This is not an email from your favorite missionary. This is a slice of pizza. You are confused.

Hey family!

Life is good. Today we had a district activity. We went to some kind of resort/wilderness place and ate food and played some games. It was fun, but it was hot. I didn’t think I’d ever say this, but I’ll be grateful to change back into my proselyting clothes. Pants and t-shirts are hot.

So, when you come to pick me up at the end of my mission (Mommy and Daddy), you have to try empanadas. They are pretty much the best thing ever invented. Random side note.

We had the baptism of Jessica on Saturday. It was really good. Her mom and two of her sisters came which was really good because her mom is really inactive, and her sisters are not members. So it was cool that they were able to come.

On Sunday I gave my second talk in sacrament meeting. It went okay. We had two investigators at church, Jackielyn and Dave Ashley. Dave is 12, and he is the brother of one of the young women. His mom is also a member but inactive. He’s really shy, and so we weren’t sure he was very interested, but then he started sitting in on the lessons with Jackielyn, and he’s started reading the Book of Mormon and praying, and now he’s come to church. He’s really cute. Marlon still didn’t come to church. It’s because our fellowshipper for him is a kind of less active, and he didn’t go to church either. It was a little bit disappointing, but we’ll keep working on both of them.

Oh, we had zone conference on Tuesday. It was really good. We had Elder Nielsen of the seventy come to train us, and I learned a lot. It was reemphasized that we need to keep working on less actives, even though we’re also trying to focus on investigators. He also said we need to teach not only poor people, but also the rich and educated because they are the ones who will most likely be able to become strong leaders in the church. Mostly we haven’t really attempted teaching rich people because the poor people are a lot more receptive, but we’re going to try it.

Oh, one of the less actives we’ve been teaching, Nieves Paligat, came to church the last two Sundays. She’s a little shy to go with just her 2-year-old daughter, but she said after she went the first Sunday her daughter kept saying “Simba tayo,” which means in baby Tagalog, “let’s go to church.” Isn’t that cute? So I think because of that she went this last Sunday too. We were really happy.

Well, that’s about all the time I have right now. I love you all.

Love, Sister Boekwe

Another email from your favorite missionary who is SO EXCITED to be an aunt! You have no idea!

Hey Family!

So, I have just one word for you to start out: BABY!!!! AHHHHH! I’m so excited! You have no idea! Actually, you probably have a pretty good idea. I was so excited after printing out my emails this morning, so sister Asuro and I bought a whole bunch of yummy snacks when we bought our groceries. We love snacks. It’s our weakness. And today we had a good excuse to buy them. I took a picture, which I am hoping to include in a separate email. I’ve been talking sister Asuro’s ear off about Nephi ever since this morning because I’m SO EXCITED!

There’s a little 1-year-old boy in the branch here who loves to play peek-a-boo games with me. He’s so cute! Nephi will be about that age when I get home. Maybe he’ll be like that too! I’m so excited!

Well, I guess you want to hear about what’s happening here. Yesterday we were really hoping Marlon would come to church. We arranged for a couple of the YSA guys in the branch to pick him up for church, but he didn’t end up going. It was really disappointing, but I guess we just have to really think more about how we can help him. He is reading the Book of Mormon and praying, and he says he’s noticed a difference in his life because of it. He feels happier and less bored. He just needs to go to church so he really can be baptized. Rebecca, if you can think of any ideas to help people go to church when they are shy to do so, that would be really helpful (unless you’re too busy with Mommy stuff).

We’re also teaching a woman named Lisa. She is in her 40’s and she works as a maid at a member’s house. She has a lot of trials, especially financially. Her husband is sick, so he sometimes can’t work, and they sometimes don’t have food, so she has to ask for help from neighbors. She is very humble, and she needs the gospel so much.

Could you all pray for Marlon and Lisa. They really need prayers so they will accept the gospel. If you could, also pray for Jackielyn. I don't remember if I've told you about her, but she is the 16 year old sister of one of the members here, and she is really excited to learn about the gospel, but she also has a hard time coming to church. she has a baptismal date for October, but she needs to come to church every Sunday before then. She's such a cute girl, and I really hope she will be baptized.

Hey Daddy, can you think of any experiences where the gospel really blessed your family when you were growing up that you can share with me? Especially financially because most of the people here are very poor, and especially examples of how living specific gospel principles brought specific blessings. I want to be able to share it with the people I teach.

Oh, and Mommy and twins, thank you so much for your letters! You have no idea how happy it made me to get real letters in the mail! And Rebecca, thank you for your dear elder! I love getting letters!

I love you all! Thanks for your emails and letters! They always make me SO HAPPY! You're the best family ever! Give Nephi lots of hugs and kisses for me! Make sure he doesn't forget his Auntie Lisa, since I'm not there to remind him!

Love, Sister Boekweg

Pictures for my favorite nephew!

  Sister Asuro and I with our birthday cards that she made for her dad and I made for Nephi

  Me with all the goodies I bought with Sister Asuro today to celebrate the birth of my favorite nephew

 An ube cupcake to celebrate!!

My birthday card for Nephi

 Paoay and Batac sisters

 My district

Harlene and Christy's baptism

Another email from your favorite missionary!

Hey family!

So here’s some random bits of information, if you care to know.

1) I found out from Sister Asuro the other day that I am the only American sister in my mission right now. We’re getting two more next transfer though.

2) Everyone laughs at me when I eat fish because I don’t know how to avoid bones. Even President Barrientos laughs at me.

3) One of my favorite things about the Philippines is all the yummy snacks they have here. They have so many munchies that you can buy in small quantities to snack on, like crackers, and cookies, and chocolatey yumminess.

I love how the people here love to be with people. In America everyone wants to be on their computer or listening to their ipod, or doing whatever, and their always busy. Here, everyone loves to just sit and visit with each other, and it's not weird at all to just go up to someone sitting outside their house and just start talking to them.

So, this week Marlon accepted to be baptized! He still needs to recieve a definite answer first, and we need to get him to come to church, but I believe he will be baptized because he really wants to do what God wants him to do. I'm really happy that he wants to be baptized.

Well, that's about all for this week.

I love you all!

Love, Sister Boekweg