Kumusta ka na?

Hey everyone!

I'm back in the MRC in Manila.
Tuesday night I called President after we got back from the Susuya's
(WHO ARE AWESOME AND I LOVE THEM!) and asked if I could leave
Batangas. I knew that the next day he had zone interviews in Mindoro,
and the port to that island is in my area. So I asked if he would pick
me up on his way back from there and take me to the mission home or to
the MRC.

President and Sister, the AP Merriam and Malit and the
Hansens picked me up around 4:30. I said a sad goodbye to Williams and
Waldrom and really I have just been refusing to talk about or
acknowledge my feelings. The last week I have just been cracking jokes
that only I think are funny, to get my mind off of the 15 hours of
in-air time on airplane's that I knew were close at hand.

Last night I slept at the Mission Home for the first time! It was
really nice. We had dinner with all the missionaries that live at the
Mission home/office. I got to talk to president all by myself for a
really long time and that was a really special experience. I learned
so much about myself from his views of me, how to be a better
missionary, and he gave me some very good advice. He told me to help
teach the Missionary Prep class in Idaho. I told him I didn't have
enough experience but he said that I would do a really good job. 

This morning I went with President and Sister to the Training Check-up
meeting in San Pablo. It was a little weird to be there...because I am
not training and was companions with the Peterson's. My plan was just
to sit in the back and observe, but president insisted that I sit next
to him. So I sat in-between President and Sister Peterson. They are
very nice, it was a little weird for all the missionaries to look at
me and wonder what in the world I was doing at their meeting....but it
was very good and I learned a lot still. Afterwards, I talked to a few
of the missionaries I know like Perez, Parry, Neilson, Toro, Richards,
and Martinez, and soon I left. President told me that I had a choice.
I could go to Ramzey's with all the other missionaries or President,
Sister and I could go to Manila and eat something nice at a real
restaurant! Let's just say I chose Manila! And we went to TGI Fridays
and I got a real nice Mango Smoothie, Nachos, and a nice big Steak. I
LOVED IT! I have missed REAL meat. And that was the best smoothie of
my life. It has been really fun to spend some good quality time with
President!

We arrived at the MRC after taking a picture at the temple and I was
very happy to see sister Teaotai again. I have missed her IOUWUE and
AIYKIONIRA!

I'm safe and sound right next to the temple once again. And I am just
waiting for my exit visa. Sana (hopefullly, wishfully) I will get it
bukas but I don't know what is going to happen.

Kita Kitas malapit na!

Sister Hellewell

FAREWELL FILIPPINAS

It has been quite the week here in the Philippines. In the end the

Doctor's at St. Lukes Global in Manila were not really able to help me

much except to confirm that the pain in my chest is not my Heart or

Lungs. They gave me some pain medicine and I did not want to go home

so they let me come back home to Batangas and try to keep working!

Sister Teaotai only came back for two days. She was much more positive

than me at first. She was ready to get working again. But, when the

time came to go back out and work she knew she couldn't do it. She was

having trouble even walking up the stairs to her bed. She is in Manila

waiting for her exit visa and flight back to Kiribati. I am in a trio

right now with Williams and Waldrom. It is really cool to get to work

with my companion from my MTC after we have gotten more fluent in the

language and actually know how to teach! She is always an inspiration.

It has been hard on the W's to send us home, but I just can't do the

work like I would like to. I can't work all day and just am either in

too much pain or tired so much that we can only get out for a few

hours. Since our area's are really progressing I feel like I am

holding back the work too much. Plus, it is not fun to be sick in the

Philippines, it is too hot and I only get Aircon on the Bus or during

sacrament meeting! But in the end I have prayed to heavenly father,

and I know that I need to come home.

I was really struggling when I got back from MRC because I did NOT

want to go home. President came and taught me a lesson about faith and

doing God's will. I will write more about that when I get home and

have more time. He is inspired and talked a lot about God's will and

"But if not"

I am sad that my dad will not be home when I get there, and that my

brother's will be busy with Finals week but I know that now is the

time and I will probably get my exit visa and flight home by Wednesday

or Thursday.

I love you all and I will call the Fam when I get home.

Mahal Kita,

Sister Hellewell

Buhay Pa! that means I'm still alive.

 To catch you all up on Stephanie.  She was sent to Manila to the hospital up there to have her heart checked out to make sure that there isn't something wrong with that.  Looks like she has a good heart!
Here is what she wrote;

 Well after telling me it couldn't be costocondritis because it

doesn't hurt when I touch my ribs or sternum... the doctor put me through
those millions of tests and stuff. Now, he says it must be costochondritis... which he gave me some sort of meds and said if it isn't better in two weeks come back. 

Well I'm not feeling any better than when I got here to Manila, so I'm not sure what they are gonna do to me. I will have to talk to Dr. Jackson first. I just hope they let me
go to the temple again before I go back to Batangas!

Well. Kita Kits!
Have a good day!

Remember to be grateful and be like Christ!
Mahal Kita!    Sister Hellewell

The Manila Temple up close!
My first good look at it!!!!!

She went back to Batangas today so we won't here from her again till next monday.  Here are a few pictures and thoughts she sent when she was in Manila if you want to read on.

Hey Mom and Dad!

How are you doing? I'm in manila right now, and you guessed it, I'm
still sick, but I'm actually doing better than I was. I'm in the MRC
right now, or the Missionary Recovery Center. IT IS AWESOME! We're
talking a dream on Steroids here... Warm showers, AIRCON, an oven,
home cooked food.  We arrived here with a very warm welcome there are four of us missionaries here, two elders and me and teaotai.  

We just spent all day at the hospital getting tests done for three of

us.  It is a REALLY NICE HOSPITAL we're talking American nice. it also has a Dairy Queen so I got a butter finger blizzard! 

Yesterday we were just stuck here in the MRC, we slept, the elders taught me a Filipino card
game that is similar but different and much better than scum. I will have to make sure I write down the logistics so I can teach you later. We also got to watch a movie yesterday! We had options... church movies or it’s a Wonderful Life. We watched the wonderful life.... man
it sure takes his life a long time to get wonderful! Jokelang.

                                                                         

AP Merriam told us that last Christmas his parents sent him a package that both me and Sister Williams could have fit inside the box. We were in quite an awe at how big that package would have been! Then.... Elder and Sister Smith (Our couple missionary) brought us a new fan! Because our other one died. It was quite sad to only have three fans in the house. But anyways they brought us a new and really good one! Since it was new it came in a box... Sister Waldrom said...I bet sister hellewell could fit in that box! So of course I just had to try! (At this point I had only left the house once in the last 5 days to go get medicine when all four of us missionaries were sick, and had only left 4 times in the last 10 days or so, so I was really bored and in grave need of entertainment!) But I fit! So a box that elder merriam had received must have been a little over two times that size! Joke... but yeah. I did stretch the box a bit.. and put the other three sisters into a fit of laughter with me trying to get out of it... but it was quite fun!

The four of us missionaries when we were sick.

Me and Teaotai at the apartment. She was in a lot of pain and I was

trying to distract her by doing random things... Did you know they
don't have the 3 little pig’s story in Kiribati?