Till we meet again

Family,

Well it is really the last email.  That is weird, but it still seems really unrealistic to me.  I feel like I will be serving for a mission for the rest of my life.  I am really scared for it to hit, and am kind of pray that it never really does haha.

But it has been a good week.  Full of lots of fun missionary work.  Actually it was cool because I got to go on splits with sister Larona (my companion before I got ET) and I got to work in baclayon.  It was so wonderful. (my companion still hadn't gone on splits with the STLs but I was done, and sister Larona's companion hadn't gone on splits, but she was done so we ended up together. The night before they had a scare that someone was trying to get into their house, and then I had to sleep in that house the next night, but don't worry with pepper spray in hand, I made it through the night, and am still alive today haha.  But It was seriously so great going on splits there.  I love baclayon even though I was only there for a few weeks.  I got to see all of the member and our investigators and it was a really great day.

We also had an investigator at church this week.  She is kind of a funny investigator, she has only let us teach her once, but has come to church 3 times, people are funny...

I also have cool news.  So because my batch is so big everyone from tagbilaran zone is going to cebu on friday night because we have our exit interviews saturday morning.  So that means I will have a few days in cebu before they have activitys planned for us, which means I get to visit my old areas probably.  Sister clegg and I are going over there together, and her parents are coming out and going to her old areas, so she told me we could go to mine, which makes me really excited.

Also for other new, Klong-klong (my investigator in bogo), got baptized on saturday!  It is really awesome because He has kind of a funny life.  He started drugs when he was in elementary school and has had 3 wife, and done a lot of other bad things.  But its awesome because when we taught him smoking a ton a day to smoking 5 cigarettes a day to none.  He talked about the the power of the book of mormon and when he read he didn't get mad easily and it made his life so much better.  Mina has also been trying to give book of mormons to everyone, she is like the best member missionary.

And I know this is my last email, so you are probably expecting it to be somewhat epic... Sorry.  But I am excited see you all and talk to you about my mission.  Missions really are the best.  I will forever be thankful for my mission.  I love you all, see you soon!

Sister Hancock

2nd to last email???

Dear family,

I wrote that header to make you all aware that this is my second to last email, so if you have any last word before I go home you better write them next week haha.

But it has been a pretty crazy week over here on my end.  First off on Wednesday my companion fainted and then had to go to the hospital.  I was on the phone for a long time with Sister Tanner because we didn't know what to do if someone faints.  Anyways we tried to arouse her but couldn't so we had to take her to the hospital which was interesting because the elders had to come over and carry her into a tricycle.  Well we got there and everything was fine with her, she just still wouldn't arouse. Finally she woke up and I talked with her and she thinks she fainted because of stress.  So we went home she slept and then has been fine ever since.

Also this week we had interviews with the president.  I had an interesting interview, we mostly just talked about ways to increase our love for god, because he wants the mission to follow the rules because of their love for god.  I learned a lot, it was great.

Then on Saturday we had a CSP.  We cleaned out a forest so that a member could plant banana trees there.  It was hard dirty work haha, but it was also fun.

Then this Sunday we had a cool multi-stake conference thing.  Anyways they had a lot of different general authority speakers from Utah and different parts of the Philippines.  It was kind of cool how they did it because it was all live video broadcast.  It was really cool and really specific to the Philippines.

Then today was great because I went to Chocolate hills, I saw tarshiers and I went to loboc river.  I felt like a tourist today haha.  But the chocolate hills were super amazing.  Loboc river was just an all you can eat place on a ferry ride and they did cultural dances and things like that. I learned how to tinikling.  The tarchiers were really ugly which was disappointing, but fun as well.

Anyways that has been my week.  I love you all and hope you are doing great.

Sister Hancock

Suprises pa?

Dear family,

Well there comes a time in every missionaries life, when they think they figure out where they are going to die, and then shabam, emergency transfer.  Yup I emergency transfer.  I was told this Thursday during ZTM by my mission president that he need my help with one of the sister, and then Friday I got transferred to tagbilaran 1, which is just the next district over.  I will spend 3 weeks in my last area, that is kind of crazy.  I was really sad to leave baclayon because I feel in love with it really fast and Sister Larona and I got a long really well, we were best friends, and then 2 weeks later I transfered.

  My new companions is Sister Cruz a filipina who lives close to manila.  She is a nice girl.  And the area seems good as well.  I still feel really lost in the area because I have only worked there 3 days, But the branch seems helpful.  Um ya I don't really have a lot to say about the area because I still a little bit confused about it, but every seems nice here so that is good.

