Blog: I am not moving or changing companions. Yes my companion and I are staying in Malolos for another transfer won't this be fun! I'm running out of time on the computer cuz we are having problems due to all the rain so the rest will have to wait till Monday, sorry.
Cockroaches are really gross,
Cockroaches I hate the most.
-Sister Stephens

blog:Transfers are next week, I might get moved, I might not. Nothing new yet just working and studying hard. It's super hot here still. We've had a couple of small tyfoons. When I woke up to the first one, my drowsy mind racing, "Where's tyke? Did I put my buckets out for the drips from my leaky roof? Did I close my window?" My not fully awake mind forced my body to sit up. I couldn't see anything or make sense of the light I did see, "Why was there light?" I don't smell wet grass and dirt, but I'm sure it's raining. Another big crash of thunder, I shook my head a little then all at once I remembered where I was. I was not in my house in my village, it was not Tyke sleeping near me but my companion, those were electric lights from the neighbor's house that I was seeing and I was safe in a well built tin-roofed apartment. I gave a sigh layed back on my pillow and fell instantly asleep. And have slept through them ever since.
-S.S.
shout out: Mom (of course), Daniel and Nora!!! love you thanks for writing!!! ka-swaa!!!!

Blog: Another week gone, not a lot's up. My accent is getting better, they used to make fun of me more because I had a weird accent. I asked "Isn't it the same as the other Americans?" They said no it is different, my guess is that I naturally use my Zambian accent, especially when talking part English. I'm sure I still use the terrible Zamblish accent! but it's getting better!
that's all for now,
-S.S.

Shout out to: Nora with the ever faithful notes, love them!!! Buzz and Bonnie Brown, Amanda Hawkes, and Gretchen for the email! Love you all!!!

Blog: We have a baptism!!! Brother Rico! He loves the Book of Mormon and has a sweet child-like faith. He says he was confused with what to do in his life about religion, he has always had a strong faith, he had seen some of the missionaries around but could never communicate with them because he is deaf and they never knew how to sign. He said the day I said hello to him a light entered his life that makes him so happy he can't say. He says he is so grateful to Jesus for sending me to him so I can teach him about Christ's true church on earth today. and I am grateful too. I know that God sent me to Malolos so that I could teach Rico and at the same time I think maybe God doesn't want me to forget the sign language I learned 5 years ago. Maybe I will have to use it later or throughout my life!
Well, that's me for now, love you all
Mahal kita!
-Sister Stephens

shout out to: Ojai YW!!! Thanks for the pics!!! Buzz and Bonny Brown, Nora Young, Mom (of course), and Daniel!!! Thank you all for the encouraging words!

New Companion!

blog:so I can already tell this transfer is going to be super hard, I have a Filipina campanion! Sister Villafuerte, she is very hard working but a little bossy and definitely is annoyed that I a newbie, who doesn't even know the language and can barely talk to people, has to show her around. I'm the only American companion that she has ever had, so naturally we aren't getting along 100% yet but it's only our first week, I'm sure we'll work it out. I just wish I could speak tagalog better!

the different ways my name is said: STEFANS, STEP-HENS, STEP-HEN, STEFEN, STEBEN, STEBHEN, and finally the closest, STEBENS!!!
-S.S.

Blog: The only cool thing that happened this week is we had a baptism for Tatay Rogilio. He has been talking to missionaries since March and he finally decided to be baptised. He has a strong testimony and now we are all praying hard that his wife will be baptised too, so pray for Nanay Melita. I got some good clean dirt and am gonna start planting some potted herbs! I'm exited!!!! Well till next time!

Shout out to: Mom, Dad, Daniel, Nora (finally got some of your letters!!!), and to Joseph and Julia for getting engaged!!!! yaya!!!!

My First Week in The Philippines!!!

blog: So it hasn't really been a week yet it's only been five days,but we've had one baptism and another one planned for this week, I know I'm good ... just kidding, the sister before me was a really hard worker and lined them all up. So my new companion is Sis. Haws and she's great, a hard worker! She's from Utah and is really good at the language! I miss my MTC companion though :( We taught so well together. I still have a lot to learn in this language!

It's funny that a year ago I was still in Zambia thinking about how I''m going to miss this and that and how I wasn't going to miss this or that, but I find a lot of it is the same as here; the same smell of over-fried dry fish, deisel fuel, and burning trash. Transport's the same but the people are different. My purpose and view is different and that changes everything.

I love it here and Ii've only been here five days and Ii'm already planning my return trip, even though it's really hot and I'm sweating all the time I prefer it over snow any day! I'm loving the work and I love the people, it's all just great! The other missionaries are great, I love the field, it's awesome and tiring. At the end of the day I literally fall into bed and 'die' till morning and mornings aren't hard to get up for cuz you can hear everyone in the city is getting up and you want to be in it! Plus its warm so you don't have to get your body moving, heck I don't even sleep with covers! I just hop out of bed, work out, take a bath and go to work! Mahal, mahal, mahal!!! (love it, love it, love it)
I haven't had a lot of native food here yet, we cook a lot of it ourselves so I'll have to tell you more next week.
Till next time!
-Sister Stephens
"kapayapaan ingat!" (peace out)
write me! tatiana.stephens@myldsmail.net
shout out to: Carl and Alicia for the awesome paackage, and Derry for the letter !