[Editor’s Note: Allyson’s email came and it said, “Hello family! I just started my email time. Is anyone on the computer right now because I would like to talk to you?” Well, of course we were on the computer because that’s how we spend our Sunday nights waiting for our email. So, we were able to have a question and answer through email with Ally!]

We just got back from a zone activity in the botanical garden. Most beautiful place ever! We took a terrifying jeepney ride in which we almost rolled down the mountain since it was so steep. It's high in the mountains and there are animals--monkeys, butterflies, owls, some weird animals that I don't know what they are... It was really fun!

Good news. My zone leader recovered some of the pictures from my camera. An office elder says he thinks he might be able to get some more so he's going to try. I've been taking pictures on my other card but I'm too scared to plug it into a computer to send pictures home. It's been happening to everybody.

How are the lessons going with your investigators?

Lessons are good. I went on exchanges last week with Sister T from Utah. She's only been here 6 more weeks than me, so the language was pretty rough haha. We had a bit of an adventure. We were in a creepy shack in the middle of a rice field when a giant thunderstorm hit (the weather was super crazy because of the earthquake-- it was sometimes flooded 3/4 of the way up my calf). Anyway, we decided we needed to go even though it was raining really hard. So we were trudging through the water in a rice field and thunder and lightning started. I have never seen lighting that close. And the thunder was sooo loud. Anyway, the lightning struck RIGHT in front of us and we could feel our hands tingle, so we threw our umbrellas out of our hands... we were so scared we were going to get electrocuted because we were the only thing besides rice... so we just grabbed our umbrellas by the nonmetal part and ran to a waiting shed. Hahaha, we were completely drenched and we had just run for a long time and there were like 20 people in the waiting shed. When we got there, they all just moved to the other side, turned on the light, and stared at the two crazy panting soaking wet Americanas. Haha.

The Dinkels had us over for dinner last night. Lasagna! Delicious! We had to leave early to go to a referral. It was literally the worst place I've ever been in my whole life. There were probably 50-80 cockroaches crawling in their "house". Not exaggerating. And it was just this creepy dark cement thing that smelled like a sewer and you had to walk in a really dark alley for a long time and there were lots of cats. Anyway, but dinner last night was great! I love the Dinkels!

We love the Dinkels too. That lightning story is a little scary. How did you deal with all of the cockroaches?

It would have been fine if the member wasn't stepping on them all to kill them then making them mad and laughing at our reactions. Also, a couple days ago, I was drying off my hair after my shower and felt something on my ear. What was it? An Ipis (That is... COCKROACH!)

Question: How's your little family doing?

They are good. They came to church yesterday. J hadn't even slept yet! He drives his trike at night and then he came straight to church. At church, we had investigators and less actives there. It was good. Then we taught the G family later that day... they are really progressing. They were very sweet and gave us some food and RC Cola and papaya from their tree.

How's the tagalog?

Crappy! It's actually coming along. I'm way better at understanding it than I am speaking it. I just really need to study it more.

Are you going to stay put when all of these new missionaries come?

Yes, they are adding a fourth companionship to Sevilla, so they will live with us. We have transfer awareness on Wednesday to find out for sure if we'll be transferred, but I'm 95% sure I'm staying here.

Are you excited to have two new sisters in your apartment? Will your area change when the new sisters come?

Luckily our area won't change. It will be fun to have more people to talk to, but we're not looking forward to it because right now we keep a ton of our stuff in the other room and we each have our own bathroom.

I slept outside for the first time in the Philippines last week. On transfers, their power was off so it was too hot to sleep inside with no fans. So we just drug a couple mattresses outside and slept outside with the other sisters in the apartment. As we were doing it, we were like "What does this remind us of?" Oh yeah, girls camp. Haha.

I bought a fan with the best design on it. The fabric is creepy off-brand Toy Story. It has all the characters but they just don't look quite right. It's the best. Love the Philippines!

Did you sleep on the road? Is your apartment in a neighborhood?

If we did that we would have been attacked by animals. They had a balcony. Our apartment is kind of in a neighborhood. It's up a hill next to a boarding house and next to some shacks and then there are some nicer houses above us.

What has been your most spiritual experience this week?

I don't know what my most spiritual experience was this week. Probably just seeing our investigators progress-- we've been having some really good lessons with a less active named Brother J. He feels guilty for not coming to church, but he has lots of problems he's been trying to give up. He came to church yesterday though. We were very happy about that.

I'm impressed with how you are handling the dogs. Is that ok? Any more sickness? What else has happened to you?

Yes. It's ok. One dog slammed into me the other day and left a ton of saliva on my leg. Whenever they get close I just get out my umbrella and when you act like you're going to hit them they run away. Good news. I now have a bamboo stick that I got from the jungle. I was trying to break it off but didn't have a knife. Luckily a man with a machete walked by and chopped it for me. So, I used that for dogs yesterday.

Oh yes, the old drunken men love me! And yesterday, I was teaching a lesson and the girl stopped in the middle of her prayer so I opened my eyes to see what was going on and I found a kid sneaking a picture of me. They all just say "maputi! maputi!" which means light skin. Also, a couple days ago, I got called Joe. Excuse me! I am a girl. No more sickness. Hopefully, my stomach is back to normal.

Are things still shocking and worthy of a freak out? Or are you getting used to the crazy things that are around you?

I'm definitely getting more used to it. Still a bit shocked sometimes. For example, I just cleaned all the ants off the counter and didn't even get super grossed out. Also, I let ducks and roosters and chickens and dogs and cats walk around my feet and I don't freak out. Sometimes I get really freaked out though. Some of our barangays (Barangay-- it's sort of like a neighborhood. It's the smallest unit here-- they have a barangay captain and counselors with ordinances and stuff. We have like 8 or 9. It's like a big neighborhood or small village) are way better than others. The ones in the city are disgusting and smelly and dark and scary. I would much prefer to teach in a bamboo hut or tin hut in the jungle than in the city.

Where are you right now?

I’m in a sketchy internet cafe across the street from our apartment.

What else do you have to do today?

Eat lunch, go to the market, clean our apartment, and go to a bunch of random stores to get various things. P days are the busiest day ever. We are always running around the whole day. Then we start teaching at 6.

Ok, my time is up. I love you all so much. Thanks for the package and everything. I hope you all have a great week.

 All of the foreigners had to be fingerprinted.