After skype

So right after the skype I just cried a lot and rewatched my 8 min recording for an hour, then I went to the baptism, the zone leaders were sick so I actually got to baptize two people!  Rose and her Boyfriend Romell were having a hard time because they need to get married before she can get baptized, the marriage license costs $40 but Romell only makes $3 a day and they use that for food.  Elder Arnejo and I fasted for them to find a way because I know that Heavenly Father wants her to get baptized and he has the power to gather $40 haha.  The next day, some people in the ward got together and I think they are going to help her pay for it so our prayers were answered!  I love teaching Sister Rose. A is still having a hard time with the word of wisdom especially because from Christmas to New Years here is like party central and everyone is continuously drunk and smoking between those times.  They also have these huge fire cracker sort of things and a lot of the little kids are losing their fingers because they don't know that they have to throw them.  Litterally every single kid here got an airsoft gun for Christmas, so from Christmas until now there has been a continuous airsoft war surrounding us,I'm  surprised we haven't gotten hit yet haha.  On the day we fasted, at 7pm we finally got to eat, we had spaghetti at a members house and I ate two huge plate fulls until I was totally full and felt satisfied, we then visited the Dones family just to say hi and they were having a party.  Sister Dones made us come in and she had a ton of food for us.  I had two plates of chicken alfredo and two plates of Fruit salad.  Whenever I Was finished and thought I would explode because of so much food, she would just yell "you eat more, you eat more!" at me, so I kept eating.  When I finally finished my 4th plate, I was so happy to be done, and then she brought me a huge cake! When I finished that I was praying that she wouldn't have any other food.  And then she brought me more desert!  When I was walking home I felt like I was about to die haha.  It was a fun week I feel like I have gotten my determination back, we will visit the temple after this.

Christmas Hello!

 

 

 

 

Cole's email to us this time wasn't much! haha He is excited to skype with us on Christmas in 4 days...but who's counting!  He has recieved his Christmas packages so he is excited about that.

The Manila Mission had a goal to have a "white" Christmas.  Meaning baptismal white.  On December 26th he will have his first baptism and he is very excited! The man's name is Rueben. 

Cole loves the ward he is assigned to and they have fed him dinner every night this week.  He was able to go to a ward mission Christmas party and a mission Christmas party.  He said they were fun but he felt like they were "wasting time".  He is very into his OYM (open your mouth) goals and doesn't like to stop working.  He told us this quote..."if you want to baptize a few people, then talk to a few people, and if you want to baptize everyone you can, talk to everyone you can." I am so proud of his dedication. 

He has struggled with home sickness and in his journal he writes that he has faith that he will get better but that he prays that it will get better quickly.

Some questions he answered for me....

How many lessons do you teach a day?  3 or 4 a day
How many miles do you walk a day? about 3 miles every day
How is your ward?  They are great at feeding me but they need to give us more referrals.  (our  
    missionaries would say the same about us in Utah too haha)
Spiders ins your apartment?  No but lots of cockroaches
What will you do on Christmas Day?  Open my presents!


Cole also mailed Coby and his Dad each a birthday gift this week.  It was so cute!! He sent Coby a Boy Scouts of the Philippines shirt and Jeff a Ferrari pen.  He wrote them each a nice letter as well.  He mailed the package via DHL and it got here in 3 days!!! I couldn't believe this so I asked him about his money situation! It cost $40 to mail the half pound package.  He gets $160 a month of flexible money.  So he spent a whole weeks worth to ship the package.  Crazy boy.  Luckily people have been nice to give him a little Christmas money in his account!

I had two miracles happen this week.

I had two miracles happen this week.  I experienced the gift of tongues in its fullness on Dec 10.  We went in and taught this guy and his daughter about the sacrament.  It was a short normal lesson and after it was over my comp talked to the daughter and the old guy started talking to me.  He told me that he was 70 and that he feared he would die soon and he didnt know what would happen to him.  Only he said this in all Tagalog and I understood him perfectly!  I was them able to tell him of the plan of salvation in fluent Tagalog for the next 10 mins! The whole room got silent and listened to me.  It wasn't that I used words that I didnt know, but every word I did know came straight to my remembrance and was as readily available as English! It was awesome! Right after I was done, I couldn't understand and speak any more .

