Living In the Lipa Hotel

Emilee's new companion Sister Dadivas

Dear Family, 

What a crazy week this has been! What with Sister Finau going home and transfer day and everything else :) .... It's kept me on my toes, that's for sure. 

Well, first off, Transfer Day. I was put in charge of 3 new sisters, it being their first transfer. I helped them make it to their destinations along with making it to my own. It made me feel so old in the mission. They kept asking me all these questions and I realized that I am in fact, 1 year into the mission now. Crazy how fast time has flown by! 

 I was transferred to Lipa 1 ward. It's so weird to be back into the city again after the province life of Barra. I really miss small fishing village life! And I really miss the people of Barra. It's weird to see cars everywhere, and to have more than one place to shop and eat each week. I've gotten so used to seeing Petti-cabs. (It's like a trycycle but it's on a bike instead of a motorcycle) Being in Lipa reminds me of my first area. Lipa is really close to Batangas and they are similar in look. The ward is really friendly and seem to be pretty fired up about missionary work, so I'm excited. 

My companion, Sister Dadivas is so cute. She is a filippina and is so much fun to be with. I love her sweet spirit. She is striving to be a good example and leader and she is exactly obedient in all things. I'm really happy to be her companion. I sent you a picture of her, and also of our new apartment, which is sometimes called the Lipa Hotel. 

I learned very quickly why it is so named. Their are 6 sisters in our ward because our boundaries are so big, but four sleep in our apartment and two sleep in the other. Unfortunately, two were locked out of their apartment and needed to spend the night with us. Thankfully the Lipa Hotel is rather big and fancy, and we were able to house them comfortably. We have two bathrooms, ps. Hurray! I felt especially bad for one of the sisters, who was new and didn't understand that they were locked out, or anything else because we had all been speaking in Tagalog. I forgot what it's like to be new in the mission! But she is quite the trouper, even though their sink broke, they were locked out twice, and many more, she is still going strong! 

My new housemates are Sister Kerr and Sister Taufa. Sister Kerr is going home and Sister Taufa is Tongan and goes home the batch after me. I love them so much and of course, happy to have another Tongan in the house. 

Well, New Years was pretty bland. We just went out to work, had an early curfew because of all the drunks about, and came back to sleep. I unpacked and listened to all the kids outside blowing their toy horns all night. Seriously, every kid had the same toy... It was pretty hilarious actually.. I'll try to send a video next time. 

Lastly, we are teaching a family- for the first time in my mission. It's such a differnce teaching a family all together and I love it so much. (The A. Family....) They share one Book of Mormon and have diffent colored markers to mark their place. It's so cute. I love them. We are focusing on trying to get them to attend Church as a family! 

Well, love you! That's it for this week! 

-Sister Beaumont