And far as other thing I have been working on the logistics of going home, like signing papers, getting x-rays (apparently I have sclerosis, who would have guessed haha?), and other fun things.  

Well I love you all.  I hope you all party it up for the next 3 weeks, before I see you in person, crazy!

love,

Sister Hancock 

What a Week

Family,

Hey.  It has been quite the week here is baclayon.  We have really seem the hand of god in our lives.  First off I came into this area and there was nothing and then it seems in this last week all of that has change.  We have found some really really good people.  First is joy.  We found her on monday, she came to church this sunday and really wants to be baptized.  Because of stipulations here and the fact that she isn't married, I probably won't be able to see her baptism, but I am really excited how much progress she has made in this past week.  The we had one of our less actives come with one of their sons who is an investigator. I was the first time he ever came to church which was really exciting as well.  God is really blessing us.

Then as well I got to go on splits with my MTC companions Sister Clegg.  I don't know if any of you remember her, but anyways she was my companion in the MTC.  It was really cool to see just how much she has grown in the last 1 1/2, its really amazing.  Missions are the best. The not only benefit the lives of those you serve, but also the impact your life forever.  (I know that sounds cheesy, but it is because it is the truth)  I am so thankful for my mission.

Other then that I have just been living life up here in baclayon, we had a CSP to help the schools get ready to start today, and have just been working hard.

I love you all.  I hope your lives are going well and you will enjoy your summer!

Love you all,

Sister Hancock

Padayon Baclayon

Dear family,

Updates for my new and last area/ companion.   Well the past few days have been really good.  First I am assigned in baclayon, which has a really small branch that meets in this really crazily decorated house.  (Don't worry this time it isn't in our house.)  I will see if I can send pictures.  The area is really like forestry  and we have to hike to get to some of the houses hear, and I a mean legit hiking.  It is fun though. It is also good because we are really close to tagbilaran city, which at least for me is a big city.  My companion thinks it is really small, but she is from manila so whatever.

As for my companion, sister Larona, she is from lagona, which is close to manila.  She is a really happy fun person, and will probably be one of my favorite companions.  She keeps me laughing a lot, and makes the work fun which is great.

Other then that... Well the branch seems good, I have a lot of friends that are in tagbilaran zone... Ya I don't really know what else to update you on.  But I am happy and excited to finish the last part of my mission here.

Anyways that is all for me.  I love you all.  

Sister Hancock

Catholic Convent

Dear family,

I hope you all are doing well.  Why catholic convent you ask?  Well that is an interesting story.   We ended up having a dinner appointment in a catholic convent (which I had no idea they actually existed, but the do.)  We were invited to lunch at this on place and ended up meeting the catholic priest there and became friend with him because he is a really really nice guy.  Anyways and the end of the lunch he drove up to our church for a meeting and we ended up giving him a tour of the church, then he invited us to have a tour at the catholic church.  So we asked our president if we could and he said it would be a great idea.  So we did, and we ate dinner at it was really interesting.  It is really rare that that type of thing happen because priest here are like royalty so when we told the member they were super shock.  But it was a cool experience.

Other then that Marciana got baptized!  Wahoo.  It is cool because she has had threat of having to leave her house, and her husband getting mad at her, but it was cool and it all worked out in the end and she is a baptized member who is really excited to go to the temple with the branch May 30.

Lets see, other things that have happened..  We had MLC which is always fun.  One thing that was the focus was change the way we count stats to fit PMG more, because here a lot of people don't count people as a new investigator until they are a progress investigator, so they told us to count it is you teach and have an appointment like PMG says.

Other then that we did a mini MLC with the youth this week, so we had to move our ZTM to a different day.  The mini MLC was fun, we just got them excited about being missionaries and then they went out and gave out book of mormons with us.  I think they were all really excited about it.

Anyways that is all for me, it has literally been such a crazy last week.  Oh and as well I am transfering to Tagbilaran Zone in bohol and I have a filipina for a companion.  It should be a good last transfer.  I am excited.

Anyways I love you all, even if you don't write me email;). Haha have a good week.

Sister hancock

P.S. The first one is the catholic convent, the second one is Marciana's baptism

Week of Weeks

Dear Family,

Well it has been an interesting week.  Full of sickness and Elder Ardern (which was sakit gihapon... good humor is wasted on the ignorant).  But ya I got sick at the beginning of the week, but it was fine because I just got sick during Elder Arderns conferences for us (there was one conference on Tuesday for just the sister training leaders and zone leaders and then one conference on Wednesday for the mission.)  I was a little hazy during it, so I can't report fully how it went, which is fun because when I wasn't hazy haha it was a lot of chastisement, which isn't always fun to listen too. So yeah, I am kind of fine that it was those two days that I was sick, plus I was sitting down in AC all day so that really helped my sickness.  Also those always make me really grateful for my mission president.  He is seriously the best most christlike person ever.