I also had a good talk with my comp about how a couple months before I came, someone told him that he wasn't good enough to teach the gospel because he had only finished 10th grade and thats why he was struggling.  He said that when he saw me trying my best to talk to everyone even though I had no idea what they were saying, it changed his mission and that he was super grateful for me.  It was awesome, I will continue to try my best but it is very hard

 

This is from Cole's email to me.  I asked some questions, one being, "Can you buy toilet paper?".

 

haha ya but I dont think I will, its expensive and our toilet doesn't have the power to flush with toilet paper in it lol, but it's ok I'm used to it now.

We usually teach like 4 or 5 lessons and walk a lot.  I led the zone in oym's this week along with my companion so that was awesome! I got 132 my goal for this week is 210!

The food is better than the MTC I eat rice all the time now lol still just rice and chicken, and a lot of spaghetti but its like a sweeter version, but it is still good.

I got the christmas package I think inside the pillow case I haven't opened it yet but that's the only thing I've gotten.  I think you still send them there.

I think I'll skype you on the 26th here so it can be Christmas for you I don't really know the details yet but I will figure it out.\

I love you so much Mom

First Week in the Mission Field

This email was kind of hard for me...he was always so positive at the MTC.  I'm sure we will get more like this though.  If everything was always easy he would not grow and gain experience....

I love my Mission President he knew who dad is before Ieven asked him so that was cool.  His wife is awesome too!  My companions name is Elder Arnejo, he is from Mindinow which is an island.  The most his dad ever made was 9$ a day as a fisherman.  It is really hard to relate to him, he is also super into the rules and its super annoying all he ever says is bawal it seems sometimes haha.  I am living in this little apartment in Makati. No toilet paper I hope the water is clean, cold shower, there isn't enough room for me on the toilet so my head is always jammed up against the wall.  There is no ac so it is always hot, we have a stove, but no microwave so I can't cook my popcorn there is no jerky in the Philippines.  People are nice in my area.   All of the kids are always like "sup bro" or "hey man" cuz they must have seen it on tv or something.  I have had like 20 girls ask me to marry them, one old drunk guy, two gay guys, and like 5 shemales so thats kind of annoying. No one here really speaks english it is really hard I never know whats going on because everyone talks super fast.  I miss Sister Barton and everyone else from the mtc.  I hate it most of the time, but there are some good moments like when I met bro jib.  On Wednesday I am going to a members house and I guess he has an electric guitar ibanez something so I am excited for that.  There were no packages or letters in the mission home:(

It is super hard I miss you guys and love you more than anything.
 

Letter from President Ostler

PHILIPPINES MANILA MISSION

P.O. BOX 1997

Makati Central Post Office

0714 Makati, Metro Manila

Philippines

4 December 2015

Dear Brother and Sister Zesiger,

Great news! Your son arrived in the Philippines Manila Mission last Wednesday! We picked up all the new

missionaries at 6 AM from the Manila MTC. Your missionary looks great! Each of the missionaries expressed

enthusiasm and excitement to begin their work. We fed them well, trained them with all the health, financial,

and mission things they needed to know to get started. We also taught them how much Heavenly Father loves

them and how He expects them to do their best, but that He is also a wise, loving Father. We showed a video of

our one-year-old grandson, Ryan, learning to walk. They saw how Ryan’s parents encouraged and cheered him

on as he was taking his first steps. We discussed how they were never upset with him if he wobbled or fell

because they understood he was learning to do something new and that he would need practice to be able to do it

well. That is the same type of experience your missionary will be having. We hope you will support and

encourage him during this big transition time. Help him realize it is natural to feel “wobbly”, but as he keeps

trying, he will find his abilities growing until his confidence and enjoyment increases. Soon, he will love the

work and the people with all his heart.

