Can't even describe the happiness

MaBUhaY!!
     How are you all doing this nice warm day? Oh wait, it's probably far from that for all of you...

      But yes my new companion is here, coming straight from the MTC in... Provo!:) She even had my MTC teacher, Brother Ah Mu, as her teacher. Her name is Sister Tuia, and she is Samoan:) She's 23. Her whole family are members of the church, and she was born in the church. She was actually the only foreign sister that entered the mission, and I was the only foreign sister that is training this transfer. So yeah the Lord decided to stick us foreigners together:) So it's pretty exciting! I'm quickly remembering how difficult Tagalog was when I first got here. But Sister Tuia is awesome and is ready to work hard to learn this language and already loves our ward. We've had so many ward missionaries work with us, and Sister Tuia has been so surprised. She keeps talking about how awesome the youth are here, that they all want to help in missionary work. She loves them all, and it's so fun to see that. They are all helping her with her Tagalog also, so it's great!

      We have a member in our ward who is less active, and he's a boxing coach. They have a bunch of their boxers board at their home, and they range from the age of 12-20+. Well when we go to visit them, they want us to teach their boxers. So right now we have four that are really interested. We went and taught them Sister Tuia's first night and had such a good lesson about the restoration and then were able to set baptismal dates with them all. Then on Saturday we had a temple tour, and three of them came with us. Christian also used to box with them, and he's our investigator that is getting baptized on the 9^th.  He also came to the temple tour. So that's the majority of our investigator pool right now:) A bunch of wanna-be Manny Pacquiao's! But they're great and say that they really want to find out the truth for themselves before they get baptized. They have already come to church three times before so I'm really excited for them. Our strongest recent convert right now who has perfect attendance at church, Allan, is also a boxer. It's great because they can't have any problems with Word of Wisdom because of boxing, and their coach is a really good influence on them (even though he doesn't quite get to church).   
     Oh and speaking of temple tour, it was such a great day at the temple. We had our boxers there, and then we also got Shirly to come. She's the one I told you that is less active and one day just ran into us and asked us for a Book of Mormon. Well she came and loved it, and then last night we met her husband for the first time and were able to share with him. He's really interested as well. He has a lot of questions about life and religion, and most of all he said he just doesn't want to be confused anymore and wants to know the truth. We got him to pray last night for the first time, and he said the best prayer. We're really excited for him and Shirly right now.

     Oh back to the temple tour, I was so blessed because it happened to be the same day as Noveleta ward's temple trip!:) YAYY!! So I got to see SOooo many of my members from my last area! I also got to see a lot of my converts as well!! I got to see Tessie for the first time since her baptism, and she was so excited! She was supposed to do baptisms for the dead ran into some problems so she went along with us for the tour, and we got to chat!:) Then Johnmark, Mark, Khaycie, and Ben all did baptisms for the dead for the first time, and I got to see all of them! It was so fun! Also all of our great ward missionaries were there so it was just a great little unexpected reunion:)

    I also ran into a member from Carmona, and when I started talking to her, she was so surprised at my Tagalog:) haha She kept saying, “Wow, you can really speak now, and you speak really fast.” She also told me that Jewel, one of the less actives that we always visited and helped reactivate, now has his mission call and got endowed last week!:) Ahhh it's SO great! I can't even describe the happiness of seeing these people that I love progress in the gospel. It's such a blessing that we have a temple in our mission, and I got the opportunity to see these people I love so much again. So as you can tell, I was on cloud 9 on Saturday!:)

Three sisters because Monday-Thursday we were a threesome

Sister Sabordo's companion went home,

and she joined our companionship:) 

She was great! She's Sister Ronquillo's trainee!

 

      As for sister De Leon, you'll never guess where she got transferred... Santa Monica B:) Yeah I'm so excited for her, and she will love her new area I know it! So yeah I think that's about all I have for right now.

