When the phone rings...

I failed to mention, but we did get a phone call for Mother's Day! It was wonderful to hear MIBs voice! Everybody enjoyed talking with him. I enjoyed talking with him AND I enjoyed listening and watching everybody else talk to him too! I think everybody's spirits was lifted by the conversation with MIB. Home just isn't the same without him hear and we feel the void in our daily lives!

However, I wouldn't change a thing. MIB is exactly where he needs to be right now and he is doing a great work for the Lord!

Here are a few excerpts for your reading pleasure: "Yesterday we went to the ocean and planted mangroves, or something like that. It was, ahhhh... interesting walking in nasty mud."

I eat fish and rice everyday. Peanut butter and jelly is just too expensive on my budget. I have eatin fish eyes, fish head, little fish, big fish and weird shrimp not to much big shrimp. I have had crab twice and love it. Its the best, haha, except annoying to brake out of the shell."

"On Saturday we went and taught this elderly guy named Miguel and his 10 year old son named Kenneth. We were reading 3Nephi 11 and teaching him how Jesus was baptized at the right age, by authority and baptized the right way. He asked if he is allowed to get baptized again because he was baptized when he was a baby. We told him he could. Then he asked where he should get baptized. We told him that our church had authority from God to baptize. He then asked, "Well, who can baptize me (thinking it had to be the prophet or some one in America or something very difficult to do)?" We told him that we had the authority as missionaries of the church. He got a huge smile on his face and was way excited. Then he asked how much it cost. When we told him it was free, he got way way excited. We told him its not just basta-basta (like ummmm, not just something you do with out thinking about it) and told him in our next visit we would talk about the steps to baptize and repentance. He smiled again and told us next time we came we had to teach him how to repent. He wants to set a date that he can be baptized :D That's way awesome huh? And he walked with his son to church yesterday and payed more attention to what everyone was saying then anybody else there, including the high council men :D I'm so excited for him :D"

Leave of Absence due to Withdrawals

It has been SO very long since I last blogged! Please excuse my "leave of absence." I was suffering from withdrawals. Withdrawals, that is, from not receiving pictures of MIB nearly every week. I was so spoiled for a few months of getting pictures in is weekly emails. I was surprised the first couple weeks that he didn't send pictures. So, the third week I asked for pictures. It was then that he enlightened me with the information that the internet cafe that they use to email no longer allows jump drives. Therefore, no more weekly pictures for me. I'll have to wait until he's able to burn a CD.

Blogging without pictures just isn't as much fun! I went through a little "withdrawal" period and am trying to move on. There is still plenty to tell... it just takes so much more to blog with words alone. Pictures say so much on their own. I will however, include a picture - although it isn't current. It is still a fun one to enjoy.

This picture is of MIB at age 8 for his baptism day. At the time we had the picture taken, I thought it was a great future missionary shot. Who knew the time would come so soon that he would be a missionary, wearing the title of "Elder."

Now picture this boy narrating these stories he sent home from the field. The first is from 3/08/09: "It was awesome. The little girl I baptized Friday, Fenze Ann, is kinda shy. Her mom is inactive. When we asked Frenze Ann to share her testimony after her baptism, she shied away. Her mom shared her baptism instead. It was all in Ilonggo, but I could feel the spirit way strong and had to hold back some tears."

In response to a few questions I asked, he responded, "Laundry is fine. It's not too bad when you tell yourself that washer and dryer machines don't exists." "There is peanut butter here. Thank Goodness; I would die without it!" "I miss eating Dad's oreos. They do have them here, but they are waaaay expensive and I'm trying this new budget thing."

On Sunday, March 22nd he spoke of an upcoming baptisms. His biggest concern was memorizing the girl's Filipino names.
He says that it's so hot and humid there that he feels like he should carry a towel around with him. "I love the heat so much better than snow!"