We are so very grateful to you and your family for sharing your missionary with us and the wonderful people of

Manila. We hope that you will be able to enjoy the wonderful growth that your missionary will be experiencing

during his mission. We encourage you to email him weekly and share the positive things happening in your

family. If you have serious concerns or worries about your missionary, do not hesitate to email or call us. You

can reach us via email at 2018209@ldschurch.org or by phone at 011632-836-4963. We, or our office staff,

would be glad to help you.

Your missionary has been given one of the best missionaries of our mission, Elder Arnejo, to be his trainer.

They will be serving in the Bonifacio District of the Bonifacio Zone. We expect great things from them. Please

see the enclosed pictures for your enjoyment. We love your missionary, and we again express our appreciation

for your willingness to share him with us. We will do all in our power to help him have a happy and successful

experience here on his mission. May Our Heavenly Father bless you and your family.

With sincere gratitude,

President and Sister Creg D. Ostler

Philippines Manila Mission

 

 

Last Week in the MTC

I asked Cole what he does as District Leader in the MTC...

 As District Leader pretty much am the teacher most of the day, people come and talk to me about problems too and every Sunday I teach a sunday school lesson. I put Shelby and Dad on the prayer role today.

I went procelyting again, this time in Manila! It was awesome! My companion was the Zone Leader so that was cool pero he let me lead which was hard but cool.  At first we did some street contacts and I got us 4 return appointments!  Then we started knocking on some doors in the squatter area,(which means their houses are made out of trash and their doors are really sheets) One family let us come in and we taught them the Restoration.  It was weird when I walked in dahil he had no pants on just really tight small under wear and his like 20 year old daughter had no shirt and was breast feeding a baby lol.  They weren't listening very good at first dahil they belonged to the Iglesia NI Christo so they kept trying to tell us we were wrong, pero when I quoted the First Vision to him in Tagalog and told him the story of Joseph Smith, he was silent and listened, the spirit was super strong and he accepted the Book of Mormon and said that he would read it.  I said the closing panalangin and then we heard people yelling, it started getting really hot so we looked outside.  There was a huge housefire! So we ran away with the family and their house burned down.  Apperantly in that fire over 75 people died and over 100 houses burned down! It was the craziest experience of my life.

I found this story online...http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/world/2015/11/25/76396584/

 

Sister Barton and I had our secret Christmas party. She and Sister Holzworth gathered everyone from their district and I grabbed everyone from mine and once all the teachers had left we went into my district room.  We all brought our gifts and distributed them and opened them one by one and tried to guess who they were from.  It was awesome.  Sister Barton got me one and she bought me two bags of jelly bellys, carmel apple suckers and a gatorade because she had heard me talk about those things every once in awhile during conversations haha.  It was aweosme even though it was against the rules I think it was still good dahil it brought everyone closer together.

 

The fish that stares at you while you eat it.

 

 

If you would like to send Elder Zesiger a Christmas card his address is

Philippines Manila Mission

Elder Cole Zesiger

PO Box 1997

200 Makati City, Metro Manila

Philippines

 

 

 

My Dream

This was taken from an email to me...

I became DL on Saturday. Apparently my teachers have been speaking very well of me to President Trask so they changed the DL position to put me in haha which I guess doesn't happen that often here.  Later that day we were watching some devotionals by David a Bednar, which are always cool to watch now that I've met him haha. Afterwards we got up to bare our testimonies.  I always try to be the first one to get up because I think it's easier that way haha.  He talked about the importance of women in the church so I got up and bore my testimony about you.  I testified that I  wouldn't be here without you, literally because you packed all of my stuff and woke me up to leave haha, and because without your constant love I surely would not have a testimony and I would not be able to serve these people in the Philippines.  After I sat down with tears in my eyes.  The next like 15 testimonies were all about their moms and how much they loved and missed them it was amazing! I'm so glad that I have you in my life and I cant wait to see you again.

