April 26, 2010

Thanks for your letter last week with the words of encouragement and the update on the family! I think it's great that everyone is doing so well,the Lord is so good to me to be taking care of you all so well. This week Elder Villamil was transferred that means I got to go to the Island last Wednesday, and I got a new companion! Everyone said I would probably be training, which I am glad to say I am not. I get to work on my Tagalog more before I have to take on that challenge! My new companion is....AMERICAN. Ha my first american! His name is Elder Butler and he's from Southern Utah. We really get a long well together and I love our companionship so I am very happy here in Boac. I am also happy because after this transfer I will probably be transferred so I'll be leaving this Island on June 6th if it's the Lord's will, I be sure to pray hard haha life out here is rough. Last week alone we had brownouts every 8 hours. The 2 days before I left the Island Tuesday and Wednesday there were 5 brownouts a lone. Needless to say I've sweat off a lot of weight haha! Other than that the work continues to be really hard. But I'm still teaching some members my limited knowledge of Piano, but it's so awesome to see them progress! Yesterday we taught 2 members here, Brother Abet and Michael we taught them after Church at like 2:30, and we came back around 7:30p.m. They were still practicing! It was so amazing! Brother Abet is getting good, but there still struggling with reading notes, it's not an easy thing. Other than that we are really focusing on the Branch here. Corina, the girl who flipped out on me went to church yesterday. I'm not going to say it was a good experience, she was nice to me and we acting like nothing happened, but she would get very defensive and contentious when I would teach principals to her that she thought I was rebuking here. For instance in my opening prayer for sunday school I said. "Ama, Nagpapasalamt po kami kay sister corina at lahat ng mga sakrapisio niya upang magsimba araw ngayon " which is Father we are greatful for sister corina and her sacrafice to come to church today. Aftet there prayer she played the question game and was like why did you say it like that? It get's really old sometimes, and I don't have the spirit to teach. My companion asked her why she hasn't been baptized, it's been over 7months where she's been taught, she says she's waiting for the "perfect time" I wanted to reply, this is the perfect time, stop putting off the things God is telling you to do and the things you must do to gain eternal salvation because you are uncomfortable, salvation has never been an easy experience don't expect it to be.---but thankfully I was patient. I need to pray for her, it's distracted to have her at church, but I can't let her future and happiness be effected because of my feelings against her, so I'll carry on in this great work.

I say Elder Hansen at transfer day this week, and he told me that you email him every week, haha we had a good laugh, however it was good to see him. Hopefully we'll "maka-companion" sometime. I want to teach you two really great Tagalog word that we need to adapt into english!



The first is. Kwan or Kuan (like Kwan your personal police officer ;) anyways this word is amazing. It is used when you forget the name for ANYTHING, for instance if you forget someones name you just say, Hoy, brother kwan, or when explaining a story and the person knows that you're talking about your car just use the word Kwan. At times it's annoying because I really have no idea what people are saying then I ask what they mean.



The second and INFINITELY BETTER is. "Daw" This is used when someone says something and you are quoting them but you don't say who said it. For instance. I ask for water, but someone doesn't hear me.



Me: Ate, maari kong humihingi ng tubig?

Ate: ano?

you: Tubig Daw



Me: "ang pangit daw ng t-shirt mo talaga" "it's said that your shirt is really ugly"
You: "Talaga?" "Really?"

Me: "Oo Naman" "Yes, Really"


haha I don't know why I taught you this, perhaps I'll use it in an email and you will no longer be confused ;)
anywho.

I think that it's way awesome that you are having missionary night at the house....my only thought is what are the dogs going to do! If I remember Michaela and I do, she's beyond noisy! haha

p.s. I haven't gotten the packages yet, but next week the Zone Leaders go to Zone Leader Council next week so they'll bring em back to me

When is Tiff going to china for sure?

Is Curt still racing the cars?

How was mexico? How many friends do you have overthere?

Do you still have long fingernails?

Mom, Curt, Dad, Tiff, Jess, Zach thank you so much for letting me go on this crazy adventure. But to me it seems like the only thing I must be doing. It's hard, it's challenging but the Lord has been so close with me here. I love you all so much and miss you like you wouldn't believe.

Mom I have a suprise coming your way.

Malapit na I'll get to call you!

Faithfully,

Joshy