Kumusta po kayoooo
How's everyone doing? So unbeknowest to us, last week was our last temple visit for the next two years. We found out yesterday that the Provo Temple is closed until January, so we're pretty bummed- but that means more time for stuff today, I guess. Hahahaha I loved hearing about Elder Christensons mom being on that website, I'll have to tell him about that. That's so funny. He's in my zone, and he's going to ilo ilo. Only 4 of us are going to Bagio from my zone, and 5 others from the other zone. But yeah, he's a really nice guy, haha. He knew collin and tanner, too. And that's awesome that Brandon and Trevor came to The Christmas Program on sunday. Sorry if my grammar and spelling or anything is off, english words really are starting to look strange, sometimes. We spend almost all day now speakign in Tagalog, so it's weird sometimes to switch back. I haven't gotten your second package or Brandon's yet- but they'll probably be here today. Thank you so much in advance for them. Also thank you so much for the last package. SADLY! I had to open all the presents, because I had to know what I could and couldn't bring, and I can't bring most of that stuff! Haha, thank you so much for them but I meant like one toy or something to play with. So I'm sending back some of the stuff, and gave the rubics cube to my companion and I think I'll give the boggle to my teacher. We tried playing Tagalog Boggle, but it was literally impossible, haha. They only have like 20 letters in their alphabet. But thank you so much for it, I loved loved opening them and it felt like Christmas. QUESTION: can I send a package to callie and inform the post office to hold it until she comes back? If not then I'll send the box(es) to aunt debbie, but I'm pretty sure it's free if I get it delivered to Provo. Also is my call letter in the package coming? Answer all these questions in a dearelder tonight if you can, haha thanks. ALSO! I sent Andrea a letter, so she better've gotten it and forgiven me already for not acknowledging her packages. I don't have much time to do anything personal at the MTC so I just ran out of time two weeks ago to write her a letter, so I hope she got that. IF NOT! Then andrea thank you so much for all the packages.
So, onward I suppose. OH! I need Trevor Taylor and Garret Gibson's and Hutch's Emails/Addresses. So if I could get those ASAP so I can write them before I take off, I'd love that. I heard from an Elder in here that Elder Bray got reassigned to California, so I was psyched to hear that- that's awesome. Also I need to write Sis. sturges today, she sent me another holiday card. Oh, and I got one from Taylor- that was awesome to see him again, it feels like it's been years, haha. Oh, and I have to write aunt debbie as well. Yeah I saw her sister in law! It was so funny, because I kept hearing about some woman asking about an Elder White going to the Philippines, so yesterday the Sisters in my district came into the classroom where we were studying and were like we're hear to summon you, Elder White. So we went to watch Music and Spoken Word and I met her, finally. She was so nice and made me laugh really hard when she said she'd met my parents, "Shannon and Donny". I could see aunt Debbie's influence on her. I think that's all my questions for today, but if I think of any others I'll try and hop back on.
Sooo this week has been pretty good, same old stuff. But one of our teachers left this week, and we were really sad to see him go. Such an awesome guy, and an amazing teacher. his name was Brother Perry, so I'll have to write him from the Phillies. We got our Flight Plans on Thursday!! We were so stoked. It's crazy, the entire trip is going to take like 20 - 24 hours, at least. And I'll have time to email next week before I leave - but I think the phone call is going to come around 11 - 3 AM your time... hahaha sorry. I don't leave SLC until 8 something, and then a 3 hour layover in LAX. My plane leaves at midnight'ish from LAX - Hong Kong. Then run to the Manilla plane from Hong Kong, then an hour flight to manilla, and a looong bus ride up to Baguio. It's going to be so sad saying goodbye to all the ilo ilo people, cuz they're on different planes. So it's just me , my companion , Elder Su'A , and Elder Soderquist. Plus other Baguio Elders we've met from the other zone. So at least that'll be really fun. So that's the travel news for now.. I'll give a clearer picture next week... but that'll be roughly when the phone call is, haha.
So! Last night was so good. For our Fireside we had some guy named Ben Gibbons come and give a performance / monologue thing acting as Willard Richards. It was amazing, mom. Church History is incredible, and he is just a brilliant actor or whatever you want to call him. But after the performance everyone was just awe struck, honestly. So we sang We thank thee oh God, for a prophet to close the fireside. And one by one most of us started to stand up. SOOO POWERFUL. hahah It was so awesome. Then watched the Joseph Smith movie afterwards and it was just like woooow so much better. Last night was just so good, and if you ever have a change look up Ben Gibbons and watch this performance, or get tickets to something- i dont know, just check it out.
Okay that's about everything, so here are the quotes or whatever from the week I've liked.
1. The MTC - college + church + prison
2. Oh, I took out 80$ for a Hep A shot this week that I needed. The second shot in the series, I think.
3. Alma is the most amazing book in the entire book. Especially chapters 32 - 36.
4. 3 Nephi 18:32? Gah, I think that's it. Go read it, please. Haha it's good.
5. I think that's it for this week. I just need those addresses of those people ASAP. THanks so much
Love you all, and I'll talk to you next week!!
OH! Almost forgot. On the third floor bedroom, brandons, mine, courtneys old bedroom, in the closet on the top of it in the back. I left some christmas presents in a small ziplock bag for everyone. I think they're in a bag, or a clip. Anyways- GO GET EM!
MAHAL KITA!!
-Elder White
Monday, December 20, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
week 7
I'm not even sure of the weeks anymore. I think it's seven because we have two weeks left. We got a new district in on Wednesday, after the old one left on Monday. There is 14 of them in one district, which means one classroom. That really really sucks for them, haha. We had 10 in ours (9 now) but even that is bad, the rooms aren't very big. So with 14 kids they have to have two rows of 7 and that definitely cuts down on the effect of the learning. There are some serious weirdos in that batch, but I think they're all pretty nice. It's a really weird feeling having them here because they're us when we first came in, and we're the district of Elder Green and them. It feels like they were here just yesterday, but it's been like 5 or 6 weeks since we saw them. maybe 4 or 5. Anyways- Tagalog is continually picking up. I have been harping on vocab so hard this past week. Friday and Saturday I just sat down and forced myself to memorize about 100 new adjectives because I was sick of not being able to describe things or understand descriptions. At this point we know most common verb conjugations and sentence structures and what not, so all that is reaaallllyyy left is vocab and a few more rules. But all that our teachers can teach us about Tagalog has pretty much been taught. The rest will be picked up in the field. It's so funny though, because no matter how confident we feel here, no matter how much better we feel than others or worse than others, we're all going to get our butts kicked for that first month, at least. Like evveerryone has said you have noo idea what they're saying for at least a week.. so that's going to be really funny. I keep asking my teachers about their first week because I'm so curious what they're impressions were. They both just said though first impressions were it's hot and it's dirty, haha. I can't wait to get over there though, I'm getting antsy. Only two more weeks. But in those two weeks I know I'm going to learn so much. Two weeks ago I didn't feel half as confident as I do now. So that's the Tagalog update.