Then Sister Holmes unfortunately caught my sickness and so work wasn't too fun this week, and she couldn't go out and work on Sunday (which I am very shocked that all of you knew about that paciou fight (excuse my spelling), since when do you guys all watch boxing?)  But despite that we still saw blessings this week.  Marciana has moved back into our area (sometimes the philippines is really funny), so she should get baptized next week.  The klong-klong (Mina's brother) came to church again even though their was paciou fight.  And he told us he wouldn't haha.  And he has accepted a baptismal date and keeps telling everyone he is almost mormon.  Right now we are just working on the word of wisdom with him which will be hard.  And then we taught Roldan and his wife. His wife wants to be baptized and they came to church this Sunday.  There is a lot of work to do with them, but brother roldan wanted us to come "at least 3 times a week apparently" haha.

Then the story you have all been waiting for, hopefully you all got the picture.  FLOR IS BAPTIZED!!!  Just in case you guys forgot about her, she is probably the first investigator I have ever taught.  I have taught her the whole time I have been in Bogo, which is really unusual, at least for me anyways.  But she was so hard to drop, I just could never let myself do it because she was always sooo close.  Anyways she was taught 30 years ago (missionaries haven't been teaching her 30 years straight, but anyways she has known its true for 30 years).  She just didn't feel ready or worthy to be baptized, but she finally made the decision and made all the sacrifices she had to make and then she was so cute on Saturday because she should up 4 hours early and she "just didn't understand her feeling", she felt nervous and excited, and the she said when she was baptized all those feeling washed away and she just felt happy.  Then I was talking to her at church and she said she couldn't sleep that night because she was just so happy thinking about her membership in the church.  She is great, and wants to do all her family history, and is determined to endure to the end.

Anways that is all for me as well.  I love you all!  Have a great week!

Sister Hancock

Email na pod?

Family,

Yo.  Sorry this might be a short email, since I didn't budget my time as well as I should have, but hey that happen, you get to talk to me in like 2 weeks anyways so don't complain.  

But this week is good.  Nothing to exciting wich is fine because we have some crazy weeks coming up for us, as in.  Time is going to cruise by.  But sister holmes and I are doing great.  She is one of my favorite companions.

Then our area is doing great.  This sunday we had 171 attendance, which is the most I have ever seen on my mission.  Flor passed he interview and will hopefully getting baptized this week.  Oh other IBD marciana lost her job and had to move... So we are no longer teaching her.  But the elders are teaching her and she still should get baptized.  It was funny even though she moved she just came to our branch and not theirs because she likes our branch, and she brought her kids with her, it was awesome.  Then mina's brother klong klong came to church this week.  That was exciting.  He absolutely love it.  He said he really wants to sacrifice for god and walk to church or some.  He is great, he loves the gospel so much, and its funny because on the outside he is this tough guy who you would never think loves the gospel, but he love it, it is great.

Anyways that is all for this week.  Stay tuned though because we have.. MISSION CONFERENCE this week, and I am seriously so excited!

I love you all. Keep enduring to the end

Sister Hancock

Init gihapon.

Family,

Hey. 

Love you,

Sister hancock

Alright just kidding, I guess I will spend time to update you all about my life.  Life is going well.  And it is going way to fast.  It scares me, I don't like it.

But for new of my life, so for starts we went on splits the week with our kabalay, sister Mumu and Sister Legaspi.  I went with Sister Mumu, she is a new missionary who is still in training and is from fiji.  She has a ton of energy so the split was really fun!  She is still working on learning the language and teaching and things, but she is fearless so that is always a great attribute.

Also this week we have a missionary family history activity.  It was good I got to help a recent convert with her line which was good.  It was weird for me to use the computer something besides email, I think I have forgotten how to use the email.  But as well I got to help sister Mumu and we found the grandma who raised her, and reserved her so she could take her to the temple.  She was smiling all day and wrote me a note to thank me, which was really cute.

As for the work, this week we have seen a lot of progress.  Both Marciana and Flor went to church and are having their baptismal interviews this week so that is exciting.  The we had all of our really gahi less actives at church this week and they all brought friend with them.  So we had 5 investigators at church this week, which was exciting!  And we were just amazing those less active came to church, because they are really so gahi and are the ones who hide from us if the can, but the came and I was freaking out, wahoo!

