Mahal ko Tagalog!

Kumusta po kayo, Pamiliya ko?

Mahal ko Tagalog!  (I LOVE Tagalog) It is almost as great as English :P It is like they pretty much wanted to make the language really simple. I think what can make it hard to learn is just how different it is from English.  I saw Luke yesterday or Thursday, and that was pretty cool :) (All of the days really blend together... We actually just had two districts in our zone leave on Monday, but it seems like it was forever ago.) I still miss you guys so much, but I feel confident that I am where I am supposed to be.  

Our district has the BEST teachers at the MTC.  I don't know if you remember my first investigator, Felix, but the teacher that played him, Brother Mace is actually a convert and he told us a really neat story about his conversion.  It turns out that he actually is/was Felix.  His parents were always very anti-religion, but he had a best friend who was a member all through high school. His friend was always telling him about the church, and he (Brother Mace) often shared anti-Mormon literature/stuff/etc. with his friend.  One day after a church youth basketball game that his friend invited him to, he went up to his friend's step-father who reffed the game and told him that he had done a good job.  The ref said "Would you like to serve a mission, I'll pay for it?" And this completely shocked Brother Mace.  Brother Mace ended up staying in the gym at that church for like half an hour after the game was over and that's when he knew that there is a God. Isn't that amazing? And so he served a mission in the Philippines San Pablo mission (next to Naga, I think).

 It really is so neat to be here, although I can't wait to get into the field.  I got an email today from President and Sister Reeder who said a few things about the mission, including how we will be flying to Naga from Manila (Can you believe there is an airport in Naga??). I apologize that I don't remember all of the questions you guys asked me in your letters, I put down everything I want to email home about in a notebook, but I forgot the notebook today... oops.  

Jessie's party sounds like it was off of the hook.  I can't believe all the presents! I'd also like to say thanks for all of the packages you have sent me :) I hope that you didn't have to take out a second mortgage on the house to send them to me :P I will maybe try to get a letter on its way to Chandler with more interesting stuff in it.  I wish I had remembered my notebook. 

It has been raining here almost every day this week, and it has been so wonderful! I also found out that they have mosquito nets in most of the missionary apartments in the Philippines now too, so that will be super nice.  I really am so excited to teach real people and to experience a new culture. I am especially excited to ride on a Jeepney.  It is going to be sooooo great.  To answer mom's question about how often I can get on a computer on pday, we can really email whenever we want, and as many times as we want, but we are only supposed to email for one hour.  It used to be 30 minutes, but for some reason, they changed it.  I usually email while my laundry is in the wash, and it looks like my clothes are done, so I will have to continue in a letter or email next week. Thank you so much for all of the letters. They really make my day every day :)

Mahal ko po kayo!!

Elder Benjamin Merrill