Packages and Letters- Just need to say again. If you are sending a package MAKE SURE that it's here before the 20th , because they are not accepting packages after the 22nd and I need time to send things home if I think I can't bring them or what not. I don't want to just throw them out. I'm leaving at a hard time, so please please do not send me anything that I don't think I can bring. Whether that's too heavy or just not allowed. Also I need an ipod charger, as soon as you can send onee. But thank you for all the packages and everything, they've been awesome. I think I'm going to get a big box and send all the stuff I can to Callie, because I think Provo packages are free from the MTC... not sure though.
Oh ALSO! I need my call letter ASAP. I just reread that letter from President Jensen and it said to bring a copy of your call letter. So, if you can send me a copy of that (preferably a good copy or the original) I would love it. I just need to get it copied and laminated in the copy center here and then I can send it right back. And where's mah christmas ties!! Kind of just kidding, but they would've been coolio.
MTC news.. not much. Last night for the fireside the BYU Men's Chorus came and performed. They were real good, and have some amazing voices. Also the entire theme was just Christmas and Christ, so it was a really good performance. Other than that this week has been real boring. Everything is the same as usual... bad food, good language, great study, and so on. I'll try and write a letter today.. I say that every Monday- but I have a bit more time today. Christmas is pretty soon, and the MTC usually gets an apostle or two to come speak, so everyone is crazy excited for that. Also, I'm only going to have like 30 minutes to talk at the airport :\ , kind of sucks. Maybe that'll become an hour, but I'm pretty sure it's just 30 minutes. So that's when the phone call will come, I'll let you know next Monday exactly around what time that'll be.. it'll be during the layover that we'll almost definitely have at LAX. But we get our flight plans on Friday, so I'll inform you next Monday. That's all I can really think of right now.. I'll give you a couple quotes I loved this week.
the first is by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin from a talk he gave a few years ago about Adversity. Such a funny quote, especially when he says it. We get to watch the Mormon Messages and stuff on LDS.org and Mormon.org whenever we want, and when we watched this we were laughing so hard. He says to learn to laugh, and "Have you ever seen an angry driver, that when someone else makes a mistake, he reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors... all the way back to Adam?" ...go watch it. It's called Come What May and Love It. So funny.
the second is by C.S Lewis, I think- and it's such a good point.
It's something like If Jesus isn't our savior, then he is nothing. Because that would make him a liar. He taught that he was our savior, he proclaimed he was our savior. So you cannot think Jesus was just a good mad, or a teacher, or even just a prophet- because he said he was our savior. And if that's not the case then that makes him a liar and directly contradicts those thoughts.
I just thought that was an awesome point I'd never thought of before. Also the Book of Mormon is sweeeet, been reading like a crazyyy. K gotta go. Times up. Much Love, talk to you next week. Probably a letetr who knows!! GTG BYE!
Packages and Letters- Just need to say again. If you are sending a package MAKE SURE that it's here before the 20th , because they are not accepting packages after the 22nd and I need time to send things home if I think I can't bring them or what not. I don't want to just throw them out. I'm leaving at a hard time, so please please do not send me anything that I don't think I can bring. Whether that's too heavy or just not allowed. Also I need an ipod charger, as soon as you can send onee. But thank you for all the packages and everything, they've been awesome. I think I'm going to get a big box and send all the stuff I can to Callie, because I think Provo packages are free from the MTC... not sure though.
Oh ALSO! I need my call letter ASAP. I just reread that letter from President Jensen and it said to bring a copy of your call letter. So, if you can send me a copy of that (preferably a good copy or the original) I would love it. I just need to get it copied and laminated in the copy center here and then I can send it right back. And where's mah christmas ties!! Kind of just kidding, but they would've been coolio.
MTC news.. not much. Last night for the fireside the BYU Men's Chorus came and performed. They were real good, and have some amazing voices. Also the entire theme was just Christmas and Christ, so it was a really good performance. Other than that this week has been real boring. Everything is the same as usual... bad food, good language, great study, and so on. I'll try and write a letter today.. I say that every Monday- but I have a bit more time today. Christmas is pretty soon, and the MTC usually gets an apostle or two to come speak, so everyone is crazy excited for that. Also, I'm only going to have like 30 minutes to talk at the airport :\ , kind of sucks. Maybe that'll become an hour, but I'm pretty sure it's just 30 minutes. So that's when the phone call will come, I'll let you know next Monday exactly around what time that'll be.. it'll be during the layover that we'll almost definitely have at LAX. But we get our flight plans on Friday, so I'll inform you next Monday. That's all I can really think of right now.. I'll give you a couple quotes I loved this week.
the first is by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin from a talk he gave a few years ago about Adversity. Such a funny quote, especially when he says it. We get to watch the Mormon Messages and stuff on LDS.org and Mormon.org whenever we want, and when we watched this we were laughing so hard. He says to learn to laugh, and "Have you ever seen an angry driver, that when someone else makes a mistake, he reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors... all the way back to Adam?" ...go watch it. It's called Come What May and Love It. So funny.
the second is by C.S Lewis, I think- and it's such a good point.
It's something like If Jesus isn't our savior, then he is nothing. Because that would make him a liar. He taught that he was our savior, he proclaimed he was our savior. So you cannot think Jesus was just a good mad, or a teacher, or even just a prophet- because he said he was our savior. And if that's not the case then that makes him a liar and directly contradicts those thoughts.
I just thought that was an awesome point I'd never thought of before. Also the Book of Mormon is sweeeet, been reading like a crazyyy. K gotta go. Times up. Much Love, talk to you next week. Probably a letetr who knows!! GTG BYE!
still week 6
Oh- Any games you can think of for like a 24 hour plane ride adventure to the phillies that would be allowed by mission standards- please do. Also also pleeassee send me a monday NYT crossword!!!!
okay- news update time, I guess.
