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 (:

Sa mga bata!

Kamusta mo! 

As the saying goes here, "Everything's better in the Philippines",and it's so true! I love each week here and I'm having experiences of a lifetime.

Something that I've been SO impressed with while I've been here is how truly amazing the children are! Many of our investigators and recent converts are children and youth ages 8-12. They have such a sweet spirit and I love getting to teach them because I really do closer to the Savior each time. It really blows me away that at such a young age they have a desire to learn of Christ and His Gospel. Especially Sis.Hazel! She's 10 and a recent convert who got baptized in December. She's the only active member in her family and every week without fail she goes to church by all herself. Last week we asked her if she could try to invite her family to church and low and behold, next week she showed up to church and brought her entire family with her. She is a true shining example for her family, and most definitely for me! It's not hard to understand why Christ asks us to become as little children: humble, meek, mild, and honest. They are SO honest. Sometimes too honest! They always ask without fail:

1. If Sis.T is pregnant

2. Why my Bisayan is worse than a 2 year-old's

Hahaha needless to say, they always bring tons of laughter and energy to each day (: I'm so grateful for the time I have to be serving as a missionary, doing the Lord's work! I know that as we all strive for those Christ-like qualities that we will have a closer relationship with Him and see a better change in ourselves. Hope everyone is loving life (: Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ love you all! And me too (: Amping mo!!!!!

Sister Lauck (:

P.S. Here's a pic of Sis.Hazel and I and a picture of Sis.T and I with by far the rowdiest, but sweetest kids in all of Bohol haha they really do encompass the definition of a troublemaker

Snakes & Things

Kamusta mo? 

Okay, so I want to pay tribute today to the LAMI JUD (really delicious) food here in the Philippines! I promise you that you won't find more yummy bread or more sweet fruit (mangoes, papayas, dragon fruit, pineapple, watermelon - they've got it all) than here in the Philippines! They are also really big here on noodles, chicken and beef on a stick, adobo (marinated meat), lumpia (eggrolls), rice, and Sprite and Coke! Whenever people feed Sis. T and I, they literally put out the spread for us! haha  There are AT LEAST 6 or 7 dishes! Sometimes, the food is super delicious, and sometimes we are scared out of our minds to try whatever unidentifiable body part of an animal that they put in front of us! haha  Sis.T and I play this unspoken game for each dinner appointment that we have where we try to dish the gross food on the other person haha. It goes like this:

*Member brings out fish eyes*

Sis.T: Thank you so much but I am SO stuffed. But you know what, Sister Lauck LOVES fish eyes, don't you?

*Member puts fish eyes on my plate*

Me: Wow, why thank you so much! *Give dirty look to Sis.T* This looks so yummy! *I smile/gag/painfully swallow the fish eyes*

*5 minutes later, member pulls out chicken heart*

Me: Hey, is that chicken heart? That is Sis.T's favorite! She just told me earlier how much she wished she could have some

*Member gets super excited and dumps it on Sis.T's plate*

And we usually go back and forth like that for a couple of courses until we're about to puke haha, so that is one of our favorite games we like to play (:

Oh and I have to share my most exciting news this week! I committed my first person to baptism this week!!!!!! Or more like she committed herself haha  Her name is Sister Pearl and she had been attending church for 2 weeks before we actually got to meet with her. So it's our first lesson with Sister Pearl and after we opened with a prayer we asked her if she had any questions for us and she goes, "I know your church is true. When can I get baptized?" I thought at first that I did not understand her correctly, but I looked at my companion and her jaw dropped, so I know I did haha  Then we both basically gave Sister Pearl the biggest bear hug ever and she started crying and we started crying and laughing. I thought I knew what true happiness was before my mission, but in that moment of celebrating with Sister Pearl, I had never felt that much pure happiness before in my life. There is nothing more special to me than getting to watch people find the Gospel and come unto Christ. I love what I get to do everyday, I really do. I love the pure joy that comes from the Gospel. There really is nothing more sweeter and more precious that we can have in this life than our families, our Savior Jesus Christ, and His Gospel!!!! For those that have this, hold onto it. For those that don't have it, get it and it will change your life forever. Love you all SO much!!! Thanks for being the best support crew around (:

Nahigugma ko kaninyo!!!!

Sister Lauck (:

Kamusta mo?!

I am doing so great, just happy as can be here in Bohol! I love all of the fun surprises each week here in the Philippines (my personal favorite this week: when I went to the bathroom, only to find that there was no toilet paper, but just a ladle and a bucket of water. I will not expand on that story haha). 