As well I forgot, I gave a talk this sunday.  It is amazing how much better you get at public speaking on the mission, because literally all my preparation was I looked for 5 scripture.  And this was a talk in bisaya.  i could have never done that before my mission.

Anyways life is good.  My companion and I are good.  And I am happy.  Love you all, and have a very amazing week!

Sister Hancock

Conference

Dear Family,

Hows life?  Hows america?  How is everything?

I am doing well.  This week has been good, although mostly my report will probably be about conference because there haven't been much changes in my life.  I love conference, it was great.  Watching it as a missionary is the best thing ever!  I love Uchdorfe talk because it probably was the one that called me to repentance the most.  But he is great, I love our prophet and apostale.  Also I don't know about there, but we didn't get any kind of translation for the spanish talk so mostly we just laugh and I tried to pick out bisaya words.  I think spanish stole some words from bisaya ;).  I guess bisaya is just the best language.

As well Flor and Marciana came to conference!  I don't think marciana liked it very much because it was all in english... but I tried to translate somethings for her and help out.  But she was really really excited to see the prophets and the apostles (oh man I am so mix up because I spelt this word in bisaya, I can't speak straight english, literally).  Flor is doing great, her live in partner is still gone, and if all things go according to plan the should both be baptize on May 2nd which will be great.  Also Mina is still coming to church and we started teaching her brother who is not a member who is ver "discontent" with his religion right now.  Other then that recently we have been finding some really good investigators, so it has been really really good. 

Other then that my life is the same because I am with the same companion in the same area, and I am really happy.  Life is going really well for me.  I hope you guys are great, sorry it is a short one, but it has only been 4 days since my last one haha, I love you all.

Sister Hancock

Semana Santa

Dear family

Well before I get into my week, we got transfer calls and guess what?  I am staying with Sister Holmes in Bogo.  It is the first time I haven't had a new companions or new area since training and I am super excited because adjustment is always stressful, and I am excited that I don't have to worry about that. So bogo for life!

Lets see at the beginning of this week we had MLC.  I was they craziest MLC I have ever been to because we are experimenting with new ways of reporting, before we would just report average lessons taught in a week, number of total baptisms, and implementations, but this one was an open and you did whatever you wanted.  It ended up being an open forum with a lot of discussion which was good because we got new idea how to help the zone, but it was way to long, so they are going to try and fix it for next time.  But because of that they weren't able to do as many workshops, so instead of reteaching a workshop we had to write our own for ZTM.  It was fun I guess, it went well so that is good haha.

This week was also holy week here.  Catholics here go crazy for it.  I don't know what Catholics do it the states for holy week, but here it is crazy.  They have parade in the street with float with saints on them (especially in our area because we have the huge catholic church in our area, which meant this week I got to see a lot of culture things haha.)  The also don't eat any meat but fish, why I have no idea, they said it is fasting or something I thing.  And the traditional food the eat is banignit, which is really good, I will hopefully send a picture of it, but it is unfortunate because there is no way I could ever make it in america :(.  But this whole week our area has been over crowded because of holy week, but it was good because one night we got punted from our lesson, so we decided to use the time to had out these cards with a movie that we were give, and because of how many people where in our area we ended up handing out 500 cards in 1 hour and 1/2.  It was actually really fun.

Then as far as work.  Both Flor and Marciana came to church!  And I have huge new, Flor kick out the man that was living in her house (they don't have a relationship apparently but our mission president said he needs to leave anyway for her to get baptized.  We have been waiting on this one act for so long now and it happen, so they are both on track to be baptized, Wahoo!  It makes me excited!  I keep you updated on them.

Anyways that was a long email, so I will stop there, but I love you all so much.  I hope you have great weeks and Happy Easter!!!

Love you,

Sister Hancock

Biyahe biyahe

Dear family,

Well this week has been really busy but really good.  We went on splits twice this week (one was a follow up split).  The first one we had to travel all the way to carmen, which is really really far away from us, so to be honest most of the split is spent traveling, but that is the life of STL here, everyone you go on splits with/ the mission office is really far away, so we spend a lot of time travel.  But it was really good, I always learn a lot and it is really fun getting to know the other sisters.  I also got to work is san remegio, which has  super pretty beach, so that was fun.  And I went to yolanda village while I was there (yolanda is the big storm that hit here a yearish ago, i forget what is called is america but its yolanda here.)  Anyways yolanda village was the most impacted place from the storm and there are a lot of houses built here by foreigns for them.  I have cool pictures, hopefully I will be able to send them.