This week has been kind've average. A lot more learning, tons more practicing, and a lot of contacting and giving lessons sa Tagalog. Things with my companion go up and down every day. Some moments are good, others are horrendous. For instance, yesterday me and my friend, Elder Faran, were playing and singing hymns on a piano in a building. And my companion comes in after a meeting (he was made zone leader.. ha) and is like alright, let's go study. So I tell him, hey dude it's Sunday- they say it's fine if we just do spirit building things like playing hymns. And he's like no, DUDE, we should study, now. So we just look at him, like what?, and get up and go back to the classroom. He then proceeds to wheel around the hall in a chair and draw Ford trucks on the whiteboard. There are 12 year olds in the MTC, mom. I learn to deal with it though, and just have faith that things will get better. As I study more and try and be as obedient as possible, things always seem to look up in one way or another. We had Sister (can't remember) come and speak to us on Tuesday, which was nice. And we watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional last night for Fireside, which was just really fun to hear them talk. I can't wait to see what speakers we get for Christmas here, though. The zone ahead of us is leaving today for the Philippines, so we're on deck. 3 more weeks and I'm ouuuttttttttttt. I cannot wait. I probe my teachers a lot now for stories and information and stuff and it just sounds like heaven compared to here, ha. Also they pick up their speed of speech every day to get us used to it, so it's literally insane but as they speek at about 90 - 100% speed we can understand pretty much everything they're saying. My brain just lags a bit behind in the translation to english. But it's funny, because I know what they say in Tagalog, but my brain forces itself to translate. So, it's like if I can figure out a way to not make myself translate it to english, I will still know what they're saying because those words in Tagalog have built their own meaning.. ya know? Like I haven't thought about what oo, and hindi, and siyempre, and wala, and kumusta, and mahal, and ingat, and mabuti, or so many other words mean in english for a long long time. I also feel like I came into the MTC years ago and I was a little kid, haha. You look back at your past notes and feel like it was another life time ago. You grow by leaps and bounds here every day. I sometimes hate feeling mature, ahaha, I'm not. I'm 19!
Anyways that's pretty much all that's happened this week, it was pretty uneventful. I'll write home a letter today, haven't done that in a while. Good luck with christmas decorations- I miss that a lot. I though about how we cut down a tree last year, today, and it made me miss CT, ha. OKay, I'll write some Tagalog sentences for you. Ah, that's another thing. I haven't even gotten to the Philippines yet, but I can't wait to go back- hopefully as a family. Not only to show you guys around but to speak in Tagalog with the people there. Pinoys are so funny. Tell Brandon that's his Christmas present to the family in two years. Flying us all over to the Philippines! thank in advance, Brandon.
Ako po si Elder White, at gusto po akong magbahagi ng mensahe sa inyo. Alam ko po na totoo ang ebanghelyo ni Jesu Crist, at alam ko po na tunay na propeta ng Diyos si Joseph Smith at Thomas s. Monson. Alam ko po na mahal tayo ng Diyos, at napatay si JesuCristo para ng kasalanan natin. Alam ko po na magpakita Ang Diyos at JesuCristo kay Joseph Smith sa 1820, at sa pamamagitan ng Pagbabayad-Sala ni Jesucristo makakabalik tayo sa Ama sa Langit natin. Sinasabi mga baby ako sa pangalan ni JesuCristo, Amen.
Mahal ko kayo!
-Elder Puti ( White )
okay- news update time, I guess.
This week has been kind've average. A lot more learning, tons more practicing, and a lot of contacting and giving lessons sa Tagalog. Things with my companion go up and down every day. Some moments are good, others are horrendous. For instance, yesterday me and my friend, Elder Faran, were playing and singing hymns on a piano in a building. And my companion comes in after a meeting (he was made zone leader.. ha) and is like alright, let's go study. So I tell him, hey dude it's Sunday- they say it's fine if we just do spirit building things like playing hymns. And he's like no, DUDE, we should study, now. So we just look at him, like what?, and get up and go back to the classroom. He then proceeds to wheel around the hall in a chair and draw Ford trucks on the whiteboard. There are 12 year olds in the MTC, mom. I learn to deal with it though, and just have faith that things will get better. As I study more and try and be as obedient as possible, things always seem to look up in one way or another. We had Sister (can't remember) come and speak to us on Tuesday, which was nice. And we watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional last night for Fireside, which was just really fun to hear them talk. I can't wait to see what speakers we get for Christmas here, though. The zone ahead of us is leaving today for the Philippines, so we're on deck. 3 more weeks and I'm ouuuttttttttttt. I cannot wait. I probe my teachers a lot now for stories and information and stuff and it just sounds like heaven compared to here, ha. Also they pick up their speed of speech every day to get us used to it, so it's literally insane but as they speek at about 90 - 100% speed we can understand pretty much everything they're saying. My brain just lags a bit behind in the translation to english. But it's funny, because I know what they say in Tagalog, but my brain forces itself to translate. So, it's like if I can figure out a way to not make myself translate it to english, I will still know what they're saying because those words in Tagalog have built their own meaning.. ya know? Like I haven't thought about what oo, and hindi, and siyempre, and wala, and kumusta, and mahal, and ingat, and mabuti, or so many other words mean in english for a long long time. I also feel like I came into the MTC years ago and I was a little kid, haha. You look back at your past notes and feel like it was another life time ago. You grow by leaps and bounds here every day. I sometimes hate feeling mature, ahaha, I'm not. I'm 19!
Anyways that's pretty much all that's happened this week, it was pretty uneventful. I'll write home a letter today, haven't done that in a while. Good luck with christmas decorations- I miss that a lot. I though about how we cut down a tree last year, today, and it made me miss CT, ha. OKay, I'll write some Tagalog sentences for you. Ah, that's another thing. I haven't even gotten to the Philippines yet, but I can't wait to go back- hopefully as a family. Not only to show you guys around but to speak in Tagalog with the people there. Pinoys are so funny. Tell Brandon that's his Christmas present to the family in two years. Flying us all over to the Philippines! thank in advance, Brandon.
Ako po si Elder White, at gusto po akong magbahagi ng mensahe sa inyo. Alam ko po na totoo ang ebanghelyo ni Jesu Crist, at alam ko po na tunay na propeta ng Diyos si Joseph Smith at Thomas s. Monson. Alam ko po na mahal tayo ng Diyos, at napatay si JesuCristo para ng kasalanan natin. Alam ko po na magpakita Ang Diyos at JesuCristo kay Joseph Smith sa 1820, at sa pamamagitan ng Pagbabayad-Sala ni Jesucristo makakabalik tayo sa Ama sa Langit natin. Sinasabi mga baby ako sa pangalan ni JesuCristo, Amen.
Mahal ko kayo!
-Elder Puti ( White )
week 6
Kumusta po kayo pamilya ko!
So! I'll start off by answering questions first that I've been meaning to.
1. I don't think Brandon could send a book, because there's only a very limited amount of stuff we're allowed to be reading- and even besides that I would have absolutely no time to read.. ha. My study time is literally packed as it is, and with only 3 weeks left I'm pushing as much Tagalog as I can. I use all my personal study every day (only an hour) to study the Book of Mormon, and then the rest of the day is for vocab and other Tagalog stuff. I'm only in Alma 12, too, so it takes me forever to get a chapter now.. ha. due to hi-lighting, rereading, and recording a study journal. So thank you, Brandon, for the thought but like I said before- just kindly put a stack of my presents in a corner of my room and I'll delightfully sort through them in about 23 months.