Nov 16 I saw two cockroaches today, making it three for my entire life hahaha they were huge! I also had a really good talk with Peterson on how we are examples to our families, it all started because of my crazy dream.  I dreamed that I was in a movie theater and I sat down to watch a movie.  The theater was empty except for me.  When it started, the screen was split exactly in half, one side was playing my future if I had gone on a mission and simultaneously on the right side, was my life if I hadn't gone.  It stayed normal on both sides for a bit.  I was actually happier on the side where I  hadn't served for awhile but then something crazy happened.  On the side where I hadn't served, I eventually fell away from the church. And because they didn't have the example they needed, Shelby, Caden and Coby didn't serve missions either and they all fell away, by the end of the dream, our family was torn apart.  On the serving side, I had a great mission and when I returned home there was unexplainable  happiness.  Caden, Shelby, and Coby all served very successful missions around the world and our family was closer than ever. I talked to Peterson about it and he said that if his brother hadn't served he doesn't think that he would have.  I am really glad that I get to be the first and oldest.

Nov 18 We went proselytizing today!  We all loaded up into a van, and drove for an hour deep into Quezon City.

 I don't think that I understood poverty until that drive.  As I looked out the window and as the air burnt my throat to breathe, I looked out at houses that could barely be classified as houses.  Imagine a building was just demolished, and then people just like picked up the garbage and made cities out of it! That is what it was like.  Their towns literally looked like a dump, with little holes everywhere with people inside.  When we arrived at the chapel, we all split up and went with some infield missionaries to help them teach and to learn how it really is out there.  I was with Elder Salo, he is really cool but doesn't speak much English so we mainly spoke Tagalog.  To get the the less actives house that we were teaching, we first had to ride in a tricycle.  Look them up on google, they are pretty much just metal versions of those baby carriers that go on the back of bicycles except a little bit smaller!  We had to like get into a little ball just to fit in hahah.  We then road a Jeepne, 

which are old WW2 Jeeps that have been stretched and then painted all crazy and they kind of act as taxi bus things.  Once we got near to her house, we walked down this dirt road, which was infested by at least 30 or 40 stray rabies dogs, not even exaggerating on the number. And a ton of little kids were like squatting in circles holding sticks and just like hitting the ground it was soooo weird!  We walked down this alley way and then up a lot of old crumbling concrete steps to this less active's house.  One was of her house was a chicken coop, the other three were a bamboo frame wrapped in an old ripped up tarp.  Her floor was dirt and rocks, she had one old gross lawn chair and a log.  We sat down and taught her about obedience, with chickens and dogs walking around our feet hahaha.  She was really cool but it was pretty hard to understand her, I prayed and bore  my testimony, Tagalog-lang.  After we taught her we just walked around looking for someone to teach,  I felt like a rock star because everyone, especially the kids, almost with out exception are like :"Hi, what's you name?" "Are you from the US?"  "Do you want to play with us?"  And its so cool because if you answer them and ask for their name and stuff, like an expression of pure joy comes over their faces! It's amazing.

We kept walking down this jungle path thing and through like all of these old ruins that people lived in until we came upon a guy with no shirt carving wood infront of his house.  I guess his job was to sell eggs from his chickens and to carve these flowers out of wood and sell them.  We introduced ourselves and asked if we could share a message.  He said Sure! So we all sat down on these logs and his like 8 children came out.  We taught him the restoration.  It was awesome I was able to teach some of the lesson, testify and pray all in Tagalog, because the adults don't really speak English only the kids.  He asked if I was getting paid to be here and I said I was here to teach because I loved the people, he couldn't understand that.  We got a return appointment and Elder Salo is going back to teach him in a couple days.

It was a crazy experience and I can't wait to do it every day!! hahahaha

Cole leaves the MTC on December 2nd. 

If you'd like to send him a Christmas card send it to....

Philippines Manila Mission

Elder Cole Zesiger

PO Box 1997

1200 Makati City, Metro Manila

Philippines

I bore my testimony in pure Tagalog!

Cole had been emailing me pictures of his journal and then I was summarizing them on the blog.  Apparently, they are not allowed to send photos from the computers that they email from. :( So this is from his email to me...