As far as the work, even though we were really busy we got to teach lots of people which was good, and it was funny because this sunday was sister sears last sunday here, so her family and her came up to bogo which was cool to see them, and then as well ALL of our less actives came to church, so the church was super super full, but it was really great to see them all at church.  Which just need things like that every sunday now haha,

Also Marshana came to church again, even though her friend sister ypil couldn't come. She was really shy but ended up making a lot of friends and this week we taught her about word of wisdom and she first said she would finish her on coffee pack and the stop, (because she is really poor and probably couldn't by any other drink, she is a house maid, and is the one who works for her family, so she is really really poor.)  Anyways we told her we would trade her coffee out for energen (which is a different hot drink here), and then we bought her 7 for her one and told her she was already getting promised blessing.  We thought we were being funny haha.  But she is really great, and is really just the sweetest old lady ever!

Anyways that is all my update for you.  I love you all and hope life is going wonderfully for you as well.  Have a great week!

Sister Hancock

P.S  The first picture is me and mina, the second one is yolanda village

Happy Graduation!!!

Dear family,

So today in the philippines everyone is officially graduating.  Crazy right?  Summer just comes by way too fast, I can't even believe it.  And it will be unbelievably long for me this year. 

Well as for updates for me, I guess I can say I am going home soon because this week we started the processes of immigration things to go home.  I had to drive to mandaue (which is awfully far away) to get fingerprinter and get pictures taken.  So that took out a lot of our time to work, but it was good.  While we were there we also got to go to a filippino dentist (not for me, but for someone who went with us) which was creapy and I am really glad I haven't problems with that since I have been here (knock on wood).  Also for your information, I have a HUGE batch to go home with me.  There are 26 missionaries going home with me which is the size of one zone.  It is causing my mission president a lot of stress because he has to close a lot of areas.  It is funny here because we have our filipina batch to go home, filipino batch to go home, and our foreigner elder batch to go home and we all got here in the mission at very different times, but all go home at the same time.  Actually my current companion Sister Holmes will probably go to the same airport that I do to go home at the same time, so you guys will probably get to meet her family while waiting for me.

This week we also did splits.  I went on splits with Sister Niko which was so so fun.  We were in the same zone in consolasion and exercized together most morning and now we have lived in the same house for 3 transfers, so we have become really good friends and it was really fun just working with her.  I don't know if I told you this yet, but we also play basketball and volleyball most mornings here.

As far as the area, Mina is still doing fantastic.  She reads more then I do in the book of mormon and I get to read a hour every day.  She is on fire.  Then we just got a referral for a member in the ward who we have been working with the get her husband active again, anyways the referral and the husband came to church.  The referrals name is marshanan.  She is a really sweet old lady, who is a really good student.  She is amazing!

Anyways that is all my updates.  I hope you are all doing well. and that you remember that I love you soooo much.  Have a great week.  Amping!

Sister Hancock

To my loved ones,

I hope this message finds you in hot spring weather, because everyone knows a hot spring is better then a cold one.  

I have had an excellent week here in bogo.  It has been kind of adventurous haha.  First we went on splits this week, and it was really good to help the sisters.  I went with sister Fernandez which is the anak of sister lange my last companion.  She is a really fun person and we got a long pretty quick which made for a fun day and it was good to help her with a lot of struggles she has been going through.  

We also went on splits with sister tanner haha (the mission presidents wife).  Her and president came down to bogo for our district conference and she had some extra time so we spent time with her which was really fun, and it actually turn out to be her anniversary day which she could spend with president because he was really busy so hopefully she enjoyed it as well.  We have the best mission parent, they are so loving, you can ask any missionary that and they would testify to it.  Some day I will be as christ-like as them.

So anyways they came down and spoke at our conference and I seriously learned so much. Its funny as a missionary how you just love things like conference where people just talk about the gospel, I didn't like it before my mission very much but now its like my favorite thing.  The topic was counsels which is a weird topic, but my mission president did a great job and talked about how god works through counsels to receive revelation and that how prophet receive revelation and thats how we should receive revelation in our home as well. Which means I am currently chastising you all to do family counsel haha, just kidding.

Also I translate for the bocks- the senior couple assign here in bogo- during conference, and I am telling it is so hard to translate for bisaya to english because in bisaya word order doesn't matter a ton, so they place things in whatever order the want sometimes. Anyways trying to translate it directly without listening to the whole message is extremely difficult because it just sound like broken english, but hopefully she understood the message anyway.