2. That's good news on the Rexburg package, even if it did take so long. I just checked the mail again for a package slip, because I didn't want to write home today saying that I didn't have it if it was just waiting in the mail room over the weekend. So I'm glad to hear that, and I have 5 short sleeve shirts- which is all I wear- so that has been enough. Honestly though, I hate wearing long sleeve shirts now.. short sleeve feels so much more natural. Also a suit feels like normal clothes now, and wearing regular pants is strange.. hahaha.
3. Thank you so much for all the packages.. everything is awesome. I'll send home some pictures of our Christmas Room sometime soon, I've been stoked about at least feeling like it's christmas. Also all the clothes have kept me very warm, but it's been like warmish over the past few days so all the snow has melted.. aha. Utah weather is silly.
4. Contacts- yes you can order some more. I just put it in the other day, and it works fine so thank you! But I'd try and get em here before I leave...
5. Speaking of that- presents. I really don't want anything.. I can't think of anything I need/want/could use.. haha. Another pair of glasses? That'd be really cool if you could, but again they'd probably have to get here before I leave. And anything you guys send to me, please get it in before like the 20th. Because the mail room is going to be under fire those last few days I'm here, and I won't have the ability to send anything back before I leave. So please, please, please get any packages or letters from anyone here before the 20th. I don't want mail arriving here after I leave, ha.
6. Tell Brandon- if he doesn't read this- to make a list of movies for me to watch over the next 2 years. Also tell him to send me any Apple news he gets. Whenever. Just because I'm disconnected doesn't mean I'm not still interested.
7. I think that was all you questions? One second, I'll chec
So! I'll start off by answering questions first that I've been meaning to.
1. I don't think Brandon could send a book, because there's only a very limited amount of stuff we're allowed to be reading- and even besides that I would have absolutely no time to read.. ha. My study time is literally packed as it is, and with only 3 weeks left I'm pushing as much Tagalog as I can. I use all my personal study every day (only an hour) to study the Book of Mormon, and then the rest of the day is for vocab and other Tagalog stuff. I'm only in Alma 12, too, so it takes me forever to get a chapter now.. ha. due to hi-lighting, rereading, and recording a study journal. So thank you, Brandon, for the thought but like I said before- just kindly put a stack of my presents in a corner of my room and I'll delightfully sort through them in about 23 months.
2. That's good news on the Rexburg package, even if it did take so long. I just checked the mail again for a package slip, because I didn't want to write home today saying that I didn't have it if it was just waiting in the mail room over the weekend. So I'm glad to hear that, and I have 5 short sleeve shirts- which is all I wear- so that has been enough. Honestly though, I hate wearing long sleeve shirts now.. short sleeve feels so much more natural. Also a suit feels like normal clothes now, and wearing regular pants is strange.. hahaha.
3. Thank you so much for all the packages.. everything is awesome. I'll send home some pictures of our Christmas Room sometime soon, I've been stoked about at least feeling like it's christmas. Also all the clothes have kept me very warm, but it's been like warmish over the past few days so all the snow has melted.. aha. Utah weather is silly.
4. Contacts- yes you can order some more. I just put it in the other day, and it works fine so thank you! But I'd try and get em here before I leave...
5. Speaking of that- presents. I really don't want anything.. I can't think of anything I need/want/could use.. haha. Another pair of glasses? That'd be really cool if you could, but again they'd probably have to get here before I leave. And anything you guys send to me, please get it in before like the 20th. Because the mail room is going to be under fire those last few days I'm here, and I won't have the ability to send anything back before I leave. So please, please, please get any packages or letters from anyone here before the 20th. I don't want mail arriving here after I leave, ha.
6. Tell Brandon- if he doesn't read this- to make a list of movies for me to watch over the next 2 years. Also tell him to send me any Apple news he gets. Whenever. Just because I'm disconnected doesn't mean I'm not still interested.
7. I think that was all you questions? One second, I'll chec
Monday, November 29, 2010
Week 5
Kamusta Po Kayo!
I think it's been 5 weeks in here, and we have 4 left.. I think. 26 days till Christmas though. First off, thanks so much for the package- it was awesome. I'll send a picture of the christmas lights eventually, and yeah I've taken a few pictures already. There's not much to photo here, so the majority is of the temple and such. Just did another initiatory session this morning, I like those more than Endowment sessions, but we may switch back next week. Yeah, we got dumped on a few days ago so there's a lot of snow- but the cold isn't too bad. And I've got a fresh layer of fatty fat so that keeps me insulated quite nicely. Food here is killing me, but I'm optomistic on this Philippines Diet I'll be switching to in a month. Crazy to think that it's December soon. Um, it doesn't really feel like I've been in here a month- but at the same time it does. It's kind of strange that way. In all honesty though it's true- if you can get what I mean- that days are long but weeks are short. We plan for the week as a district every Friday, and you hit that next Friday and look back and are like what? We're already planning? But when you're waking up at 6:30 in the morning, it feels like you've been working for a week by the time 9:30 rolls around.
Also I'm stoked to hear that June and Arber came over too! I haven't heard much from Arber, but I'm really happy they stopped by. And yeah, June keeps cutting her hair , aha , but she can pull it off and likes the way it looks so that's all that's important. My english is definitely getting worse, too, so if I start misspelling words I apologize. I often take a second look at a lot of things I write. Not so much type, but so many words like 'develop' develope?' look so weird now. Tagalog is climbing pretty fast still, and it's pretty silly to think that after just a month I can pretty much say anything that I want to. It's not the most fluid, and I've definitely got to think it out in my head before saying it- but I've noticed that a lot of words have taken on their own meaning now. And I don't translate them from English before I say them. Little ones like oo , hindi , siyempre , talaga , pasensiya , and others. But our class has now switched over to complete Tagalog, so English is ' bawal ' sa klase. (prohibited). One good thing about Tagalog is that a lot of their nouns come from when the spanish had control of the country. So a lot of words that soaked in through my 5 years of hilarious espanol have been a big help in understanding things. There's still a majority of nouns sa Tagalog, but it definitely helps to always have that.