I have completely fallen in love with the people! To be honest, most people here in the Philippines come from extremely humble circumstances. Their homes are literally a tin roof with some bamboo walls and they live from paycheck to paycheck, doing their best to make it. But they are so kind and so loving and giving! Maybe they're too kind because if we are tracting they will always let us come in and share a message even if they have no interest what soever haha. But also, the people here are SO FUNNY! They can't really pronounce my last name "Lauck", so they always say "Luck". And they crack themselves up telling me "Sister Luck, we are so 'luck'y to have you in our home" and various other really corny puns. Haha I love it! But perhaps the thing I love most about the Filipino people is their enthusiasm for karoake. It doesn't matter how poor a family is, somehow each home has a karoake machine. And boy, are they proud of their karoake. Whenever they sing, they make sure they crank up the volume as loud as possible so EVERYONE in the neighborhood hear them sing as worst as humanly possible hahaha I get the biggest kick out of them! Good thing Simon Cowell isn't here or he would rip them to pieces. But really, my ears almost bleed when I hear them sing, they are just the absolute worst! But I love that they just belt out each song with all of their heart, I gotta give them that (:

So I obviously I love the people. And I love the Philippines. But most of all, I LOVE my calling! It is so neat each week to try and help people come closer to Christ. I literally get to witness miracles each week. I can honestly say that I have never been happier in my life than I am now. I know that my happiness is because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It really brings infinite and eternal happiness into my life! It is true and restored and I know that everyone can have the same happiness that I have as they live its principles. When everything else fails in life, the Gospel is always there. How great is that! Anyway, love you all so much! Enjoy normal food and hot showers for me (and toilet paper too) (:

Lots of love,

Sister Lauck

P.S. Here's my comp and I , Sister T, doing a service project - aka cutting grass with a machete in the jungles of the Philippines! It was awesome, but I recommended to the family that they look into a automatic lawn mower haha those are a little more efficient (:

We are not sure if we should worry about Sister Lauck cutting herself or breaking her Teeth!

Gugma gikan sa Philipinas!

Live from the Philippines.... for the very first time.... this is Sister Lauck!!!

Yes, I am still alive and happy and kicking it here in my new home (: And I have to say the first thing I said when I got off the plane in Manila is "I'm not in Texas anymore....". Haha I am truly in a foreign country, that is for sure!

So my first area is the coveted and beautiful island of Bohol! It really is like the (really hot) Hawaii of the Philippines! And I live about a minute from the beach, so there's really no complaining here (: My nanay (my mom aka missionary lingo for my trainer) is Sis.Tuipulotu from Tonga! She's been out for about 6 months so we're hobbling along together in our broken Bisayan (that's what they call my language Cebuano here) She has the biggest heart and is so sweet! We crack jokes everywhere we go and it helps make the work so fun! Together we've learned that the true universal language is the Spirit. The Bisayan is coming along! Needless to say, I understand about 30% of what is being said because they're going at a rapid pace. Also some of my confusion is due to the fact that people here mix different dialects and languages with Bisayan hahaha what the heck! Most of the time when people talk to me and I just smile and nod and say "Oo (yes)" or "Nindot na (that's awesome)" For all I know they could be cursing at me and I'd have no clue haha that's the beauty of being new (:

So I'm not going to lie, I have laughed everyday my first 2 weeks here. Mostly at myself, but also at the Pinoy's here! Every time Sis. T and I walk down the street, everyone just stares. Like hardcore stares, they don't even try to hide it haha so I've chalked it up to 3 possible reasons

1. They've never seen anyone over 5'6" (seriously, though)

2. I'm super sweaty and gross (also very plausible)

3. I have a third eye (okay, not plausible, but with the way people stare....)

I still haven't cracked the case haha and I don't think it's because I look American because EVERYONE, I repeat, EVERYONE, thinks I am part filipino here. Everyone always says, "Artista siya!" when I walk down the street. Which I thought meant "artist", but actually means actress. I guess all of the filipno actresses are half pinoy, half white, so because I'm mixed they think I look like an actress. It's very flattering, but NO haha I am so not.

So everyone probably wants to know that one gross thing that has happened so far. Well, I drank ants. Yes, I drank ants. And it was all an accident haha believe me, it was not by choice. There are all kind of critters in our apartment (lizards, cockroaches, huge spiders, mosquitoes, and snakes, yes even snakes - we've all really become the best of friends) and unknown to me, about 30 of them crawled into my cup. So I chugged the whole thing, put my cup down, and then started to feel something in my mouth. I went to the mirror, opened my mouth, saw the ants, realized I really hadn't had much protein since I've been in the Philippines, and got more water so I could swallow the rest of them. Hahaha well I'm just kidding about the last part! But that was a fun experience (:

I am so out of time, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I love you! Thanks so much for all prayers on my behalf as I've been out here in the Philippines. I really feel the love and support even though we may be thousands of miles apart. I am SO HAPPY and I LOVE my mission. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to be serving the Lord in serving in such humbling circumstances and the opportunity I have to become so acquainted with Him. Everyone have a FANTASTIC week!

Until next week,

Sister Lauck (:

P.S. I'm really sorry if I don't respond to everyone's emails every week, but I will get to them eventually! I love getting to hear from everyone and what's going on in your life (:

Sister Lauck lives just a short distance from the beach!

Sister Lauck Has Arrived in the Philippines!

