Birthday Transfer

Hello family, oh my goodness I don't even have words for this week...actually I have way too many! ha I can't even possibly fit in everything that happened, but I'll try to get all the real good parts! So it actually started just after emailing last Pday. Actually I wrote you a letter about it, but I'll write here too because it really effected me... while we were emailing Sister Tupa'i started crying, but she said she was ok and so I just figured she was homesick while talking to her family. But then she acted really weird the rest the day and, although I feel terrible now, I actually got a little annoyed with her and was pretty impatient. Well later that night she told me that she found out her mom has cancer. She was talking about it while trying to eat some food because she hadn't eaten all day, and was just crying. As I watched her my heart literally just broke... She was really struggling. Remember that in the last 2 transfers her parents split up, her mom moved to New Zealand, her grandpa died, and now she received that news. And I truly felt that Heavenly Father was disappointed in my actions of judging her and being impatient. I have never felt more humbled in my life, and over this last week my love for her has grown so much! I will probably cry saying bye to her tomorrow, I've learned SO much about humility and faith from her. But after she told me that we decided to fast the next day for her mom. It was a really neat experience together and I truly felt the spirit so strong. Then on a funnier note...we got SO hungry, on our way home from working that day at about 9 we stopped and bought ice cream then literally Ran home with it in our hands so it wouldn't melt before we could say our prayer to close our fast..hahaha It was hilarious!

> Now speaking of saying bye to her tomorrow...this next transfer is going to be HARD. I will be transfering, saying bye to Baliwag :( But not only that...I will be opening an area. It's called Montalban, San Mateo I, but I'm most excited that it's in the city so now I'll be able to go to the temple once a transfer! SO happy about that :) AND finally the last part..I will be training!! And wait it's not over. I will be training an american! Her name is Sister Surio and she's from California, which means that I will be opening an area with a companion who speaks almost no Tagalog. I think President has a little too much trust in me..ha It is going to be Extremely difficult, but I actually have a really good feeling about it so I think it'll be good :) Wish me luck!!

> Also this week was great, because I truly have another family here in Baliwag!  I had a whole birthday weekend :) On Sunday we went to Sister Lily's in the Branch for dinner, then Monday after transfer announcements we went with the zone to this buffet...it was Amazing! ALL you can eat and it had a chocolate fountain! Delicious :) And the workers sang happy birthday to me and another Elder and brought us cake! Sadly it was mocha so we couldn't eat it, but I wanted to SO bad.. ha But it's ok! They had a drawing of names from each table out of the whole restaurant, and they picked Sister Tupa'i's name so we won a cake!! We then ate it later that night at a FHE that we had at a members with other members and missionaries for my birthday party! Elder Howey, my zone leader, gave me macaroni and cheese!!! I was pretty excited :) I really have had a Great birthday, I feel so loved by all the members and I'll be sad to leave. But it really is just the Filipino culture, so I think that's how my whole mission will be. I really do love the people here :) Except annoying investigators who won't do Anything..ha Just joking, I do love the people.

> ALSO! Thank you thank you thank you all for the package!!! I finally got to open it this morning and I was so stinking excited! We're going to use a member's oven later to make the brownies! :) And thanks so much for the hilarious cards, I love you all SO much! Also special thanks to Skyler, I'm Very very proud of his special creative talents, his card was definitely spectacular. haha I love you all so much! Thank you for all your support. I truly could not be happier than where I am right now. Serving here is the hardest thing I've ever done, but I absolutely love it. I feel myself grow every single day, thank you for everything :) Love you all so much!!

> Love,

> Sister Benesch :)