Let's just say the field is white!

Hello, Hello!
     So it was so good to hear from you all this morning. I'm glad the babies are healthy and the moms both are as well. Beth those pictures you sent made me laugh. Gabe has the CHEESIEST smile in all the pictures... that goob:) haha. And Hannah is just getting older; her hair is different now; and she's just a cutie, along with cute little Aiden too. So thanks for the pics.

 Aiden, home sweet home

 Gabe & Aiden

 Hannah Reilly & Aiden Eli

 A handful!!!

     I've had quite the week here in Palawan. Let's just say the field is white... a lot whiter than in my last area:) We have a bunch of investigators that actually want to progress and are preparing for baptism, and I feel so blessed to be helping them. Our standard of excellence for investigators attending sacrament meeting here in our mission is eight, and I honestly thought it was nearly impossible because of how difficult it was in Carmona. And even Sister Afu said that before they never reached it here in Palawan. But yesterday at church, we reached it!!:) We got twelve investigators at church!! We were so happy, and it was so crazy at the same time. We were trying to make sure that they all understood what was going on and having a good experience so we felt like we were just running around the whole three hours. But it was such a good feeling.
     Also the members here are so awesome. I haven't had an opportunity to meet them all, but a couple of them have been giving us referrals, and that's where some of those investigators came from. And we have Relief Society sisters working with us, and it's just been such a good week. We have 11 investigators right now with baptismal dates and a whole lot more progressing. So yeah missionary work is just moving right along here in our area, and that's why I say the field is definitely white.
     One of our investigators, Marshall, is like 50 years old, and man he just cracked me up. He's been their investigator for a while now and has a baptismal date but just hadn't gone to church. We taught him once this last week, and he's just quite the character. Right in the very middle of our lesson he starts asking me questions all about the Utah jazz and how there are a lot of black players on their team and starts asking me the most random questions. I can't really remember what else he said, but it was great. We went to his house Sunday morning to take him to church, but his wife said he was at the beach. But then he made it for our last hour of church and ended up really liking it and told us he would go to church next week and earlier this time.
     Then we have these three investigators Maryjane, Milene, and Ilene, and their husbands are all brothers. They all live in the same house. So we actually went and picked them up for church, and that was pretty crazy. They have a lot of kids so we stuffed I think it was 12 of us including the kids all on to one tricycle and went to church. Then we also have the referrals that came to church.
     Then we have this family the Aritano family who are so ready for baptism. It's a wife and her husband, but they have to get married before they can get baptized. And the problem with them is Felix doesn't have his birth certificate, and they can't get married without that. So they first have to save up money to go back to his hometown (wherever that is) so he can find his birth certificate, and then they can get married. And they are a really poor family so that might be a process, we'll see. But yeah I could just go on and on with our investigators, but that's all I'll tell you about today.
     To answer some questions... the first, that apparently you all are wondering for some reason:) haha, I left my one suitcase at the mission office, and the AP's were in charge of taking it to the mission home or something. It's what they do with all the missionaries in Palawan.
     I told you about my companion, but I'm really enjoying working with her. We have a lot of fun, being both foreigners here in Palawan! We have some pretty funny experiences. This last week we had one man tell us how he was a black belt and a security guard and how he owned his own 5 acre island and had his own vehicle and all he needed was me to be his wife now... yeah so I got proposed to. Then we had a drunk man come up to us one day and tell us he really wanted to change, and he wanted a Bible from us and all this other stuff. Then we get some pretty funny looks from our tricycle drivers as we try and fit into a tricycle, because Sister Afu being Tongan isn't necessarily small. But we are just working really well together, and so it was a really good week for us.
     My apartment is actually really nice. I'd say maybe a 9 or 10, on a scale from 1-10. The only thing about it is there are lizards climbing all over the walls and huge cockroaches everywhere. That's probably the only complaint. But it's not bad. The only other thing that's not too fun is my first week we had a brown out (power out) probably four times. Every time that happens it's really hard to sleep because you have no electric fan, and it's REALLY hot! But yeah other than that it's a really nice apartment. As I explained last week, our apartment is more in the city-ish part of Palawan that's a little nicer; then our area is about 30 minutes away, and that's where the bamboo huts and all that are. And yes we do have showers. The sisters actually just moved apartments maybe four months ago, and the other one I heard was really dirty and didn't have showers, but I'm lucky to be in this one.
     As far as for Carmona, Sister Ronquillo stayed with Sister Pacino, and they combined Carmona A with Carmona B so only two sisters are there now because I guess we're short on sister missionaries. So I'm anxious to hear how that's going because that is a HUGE area now.
     But hey, I'm actually out of time. Man time flies, and I feel like I didn't even answer all of your questions. If I didn't, just write them again. On the way from Carmona to Palawan I stayed the night with Sister Gupta in Makati, and she's Ish Erekson's convert from India, and she said he'd want to see the picture of us, and the other one Sister Verma from India wanted me to try on her "sari-sari" haha  

 Sister Stromberg & Sister Gupta

Don't make fun!

     Hope all is going well. Love you all so much and pray for you always. Take care! So yeah, that's all for today.

Mahal ko Kayo!
Sister Stromberg