At the beginning of my mission I promised myself that I would volunteer at every opportunity and I got noticed today.  I answer a question like usual and the teacher was like.  Elder Zesiger will know a lot and be a great missionary when the MTC is over  It was awesome haha. We had a big testimony meeting with everyone I bore mine in pure Tagalog which was cool!    Peterson also bore his testimony which was my favorite part because he is very introverted and doesn't like to talk much but he did and it was awesome! On Nov 9 we were in class and the teacher called me up to do a demonstration with her. I had to testify concerning Joseph Smith in all Tagalog and I did.   

I started and finished 30 Ways to Love Your Mission,  it was awesome it reminded me of my success books a lot. I really miss seeing cool watches around everyone here just has Timex and G Shocks.

 I had everyone in the MTC sing happy birthday for my mom. 

Me and Sister Holzworth convinced this baby batch guy that Sister Barton sacrificed a lot to come on her mission.  She had a scholarship to BYU for pole vaulting and was on track for the Olympics ahahahaha. Our teachers told us our strengths and weaknesses mine were that I could listen better and that because the language came so easily to me they fear I might get lazy.  My strength was that I talk a lot.   

I keep singing songs with Coby's name in them to bug him but then I remember that he's not here haha. 

I love my mission, this week was good!

Cole will be in the MTC until December 2nd.

October 30, 2015

Today was way cool, but really sad.  First we woke up ad we went to the Manila Temple.  When we went to the Celestial Room , I saw Sister Barton and Sister Fangu FAngu crying and I started to think about my family.  When I thought about how Coby said that he didn't know what he was going to do without me because I am his best friend, I burst into tears.  I miss him like crazy!  When we left the temple and went outside to take pictures, I found a smooth, black rock on the ground and put it into my pocket to remind me of my family and also to remind me why I am here, to help the people of the Philippines come unto Jesus Christ, and to be a good example to my siblings and to my cousins.
After that we finally got to email our families! I got on the computer and immediately started to cry! Caden is being ME for Halloween! He is wearing my dad's mission tag, my suit, my watch, and my Philippines pin!  (By the way Caden looked so cute and everyone LOVED seeing "Cole" at the ward trunk or treat!)  it was awesome to see how much my family loves and misses me!  I love and miss my family and I keep telling myself that when this is over; I will be with them forever and it will be that happiest I have been! If I go home, it won't be happy and I will regret it forever! IT'S NOT EVEN A CHOICE!  "This too shall pass"

After we emailed our families we went to the store.  I spent 600 pesos on food and 400 on a personalized mission ring.  1000 pesos is less than $20! When we got back we taught Marvin for the first time.  It was awesome!  I was able to speak about 60% of our lesson in Tagalog and I talk a lot! haha At the end of the lesson Elder Peterson said the closing prayer and was a lot better!

When we went to gym we went into the bathroom and there was a huge spider like the size of my hand! It scared the crap out of me! hahaha

I got to open my second package from my family today, and it was amazing to see the words on the paper!  It said, "BOO" We love you! Happy Halloween 2015.  I love them so much and wish with all my heart that I could see them right now, especially Caden dressed up like me! haha  All I can do is write them right now but in two years when I return, as it says in 1 Nephi 5, "my joy will be full"

November 1, 2015

I forgot to write about when I met Elder Bednar at the airport.  I had just entered the airport with my family and we walked up to the ticket desk.  My mom said, "That's Elder Bednar!"  He was standing right next to me so I said Hi and he started talking.  He could see that I had been crying a little bit and that I was scared so he told me that all of the feelings that I was feeling were normal and that he hadn't met a missionary that wasn't scared and sad.  He then told me to remember that I couldn't do it.  But, through pananampalataga (sp?) in Jesucristo at lakas ningo, I can (ok hopefully he doesn't start writing more and more in Tagalog haha!!)  He then told me that he loved me and that he was proud of my decision to serve.  I gave him and his wife a hug and then I left.
I met this Elder from the Provo batch today names Elder Maloy who is in my Uncle Harold's ward and knows my grandpa and grandma!!  He said Harold is helping him build a bike haha!