     As for my strep, the antibiotic worked, and it is now gone:) All this being sick and all happened right before Sister Tuia got here, and I kept thinking, “Man, Satan just wants to stress me out, doesn't he? Right before my new companion gets here.” But the Lord helped me through it, and I can gladly say I'm just fine; all of that is in the past now! haha
     Okay well for questions... Mom, your comment with directionally challenged... I have the spirit here in the mission:) and great ward missionaries if all else fails:) so I'm not alone in this big city! haha. With Sister Culango's brother, I heard they are working on negotiations right now, but nothing has happened yet so please keep praying! And yeah there you have it.
     Have a great week! I can't believe that January is coming to an end. It's all going by so fast! Well I love you all so much, and thanks for your e-mails. Take care always!:)

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Stromberg

. . . neat to see His hand in the work

Mabuhay!!
     What a week it has been for me. So I couldn't tell you the exciting news because President didn't want my companion to find out and who knows if she would see it on my screen. But the exciting news.... I have been called to be a trainer my last two transfers!!:) President actually told me last December but said he wanted me to transfer to my new area first and get to know the ward and area and such, and then I would be training! So yeah we had a training last Thursday at the mission office, and this coming Thursday I will meet my new missionary. I'm super excited!! It will be fun because I started my mission doing the 12 week training program with Sister Culango, and I will be ending my mission doing the 12 week program with my companion. I'm also excited for her because our ward is really getting involved, and a lot more ward missionaries are working with us. Our ward mission leader is putting together an actual ward mission plan, and it's great! She'll have a great ward to start her mission. I got even more excited after working with our new missionary last Wednesday that came out of the MTC for a day. Her name was Sister Rantayo, and she was awesome and was just so excited to work with us, even if it was just for two hours. Mom, you're right the MTC is in Quezon; it's right across the street from the Temple. It's about 30 minutes from our area. But we met at the mission office and then taxi'd to our areas, worked for a couple hours, and then met back up in Buendia, and had a short evaluation. It was a fun experience. So yeah that's the news I was talking about.

     This last week went by really fast. We were supposed to have Christian's baptism this Saturday, but we had to move it back a week. He started a new job and is always working so we haven't quite finished all the lessons we need to teach him. So this Saturday he will be coming with us to the temple tour in the morning and then after will be having his interview for his baptism, and February 2 will be his baptism. He's awesome. If he has a day off, he'll always come and work with us during the day. Definitely future missionary material:) He's actually REALLY quiet, and when he talks, it's almost like a whisper and a little shy. But for the first time we got him to really share with us when we taught him, and he's more coming out of his shell now. It's great to see the difference the gospel can have in all aspects of our lives:)

     So the past two days I've come down with strep (I think). I wasn't able to work yesterday, and when I texted with Sister Stucki, she asked the doctor about it. He thinks it's strep and gave me the name of the medicine I should buy. So this morning we got that, and I started taking it today. I've really been praying hard and rested yesterday because I don't want to be sick when transfer day rolls around on Thursday. SO please pray for me. I'm tired of getting sick here!

     Oh and one more thing that I need your help with. Sister Culango e-mailed me this morning, and her younger brother got kidnapped by a group called NPA. Apparently they are some nasty group that is against the government. I don't really understand it all. But in Davao they said there are a lot of terrorists and groups like that. So his name is Jezreel Culango, and please keep him in your prayers. Scary stuff!

     Uum... oh, we did have a neat experience again this week with one less active. We were walking down a street, and a girl comes up and asks us if she can have a Book of Mormon. Of course we were caught off guard, and Sister De Leon asks, "What are you?" haha because she was so surprised, and that's the first thing that came out of her mouth. Then she told us that she's a member and moved here two years ago but didn't know where the church was and didn't bring a Book of Mormon with her and so on and so forth... So on Friday we found her house and shared with her, and her husband isn't a member but wants us to teach him. She came to church yesterday! Yaay!!! We haven't met her husband yet, but I'm really excited about them. She also really wants to go to the temple this weekend, and so hopefully her husband won't have work and can also come. The Lord has blessed us so much this transfer by putting the right people in our path. It's so neat to see His hand here in the work. I love being a missionary!:)

     Yeah, that was my week. I hope you all had a great week. I love you all so much! This last transfer flew by, and I've really enjoyed being companions with Sister De Leon and will miss her a lot. But I'm also excited for her to go to her second area:) She's great! SO that's about all for now. Take care always!

