Elder Puti!

I'm really hungry. We don't have ... much ... money . So we're living on noodles , oats , and the kindness of members ha. With how much our bills are and how much travel costs from our area we lose money very quickly. But it's a good experience learning how to budget to the centavo [penny..]. There's not too much to report for this week. The companion is still .. trying me .. but I'm learning a lot of Christ like Attributes as I try and exercise self control on every one of my feelings , haha. I've been studying humility like crazy and realize I struggle more with charity. It's difficult for me to give and give and give when those receiving don't support themselves. I'm challenged to balance charity and welfare. But I know there's a lot to learn from every companion. I'm excited to show you this part of the film of my life when we die , hahaha. Other than that it's been a pretty good week. The same old stuff happening and the same people doing the same work. Tuesday I had exchanges with the zone leaders so that was fun to work with Elder Azores in their area. Umm other than thaaatt.... not much. OH! cool news. I finished the Infinite Atonement last monday and the Book of Mormon for the third time last night. The only thing I really want to add is my appreciation for the Atonement. It's the strongest and deepest part of my testimony. As I come to understand more the Atonement I feel a spiritually closeness with my Savior and I'm so so grateful. We sometimes have the awesome opportunity to teach the Atonement and in those moments I always feel it. And sometimes I get these jitters that what I have to say won't be a fraction sufficient of what needs to be said. But I love reading studying talking teaching thinking and living the Atonement. It's awesome. And the Book of Mormon is the most poetic and insightful tool we have to learn about His sacrifice. So in place of a boring update I thought I'd tell a story or two. The first happened back when I was in Baguio. Me and Elder Esling had just heard that we were training so we were told to head down on Friday for a training meeting. On the way down we rode an aircon bus , which of course is nice and very comfortable. But Elder Esling isn't the biggest fan of aircon. A lot of people here get really sick when it's aircon and not real air. So he endured the trip down but after the meeting requested that we take a regular window bus , so obviously I obliged. The bus that we catch on the way back up to Baguio happens to be one of the most rickety things possible ... but it's all we've got. After about an hour into the ride it's starts the rain and simultaneously everyone starts closing their windows. I've got the window seat so I go to close my window ... and it won't come down. I push and tug and use all my weight ... but it will not come down. All the while there's a good amount of people watching the American struggle with putting a window down while they managed to get all theirs down. And to make the matter even worse .. the person getting poured down on is a poor little 8 or 9 year old girl behind me! I look back with a face of "I'm so so sorry" as she just looks at her dad confused/upset and he just consoles her with what seems to be like a excuse the american type of comment , hahaha. After about 5 embarrassing minutes of this I take the drape near the window and try to use it as a protection for the little girl ... but to little avail. It didn't do much. After a few more minutes Elder Esling , whose sitting to my right , then leans over and with a little push casually gets it down , ahahaha. It seems that the problem was that because of my angle I couldn't get any kind of force on it ... despite my exceeding strength , hahaha. And naturally the rain stops 5 minutes later. That was something that popped into my head the other day that I silently laughed about. Another funny note is how during our Elder's Quorum class we're reading the George Albert Smith book along with the rest of the world. The only different thing is that because of President Smith's wide vocabulary and choice of words ... after every page we read the EQ President will turn to me and go ... okay Elder White , please summarize what we just read , ahahaha. So I'll proceed to translate and hear a number of " aahh ohhh , okay , that's what we thought ..." I think that's really all I've got for now. Doing the college stuff ate my time away. But food for thought ... if at christmas travis wants to , I would like to be able to drive out to school now with him. So ask him that for me when he gets home , please! haha thank you He comes home in like 2 weeks ... freaky. Love you all! -Elder White Just kidding ...  Mom's questions:: QUESTIONS:  1.  What is the name of your branch? Malasiqui 2nd Branch                        2,  Are you in the Aguilar district? Uh no , not really. That's Lingayen I think.                       3.   Are you near the Bantocaling Branch? I've never heard of that , probably the Angeles Mission                       4.  Are you in an area where they speak Pangasinan or Pangasinese? I've never heard of the latter. It's all Pangasinan here , but of course they know tagalog                       5.  Are you near the Mangatarem Branch? Nope , that's Lingayen as well I think 6.  When is your next transfer?  Anywhere you'd like to be/see now that's is getting closer to the end of your mission? - the next transfer is the last Friday of June. I want to go to San Carlos and be companions with Elder Mayes! 7.  How many people are in your branch? active or total? active about 120 - 150. total .. around 400 - 500? 8.  How many missionaries are in your district and are you district leader bc you mentioned something about "teaching" - yes I'm the district leader and there's only 4 .. way small. 9.  How is your health? stellar! 10.  Tasted any of that blood pudding yet? I'm not in Ireland , haha. But that do have something called dinuguan where it's like a blood base with meat and other stuff ... it's not too bad. I've eaten it a few times. 11.  Have you been using TP?  Because I hear otherwise...... - hahaha when I have it yes , and I always buy it. NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. 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