Awkward first time for an American

It was a really great week... It has been so busy!!!

We had a baptism! Yay! It was a really good service. Obviously, it is super fulfilling to see that, but before my mission I thought baptisms would be like this way cool spiritual experience where everybody cries and stuff but it's not like that. I mean, it is still a spiritual experience, but I realized why it's like that... Because it's not just the baptism... it's seeing how people have changed overtime. Just like our conversion, it's not in one moment that it happens, bu over a period of time. The baptism in this case is just the icing on the cake and the needed ordinance :) 

We also had zone conference! I learned a lot and even saw my anak, Sister Macabanting! I haven't seen her since August and maybe she cried when she saw me :) She's super sweet. But I learned so much and we talked a lot about Real Growth, the mission theme for the year. It doesn't mean we have to be perfect at once, as long as we are trying our best. Even the workshop we gave went okay :) Can I just say though.... My companion is an English Major and her English is really good... I'm pretty sure it was better than mine. :( haha. 

Tarlac Stake had stake conference as well. Elder Bowen came and talked... it was really good! The Stake President talked about our need for charity and it was a beautiful talk. President Clark and Sister Clark spoke... but I really liked what Elder Bowen said. He said that there two kinds of missionaries: Full-time missionaries in the field and full-time missionaries that stya in the ward. He went on the share some really cool missionary experiences when he went on his mission and after that as well. All of us are full-time missionaries! :) 

Also... last Monday I got a haircut. A man cut my hair and it was really awkward because he touched my neck.... haha. Also he took a picture of me while he was cutting my hair because he said it was the first time he ever cut an American's hair. So that was one big awkward experience. 

Alsooo... I realized there is one thing that I have NOT learned and that's haggling. It's a common thing when you are buying stuff ot the market to haggle,, but I have definitely not mastered it because I got ripped off big time without realizing it :) haha. Oh well. Walang magagawa  :) 

I love you all!

xoxoxo,

Sister Holmes