Sister Burnham: Surviving the Storm!

Dear Family and Friends!
It is so good to be able to email! I was afraid I wouldn't be able to because of the typhoon! Yep, just playing surviour and camp Lipa for the past 6 days...it's been pretty intense but all has been well. Nobody was injured and nothing terrible happened. Just a lot of weirdness and changes! So much happened!

So to start off, I was on exchanges with Sister Price when we got the text of a typhoon heading our way. So we still did exchanges but also went to the store to prepare for the storm. Especially having food and emergency things. Anyway, about 3 am on Wednesday morning, the storm was so loud outside that we all woke up. We couldn't sleep. So we just talked, ate some oatmeal in the candle light and it felt like camping :) Then it became really hard and water was leaking under the front door, a lot! Then upstairs in my room was starting to get a little pond happening. Haha the windows are not water proof!! The front door was like a waterfall and water was everywhere! Haha So we mopped, moved things in the other room, used anything we could to catch water and soak up water. It was a mess! Haha But it was really funny at the same time. I may or may not have biffed it at one point...just saying...Haha At some point we knew that we needed to pray, especially those of more in danger. I knew that we were being watched over and protected as we prayed. Then after three hours of doing that, the rain lifted up and we could rest. But that was the start of no water and no electricity. After resting for a time, we knew that we needed to visit those that were in more danger to the storm. Little Joan actually showed up at our house looking sad and sacred. We rushed over to Gregorio's and their complete house was soaked! So much damage too, it's all wooden planks soaked. Half of the roof was gone and a lot of their belongings destroyed from the rain. Others that we visited had about the same situation, with water up to their knees in the middle of the night. Roofs gone, and trees and power lines knocked over. Branches and debris was everywhere and it seemed gloomy. It still kinda does. But it's getting more Filipino happy because the people here are amazing. That morning they were just cleaning up, helping one other put roofs back on and still said, "Hi, Sisters!" I was kinda heartbroken at first but I knew that I had to be like them. And to help and serve. So we cleaned and cleaned, checking on members, investigators all week and making sure all is well. Nobody was injured. It was a miracle. I love these people, even though this was hard and they lost most of their belongings, they still had a smile on their face and all was well.

Transfer Day still happened and I have my first American companion! But she is half Filipina. Haha :) Sister Lacanieta. She's from Saratoga Springs, Utah. And she's basically awesome! I love her so much and it's actually really nice being with an American. Haha I didn't know how I felt about that at first but I love it now! It's great :) And I'm actually kinda in a threesome with Sister Kinikini right now too. So even better except her new companion might go home. She got really sick and is throwing up blood. It was scary. She's in Manila right now so hopeful they can get her better. But I guess she went home from her mission from this before...we'll see.

But all has been well, just kinda weird days, not really acting like missionaries. Lots of service projects and we have one tomorrow in another sisters area...our district's project! Haha But it's good, I love to serve them. No better place to be than here. Things are getter better though, little by little. Please keep them in your prayers though, we might have another one hit daw...but we'll be ready for it. But we always have prayer, I have been so grateful for that I think the most this week...things being out of my control and what not, all I can do is pray. I know that God is aware of all of us and I've seen it the most this week, I'm just grateful to be here for the people I love so much.

I love you all just as much! Thank you for your prayers! Please keep praying for the people here, they need them.

Mahal ko kayo!
Love, Sister Burnham

P.S. So Elder Mcmillan, one of my old zone leaders, he has a bunch of those flashlights that mom sent, haha. Anyways, he said that he used them during the storm and all of these and was saying "Thank you Burnham Mortuary light!" Just so you know, we got an Elder advertising for you :) Haha Thanks again for the lights!