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!