Mahal ko kau!,

Sister Stromberg

Magaling talaga ang fasting!!!"

January 13, 2013

Hello po!
     So I have to finish my story that I started last week about Jayson. He was the recent convert that I told you about how his mom just found out she has cancer and that her husband left her and Jayson was left to support her but didn't have a job, and we were prompted to share fasting with him. Well when we saw him Monday night at bishop's house, he came right up to us and said "Sisters!!! Magaling talaga ang fasting!!!" (Fasting is really effective!!!) Then he went on to explain that right after he finished his fast that same night, his mom's husband came back to her and apologized. It was so cool to see his excitement and see the testimony he had just gained of fasting. It was really neat. So yeah cool cool.

     This week we also had interviews with President. I have some exciting news, but you have to wait for next week for that:) We also had a area presidency broadcast to talk about our rescue effort that have happened this past year with helping our less actives come back to activity. We've see a TON of improvement here, but the leaders said the majority of that has come from the missionaries. They really want to get EVERYONE involved in this effort and get the members to do their part. They're really aiming for each active member to rescue one less active member. That was the goal last year, but it didn't really happen so we have another year that we have to make this happen!:) I also ran into my district president from Palawan; he was there at the broadcast! It was so fun seeing him and chatting with him for a bit. Other than that it was just a normal week.
     We actually had kind of a rough week with the work. We were out tracting all day but just didn't have much luck getting in very many lessons. Everyone was gone when we went to their house. But we were blessed on Sunday with nine investigators at church. One of our investigators right now, James (18 years old), who we found is living with a less active family and years ago used to go to church with them. He almost got baptized before, but he told me yesterday that he was afraid of getting immersed in water. haha. Now he told us yesterday at church that he missed being at the church each week and told one of our ward missionaries that he wants to be baptized. So we're really excited for him! The only problem is he's always at work so we have to find a time to teach him! But I know the Lord will provide time for us to teach him the lessons so he can be baptized. I'm really excited for him.
     This coming Wednesday we get to go out with the missionaries who just entered the MTC and go on splits with them. I'm really excited for that. We get the privileged of doing that often because we're really close to the MTC, but this is the first time this transfer so we'll see how that goes.
     Hhmmmm.... That's about all I have to share today. Sorry if this is short, but nothing too exciting has happened. Oh I got a haircut last week for the first time in a salon because one of the elder’s investigators that I met said she would do it for free. Well when I went there, their investigator wasn't there so another lady cut it... and it's short now:( and they do it really weird here...:( Tell Annette I miss her haircuts, and that's one of the first things I want when I get back!:) Well I hope you all had a great week! Dad, I was thinking the other day, when is registration for fall classes?? Isn't it coming up soon? And how can I apply for a scholarship for spring semester? Okay well I love you all so much, and thanks for everything you do for me!:) Take care always!

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Stromberg

Magandang Umaga y'all!:)

     Sister De Leon and I had another awesome week here in Mandaluyong. The Lord is blessing us so much. A few of you commented about our great ward missionaries, and yesterday you wouldn't believe we had 14, yes 14, ward missionaries work with us. It was crazy! There were so many of us we had no choice but to split. And as the day sped by quickly ,they were all saying that they want to do that every Sunday. Sister De Leon said we look like a Mormon battalion:) haha. Then we have one of our recent converts, Allan, who is always working with us, and he challenged me to a basketball game this morning... and I'm so out of shape for basketball! But it was a lot of fun, of course! They're all great!

