - july, and the rainy season from august - february. Well, they lied. Because from what I've experienced it's just january-december of hot & rainy season. Literally when it rains it feels like you're in a pressure cooker haha and then to make it worse, our area gets SUPER muddy when it rains. Which I guess would be fun to walk around in if you were doing a 5k mud dash. But when you're a sister missionary in a skirt and crocs sliding around in the mud while holding your scriptures and trying to give high 5's to all of the kids as you pass by, it can be a little tough! 

In other news, Sis. Liza is getting baptized this month, possibly on Christmas Day! I'm so excited that I'll get to be here for her baptism, because this will kinda be like my first real baptism here on the mission! I love her and it's been so fun getting to watch her develop her testimony from the very beginning. It's also fun teaching her because the Gospel totally clicks for her! Like we were teaching about The Fall of Adam & Eve and she said, "That just makes so much sense. I can't imagine that them eating the fruit would be a big mistake. It was a big blessing because it means we got to come here " And then we taught about the Word of Wisdom last week and when we told her coffee was something she'd have to give up she said, "Good! Because I know coffee isn't even good for me anyway. My body's important and I know that I can have better control of it if I'm not hooked on coffee". What can I say, she's the bomb!

I love everyone! Hope everyone is soaking up all of the magic of the Christmas season and the joy and light that the Savior's life brings to us all (:

XOXOXOX, Sister Lauck


P.S. Pics:

1. Sister Liza and I at church - it was her first time to wear a dress!
2. This is what most of my area looks like when it rains - yea me.
3. The six of us missionaries that serve in our ward here in Danao! And there is a reason why Sis.Salima & I have no shoes on haha they were so muddy and the members were trying to mop the floor, so we went barefoot for our coordination meeting haha