Cockroaches, Scotch Tape and Serving in a Temple Area

Family, I am reassigned to the Cebu 5th ward. You know when it has a number after it then its a city mission jud! Our area is the temple! At least I still have a place to go every morning to go running. We are working here across from the temple. If we don't have many converts then I am definitely doing something wrong, because I am in the shadow of the temple. We are reopening an area! Did I mention I don't have a companion. Instead I am making history. At the transfer call I had no idea what was going on I was not very well informed. At the transfer meeting I found out that I will be training a district missionary. She has received her call for her mission, but has not been to the MTC yet. She can still talk to her family and such because she has not been set apart and she is still preparing to go on her mission, but I am basically training her. I am her MTC teacher. Her gospel doctrine teacher, and trainer!! We arrived at the apartment yesterday and the floor was covered with cockroaches! No one lived in it for a transfer (6weeks) and it was an elders apartment before so you can just imagine. Luckily earlier that day we all decided for district CSP they would help us move in and clean up the apartment. It was a wreck! It's okay because now its livable. We spent the last two days fortifying the house with scotch tape plastic bags and paper to cover holes where the cockroaches can get in. We are scared to wake up with a cockroach on our face! My companion woke up the first night because she had a nightmare there was one on her face and they were crawling up the walls!! I now sleep under the blanket wrapped like a pig in a blanket tight as can be so I don't wake up with one on my face. They still get in the house so we will still fortify it tonight! Pray for me that I don't wake up with on on my face!! Sister Robison already told me a story of that happening to her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our first day of real work was yesterday. We had people come with us from the ward to show us the area so we were lucky because the area book is no help! There is no maps or anything useful!! The elders fail! Its a challenge but I know it will just take getting used to! Loving the work... You know Working hard and hard working its super serious here in the city so you know... Nahigugma ko kaninjo! Sister Bruno Pictures to come I forgot my card reader to send pictures sorry!!

Work Progressing in Cebu City

Dear Family,

First of all I love you all!

This week has been really awesome.  I got a new companion Sister Caluyo.  My trainer Sister Ramos got transferred after having her just one transfer.  Sister Caluyo though is an awesome addition.  She is our senior companion and she is super humble and meek.  Sister Caluyo is a strong person her mother died while on the mission and she decided to stay with the suggestion from President Hanson.  She is awesome.  We met with Sister Judith and she was an activist against religion in college, but through meeting missionaries she gradually was willing to listen to the lessons.  She has been going to church but has been hesitant in accepting a baptismal date. We met with Sister Judith on Monday, and after just one lesson with Sister Judith Sister Caluyo extended a baptismal date in a genius way and Sister Judith accepted it was beautiful.  Sister Williams even teared up.  And that's how missionary work is done!  Sister Caluyo is basically teaching me things that I will definitely incorporate into my work.  

This week is Sister Grace Hardy's baptism she is an awesome person.  She is outgoing and refuses to let us leave her house without eating something.  Her husband is American from Utah, and is a member.  Sister Grace Hardy has been attending church for way long before i got to the mission.  She just has been reluctant to listening to the missionaries because one missionaries approach she did not like.  When I got to the ward she decided to let us teach her I think our approach was genius or she was just ready to hear the gospel.  She is getting Baptized this week Saturday the Jan 29 2011.  I am so excited for her.  She is my first baptism that I was there to help teach all the lessons.  She is getting baptized only after 6-7 lessons.  We have given her a lot of information, but she has a great testimony and I don't see her turning away from the church in the future.

During teaching Sister Jennale Arinasa her little sister peed on the floor it was so random but that actually happens a lot here during lessons.  I have seen 3 kids already pee on the floor during a lesson.  

Emerson Ugdiman didn't go to church this week so his baptismal date was moved back a week.

Sister Cheryl Sister Mitch and Brother Nelson all has Baptismal dates and they seem ready to accept the gospel.  Sister Cheryl though is a little reluctant coming from a Catholic background.  Brother Nelson may have problems because he smokes but last appointment he didn't smoke for a whole week so hopefully he will keep strong.  

Its crazy because Sister Brand came this week.  She is our younger Batch.  The time is passing by so quickly its crazy!  Sister Brand is in my district though now she replaced Sister Robison.  I was happy and sad about that.  I love Sister Robison she was my first BFF on the mission.  But I am happy to see Sister Brand every week.  

The other day we ran all the way home to make it in time for curfew it was hilarious!

Yesterday we were walking and there was a gust of wind and my skirt flew up I screamed and sister williams and Sister Caluyo turned back to see what happened they were like What happened I told them and they laughed so hard!

Good times on the Mission 

LOVE YOU ALL
Until next week this is the life and stories of Sister Bruno

Sister Bruno