Mag-te-twenty-two!!

I'm going to be 22 years OLD this week!!!! But enough about me. Pinaka-awesome day this past week = Friday. We were able to do a service project and help a member family and an investigator that lives with them to move. (Service projects are always a welcomed relief from the daily schedule.) And they live closer, not farther! Hooray! Tapos we taught the Quiano family. They were recently found before I arrived in this area and we were reviewing whether they had read and prayed about the Plan of Salvation. I felt like I needed to describe our purpose a little bit. " We're not just Bible Study," I said. I explained how we give commitments to help people come closer to Christ and prepare for baptism so after baptism it's easier to keep the promises made. "Mahalaga ang work ninyo," sinabi ni Brother. And he wasn't being sarcastic. He really got it. It hit him why we were there. And in my mind after he said that, I thought, "Yes! Someone truly understands!" Background for those who did not serve here in the Philippines. There are a TON of religions here and a ton of missionaries. Born again, Saksi ni Jehovah, Iglesia ni Cristo, etc. Many of them go around just reading from the Bible and it's kind of like a time to hear the words of God, and when they leave that's it. They don't have to live by and act on their faith. We're trying to help people become spiritually self-reliant. So when the missionaries aren't there, they're still studying their scriptures, praying, serving others, etc. Then, because Sister Goud is Indian and she caught the attention of this other Indian woman in our area, we were invited to dinner at their house. It made Sister Goud so happy. It's the first time in 17 months that she's had Indian food. At least as an American, I have McDonald's. Haha. But it was delicious, and they spoke in Hindi and I just smiled. Thankfully, a Filipino neighbor came over for a visit so I had someone to talk to in Taglish. And I gave her a Restoration pamphlet and she said we could visit her at her home. So hooray! I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is real and true and it leads to happiness. Even though I'm literally on the other side of the world with a lot of rules to focus on the missionary work, I am happy because I see other people becoming more happy as they develop their hope in the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father's plan for us. Mahal ko kayo, Sister Cope Pictures of the week (that are not actually from this week :) 1. Sister Polinar and I at one of our favorite places to teach with fresh hangin and shade. Not to mention it's hidden away from the main road so it's quiet, too :) AND it's where Nanay Evelyn and Sister Jessica live, and they were always just so receptive and willing to act. That's it for my old area. Pictures of/in my new area to come... P.S. Don't forget I have a new address... Sister Samantha Cope C/O Philippines Quezon City Mission Aurora Blvd. Corner JP Rizal Street Project 4, Cubao, Quezon City Metro Manila, Philippines