The coat you sent me is the one I got from Gap, but it keeps me really warm so thank you. I would love gloves, haha, send soon. AND NO MORE SNACKS!! haha even my roommates have started to refuse them! I wouldn't mind so much if they were like fiber one bars and stuff, but when you bake them they go bad really quick in our room because it's a pretty humid climate with the warm air and cold air, and what not. So they grow mold fast, so we have to eat them fast, which suucks. I feel gross enough from eating the cafeteria food, so please please no more baked stuff, haha. Thank you so much for the drink packets, too. Um - the Rexburg clothes have still not come , you may want to call him. And I don't need anymore shoes, these ones are going to last me for a while. I'll be surprised if I buy another pair before a year is up. Um, please send the King Follet Discourse to me. It's a Joseph Smith talk. You can just copy and past into Dear Elder if you want. Also the BOM Easier w/e books, send those too if you can.
So Thanksgiving. The week here has been pretty normal, but Elder Holland came on Thanksgiving and gave an awesome talk, as usual. Mostly about families, but about the savior and stuff and it was just really good insight and he is clearly the most powerful speaker of the 15. I love hearing him speak. Also I started doing choir a couple weeks ago, and we actually sang Come Thou Fount last tuesday during Devo, which is the best church song that's been written.. clearly. But other than that they have really bad selection of songs. I've come to like the song Master, the Tempest is Raging a lot too. And started to dislike Called to Serve.. aha. We sing is sooo often.
Okay, that's all I got for today I think. Maybe I'll write a handwritten letta, depends on how much time I have. Thanks for everything mom + pop. Also can someone send me a Monday New York Times Crossword once a week? I've got time on P-Days and like 15 minutes at night to do it, and I would love to make sure that the MTC isn't completely dumbing me.
Salamat po.
Mahal Kita!
I think it's been 5 weeks in here, and we have 4 left.. I think. 26 days till Christmas though. First off, thanks so much for the package- it was awesome. I'll send a picture of the christmas lights eventually, and yeah I've taken a few pictures already. There's not much to photo here, so the majority is of the temple and such. Just did another initiatory session this morning, I like those more than Endowment sessions, but we may switch back next week. Yeah, we got dumped on a few days ago so there's a lot of snow- but the cold isn't too bad. And I've got a fresh layer of fatty fat so that keeps me insulated quite nicely. Food here is killing me, but I'm optomistic on this Philippines Diet I'll be switching to in a month. Crazy to think that it's December soon. Um, it doesn't really feel like I've been in here a month- but at the same time it does. It's kind of strange that way. In all honesty though it's true- if you can get what I mean- that days are long but weeks are short. We plan for the week as a district every Friday, and you hit that next Friday and look back and are like what? We're already planning? But when you're waking up at 6:30 in the morning, it feels like you've been working for a week by the time 9:30 rolls around.
Also I'm stoked to hear that June and Arber came over too! I haven't heard much from Arber, but I'm really happy they stopped by. And yeah, June keeps cutting her hair , aha , but she can pull it off and likes the way it looks so that's all that's important. My english is definitely getting worse, too, so if I start misspelling words I apologize. I often take a second look at a lot of things I write. Not so much type, but so many words like 'develop' develope?' look so weird now. Tagalog is climbing pretty fast still, and it's pretty silly to think that after just a month I can pretty much say anything that I want to. It's not the most fluid, and I've definitely got to think it out in my head before saying it- but I've noticed that a lot of words have taken on their own meaning now. And I don't translate them from English before I say them. Little ones like oo , hindi , siyempre , talaga , pasensiya , and others. But our class has now switched over to complete Tagalog, so English is ' bawal ' sa klase. (prohibited). One good thing about Tagalog is that a lot of their nouns come from when the spanish had control of the country. So a lot of words that soaked in through my 5 years of hilarious espanol have been a big help in understanding things. There's still a majority of nouns sa Tagalog, but it definitely helps to always have that.
The coat you sent me is the one I got from Gap, but it keeps me really warm so thank you. I would love gloves, haha, send soon. AND NO MORE SNACKS!! haha even my roommates have started to refuse them! I wouldn't mind so much if they were like fiber one bars and stuff, but when you bake them they go bad really quick in our room because it's a pretty humid climate with the warm air and cold air, and what not. So they grow mold fast, so we have to eat them fast, which suucks. I feel gross enough from eating the cafeteria food, so please please no more baked stuff, haha. Thank you so much for the drink packets, too. Um - the Rexburg clothes have still not come , you may want to call him. And I don't need anymore shoes, these ones are going to last me for a while. I'll be surprised if I buy another pair before a year is up. Um, please send the King Follet Discourse to me. It's a Joseph Smith talk. You can just copy and past into Dear Elder if you want. Also the BOM Easier w/e books, send those too if you can.
So Thanksgiving. The week here has been pretty normal, but Elder Holland came on Thanksgiving and gave an awesome talk, as usual. Mostly about families, but about the savior and stuff and it was just really good insight and he is clearly the most powerful speaker of the 15. I love hearing him speak. Also I started doing choir a couple weeks ago, and we actually sang Come Thou Fount last tuesday during Devo, which is the best church song that's been written.. clearly. But other than that they have really bad selection of songs. I've come to like the song Master, the Tempest is Raging a lot too. And started to dislike Called to Serve.. aha. We sing is sooo often.
Okay, that's all I got for today I think. Maybe I'll write a handwritten letta, depends on how much time I have. Thanks for everything mom + pop. Also can someone send me a Monday New York Times Crossword once a week? I've got time on P-Days and like 15 minutes at night to do it, and I would love to make sure that the MTC isn't completely dumbing me.
Salamat po.
Mahal Kita!
Monday, November 22, 2010
4th letter
Kumusta po kayo pamilya ko.
So. I'll handle those questions first.
1. Send one of grandpa's long dress coats if you can find them, if not then maybe that black coat but that might be a bit big, same with the grey one. Despite me gaining mad poundage here. The food is not designed for any type of weight control. I got Callie's sweater, and thanked her for it I think. If not, thanks again callie it's very nice. Hopefully you bought it at TJ MAXX tho. It was a Perry Ellis, which is like half of tj maxx sweaters.
2. I still haven't tried that contact, I'm sorry. I'll try it soon- I just have been trying to make these last, ya know. But I'll try that one and let you know. But a month with the same pair and I only wear them 1/2 a day at most, and they work fine- so that's all good.
3. Yes. Lights. Very soon. Please. Multi Colored ones.
4. No. More. Sweets. Thank you very very much, but I am done with this weight gain, haha. My roommates love em, but even they have stopped takig them all the time. So also thank callie for the odwalla's but no more drinks either. Feel free to send those crystal light and hi-c and kool aid packets tho to make individual drinks. You'll save me some coin with that. But yeah, no more cookies please. Even granola is kind of iffy on the healthy side.. there's so much brown sugar and stuff in that. I don't know what would be healthy, but if you can think of it you can send it.