 

     Then as I told you we've been struggling for progressing investigators but have been working really hard and praying and fasting, and yesterday day at church we had SEVEN investigators show up!:) We were so excited! And we had a bunch of less actives show up as well. I'm just seeing more and more how the Lord is blessing us and leading us to those who are ready.
     We had a neat/sad lesson last Saturday that really touched me. We were teaching one of our recent converts, Jayson, who is 17, and even though he is still young, he really understands the gospel and wants to serve a mission. Well we always teach him at the bishop’s house so we were waiting for him there, and when he walked in the door, he wasn't really himself. Sister De Leon asked him why he was sad, and at first he didn't really answer. Then after we prayed, she asked again, and then he opened up. He told us that he had just finished his working contract and was without a job; his mom (adopted) had just found out that she has cancer; her husband left her the night before; and now he was expected to help his mom and support her financially and emotionally. He doesn't really have his own home. He just kind of lives with friends and now with his mom. Well he was really stressed and sad, you could tell. At first I wasn't really sure what he needed, but of course the spirit helped us. We shared with him about fasting. He had learned about it before but had never actually attempted to fast. We had a good lesson, and you could see that was exactly what he needed to hear. He was excited about the chance to fast. It's hard to explain, but it was just a neat moment where I was thinking to myself, "There's no happiness that can compare to the feeling where you see someone in need, in distress and who doesn't know quite what to do, then I was given the privilege, being an instrument in the Lord's hand, to share what the Lord would have Jayson know at this time in his life and see that burden lifted and see him relieved with what the Lord shared with him." One of the best feelings ever! That's one of the reason's I absolutely love being a missionary. President Monson says it better on the back of his "On the Lord's Errand" DVD, but I forget what he said. So yeah I'm curious to meet with him again and find out how his fasting went. I just feel so bad for him and his situation right now. I can't even imagine that.
     So yeah, work is going really well right now. We will have a baptism the last week in January, and then we're working with a bunch of investigators right now. I'm pulling a blank today with what to write so sorry if this is short.

     New Years was crazy just like last year! There were SOOOO many fireworks, and it was SOO noisy! There was no way we could even sleep! Filipinos really know how to celebrate the New Year! And they don't wait until 12:00; they start playing loud music at dusk, and then there are fireworks at like 9 until early in the morning! It's crazy! It definitely went through my mind that I will really miss all the fireworks and fuss here next year. Then on New Year’s Day we had lunch with Bishop and his family and then with two other families.
     I started goals, but I'm not yet finished. It's hard because I don't know whether to set goals for here in the mission or when I get back... so I'm setting two sets of goals:) haha. SO yeah I think that's about all I have for today. Okay well, hope you all have a great week! Love you all so much! Ingat!

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Stromberg

Manigong Bagong Taon!! 2013!!

December 30, 2012

     Just as you all mentioned, it was so good talking with all of you on Christmas (or the day after Christmas)! It was a perfect end to a great day! Time is flying by way too fast, and I can't believe that 2013 is here! Sister De Leon and I have had a great last week, and everyday we've had not only one ward missionary join us for work but anywhere between 3-7 ward missionaries at one time come with us to work. It's been great! Too bad I know it won't be like that after the holiday because they all have work. But we've sure been enjoying it while we can. Once again this week we've really been focusing on finding new investigators. Not a lot has changed from what I told you last week. But we did find some real interesting ones this week:) haha.