As far as church reports, it was conference, it was conference and hard to see people, so I don't know.  But I know for sure that mina came to both saturday and sunday session of conference.  She is so awesome, she is making so many changes is her life which is so awesome to see.

Anyways that is all for me, I hope you are all doing well.  I love you all so much

Sister Hancock

P.S.  The two picture are, first my area is in a graveyard, as in people literally live in the grave yard which is sometimes kind of creepy, like for instance this week we found real human bones.  Then the other one is a cake our neighbor gave us for watering their plants, which unfortunately was mocha flavored.  We all were unsure whether it was made with really coffee, so after getting counsel from our leaders, including the APs we decided not to eat it haha.  We were all truely upset haha.

This is a pointless box

Dear family,

How are you.  I heard their was a snow storm in your part of the world.  I am sorry I can't report the same.  However we have had a lot of sun.  Summer is starting to start here.  I am not looking forward to it.  Summer is awful here, its so horribly hot, but I guess I can't be complaining because at least we don't have snow.

So it has been an excellent week.  To start off the week we went to Mission Leader Conference (which is probably my favorite part of being a missionary, its so fun because you get to see all of your mission friends AND THEN I had milk with cereal.  Can you imagine such a beautiful things?  This wasn't the fake milk either, it was real milk.  I was so happy for about 10 minute.  Haha then there was so really good work shop and discussion.  One of the ones we retaught in Zone Training Meeting we about testifying contacts, which is about just talking to random people on the street, which since I have been in the mission we don't really do that.  We knock on houses to get in to teach lesson,because getting in is fairly easy, so that is all we do, literally that is the only aspect of missionary work I know, I have never done any other form of tracting.  Sister Holmes and I have been trying to do that more, and it has been cool.  And when we retaught it the spirit was really strong and it was just good all around.

Then we had a really cool lesson this week. We have this investgator named flor (who honestly is the only internigator I have ever taught, but she has been investigating the church on/off since 1984 or something, back when missionaries were only allowed to teach in english here.)  Anyways she keeps having ibd's going to church, but misses her date, for who knows why.  So we decided to try and bring the senior couple who recently got assigned here to one of our lessons.  Senior couples here don't speak the language, so we translated for them (which was really fun) and they ended up relating to flor a ton, like it was shocking, they were perfect for her.  And the spirit was so strong the whole lesson.  Then this sunday she came to church as well as pretty much all of our less actives which was crazy.  It was a good sunday, and just a good week.

Lets see other then that the sisters in our branch had a baptism that was cool to see.  We had another branch plan meeting and our sacrament attendance has gone up a lot which is great thanks to a lot of less actives coming back to church.  So life is good here.  I hope life is good in you part of the kalibutan.  I love you all so much.  Stay strong to the gospel and keep looking for missionary experiences and remember you are making a difference.  I love you all!

Sister Hancock

I am Sister Hancock and I am a mormon

To my beloved family,

How is it going.  I hope you are all doing amazing.  Life with my new companion is great.  Being companions with you batch is an amazing thing.  It is really fun and we already were friends before we were companions so things have been going great.  It has probably been on of the most smoothest transition into a companion that I have ever had.  But just so you get to know her a little her name is sister Holmes, and her family lives in Cedar hills, utah.  Her major in college is she is the logistic person in stage manage or something like that.  But anyways she got to go to china with BYU for their play so that is cool.

As for other new this week we probably did our most productive CSP ever (generally CSP here invovle a lot of waiting).  I am sending picture from it.  As well we got to see the elders in our ward's baptism.  It was really great AND the decided just before it started to ask us to do a special music number.  But suprisingly even though we didn't practice, and there was no piano or anything like that of any kind, I wasn't nervous.  I have decided that my mission has gotten rid of any people fear that I have ever had.  Because missions put you in so many funny situation, and you deal with the situation in your 2nd language.  It a great thing.  

As well Mina came to church again this week.  It is really really cool to see the gospel touch her life because she is rougher around the edges, but she alway read, and really really wants to learn the gospel.  And she was telling me the other day that no matter who is at the church and what missionaries are assign she is going to keep going to church everyday.  She really wants to change here life.  As well Daphney accepted a IBD for april 4 so we are really praying that she make that date.

Well I think that is all the updates for my corner of life over here in bogo.  I hope that you are all doing well.  I love you all so very much!  Stay strong in the gospel and it will benefit all other aspects of your life.