Elder Maloy

Elder Shaw

November 2, 2015

Today we had a lot of language study.  We memorized Moroni 10:5.  I kind of miss setting up competitions between Caden and Coby so I set up one in our district.  Two people would say the scripture and whoever made the most mistakes would have to be the other person's slave for the next day.  Except Peterson and Valentine, they played for Peterson's sister haha!!
We finally got to go outside today!  We played basketball and it was awesome! I am always thinking of my family and I frequently check my watch to guess what my family is doing.  (Then he said some more sad stuff about missing us...poor kid! We miss him too!)

November 3, 2015

Today was Awesome!  Our lesson with Sister Ana was amazing!  We went into it just planning on teaching the plan of salvation, but at the very beginning, she told us how her parents might have cancer.  We just spoke by the spirit the entire time and our Tagalog was amazing!  Elder Peterson bore his testimony and it helped her a ton and it was awesome!
We also had pizza and spaghetti today because everyone is leaving.  It was really bitter-sweet, because they are like my brothers.  It's like saying paalam to my family again almost!  I really miss music and Tagalog is getting easier to remember than band names haha!  And I don't know how I feel about that!! I really love my mission though and I am going to miss the senior batch but I know that they will do great and I can't wait to join them!
P.S  Elder Peterson really looks up to you Dad haha!So do I, I can't wait to come home and know that we are both returned missionaries!

November 4, 2015

We said goodbye to the senior batch today, so that sucked.  We had tacos so that was (insert Filipino word that I can't read) We read scriptures today as a district and talked about our problems.  I shared about how I miss my family but I know that when I return with honor it will be the happiest day in my life thus far.  I have some jalapeno Cheetos, so that is awesome! I decided to read my dad's letter again.  It is still my most valuable possession and it helps me immensely.   I also decided to write my family's names on my rock and the scripture 1 Nephi 5:7.  My family is my rock litetally lol.  I am going to carry it with me everywhere for the rest of my mission.
I also got a letter from Grandma Hill and it was amazing.  Getting letters is the best thing ever!!
I was rereading my journal and I can't believe how fast these two weeks have gone by haha, only 102 more to go!

Not ready...

Still not ready...

Ready!!

Poor Elder Fawson is too tall for the pic!

Manila Temple

View from MTC

Some Tagalog for Coby and anyone else...

Paalam - Goodbye
Luntiam - Green
Espiritu Santo - Holy Ghost
Pating - Shark
Bola - Ball
Unggoy - Monkey
Pamilya - Family

The First Week Down!!

I've created this blog to record Elder Zesiger's Mission in the Philippines.

Cole emailed us last night and it was so fun to hear from him!  We noticed his first email...because we were checking ALL day, and then we were able to email back and forth with him.  It was so fun...but not very good for him to type a lengthy email to everyone.  He was "chatting" with Me, Jeff, Grandma Z, Shelby, and Caden.  So I don't know if this is going to keep working out! However, he sent me photos of his journal entries so that I could summarize them and send them on to everyone!

So here it goes...

October 22nd...on the flight to Tokyo I knew I would have to sit by Sister Barton because 1.) it was 10.5 hours to Tokyo and 2.) I would rather get to know her than another stranger. My ticket was not by hers so we asked this Japanese man if he'd trade and he did.  We were fine for a while until a flight attendant came over and got mad at me.  I kind of just stayed and ignored her and it worked out! 

When we landed in Tokyo we found another missionary, Elder Lopez, and we decided to call our families.  I ended up giving them my Yen that Andrew gave me because I had a calling card.  I called my mom and she actually answered (like I hadn't been watching the clock and phone all night lol!)!  It was so good to hear their voices again!  We only had a few minutes so we just told each other how much we loved each other and said goodbye.

When we landed in Manila we found more 6 more missionaries.  I exchanged my $200 for 10,000 Filipino pesos!! Our driver that was supposed to take us to our hotel was not there so we decided we needed to call someone.  I asked like 3 people and finally we found Carlos and he let me use his phone!  I called the driver and he said, "I no drive no more, you find other ride". Luckily, Carlos was the nicest guy ever!  He called the hotel and got two vans to come pick us up and charge the church. I almost got in 7,000,000,000 accidents on the way there!


