The Value of a Voice

Family!!

I cannot describe the tremendous amount of joy and happiness that flooded into my heart as I heard Your voices!! especially weldon't "tia! tia!tia!"  but it saddens my heart that I didn't get to hear my dads voice... i don't know your phone number! But I can still feel your love!

I'm sorry that when I called I cried like a little baby! I started crying when I was dialing grandpas phone number. then I heard his voice and happiness filled my heart, then i heard moms voice and my heart started to fill more! then I heard weldon's little voice and my joy and happiness was overflowing!!! I just wanted to talk and talk to you but I only had 4 minutes till i had to board the plane. It was such a blessing though that grandpa was with mom. I only had time to call one of my famly members and two were together!! thats awesome!

I'm sorry that I told you that I was scared. that probably didn't make you feel too comforted. But I had a moment of weakness! I'm not really too scared... well... maybe... jokes! I'm just missing my family...

Never has my heart been more sad though than when I had to hang up the phone knowing that I wouldn't hear any of your voices until christmas. I also never realized the Value of a Voice.  now, think of that! I used to take for granted talking to you or I would complain about having to call when I got to my destination, etc... but oh how I wish i could've appreciated those moments because now I would give so much to listen to your voices. To hear the love you have for me. TO hear your support. to hear my moms voice... the first voice I ever Herd! Voices are powerful! Cherish the moments!

So... now on to the Philippines!! We got here... On wednesday and had orientation with president and stuff.. we took pictures.. did you ever look up his facebook? I probably look discusting! oh well.. then On thursday I met my trainer. She is from Arizona, somewhere by tuscan, and she is 19. We are serving in the Bacolod South stake in the tangube ward. Its pretty crazy. We are an additional set of missionaries in this ward. The Elders are pretty cool though, they have been showing us around and taking us to dinner appointments. 

I love it here. I'm not going to lie... its such a culture shock but I feel as if it is normal. as if the much and gunk we ahve to walk through and the poor poverty houses that we go visit and all the nasty trash... like it is all normal.  It is such a tender mercy of the lord.  I Don't think that I could be a missionary if heavenbly father hadn't blessed me with a quick adjustment to the villiage life. There is no way that I could work and not be caught up in wanting to help everyone with the modern luxuries of the states.  DOn't get me wrong, I still want to help them and I want to just give everything I hve to them.. but that Is not my focus. My focus is to teach them the gospel, becase they don't need the luxuries of the states, they are pretty content the way they are.

We are so blessed... my companion and I and the other two sisters in our apartment. We have actual toilets, and actual showers.. well kinda, we only have cold water, but It feels so good! And we don't really have bugs, although there was a lizard on the wall.. that kinda creeped me out! we also don't have dirt floors like most everyone else.

The first day that we got to our area, we went to a dinner appointment and we taught a lesson. Everything that I learned in the MTC was gone.. out the window! it was so crazy... ANd I was so..... lost. UGH!! but, I just bore my testimony as well as I could in really choppy ilonggo. Its so cool though how the spirit works.

OH! I would like to announce, that I've been in the philippines for like 5 days and I'm already suffering from... Diahrrea. Oh yeah buddy! its so great... not. Its probably from the half cooked meet stuffed in slimy noodle things in the soup that I ate at the First birthday party that I attended here!!! Its rockin! I puked last night too... So, my body isn't really adjusting too well. Its okay though!

I love you all so much, I hope you know that. Being here makes me appreciate my family. the people here only have their family... literally, thats ALL THEY HAVE! I am sorry for all of the struggles and strife that I put you all through all during my life. I'm sorry that I have an attitude problem at times. I'm sorry that I didn't come home on time, or when I was stubborn. I'm sorry.

I can already see the blessings of me being here on a mission. God loves us, and we need to always show our love to him! In everything that we do here on earth.

I love you all, and I can't wait to email you and tell you about my first convert, and my firsts of many things!! Have a great week and know that I am okay and that I am praying for you all the time! And that i'm working hard!

Love, your sister missionary,

Sister Young

Some nasty chicken stuff