Many have asked about MIB wearing a skirt as he was looking forward to it. He did find a skirt in the closet of their appartment. However, they believe it belonged to a sister that lived there before them. The people there don't wear skirts. Maybe his next area? There was some talk of his next area. However, the next transfer isn't until May, so we'll see if MIB ends up in the mountains speaking yet another language.

MIB wasn't able to email today, as they had a zone activity. I look forward to when he can email again. Once again I apologize for my "leave of absences." I hope to be past the picture withdrawals and be back on track for blogging! You can look forward to more pictures, whether they be past or current!

Happy Palm Sunday! Please be sure to spend some time this week contemplating the incredible gift that Christ has given us. What would be MIB's purpose in the mission field, or our purpose everyday if he had not atoned for us?!!

Happy Easter!

Dear Elder

MIB is doing well. He has a great way of having fun everywhere he goes. He is loving the letters and packages that friends and family are sending. He loves to hear from everybody. We were fortunate enough this last week to catch him on email - so we were able to email back and forth for a few minutes before he had to run off to other things.
He did emphasize that his favorite form of communication is on DearElder.com. It is a great way to get letters to him FAST. In fact, any message sent to them by noon, Monday through Friday is brought to the MTC that same day - so he gets your mail that very day. It's easy and FREE. Go to DearElder.com, select "write a letter," put in MIBs name and select Provo MTC for location. Type your letter and hit send. THAT'S IT!! They print them, stuff the letter in an envelope and hand deliver it to the MTC.
It get's even better - You can do the same thing when he leaves for Bacolod. Instead of choosing Provo, MTC for the location, choose Philippines, Bacolod and they deliver (weekly, on Fridays) up to the Salt Lake City location where the church sends out all the "pouch" mail. It normally takes 2-3 weeks to get to Bacolod from here, but again, it's easy and FREE.
MIB says it works great for him. So, take a moment to send a few sentences to him on DearElder.com :)
MIB send his greetings and thanks to all of who have been sending him letters and packages, the support has been great! He is loving the MTC, enjoying the people there and learning so much.
I try to use Tagalog in my messages to him, for my learning and for his. He said he would tell me how to say whatever I asked. So if there is something you want to learn how to say in Tagalog... just ask!
Please remember MIB in your prayers.
Salamat.

More Tagalog vocabulary

MIB sends his thanks to all who have corresponded with him since he's been in the MTC. He loves the letters and packages. He is somehow, still hungry all the time.

Here are some more vocabulary words to use when you write him -
Gutom ako - I am hungry (He must use this one a lot)
Maganda ko - You are beautiful
Mabuhay - Long live
Totooang simbahan - The church is true
Salamat - Thank you
Mahal Kita po - I love you w/respect

If you only use one phrase this week, I hope it's "Salamat!"

Mabuhay!

Sunshine, beautiful Sunshine

Mail - when anticipated so greatly, is like sunshine! We have received sunshine from MIB!! He's doing well. His companion likes basketball too - so they get along great.

I've always been told that missionaries eat very well at the MTC. In fact, Jared said he gained 21 pounds (in just 19 days!) during his stay at the MTC. However, MIB says that he is always hungry and thirsty. Strange! I'm sure care packages would help his hunger and thirst. I figure that he's being fed so well mentally and spiritually that his physical body is feeling left out. : )
Yet, we can all feel good knowing that they have Sobes (his favorite drink) there, so he's drinking well!

He's having fun with the Tagalog language. Leave it to MIB and his companion to make up songs in Tagalog to brings a smile to all those who hear it.
He did give us some vocabulary, you may want to learn it too and use it when writing MIB, or whenever you have a conversation in Tagalog : )

Kumusta? - How are you?
Mabubi - Good
Magandang umaga - Good morning
A no ang pangulan mo? - What is your name?
Oo - Yes
Hindi - No
Mag- Inggles? - May I speak English

I do believe that I would probably use "Mag- Inggles?" the most, but I'll work on the others as well. Hopefully you'll give some a try too. Check back again for some more language lessons, and of course for more updates.

Magandang umaga!