Shinguards to Sandals: Life in Aparrrrrri. The Place of Shrimp. MY FAVORITE

Sister Wood in a windstorm

Sister Wood's apartment and desk

Happy Valentines everyone! It is almost my 2nd favorite holiday! Wow time is going quick. Aparri is doing wonderfully... its nice. I am starting to get used to it all so that's good! It has already been a good day. We got up at 5:30 and went and played basketball with the elders at church. It was fun I guess, not as fun as it used to be haha cause the sisters who play don't even like sports so its just like okay pass it to me, no one is guarding me basically and i make a lay-up. No really that is exactly how it goes. Then we went over to the market to buy stuff for the week. There is meat hanging all over the place and then the fish section is sweet. There were squid and sharks and shrimps (its almost shrimp season) and all this exotic cool fish that you rarely see at home! I will send pictures next week. So you know those mice i said we were gonna get? Well we got two of them. And we burned one of them. HAHAHA. I have no mercy towards creatures of that sort haha.

The weather has been a lot nicer this week and we have been going to the beach every morning and it is way cool because you can see the islands above the philippines on a good morning. I will try and get photos of that too. But Its just the most relaxing prettiest place to exercise. Besides the dead piglet we saw in the sand.... but that's all haha.

The ocean in Aparri

I love walking down the streets here because I listen to all of the people sit and guess my height.

All of the members here are so great. They are all willing to work with us and help in the missionary work. We even have a recent convert named Cesaria who was so excited to come and work with us for the first time. We went and picked her up and she was in her sundays best and loooked all ready to go. We looked at each other and was like wow she looks 10x better than us and we are the missionaries! I am grateful that the ward is so willing to help out.

Some of our investigators can't see. It is a big issue haha. They can't read the book of mormon because they can't see the little print! So my companion and I have started re-writing the important scriptures so that they can read them! So far it is a success. We will do whatever we need to to help them read the book of mormon!

Writing the Book of Mormon so their investigators can see it

The little girl who is getting baptized on the 22nd didn't come to church on sunday because she was swimming in the ocean! Unless she starts keeping all of her commitments I don't think that we will let her get baptized... its not worth it. We need to make sure she has a testimony so she doesn't go less active like a lot of the other recent converts!

Every day I am being more and more humbled... We can't be humbled enough! In every aspect. With the language, and the teaching.... but mostly the language hahaha.... I do know for a fact that I needed this in my life and it is helping me grow so much.

I have failed to mention how proud I am of my Brother! My Baloogy! The past few weeks have been some important ones, and I want to congratulate him on committing to weber state to play football! I am so happy for you stet. I know that all your hard work has paid off! Even though blue is still better. HAHA. Also, with you submitting your mission papers.... I think you are going to go to the midwestern united state haha. THat is my guess.I have this little obsession with your mission pictures and stuff and have them hanging on my desk. Sometimes my companion catches me just staring at them and I really loved what she said the other day. She said, "Sister Wood, if you are this excited for your brother to be serving a mission, think of how excited Heavenly Father is..." I really loved it. But it is true. I know that our Heavenly Father is way more excited than me, (which is already a lot) for you to serve. I can't wait for you to join me in the Lord's Army. I love you Stet.

Stetson and Courtnee

Thank you so much everyone for all of your continued support. I am so lucky.

Love,
Sister Wood.

P.s. Happy valentines day! HOpefully you guys all go and do all the cute valentinesy stuff and be thinking of the missionaries who do wala! (nothing).

P.S.s if you got a valentine from me, you should feel extra special :) haha.