Love you,

Sister Hancock

P.S.  The first picture is from last week of me eating balut.  The the second picture is a failure of a selfie from the CSP.  The white one it that picture is my companion.  The other one are my house mates

Transfer Week Again?

Dear family,

Well sister Lange is officially on her way headed to tokyo.  She is gone.  And I haven't had a companion since sunday which made my life interesting, but before we get into details, transfer news please.  Drum rolllll............. I am staying in bogo, Wahoo!!!!  And my new companion is Sister Holmes!!!! She is actually my batch (which means we were in the MTC the same time for those of you who haven't served missions).  I am excited I have never been companions with my batch before, I should be fun.  I will definitely let you know how it goes.  (its funny though, I don't know it anyone elses mission president did this, but our mission president never ceases to surprise us every transfer, he throws in some curve ball, such as me being in a quadpanionship.)

As far as my week.  Well first sister Lange wanted do things such as EAT 18 DAY BALUT.  So after persuation I join in with here.  I have really gross pictures of it, but unfortunately I forgot my converter.  I will try and send it next week.  Last time (a year ago)  I only ate 16 day, but this time it was the brain and feathers and all.

We also ate cheese Ice cream which both of us have been avioding since day 1 of our missions, but it actually wasn't that bad.  I was quite enjoyable, who would have guessed?

Then we also had a new senior couple arrive here in bogo and a new one leaving.  They gave a fireside which was really good.  Also if you all know of any senior couples wanting to serve a mission, let them know my mission president would love to have them.  I think he is stressed about the idea of having elders in the office, which we just barely had to move elders in the office.

On sunday guess who came to church?  Daphney!  We were really happy, hopefully she continues to come.  Also Mina, a less active who hasn't come to church in 30 yrs cames to church.

This week I was really blessed as well because I was able to find someone to work with me everyday that sister Lange was gone which was nice because our area could get worked in.

Other then that I am great.  The church is true and life is good.

Love you all,

Sister Hancock

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Dear Family,

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!  Guess what?  I have officially live in the philippines for 1 year.  Crazy right?  The time has seriously just flown by.  I have learn so much and grown so much.  Missions are an excellent thing.

This has been a good week.  Kind of a crazy week as well, but I feel like recently I have had a lot of really crazy weeks.  Thursday we went on splits with the sisters that live in carmen (which is really far away from us and invovles a lot of travel).  But it was really good, I went on splits with sister Legaspi and she is great. I had a really fun day with her and I would have sent picture, but I forgot my converter.  Then the day after that we had Zone Conference.  I was really good, the focus was teaching people not lessons and trying to get a 2nd visit, because here first visits are pretty easy, its the going back that is hard.  It was really good.  As well, like everything here in the philippines, we got to watch Meet The Mormons four months later.  But I really love it, as in.  It was sooo good.  And I was like wow real life/ life in america... Its a real thing. Haha but it was really fun.

As far as the area it is going through a point of non-progression, but the branch has plans to work with us this week, so hopefully that will help things out.  We had out Branch Mission Leader go with us to teach daphney because at the begining of the transfer she had a lot of really good reasons not to go to church, and now she just isn't coming, so we are trying to help her out.

As far as companion sister lange is doing great, sometimes gets weirded out that she is going home, but she is doing great.  She will leave me on sunday after church and then I will be working with a ward missionary from monday to wednesday, whose name is charmie and she is the funniest.

Anyways that is all for me.  I hope your lifes are going well.  Mine is.   I love you all so much!

Sister Hancock

P.S. you guys should check out this mormon message our mission president showed and its from cebu and she speaks bisaya so of course I love it, but check it out.  I am also curios if you guys can pick up on the english that she mixes in there like all bisaya speaker do.  Its really obvious to me, but I remember at the begining of my mission i would be like "what does this word mean" and they would say "thats english" so I am curious if its really obvious or not let know.  But that really is what the philippines looks like and the temple of course, love the temple :)

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages-for-youth/sharing-your-light

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eZfGS54FJs

Meetings and more

Dear family,

It has been a really great week, but it honestly been the week that I have worked the least in my whole mission.  But I learned a lot.  First we had MLC this week, so we traveled to liloan monday morning and it was awesome because I got to see all of my mission friend who are either assign close to their or are STLs. So I caught up with all of them then we had our meeting that night and then we slept at sister sears and sister mcCurdys house.  Then tuesday we had MLC.  Both the meeting and MLC related to practice teaching, which made me feel guilty because I was awful at it, but I am repenting now and we are really diligent at practice teaching.  It is also very american because we meet in their house (and they literally have the nicest mission house) and we eat american food and use ovens, its amazing.  After MLC president surprised us by telling all the far away missionaries that they could go to the temple (because we were all stay there to see elder bowen).  It was great.  I love the temple.  I just love it.  Especially the cebu one.  Then wednesday Elder Bowen came, which was good and I learned a lot.  I also said goodbye to my companions that are going home, which was sad but also good.