So. This week has gone by a lot quicker than past weeks, but still my head is near it's capacity with this language, haha. I can't really write anything reflective of what I know. But I can tell you that in our last TA (the fake investigator thing we do on Thursday nights) I could understand pretty much everything the guy had to say.. which is kind of silly seeing as it was only after 3 weeks in here. So I really cannot imagine what I'll have learned after 5 more weeks.. but I am stoked to get to the Philippines. The district above us just got their flight plans and they leave in 2 weeks, so we'll be right after them. That two weeks will go by so quick too. Saturday afternoon to Wednesday blows by in a second. No classes after 4 on saturday, so that's all studying. Then sunday is just church and studying, then monday is temple and studying then an easy class at night. Then Tuesday is class in the afternoon then devotional at night. Oh and Fireside and movie on Sundays too. so it honestly feels like a 3 or 4 day weekend, almost. The only long days are Wed, Th, Friday. But even that's not all that bad. Things with my companion go up and down so often, that every day is unpredictable. It's just kind of hilarious that they literally picked the one person who is my dimensional opposite. Like in every single aspect. Even opposite sides of the country. So we have opposing views on almost every single subject, and he's dealing with personal things at home so that distracts him a lot.... Not much to say really, but it has made the MTC a very big challenge dealing with all that on top of studies. I love it here though, for the most part. And for some reason have picked up a big liking of volleyball.. and have gotten pretty good (obviously). And I see Tanner's friend Collin everywhere I turn so that's fun to always have a familiar face.
Our district is awesome too, we've come so close together but Mom you said you wanted spiritual so I'll give you as much as I think I should write. The past 24 hours have been some of the most spiritually intense moments and events of my life. We have an Elder in our district that is fighting some emotional issues that are hard to describe, and the emotions he's told us just seem absolutely horrible. Mom, there is a very real presence of the Adversary here in the MTC and he comes into people's lives here and it is scary. They don't reflect it, but I could see it on my friends face and the way he was describing his thoughts and it was heartbreaking. I don't think I should tell you in detail the events that took place, nothing out of the ordinary to be honest. But it's almost breathtaking of how real the spirit is. Me and and the Elder's I was with should not have been where we were last night, we should not have made the decisions we did, and it was odd that we made them. Now, I know you're reading these words and thinking that I mean negatively "should not" but what I'm saying is that 9/10 times we would never have chosen to go a certain way we did, which means that that 1/10 chance we had last night was absolutely startling what took place after. This is all confusing, and maybe I'll explain more in detail some other time but last night was crazy. I heard me and the Elders around me say things to comfort our friend that I KNOW did not come from us. Just too many events took place last night that were concrete evidence of another force acting through us. And You and I and everyone else knows exactly what that was. Again, I didn't even write about this in my journal in depth because I don't think writing it down would be a good idea, but going to the temple today just solidified everything that I felt last night.. it's weird. Ha.
So there ya go, that's your spiritual news for the next 23 months. Things like that don't happen all the time, but I'll tell you that at about 6:00 yesterday this Elder was 100% positive he was packing up and leaving. He was done. By the time 10:00 rolled around we had no doubt in our minds that he is staying. That is missionary work.
Mahal Kita, pamilya ko.
Elder White
So. I'll handle those questions first.
1. Send one of grandpa's long dress coats if you can find them, if not then maybe that black coat but that might be a bit big, same with the grey one. Despite me gaining mad poundage here. The food is not designed for any type of weight control. I got Callie's sweater, and thanked her for it I think. If not, thanks again callie it's very nice. Hopefully you bought it at TJ MAXX tho. It was a Perry Ellis, which is like half of tj maxx sweaters.
2. I still haven't tried that contact, I'm sorry. I'll try it soon- I just have been trying to make these last, ya know. But I'll try that one and let you know. But a month with the same pair and I only wear them 1/2 a day at most, and they work fine- so that's all good.
3. Yes. Lights. Very soon. Please. Multi Colored ones.
4. No. More. Sweets. Thank you very very much, but I am done with this weight gain, haha. My roommates love em, but even they have stopped takig them all the time. So also thank callie for the odwalla's but no more drinks either. Feel free to send those crystal light and hi-c and kool aid packets tho to make individual drinks. You'll save me some coin with that. But yeah, no more cookies please. Even granola is kind of iffy on the healthy side.. there's so much brown sugar and stuff in that. I don't know what would be healthy, but if you can think of it you can send it.
So. This week has gone by a lot quicker than past weeks, but still my head is near it's capacity with this language, haha. I can't really write anything reflective of what I know. But I can tell you that in our last TA (the fake investigator thing we do on Thursday nights) I could understand pretty much everything the guy had to say.. which is kind of silly seeing as it was only after 3 weeks in here. So I really cannot imagine what I'll have learned after 5 more weeks.. but I am stoked to get to the Philippines. The district above us just got their flight plans and they leave in 2 weeks, so we'll be right after them. That two weeks will go by so quick too. Saturday afternoon to Wednesday blows by in a second. No classes after 4 on saturday, so that's all studying. Then sunday is just church and studying, then monday is temple and studying then an easy class at night. Then Tuesday is class in the afternoon then devotional at night. Oh and Fireside and movie on Sundays too. so it honestly feels like a 3 or 4 day weekend, almost. The only long days are Wed, Th, Friday. But even that's not all that bad. Things with my companion go up and down so often, that every day is unpredictable. It's just kind of hilarious that they literally picked the one person who is my dimensional opposite. Like in every single aspect. Even opposite sides of the country. So we have opposing views on almost every single subject, and he's dealing with personal things at home so that distracts him a lot.... Not much to say really, but it has made the MTC a very big challenge dealing with all that on top of studies. I love it here though, for the most part. And for some reason have picked up a big liking of volleyball.. and have gotten pretty good (obviously). And I see Tanner's friend Collin everywhere I turn so that's fun to always have a familiar face.
Our district is awesome too, we've come so close together but Mom you said you wanted spiritual so I'll give you as much as I think I should write. The past 24 hours have been some of the most spiritually intense moments and events of my life. We have an Elder in our district that is fighting some emotional issues that are hard to describe, and the emotions he's told us just seem absolutely horrible. Mom, there is a very real presence of the Adversary here in the MTC and he comes into people's lives here and it is scary. They don't reflect it, but I could see it on my friends face and the way he was describing his thoughts and it was heartbreaking. I don't think I should tell you in detail the events that took place, nothing out of the ordinary to be honest. But it's almost breathtaking of how real the spirit is. Me and and the Elder's I was with should not have been where we were last night, we should not have made the decisions we did, and it was odd that we made them. Now, I know you're reading these words and thinking that I mean negatively "should not" but what I'm saying is that 9/10 times we would never have chosen to go a certain way we did, which means that that 1/10 chance we had last night was absolutely startling what took place after. This is all confusing, and maybe I'll explain more in detail some other time but last night was crazy. I heard me and the Elders around me say things to comfort our friend that I KNOW did not come from us. Just too many events took place last night that were concrete evidence of another force acting through us. And You and I and everyone else knows exactly what that was. Again, I didn't even write about this in my journal in depth because I don't think writing it down would be a good idea, but going to the temple today just solidified everything that I felt last night.. it's weird. Ha.