     One day the office sent us three referrals, and we were so excited about contacting those we went to one that same night. We didn’t know what we were in for. We met him, and he was actually drunk (I didn't know that at first), and he's a Muslim who started speaking Arabic to us because he told us that's the language that Jesus Christ spoke and we all need to learn it. Yeah I can't really remember all of what he told us, but we, of course, couldn't teach him while he was drunk, so we will meet with him again this week.
     Another one of the referrals, Ed was very excited that we came to visit and lined us out that he wanted us to set a schedule with him when we could come back. He wanted to read our pamphlet first and then discuss it next time, and he just had all these things he wanted to do. But we're really excited because he's actually been to the temple before and has a close friend that's a member and says he wants to find the truth. He's already texted us twice this past couple days with questions for us. One being if it says in the bible that we should only have one wife, why does Joseph Smith have so many wives? Yeah so you can see what kind of an investigator Brother Ed is--very smart, and he really knows the Bible well.
     Then we have others as well we'll visit again this week. We found two that we actually were able to extend a baptismal date to on the very first lesson which we were really excited about that! They didn't make it to church yesterday, but we'll go back to them tomorrow. Oh and then our one progressing investigator, Christian, he worked with us probably three or four times this last week which was awesome because he got to hear a lot of lessons and got a good review on the restoration a few times. We were walking to an appointment, and he came up to me and said "Sister... When is my baptism?" It was so cute. We have been planning for Jan 26^th, but the last two weeks he didn't come to church. So my reply to him was, "When are you coming to church?" He then told me that he was going to on Sunday, and starting now he wouldn't miss... and so yep he came yesterday, and he'll be getting baptized on Jan. 26th:) He's a stud.
     Oh and speaking of studs, we were at the temple this last Saturday because Sister De Leon was getting sealed with her family (It actually didn't end up happening, long story.), but while we were there, it was the temple tour for the province areas, and so to my surprise I got to see all my Noveleta friends--which included JohnMark who is now a member!! YAY! He looked so good. He had cut his hair like a missionary and just had that light in his eyes, and it made me so happy! I also saw Tessie who ran up to me and gave me a big hug and said she'll be getting baptized the second week in January and is so excited. Then our Santos family that we found at the graveyard also came, and they've been going to church consecutively. Man, I was just so happy to see all of them, even Sister Richardson and Brother Wilmar and Joyce, and yeah it was a great little reunion.     
    But I can't really think of anything else to tell ya this week. I told you pretty much all on the phone I think. But yeah, I love you all so much and wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope you all have a great day, and I too will be making some goals tomorrow. President e-mailed us and said that's what we will be discussing this next interview coming up in a couple of weeks. Well I love you all! Thanks for your love and support and all that you do!

 

Mahal ko po kayo na SOBRA!!!
Sister Stromberg

MALIGAYANG PASKO!!

December 24, 2012

     Christmas is here! Can you believe it? It just kind of snuck up on me, and now here we are! YAY! So first and foremost I just want to thank you all that participated in the Twelve Days of Christmas for me! I feel SO lucky that Mom got a hold of all the people in my life that I love so much. That was the best Christmas present I could have asked for, hearing from all my great family and friends and getting a little update on each of you. Whenever one of you will pop into my head, I'll be thinking hmmmm I wonder what they are up to in their lives... and now I know:) So thank you SO much! I have the best friends and family EVER!!

     This week has been a really good week for Sister De Leon and me. To answer some questions:  yes, she was here when I got here so she knows the members and most of our area, but we've actually been in some areas that are new to the both of us the past couple weeks. One thing, we made a goal this last week to find all of our recent one year converts because there were some on our list that Sister De Leon didn't know. And to our pleasant surprise we were able to find them all or at least find out where they are. The sad part is a lot of them are less active, and that's so sad because they're just new here in the church and to see them go inactive even before they've been a member for one year is really hard. You know how there are SO many less actives here in the Philippines, and we can't let these new converts just add to our LA list. So yeah we were blessed to be able to find them all and know we just have to work on helping them return to activity again.
     We also found a lot of new investigators this past week so we are really excited to go back to them this week. The new investigators we found last week when we went back to them this week weren't home or were busy getting ready for Christmas parties and such. It's a little rough right now with Christmas and everything, but the Lord is helping us regardless of the fact that everyone is busy. We have only one progressing investigator right now, so we have a lot to do.
     Oh, there was one really exciting thing that happened. So the elders whose area borders our area gave us a referral of an RM that’s in our area. So it took us a couple days, but we finally found his house. He was home, and we were able to share with him. It was a really simple but neat lesson about the Book of Mormon. He was really, really grateful that we visited him, and he came back to church yesterday. It was a neat lesson because he knows everything we have to teach, but he just needed to be reminded of the beauty of this gospel. His wife is in her province right now about to have a baby, so she is with her family. But she will be coming back in February after she has the baby, and I'm excited to help them prepare to enter the temple!
     So the work still goes on:) We also had our temple day this last Wednesday which was so good to be in the temple again. Sister Connie from Noveleta is a temple worker, and I was able to see her and give her a big hug. That was a great surprise:)

