Influence

Sorry i cant use the question marker somebody has the Spanish symbols locked on here so just roll with it!

So pretty much my entire flat is empty now, all the other missionaries that are going to Cebu.Tacloban and the other place all got shipped off today! so it was kind of sad and quiet today, so I pretty much napped all day!

Some of them had crazy flight plans though, because airlines cut missionaries deals if they just fill up seats, so some of them went to Oakland at like 4 am, and flew right to Manila! I don’t get how that works haha!

I remember when Eric was in the field it was cool! I hope I can have the same effect, it is strange though I think about maybe I have an effect on CJ’s views on what he wants to do. I will have to write you a letter to send to him!

Today for dinner I ate only a salad and im taking a laxative pill tonight! so wish me the best of luck!

And good luck on trying to keep up with  my schedule, my teacher said in the Phillipines you move so fast that you are just always exhausted, and he said you are never not tired! so that is fun! That’s why they tend to send athletes and farmers to the Phillipines!

Well my time runs short because I have to email all my buddies in the field! I love you! write me a dear elder so i can respond to it!

 

Take My Tie!

Dad, the MTC is okay now, I try not to wear a watch, like I would do at Treehouse, just cover up the time so I don’t care what time it is, either I’m studying or I’m eating “great” food.

yesterday they served awesome spaghhetti and we had a farting contest with our zone in my room! so that was pretty fun.

One thing I learned about the language is that you basically learn concepts here and have no idea on how to speak, but I can understand Ilonggo pretty well, its just hard to make you’re own sentences cuz they have markers, conjugations and prefixes and suffixes for almost every type of word.

Did I mention that words don’t have definitions? You just get a route and depending on the way that you conjugate it it has a specific meaning, and also the context can change the meaning as well, its great for the people who grew up speaking it, but hard for English speakers to learn.

You asked about my zone, we have 1 sister from the Cook Islands, 1 sister from Fiji, 1 elder from Aussie, and the rest of us are American, and i am the only city boy, they rest were ranch farmers!

I decided to focus on learning principles of the gospel rather than the language, i spoke to my mission presidents son and he said that Hiligaynon is one of the hardest languages to learn in the wold that does not have a new alphabet!

and I spoke to a Filipino at lunch, i tried to tell him “gusto ka ang neck tie” “i like your’e tie” and he proceeded to take it off and give it to me, i felt bad so i gave him mine, but then i figured out that’s not the way that you say you like something, it meant i wanted it….

so the language is fun!

haolong!

Are You Happy?

As far as the question goes about my happiness, it’s strange, sometimes you try to be sad here, and you think about stuff you miss like mountain biking and food that does not cause the unleashing of the Kracken, but I always find ways to comfort myself, me and my neighbors have made such a nice little family and we love so share stories and experiences and make it each other laugh, its the best medicine for homesickness, because we all miss home! But I have a great gift of the spirit with me who comforts me and provides. Even though you can’t see me, you know that i’m there and i’m happy. I read this is the bible when this guy name Jacob was questioning his fathers Helams principle of faith, when he met a somebody and she covered his eyes and said “Can you see me?” and he said “I cannot” “But ye knoweth I am here” It really brought comfort to me and it let me know that our Savior knows how we feel and that his is at my right hand in all things, and I feel the same way about my family. Elder Iloa does not speak many words, but he bore his testimony and said he can feel his family’s prayers, i could too!

You are probably crying right now so I’ll stop haha! But I wanted to give you a feel of the insane gospel experiance i have had in only what 12 days? ( I dont try hard to keep track becuase it makes it seem longer)

But I have to go to dinner and force down some dish that includes potatoes.

Hilligaynon

Heyyyy mommy! Can you please send me an email? I get here on Monday at 5:00 AM for a reason so I can read and write you emails!

But yes iI’ sitting here at 5 in the laundry room writing emails!

So far this week has been pretty good! I’m getting to be less tired everyday, but I still fall asleep during the lulling talks sometimes! Its hard you get tired a lot!

Hiligaynon is coming amat amat, if you cant tell its ruining my ability to write in English! And that does not help since I was bad at spelling already!

Its a lot like Spanish is some aspects, but in others its really different!

My teacher is incredible and has one of the biggest passions for teaching what he does! He is one of the greatest teachers I have ever seen!

But I will send you another email this afternoon I have to go to the temple!

Aayos lang, maayon aka! Haolong!

Love you mum!

Gaining Weight

Mom! by the way i have gained 6 lbs since i have been here, I’m back up to 185 and I’m still looking pretty good! I got to go and lift today! it was incredible! I talked the hot instructor to letting me stay another 30 minutes today, and i think that I will be doing that quite often! You can send that stuff! My watch link broke so i am going to send it home! If you could buy me a watch that has either a rubber covered metal band or a rubber band that would be awesome!?? They kind of get used a lot and I’ll just keep my nice one home! It needs to sort of heavy duty if you do send me one! Also i need some extra collar stays! the little things you put in you’re collar! But i gotta run and dump some mail! And i would like to know a little bit about what’s going on in the world since they are trying to brainwash me with this compound of spirituality! haha! It really is that though I’m forgetting what the sky looks like! Just ask Eric and he will tell you why the is! And tell Eric that i found i spoon somebody hid in my room in 1989! SO were going to start hiding spoons! Halong!

Kamusta!!!!!

Thanks for the Starburst! And they letters, but gosh people don’t be so preachy and stiff with the letters! I get spoken to about obedience and gospel stuff all day! I dont want to hear that kind from you a lot! Tell Josh not to talk to me like I’m in philosophy class.

Anyways its P-day! I’m sitting here in the laundry room just writing emails away! It’s insanely crowded! Everything is over packed ALL of the time! We woke up and 5:15 this morning and went to the temple!

Halong! Kabalo ako nga matuod ebongheliyo! kag mululuwas ni Jesucristo! Ang Libro ni mormon ang puulong sang Dios!