So there ya go, that's your spiritual news for the next 23 months. Things like that don't happen all the time, but I'll tell you that at about 6:00 yesterday this Elder was 100% positive he was packing up and leaving. He was done. By the time 10:00 rolled around we had no doubt in our minds that he is staying. That is missionary work.
Mahal Kita, pamilya ko.
Elder White
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
3rd letter
Araw Tatlo.
That means week three. I'm basically fluent in Tagalog at this point. I've gotten a bit bored with it though, so I've taken up learning German and Mandarin as well. Just not enough challenged here in the MTC.
OH! How did no one get that quote? It's buster from the pilot of Arrested Development. I'll say the whole quote.
-"Buster's had classes in business."
-- "6th Century AGGRARIAN (awful spelling) business. Now tell me, are we all concerned about an uprising?"
You'll laugh when you realize what it is. Um, not much to report for this week though. The language is definitely coming, slowly, but I'm learning. I can say probably 50% of what I want to say, but not very well. Everything is about the noun markers ang, ng, and sa. You have the place them correctly or else the emphasis and the verb conjugation will make no sense and they'll look at you and go 'Ano?' So ... yeah. We had our 4th apostle in a row for Devo this past Tuesday- Wow he was so good. Elder Bednar. One of the best talks I've ever heard and if there is any way for you to track it down I encourage you to listen to it. It's all about how we make the mistake of focusing on the applications in the church and we need to focus on the doctrine. Applications answer how, but doctrines answer why and I loved that. Kids here just recite the lessons from PMG and they become these missionary robots. That's not how you teach. You teach from the spirit and you teach with love and you teach with doctrine. that's how you get through to people. It was a really good talk, go find it. Oh, before I forget. Please send me like a black V-Neck sweater if you can find one, it's really cold here. Or brandons jacket if he'll give it to me. Also Christmas lights. We want christmas lights. Please send. Not alot, they're just for our room but we need to get this festivus for the restofus rolling.
Other than that, there's not much going on. Had some bumps along the road this week with my companion, but you work over them. We just have such intensely clashing personalities that it can't be helped. He's a good guy at heart though, and I try and see that. Okay well I'm about out of time but I'll write you guys a letter today cuz I didn't last week.
Mahal Kita-
Elder Puti (white..)
Oh and thank Trevor and Brandon for their letters too. And Callie I need your email address if you want an email. haha. but I'll write everyone back today.
That means week three. I'm basically fluent in Tagalog at this point. I've gotten a bit bored with it though, so I've taken up learning German and Mandarin as well. Just not enough challenged here in the MTC.
OH! How did no one get that quote? It's buster from the pilot of Arrested Development. I'll say the whole quote.
-"Buster's had classes in business."
-- "6th Century AGGRARIAN (awful spelling) business. Now tell me, are we all concerned about an uprising?"
You'll laugh when you realize what it is. Um, not much to report for this week though. The language is definitely coming, slowly, but I'm learning. I can say probably 50% of what I want to say, but not very well. Everything is about the noun markers ang, ng, and sa. You have the place them correctly or else the emphasis and the verb conjugation will make no sense and they'll look at you and go 'Ano?' So ... yeah. We had our 4th apostle in a row for Devo this past Tuesday- Wow he was so good. Elder Bednar. One of the best talks I've ever heard and if there is any way for you to track it down I encourage you to listen to it. It's all about how we make the mistake of focusing on the applications in the church and we need to focus on the doctrine. Applications answer how, but doctrines answer why and I loved that. Kids here just recite the lessons from PMG and they become these missionary robots. That's not how you teach. You teach from the spirit and you teach with love and you teach with doctrine. that's how you get through to people. It was a really good talk, go find it. Oh, before I forget. Please send me like a black V-Neck sweater if you can find one, it's really cold here. Or brandons jacket if he'll give it to me. Also Christmas lights. We want christmas lights. Please send. Not alot, they're just for our room but we need to get this festivus for the restofus rolling.
Other than that, there's not much going on. Had some bumps along the road this week with my companion, but you work over them. We just have such intensely clashing personalities that it can't be helped. He's a good guy at heart though, and I try and see that. Okay well I'm about out of time but I'll write you guys a letter today cuz I didn't last week.
Mahal Kita-
Elder Puti (white..)
Oh and thank Trevor and Brandon for their letters too. And Callie I need your email address if you want an email. haha. but I'll write everyone back today.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
2nd letter
"Now tell me, are we all concerned about an uprising?"
(Show that to Brandon, Trevor, Callie, and Courtney.. maybe Andrea will get it)
How you guys doing? I just got your package today mom, thank you so much for it. I share pretty much everything I get with my companion and roommates, so they thank you as well. Um, I guess I'll recap the week briefly. Not much has changed this week. Cramming more Tagalog into my brain, I feel like I know more than I should. Reading every day, as much as I can. They don't give you too much time to really read every day, but I got through 2nd Nephi this week so I was happy about that. Sundays is when I get the majority of my reading done. We had Elder Ballard come speak on Tuesday which was way cool. He gave a good talk about stuff I can't really remember anymore, but it's in my notes, haha. That's kind of what happens, you don't remember most of what is said in Devotionals and Firesides but it's all in your notes. Then last night we had the CEO of Deseret Book come and speak to us. She gave a really good talk, very intelligent woman. Devotionals are the big speakers of the week, so on Tuesdays people kind of spread rumors about whose coming. Usually President Monson and Joseph Smith are the popular two to be speaking. But this week the word about Elder Ballard got out, so when we were in our seats and the conductor of the meeting was like "just as a reminder, anytime an apostle of the Lord walks in we all rise" every one kind of went nuts. It just confirmed it, so it was cool to have that experience. It's weird thinking that President Monson gave a very personal talk to us sitting 10 feet away.... Um, what else. Oh Thursday we had the TA appointment of the week. That's the Teaching Appointment where we go to this building and as a district (the 10 of us) you go in companions to a room. And you two have to hold a conversation with somebody for 5 minutes in Tagalog and then switch rooms. You switch rooms three times and then teach a discussion in English for 30 minutes to the last person you teach. It was a crazy experience. My companion isn't picking up Tagalog as fast as I am so I was pretty much the only one talking during that. So strange. You basically introduce yourself, ask where they're from, how old they are, what their family is like, how they're doing, what their name is, any question really to get to know someone. So to speak in Tagalog for 5 minutes to someone who is either actually Filipino or recently off their mission, so they speak so fast, is incredibly difficult. I couldn't understand so much of what they were saying beacuse they were speaking so fast but I would pick up individual words that would allow me to form the rest of the sentence around those words. It's a weird experience. But also to hear myself speaking Tagalog back to them and having a conversation as my companion just sits there very confused was really funny. One of the guys said I sounded like a Filipino too after it... ahaha. So then on our last one we got to know him in Tagalog then taught him the first lesson in English. It went really well. We were rocky at parts, being our first discussion really. But at the end when we were teaching about the Restoration, Joseph Smith, and bearing testimonies it was awesome how well we did. That's where my companion is strong in, he has a really good testimony that you can feel, ya know.