     Then on Thursday it was our mission Christmas party which was a lot of fun. We started with a little Christmas devotional given by President and Sister Stucki. They focused on the formula for real happiness this Christmas season (and in fact our whole lives)...

J: Jesus Christ

O: Others

Y: You

We need to always in everything that we do put Jesus Christ first in everything. Then find the opportunity to serve those around you and then yourself very last. I'm sure you've heard this before, but it was just a good reminder to all of us what we always need to do in our lives to find true "joy"! I just love the Stuckis so much; they're great! Then we had a gift exchange, talent portion, and food! We had three whole roasted pigs (lechon) which is a big deal here in the Philippines. Everyone loved that.

    











Then on Saturday we had a temple tour which our investigator slept through, but we did have one of our recent converts come who is 17. I can totally see him going on a mission in a year or so. He's so awesome and really enjoyed the temple a lot. We even had him work with us Saturday for his first time, and he really enjoyed that as well. I love helping members get ready to serve missions and have them work with us so they can feel the special spirit of missionary work! That's one of my favorite things is to see the youth get excited about missionary work just from coming along and working with us.  
     Okay I'm about out of time, but I too am so excited to talk to you all on Christmas:) You actually might need to e-mail me my user name and password again because it's been a while, and I don't remember... then at 7 I'll be logging on:)
     I hope you all have a great day and remember the true meaning of Christmas. There's a cute Mormon message that we watched at the Christmas party if you haven't seen it you should... it's titled "The Spirit of Christmas." I love you all so much and am so grateful for all you do! Take Care!

With Love,
Sister Stromberg

Life in the City!

December 18, 2012

    Wow, I have had quite the week. I know there's no way I can explain it all to you in this one e-mail. So first the leaving part... Of course as always, it was really hard to leave all those I love so much in Noveleta! We had dinners set up all week, and for once in my mission I think I almost got to say goodbye to all of the ones I wanted to. My last night in Noveleta we had dinner with the Seballos family who is the less active family that we found when we had the flash flood. They are just the sweetest people. Then Brother Wilmar, John, Joyce, and AJ came, some of my most favorite ward missionaries, and Brother Wilmar thought it would be a good idea for all of us to go around and give their "last words" to me before I left. Yeah well if that didn't start the tears going, I don't know what would. Sister Seballos retold the story of the night where we found them and walked through their door and talked about that being an answer to her prayers, and we were her angels that night when she saw us in the doorway. John talked about how Sister Dyer and I were the first missionaries that he ever worked with and that helped stir the desire in him to go on a mission, and now his papers are in and he's just waiting for a call. Joyce talked about how when she heard that they were getting another American in the ward, she wasn't excited and wasn't going to work with us, but I changed her mind about Americans. Yeah I can't really explain it all, but there were a lot of tears. Also Sister Richardson said some really sweet things, and I just love them all. I feel so blessed to have been assigned in such an amazing ward and area.
    I also had an investigator, Tessie, whom we had a really neat lesson with. It was funny too because we only teach her on Fridays because she lives kind of far away, and she texted me on Sunday and asked if there was any way I could come teach her one more time before I left on Thursday. So we made it out there, and she's the one I told you the first time we taught her she said she doesn't remember a time when she's really felt the love God has for her in her life. Well she's really been progressing since then and loves the Book of Mormon and has been to church four times so this last lesson I wanted to ask her that question again that I asked the first lesson, and it was SO neat to see the difference. She's just so much happier now, and she said of course she's felt the love that Heavenly Father has for her. It was just a really neat experience. There were some tears in that lesson as well.

