Now a City Girl 7.17.16

Hey Fam!!!

Where am I?! I transferred to the city of all cities in the mission - I am now in Downtown Tacloban! Who's my companion? That's right, Sister Matautia. We stayed together! Our area was one of 6 areas that was closed because they didn't have enough missionaries to fill them since so many went home this last cycle.

I white washed in my first area, but that's when I was being trained. and my nanay did mostly everything. Plus that was tiny little Allen. Here, in Tacloban, after following up some Elders who were last assigned here and didn't update the area book, is hard stuff!!!! We have been struggling. Our area is HUGE!!! And there's so many people all over the place. I've been lost for lack of a better term.

However, we have been meeting the best people and I am loving it. There is a ward missionary here - her name is Maybell. And she is adorable. She has helped us TONS and we are now good friends.

There's one investigator who has really had an influence on me and his name is Dennis Maslog. He is half Philippino, half Scottish. He looks exactly like Jake Graham! I had to take a double take when I first saw him. Hahaha, maybe that's why I like him so much because he reminds me of my cousin. Anyways, lived in Scottland with his family until he was four years old and his mom died. After that, his father just didn't know what to do, so he brought Dennis back to the Philippines and dropped him off with some family of his moms who are members. He's been here ever since and is now 19 years old and working like a maniac and going to school so he can get out of the Philippines and go find his dad. This kid has a pretty big dream and he's gonna need God's help. We're trying to figure out how to get him to see that even though he's busy, if he learns more about the gospel and makes it more centered in his life, because it's true, he'll see the blessings in his life and everything will begin to work out and unfold. His Dad's name is Dennis Craig...so if any of you know a random Scottish man by this name, there's a kid here in the Philippines who I'm sure would love to know:)

The missionary work continues on, and is just a constant mental, emotional, and physical struggle between keeping yourself motivated, to being perfectly obedient, to willing your legs to continue walking even after they refuse. Haha. Love it. It's so fun. And I'm not saying that sarcastically. There's nothing like the mission.

Love you all tons and will update you on everything next week\!!!

Love Sister Russon