Uh, so today we went to the temple. Did a session. Came home. Oh, I got my hair buzzed today. I was so sick of having to do my hair every morning and after gym, and using pomade twice a day that I wanted it all off. So now I've got at least a week , I think , of not having to do anything to my hair which I'm psyched about. It looks a little weird because they can't go as short as I had it last time, but I'm still happy with it. Collin (tanner's friend) is in my gym class and has P-Day here with me, so I see him around a lot. Same with Erik, I see him at random places throughout the day which is fun. And Collin and Erik are both in my building so I can go see them at nights if I want. I'm not sure if I've told you whose in my district yet , I can't remember so I'll just tell ya again. It's me and Elder Evert, Elder Light and Elder Faran, Elder Soderquist and Elder Su'A, Elder Crossley and Elder Loe, and Sister McDonald and Sister Salway. And no, Dad, she's not heir to Ray Croc's fortune. We quote movies and stuff a lot at night which kind of depresses me ahaha. Obviously not really but when we say Arrested Development quotes every day I can't believe I'm going two years without that. Thank you for the Mission President's letter- I was wondering if that was ever going to come. Maybe since it's the Philippines it takes like 3 months to get home... probably no postal mail home while I'm over there but we'll see what happens. I keep wondering what Christmas is going to be like here... better not be any classes. And I'm not getting too excited for cafeteria turkey on Thanksgiving.
Alright, well I'm gonna go get my wash out and head back to the Residence Halls. So I may write you guys a letter if I think of more stuff to say, but I think that's about it for now. Keep sending me letters, packages, and DearElders. I enjoy being the guy in the district with the most DearElders every night so keep it up. Oh and tell Callie to keep sending me news about the outside world. I like that a lot. Sports, news, media.. whatever ya know. Oh- and Dad my companion is in love with Glenn Beck and hates Obama, so I told him you guys would get along.
Love you guys, and I'll talk to ya next week
-Elder White (Austin... still.)
Monday, November 1, 2010
1st letter
Heyo. How's CT? You guys are back, right? So ... MTC. Oh- thank you for that package! That was way cool of you guys, but I already feel like I'm gaining weight fast in here haha so send some nutritious stuff if you can. Then again anything that's safe for a 4 - day box ride to the MTC can't really be nutritious. Um I don't remember much of the questions you guys sent me. Keep using DearElder- I get those letters every night so I can read em before I go to bed. Just tell me stuff about what's going on in everyone's life. You feel so cut off from civilization in here, despite being 5 seconds away from it. So some basic info- my companion is Elder Evert. He's from outside Sacramento- about my height and stuff but definitely much more built. He played Offensive Line for his high school. Um, There's 10 of us in my district- two sisters. 28 of us came in at once going to Philippines, only four of us are going to Baguio though. So that makes it even crazier that I'm in Faber's mission. After the third day I felt like my head was going to explode from all the Tagalog they throw at us. It's crazy though how much has changed since day one though. The teachers only speak in Tagalog really, so day one I had no idea what they were saying but by day 3 I can almost always understand at least what they want. We learned to pray and bear our testimonies in Tagalog by Saturday... it's tricky. All the adjectives come first and then the subject is in the back of the sentence, so it is opposite of english and spanish and what not. So that's the biggest stumbling block to overcome. Like instead of the church is true it's totoo ang Simbihan (true the church). the ng word is used so often, but that's spoken like 'nung' and mga makes anything plural. Like in english we had an 's' to the end of a word, but in Tagalog they tack on mga before it. So instead of friends it's mga kaibigan. Oh, and mga is pronounced like 'munga'.
So yeah, how's everyone doing? Send me some DearElders about what's going on. I got a reaally bad cold already and last night was the worst, but today I'm starting to get over it. We went to the temple today and did a session, it was really nice that early in the morning. Good start to the day. Oh, but because my companion forgot something and had to run back downstairs we came in last of the group instead of first as we were and sat alone on the back of the girl's side because the guys was all filled up, ha. Oh, and on Thursday we had to walk off campus down to the BYU Health Center because my companion needed to pick up medication because he got a virus the first day. So it was pretty crazy being off campus, and feeling like an actual missionary. It becomes so common seeing all the nametags and stuff here, so you obviously don't feel special, ya know. But being even a hundred feet away from that it feels like you get different looks, which is a really good feeling. Makes you feel rare, ya know? Oh- my companions really good too haha. I definitely got lucky because there are some loooonies in here. This one kid talks like a bad actor at all times.. it's very strange. And just a lot of weirdos. Um, my zone leaders are way cool, ones from New Zealand, talks like Brit en Jermaine. Um, don't have much time left. We only get 30 minutes here, and can only write home once a week. Well we can write home whenever technically but they ask us only on P-Day, so that's what it'll be. Best way to describe the MTC though is days are long, weeks are short. During the day you feel like you've been up for 48 hours, but when you look back it doesn't feel so long. I'm still getting into it , so it still feels like I've been here for years but that'll change soon I know. Oh! I saw Erik and Cody already. Erik is just a couple floors above me so I seen him some nights, which is really good. But all in all it definitely hasn't been bad here. Not nearly as hard as people were saying it was, but everyone has different experiences. You get hardly any personal study time, only about an hour a day if you can manage that but I managed to finish First Nephi by Saturday which I was happy about. I like marking up the scriptures. Alright well I'm about out of time, so just keep sending me dear elders and I'll send you guys another letter by mail today.
Love ya guys, and tell everyone to write me
-Austin
(I'm not going to call myself Elder White through email just yet.) (I hear it enough during the day, I like to remember I have a first name)
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
MTC
He's in the MTC as of 1:30 pm today. Austin will be learning Tagalog in preparation to teach the people in the Philippines and I miss him already! I kept wanting time to slow down today and yet I could see he was anxious to be off. He's ready and I'm grateful for that but I can't imagine 2 yrs without him. This will be a very long week waiting for his first letter. I guess I'm finally going to learn patience.
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