 
     Oh and then we did a review for Johnmark and asked him all of the baptismal interview questions, and he knew them all and is awesome and was scheduled for his interview on Sunday! Which I'm sure he passed and will be baptized this Saturday! Yay!:) So yeah times up for my last area.

     Here's the new news.... Yes I'm in the Makati Zone, and my area is Mandaluyong 3. Mandaluyong is where there's a really big mental hospital/rehabilitaion center or something like that so when you say you're in Mandaluyong everyone asks... Sa labas o sa laoob? (inside or outside) as a joke. And let me just tell you I have had quite the shock this last week with the difference of being in the city and the province. Really I feel like I'm in a whole different mission! There are just a lot of buildings and a lot of people here... that's it. It's really dirty. I actually got what they call sore eyes this last week that hasn't been very fun, and I'm pretty sure it's just from all the pollution They're just really red and swollen at times, and a couple days there was goopy stuff in them. It's weird, but it's on the up side now.
     But aside from all of that, the part that really surprised me is the people, and actually missionary work here is SO different. I came from an area with a lot of investigators, and we had a lot of them with baptismal dates and a lot came to church. Here we had four investigators which three of them aren't married yet, so we have that obstacle to fix first. So we're focusing big time right now finding, finding, finding. But even finding is so different. Before almost everyone was interested in our message and wanted to know what we were doing and would invite us into their house pretty quickly. The problem there was we had to figure out who was really interested and who were the ones that just wanted to be nice. Well here everyone is SO busy. We've been rejected many times this past week. They don't invite you in so you have to just take the time they give you, teach them out on the streets, set a return appointment, and hope the next time they'll invite you in. It's pretty crazy. My companion is Sister De Leon, a Filipina again:) She just finished her training program so I'm follow-up training. She's awesome though. She's so nice and wants to work hard and is filling me in on the whole city life deal. We're really enjoying being companions. And I've gone back to eating rice everyday... great:) Yeah and the ward didn't seem to have a lot of trust in the missionaries before, and no one really was working with them so that's another thing we're working on is building their trust and getting the YSA to work with us again.
     So yeah as President Stucki said to me this morning in his e-mail, "The Lord has much work for you to do in your new area." But I'm excited. Although right now it seems a bit rough, I'm just glad I have a companion that wants to work hard, and I know if we be obedient and do our best, the Lord will help us to boost the missionary spirit here and change things around a bit. But, of course, your prayers would be a big help as well:) So yeah I don't know what else to tell ya....  
     As far as answering questions yeah I will just call you on the 26^th, and do you think I could call at 7:00am? That would work best for me so we can still personal study at 8, but let me know what works for yall...
      I have been able to read some of the 12 days of Christmas letters, and I'm loving them! Wootton and Kuresa are bums!:) haha. It's exciting to read them as I eat my breakfast each day. And no, letter #3 never came:( Who was it from? Please don't say that was the one from my cute nephews and niece....

     As far as Christmas here, our area is made up of really, really, really poor people (squatters) and then really, really rich people. It's so crazy to me the differences in these houses, and they're within walking distance. It's SO sad! But Sister De Leon said in one of the rich subdivisions, they have awesome lights, and we're going there one of these nights so we'll see about pictures. The trees... I'm not sure where that is; I'll have to ask Sister Ronquillo.... Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you she's in my zone!:) We were so excited to see each other again. She's in Makati Makati, and yeah it's pretty close to the mission office. There's some really cool fountains they say at night we're going to see if we can get permission to go there next p-day on Christmas Eve.
     So yeah that's about all I got. We have a LOT of work here to do! But I know that I'm here for a reason, and the Lord will help us so I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for these great people. I love you all so much, and thanks for the support! I hope you all have a great Christmas break! Play in the snow for me:) Take Care!

Mahal ko kayo na sobra!!!

Sister Stromberg