This has been a busy week for Sister Lauck! She left the MTC in Provo on noon Monday, caught a 5pm flight to LAX, had a three hour layover in Los Angeles, boarded a flight headed for Manila at 9pm, had an unexpected 2 hour layover in Guam and then on to Manila, had a brief layover before boarding a flight headed for Cebu, and eventually landed in Cebu on Wednesday morning after spending most of Tuesday in the air and changing time zones! We were fortunate to get a brief email from her in the middle of the night on Wednesday night and then also a follow up email and pictures from her new Mission President and his wife, President & Sister Tanner.  The following is the brief email and pictures that we received:

Hey everyone! I'm alive - made it safely in Cebu! I only get like 2 minutes, but everything is good here (: Spending the day doing orientation at the mission home and tomorrow I get my new comp and I'm all set to go! Every thing's great here, but SO DIFFERENT! Mosquitoes, super humid, and very humble surroundings!  I love you all! Thanks so much for fasting for me (: I'm doing great! 

Love,

Sister Lauck ((((((:

This is the incoming group of missionaries that Sister Lauck arrived with. Go girl power! We believe that the new missionaries are seated and their newly assigned companions are sitting behind them.

This is a picture of Sister Lauck with President and Sister Tanner.

Miaging Semana sa MTC!!!!!

Kamusta sa tanan sa akong pinakamaayonga mga higala ug pamilya,

(How's that for some Cebuano^^^^^^) So I'm just about wrapping up my final week at the MTC before I head off to the Philippines! How crazy is that! So, as an appropriate farewell email from the States, here are some of the reasons why I have grown to love the MTC (in no particular order)

1. I have been able to make lifetime friends from all around the world - Australia, Samoa, Tonga, Singapore, India, Taiwan, New Zealand, the Kiribati Islands and even some far away places like Utah, New York, Washington, and California (: I truly feel like I got to work with the brightest,  happiest, most hard working missionaries in my zone and district and I've been so blessed by their example! One person in particular that has really made such an impact on me is Sister Matialagan. I was her host at the MTC her first day. So get this - she's from India, no one in her family are members of the Church except her older sister, she is a recent convert, and her mother passed away recently. And what did she decide to do? Sacrifice so much to serve a mission because of her faith and trust in the Lord. Despite trials she has had in her life, she is just the most positive, radiant, bubbly person you will ever meet and I'm so glad our paths could cross so I could be blessed by her!

2. In 6 weeks, I've been able to learn the same amount of Cebuano that what would have normally taken six month's time if I had learned it anywhere else. And I have grown to LOVE the Cebuano language, even if  sometimes it makes no sense to me and I don't know if I'm saying "This Gospel was restored by Joseph Smith" or "The camel ate the bubble gum off my shoe" (I'm pretty sure I will provide enough entertainment for the entire nation of Cebu within my first week there)

3. Each week at the MTC Devotionals I get to hear from amazing and inspired men and women (especially Elder Bednar!) who have been led by the Spirit to give divine counsel that was the answer to many of my prayers

4. I have never been happier (: I can say that honestly and whole heartedly. I have loved getting to do what I do everyday at the MTC because I get to immerse myself in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no sweeter or rewarding work than that and I can't wait to share this love and joy and happiness with my Filipinos in Cebu! I haven't met them yet, but I already love them to death and I know that some have been prepared to receive the message I have to share. I love this Gospel and I know it is absolutely true. I know that is the only source of true and lasting happiness and that if one seeks to find out more of the Gospel through prayer and reading the Book of Mormon, they will find their answers to their questions, their peace, their solace, and everlasting happiness. I know that not only does this Gospel bless lives, but it changes lives. I can certainly testify of this truthfulness because I have seen eternal happiness and blessings pour into my life as I have lived the Gospel in my life.

Salamat kaayo (Thanks so much) for all of the love and support and prayers emails and letters and packages that I have received from everyone! I really do feel like the most loved and spoiled missionary in the MTC (: If I don't make it past my first week in the Philippines (jokelang (just kidding in Cebuano) - I totally will), I want everyone to know how much I love them and how much I love the Gospel! I'm wishing everyone the BEST week of their life yet! And if it's turning out to be an uneventful week, make it the best week yet (:

Nahigugma ko kaninyo!

Sister Lauck

P.S. For the pictures this week I have:

1. A picture with my new companion (which brings my total companion count to 3) Sister Porter, who is serving in New Zealand, Samoan speaking. She was SO great, and a perfect companion to end my time here at the MTC with

2. A picture with some of the greatest friends in the history of greatest friends!!!! Shoutout to Mics, Maris, Kie, Ian, Max, Mitch, and Dusty for giving me the BEST surprise ever - intercepting me on my way to the temple to give me farewell wishes and the best hugs ever (only from the girls of course (: ) I love you all so much!!!! Thanks for being the cherry on top of what has been a perfect 6 weeks and putting the biggest smile on my face (: You fubecas are the best!