October 23rd...Today was long!!! I am the most tired I have ever been in my life!  I woke up by myself and didn't know what time it was because I didn't want to change the time on my watch from Utah time haha. I got so homesick and discouraged today I think because I was so tired.  The package that mom put in my luggage was such a blessing.  I love and miss my family more than anything. I got called to room leader which is cool because I am in charge of like 4 people!

October 24th...Today was also long but not as long as yesterday! I kept the analog time on my watch as Utah time so I can picture what my family is doing.  We learned the language all day today and also got to teach our first investigator, Vicky.  Her son passed away last year in a car accident and she doesn't speak any English, but I hope she understood us.  My companions were very nervous and wouldn't say anything until the end when they had to bear their testimonies.  This made it hard for me because I had to fill a 20 minute lesson!  We used a lot of gestures with the little Tagalog we know to teach Vicky the Plan of Salvation.  Even though we couldn't understand each other the Spirit was so strong.  We closed with our testimonies and I said one of the most powerful prayers I have ever said.  
Today was great and I really had a good day.  

October 25th....Most of today was great! We ate breakfast which was rice again! haha  We went to sacrament meeting and it was good except when they talked about how the mosquitos and water are dangerous! At dinner I challenged myself to eat my whole plate of rice and I did! The whole lunch room cheered! haha  Elder Schwitzer spoke to us and it was amazing!  We had a district meeting today.  I don't feel that most of our class does not respect him.  So I'm going to have to fix that.  Everyone was being very negative and talking about what was wrong with everything so I asked the question, "What do you guys think we are doing well?" and everyone's attitudes changed.  I think if we can focus on the positives we will be a great district.  

October 26th...Today was Awesome!  I taught Vicky and I challenged her to get baptized in Tagalog.  At first she wondered why she needed to get baptized because she was baptized in the Catholic church.   She didn't know what immersion meant and so I drew her pictures.  She thought she would have to stay under water for like 5 minutes and thought she would drown.  So I demonstrated on Elder Fawson right in front of her haha!  I almost dropped him because he is like 6'8"!  Then I asked her again in Tagalog if she'd get baptized and she said yes! It was the best thing ever I was happy for like 3 hours!

October 27th...Today we learned how to pray in Tagalog and I was called on to pray in the devotional in front of the whole MTC!

October 28th...We taught Vicky again today.  She told us that she told her mom about her getting baptized and her mom was mad at her.  I told her that I would pray for her that her relationship would improve with her mom.  I ate the hottest pepper today.  The senior missionaries gave it to us.  It burned my mouth, ears, and chest for like an hour! We also had pancakes today with no rice! haha It was amazing! My mission is starting to get a lot easier and the days are going faster.  I miss my family and my music like crazy!  I will be able to email them tomorrow and I am so excited!

October 29th...Today was amazing! I woke up sick and was debating whether or not to go to breakfast, but I decided to go and I am so glad I did! It was cereal!! with wait for it...NO Rice!! It was like a dream!   One of my companions was having a really hard time.  So we gave him a blessing.  It was probably the strongest blessing I have ever given and the spirit was so strong.  We sat and talked for a bit.  I felt I should read him the letter that my dad put in my suitcase.  I started to cry after the 3rd word.  It was a very powerful testimony and the spirit in the room was probably the strongest I have ever felt.  He thanked me for sharing.  This experience strengthened my testimony and makes me want to do my best to make my dad, my family, and my Heavenly Father proud.  We then went to dinner and had hamburgers!! It was amazing!  If I had these burgers at home I would have not liked them.  But here in the Philippines they were awesome!!  After dinner we went into a room and watched videos of us giving lessons to Vicky.  They said we were good teachers and that I  helped the lesson to keep going.  As the video ended, and I felt really sad that I wouldn't be teaching Vicky anymore, she walked in! She was a teacher pretending to be an investigator,  My mind was blown!! I had prayed for her, I had studied for her, and I had been so, so, so happy when she committed to baptism! I was mad!  Tomorrow I can email my family and I am excited!