Thursday and friday sister Lange stayed in liloan for her passport papers so I was just planning to work with ward missionaries, but then one of the sister that lives with us got sick, so I end up just watching her. Oh and I also taught ZTM by my self, that was... interesting haha, but the message was delivered and that all that matters.  So half-way through friday, saturday and sunday we worked.  It was good, it made me miss work, and I was very glad to be back.  Working just feels good.

Well that has been my life the last week. It was crazy, but quite enjoyable.  I just love those type of events though because I love see my mission friends and catching up with people.

Anway I love you all so much.  I hope you have amazing days.  Love you,

Sister Hancock

PS: one picture is at MLC  and then the other one is my companion who I just realized that I haven't sent any pictures of.

Greetings from consolacion

Hey,

 

Guess what I am in consolacion right now.  In my old area actually.  I got emergency transfered.  Haha just kidding, I am just here for MLC, because we have the sisters meeting later tonight in liloan and the MLC tomorrow.  We are going to be here soooo long because after that we have the young men general president or something coming to talk to us on wednesday.  Which means lot of sleep, and our area not getting worked at all, but I am excited because it will be fun.  Also I am pretty much saying good bye to all of my old companions because this will probably be the last time I will see them, except sister sears and sister mccurdy extended, and are companions hahah so I might see them again.  But anyways there will be plenty of pictures to follow.

 

As far as news to report this week...  Well, first we went on splits with san rem this week.  I was good becaust they have been having some hard times lately, but it was good to be able to help them.  I went on splits with sister Melano.  It funny, I almost always go on splits with filipinas and I always feel like they are twenty gazillion time better then me at everything, because they actually know the language.  Its a great learning experience for me, i am pretty sure they don't learn anything though haha.

 

Flor came to church this week, wahoo.  She told us actually that she had missionarys teach her clear back in 85, but droped her and others find her and then redrop her, up until we found her.  She talked about how she knows its true she just still hasn't been baptized.  We don't know what she is waiting for, but we will see.

 

As far as other things, my companion is as trunky as every.  Haha just kidding, I don't think it has hit her yet that she is going home.  She is doing great though.  Our area is doing great.  I love all three strees of it just as much as ever.  I am happy and hope you all are happy.

 

I love you all so very much and am praying for you.

 

Love you,

 

Sister Hancock

unsa man na oy?

Dear family,

We had a solid last week.  We were really blessed with being able to teach a lot of people this week so we broke both my companion and I record of most lessons taught this week.  It was solid and extremely exhuasting, but you know it is awesome to have an oppurtunity to share the gospel so much.

So I have a few funny stories for you guys.  The first one is yesterday we taught a less active who I don't think has every been taught before, at least she doesn't have a record.  Anyways she was a really honest funny person.  We had some of the young women working with us and one of them was talking and said "god sees everything I do", and she interrupted her and responded "he sees me when I pee?!"  And I was very unmissionary like and started cracking up and whereas the young women that was with us just stared in horror.  But that might be a story you just have to be there to think it was funny.  Then as well we were teaching this other lesson, and the family had the cutest mice that lived in their house, and mice don't really get me any more (or so I thought), so we just admired for a little bit and the when back to teaching.  A little later on the mice ended up moving right under my foot and then when somebody pointed it out I freaked out a little, because if I had moved my foot even a tiny bit I would have step on it.  The filippinos didn't understand why I was freaking out but I hope I am talking to an audience that gets me.

Other then that we went with splits with our kabalay (or people who live in the same house) this week, they are also assign in our same branch and want to hear a crazy story?  So they are both tongan, one of them her parents are from tongan but she actually grew up in nevada, they other one grew up in tonga. Anyways after little bit, they found out they were actually cousins.  How crazy right?  Finding your long lost cousin in the mission field.  If their is any long lost cousins I might have let me know so I can look for them.

Oh as well I found out my RC krisha in lapu-lapu, she works at a call center, and she ended up talking to one of my uncles.  If anyone could let me know which uncle that is that would be great, just because I am really curious.

Anyway I love you all.  I hope life is good and you all have good health and are happy. love you so much,

Sister Hancock