Mugunda umaga pamilya po ako!

 

Good morning family! How are you? My apologies there are no pictures this week. I forgot to bring my camera to the computer.

 

Tyce is here in the MTC and I can't find him! I look for him every chance I can. Janelle sent me a DearElder with his mtc box number on it, so I wrote him a letter and because we're family they let me stick it in his box. I haven't heard back from him yet and he leaves next week! If you talk to Janelle tell him to tell his family when he eats, where he eats, what building his class is in, what building he lives in and tell him to look for me! Then if Janelle wants to DearElder me with that info I will search for him more! I want to see him sooo badly! I asked him all those questions in my letter to him and let him know where and when I eat so hopefully he is looking for me too!

 

This week was fantastic! So many good things happened! We had a great devotional on Tuesday from Elder Aidukaitis of the Seventy and he talked all about the kingdoms of heaven. He taught us and the Spirit confirmed that when we choose which kingdom we want to inheret than all the little decisions will be easier to make. He challenged us to write in our journals and be big and bold to ourselves and declare to ourselves which kingdom we want to inheret. I want to inheret the Celestial Kingdom! It is my decision and I can guide my life by this decision. I'm so excited!

 

This week check it out... we get our travel plans for the Philippines! We leave in 13ish days! Or at least we should. Mom's birthday is my departure date so we'll see if that is still correct. I'm so excited! Last week I was scared to leave the MTC and now I'm sooo pumped to get to the Philippines! I am so excited to go out and serve the people over there! I'm super nervous still, but I am soooo excited to go to the Philippines! I still have an incredible amount of things I need to learn, so I have to take advantage of all the time I have here in the Philippines. I'm stoked. I have heard of a few different travel plans to get to the Philippines and don't know which will be mine yet.

 

SL-CA-Taiwan-Manila

SL-Washington-Tokeyo-Manila

SL-NY-Tokeyo-Manila (kind of a weird one)

SL-CA-Tokeyo-Manila

SL-CA-Guam-Manila

 

Cool right? I think we'll probabaly go through Taiwan then over to Manila. All these flights are between 14-23 hours... long right? But I'm soo excited! I will let you know what my travel plans are next week. Also I'm  not sure about calling from the airport. It all depends and again I will let you know. Also, I have a bunch of stuff I don't want to take to the Philippines. I overpacked for the MTC. Trina said I can leave a box in her office for Savanna to get... I'll talk to Trina and let you know next week or ask Trina to call Savanna.. Thanks in advance for picking it up!

 

Dad how was your birthday on Sunday!? How was your get together? I thought about you on Sunday and I thought about what you were probably doing. I figured some cake and ice cream with family and a normal day for the rest of the day? Maybe in your Priesthood lesson you had them sing happy birthday to you? ha ha just kidding. Did you have your birthday party at school? How did that go? Thank you so much for your DearElder Dad! Thanks for sending it yesterday. I LOVED reading it. Thank you thank you thank you! I really do love hearing from you! I and love that you tell me that you love hearing from me as well.

 

For Sacrament meeting they ask everybody to prepare a talk. They have a schedule of what the topic is and ask everyone to prepare a 5min talk. Then during the meeting they call Elders and Sisters from the audience to come upand give their talks. Guess who got called up to speak? This Sister! The topic was Faith in Jesus Christ and I was grateful for the opportunity to speak. I thought I had a pretty good talk, I felt pretty good about it. After my talk a few people came up to me and said they were grateful that I was greatful for "the suffering of my spouse" or something like that. Gives solid evidence how badly I need more help with my Tagalog. Like I said, I thought the talk was good (or at least in English it was good) but in Tagalog ha ha I probably made more than a few mistakes. Oh well. At least I learn right? It was a great experience though. And oh boy it was a suprise to get called on. One talk down, many more I'm sure to go. :)

 

Savanna I'm really curious how your echocardiogram goes! Please let me know? Jr. is always in my prayers and I can't wait to see this adorable little boy! Have you thought of any names? My vote for a name is still Severus. Ryan Severus Jr. Woodbury. Yep, that sounds fantastic. Is that how you spell Severus?

 

Oh I wanted to ask each of you what you remember from my Setting Apart. Speakers are always talking about how we should remember what was said during our being set apart, but what do you remember? Would you be willing to share with me?

 

Also I don't really need anything... I think. Sometimes I think I need stuff then I think to myself, nah I'm fine. Then I worry because I probably do need stuff. But oh well, I'll be fine. I can't really think of anything I need before I go.... Maybe one AA battery. THey sell them in 2s here and I don't need 2. But really I can buy 2 and give one away no big deal. Or I thought Nyquil, the liquid stuff. I brought some night tablet things but they and the liquid nasty tasting stuff do different things I feel like. But really they also sell that here so I don't actually need that. And... maybe a copy of Jesus the Christ? But again they sell that here so really I don't need anything. I just need to send stuff home. Thanks though! Oi! I thought of something! Jill sent me THIN MINTS and they were delicious! So Dad if your girl scout cookies have come to you and you feel like your daughter would want a box, feel free to send a box. :) She will be grateful . Also, as my kasama is from Samoa, I think she outhgt to try a Samoan Girl Scout cookie no? Ha ha just kidding. But really, if you want to send me some girl scout cookies we would be more than grateful. :) :) :) Fun fact, I made a Thin Mint analogy of sharing the gospel. I wrote to Jill about it so you'll have to ask her.

 

Wednesday we have been asked to host the new missionaries! That should be fun! We have a meeting about an hour before they get here. It will be fun showing them around and I can't believe that 4 weeks ago that was us. You were dropping me off and I was heading out on the mission. It is funny for me to remember that life goes on outsied of the MTC. For example, yesterday there was a truck dropping of stuff in one of the buildings and they had a T-Swift song playing. There were like 6 of us missionaries that when they opened the door to the truck and we heard the song we all turned our heads and were like "wait, what?" Ha ha it was really funny how we realized how isolated (right word?) we are from the world. I love it though! Love love love it!

 

I love love love each of YOU so much! Ry I heard you got into Kansas? Good work! Darla, I heard Dallon finished his bathroom? Good work Dallon. I love you soooo much and am so excited to talk to you either in the airport or in June! I love writing to you and LOVE when you write me! thank you thank you thank you!

 

I hope each of you have a fantastic week and I can't wait to write you again! Let me know if there is anything I can do for you!

 

I love you! Mahal po kayo!!

 

-Sister Davidson

 

p.s. the subject of this email "pananampalataya" means "faith" and I just think it is a really fun word to say so that's why it's the subject. Also faith is a great thing. May pananampalatay pamilya po ako.:) LOVE YOU!!