Mabuhay!

Pasensiya! I'm way late again... but we had another activity today. We got to the church , here in Tayug , around 8 to play basketball and watch some church movies. We're only allowed to watch movies that are like church movies (the RM or The best two years.. like that) and if we're in a group like district or zone. So I was excited to watch.. it's been a while since I've seen any movies. So we watched the Errand of Angels and One Man's Treasure. The errand of angels is about sister missionaries in Austria and One Man's Treasure about some weird treasure hunt with missionaries in Pennsyvania. So ... of course ... both were incredibly mormon , haha , and with happy messages - but it was still way nice to watch a movie again.

Maybe I'll talk about other things before that. Have the week make more sense.

Before that... request. Let's start something new. Please send me a picture every week. That means from Callie , Andrea , Mom , Dad ... whoever will. I would just love to see what's going on. When I saw the pictures that Andrea sent I was like shocked , haha , home looks so weird now to me. So please do me a favor and just send me a picture every week of either the house , the yard , wilton , utah , the family , wolf , anything. I just would love to see home , haha. Don't worry , it won't make me trunky... my mission means quite too much to me than that .. and if I start to get homesick (ha..) I'll let you know.

So this week was pretty crazy , as usual. Monday we didn't get back to the are until 7 in which we had to book it to a family home evening. It started late... as they always do.. which then killed all our time. Dropped by a few houses , with no luck , so ended up with nothing getting done that day. Tuesday was another way way weak day , in which we got punted from about 13 appointments and got two lessons in. Also we had Tatay Marquez work with us , which is this 72 year old man who I've told you about in the past. He's very poor , very hard to understand , but hysterical. So of course we treat him to drinks and snacks and stuff every time he works with us which he loves. He does have a tendancy to let his senile[ness] override his thoughts , though , during lessons and will often go off on a tangent in which we've got to backtrack and help regain the investigator's focus. We love him , though. Wednesday - because of how weak Tuesday and Monday were I was in a poorer mood and needed us to work harder.. which we did.. and reaped the benefits. Got a lot of lessons in and a lot of new investigators and stuff. Okay .. this is boring. I really hate talking about daily stuff , haha. Basically - I think I'm going to be transferred.. it's like a 85% chance I'll be transferred and a 15% chance something unexpected happens , which it often does in missionary work. But seeing as every missionary in this area gets transferred after 3 transfers , I can't see myself breaking that streak. Then again I've got this feeling like I'm staying. About 75% of me wants to transfer and 25% stay. We've finally built up a lot of good investigators that will probably be baptized next transfer. Actually almost definitely about 10 within in the next two months. Which is really saddening because I've been here now 4 months and we've had one baptism , which really just fell into our laps. But we gave away 4 golden investigators who either got baptized or will soon , and we have so many that will be baptized soon. Also , they tell me the church in the area will be finished and open for church in late August or early September... so a big part of me is dying to see the opening and when the attendance triples with 1/2 being investigators. Right now there are about a stready 80 - 90 people that come to church each week , but it's so hard to get investigators because they live farther away and it doesn't look like a real church to them. And the church under construction here is big (of course for filipino size) and beautiful. So that's the real church to them. So.. when it's done.. so so so many baptisms. That's okay though , I'm still happy to be apart of their conversion process even if I'm not here for the actual baptism.

So , I do kind of want to transfer. Not because I'm tired of the area (it really is an awesome area.. they all are) but I'm ready for a new experience. New assignments , new responsibilities , new tests , challenges , people. It's always just exciting to start new. So.. I'm not positive what will happen , but whatever happens I'll be happy with it. We find out on Wednesday who is being transferred , so I'll let you know next Monday if I'm still in San Quintin or in a new area! My companion is still good. We've had a few tiffs , ha , but it's been mostly okay. It's so hard to be a good companion and expect a good companion at the same time. It's very much the hardest part of a mission. Especially with so much culture barrier in the way. We're just very different people with very different personalities. But he's mostly a happy person , sometimes jokes way too much , but it's been okay. I miss my first transfer , though .. haha. I feel like I've shouldered the work in the areas ever since and it's exhausting. He is a really good companion , tho , so I'm grateful. I've been blessed.

Some other news... I finished that 500+ page book of Alma and Mosiah in about two weeks , the Book of Mormon Made Easier one. I love reading those books and reading faster. When I read from my scriptures I feel the need to highlight everything and read so slow and reread and reread and reread and understand and pray , hahaha. But with this other book I love finishing 6 - 10 chapters in an hour in addition to all his insights. Brilliant guy and he's got a lot of great stuff to add. Oh man , haha , I love Capt Moroni. I forgot how much I loved chapter [60?] of Alma. Where all he does is chastize Pahoran beacause he thinks it's his fault. Though , I remember crossing out the word "complains" in my personal set when I first read it. [in the chapter summary/heading it says capt moroni complains to pahoran] and writing verbally slaps. I think , when the mission is over because we're not allowed while we're on a mission to write to gen authorities , that I'll write to the first persidency and suggest to have my wording put in. ahaha , I hate that word complains.

Hmm... what else. So yeah. We're here in Tayug , as a district , and it's way fun to be with them. A mission is pretty amazing. Not only the experiences but you make really really close friends. Though after the mission it's so awkward to see them again , ahaha. I remember going to eat with a couple of my roommates up at school the first semester , and one of that had contacted his buddy from the mission and they were gonna meet up and he would eat with us... so awkward. They didn't know what to say , ahaha , and it was weird they weren't calling eachother elder they said. I wonder what it will be like to see Cody and Cameron and John and Faber and all my other friends from college that are now on missions. Though I still call Faber 'Faber' ... not Elder Faber. Probably should , but it's a hard habit to break. Doesn't sound right. He's been an office elder for a while now , and so if I get transferred on Friday I'll see him at transfer meeting.

My investigators... like I said we have a lot preparing for baptism right now. Most want to wait until the church is finished to come to church , which is hard , but it's real soon now. One family , the Rabilas Family , that I've told you about is really amazing. It's the mom and two kids. The mom and dad are legally anulled [their marriage] and so he's over sometimes. We always get the strongest feeling both the mom and dad want to patch things up and get back together , but it's the trickiest situation possible. They went to such lengths to get it annulled that to come back would almost be impossible. But the mom cries almost every time we're over and is so sweet. Not to mention always cooks dinner for her family and insists we eat with them. So , they're one family that will be baptized within the next few months. Oh yeah... I gave a talk on sunday about family and stuff. It was okay. AHaha. Not sure how many people listened. The stake president then was after me and chastized the branch for not giving more fast offerings and stuff. He's very good at chastizing. Most stake presidents are.

I think that's about it for the week. Life is good :)

Note to Caitlin.. can I send my ipod to you and request to have EFY music and talks and stuff put on? Haha. Also what's your address in utah? I don't want to delete all the music you put on , but the ipod's setting is so that I can't add any music to it without deleting. So lemme know if that's a possibility!!!!!!!!!

Okay , I think that's all..
Love you all , talk to you next week!