4-18 2016

Hi Family,

That's so crazy, I didn't feel any sort of earthquake! That's so crazy that that happened and really sad. But I do suppose that it happens, especially as we draw closer and closer to the Second Coming! We were all safe here, but what's coming to us right now is the start of the rainy season... which means we might start having Baguio soon (typhoons) which means I might eventually have to wade through waist deep water to an appointment XD It's so funny to hear about those Alpacas, they really sound like the absolute cutest animals ever!!! I really hope that you don't have to turn them into Packa steak, at least not until I get home... what would be a cooler story than saying that i have butchered an ALPACA?! And that so reminds me of the various foods that some people cook and eat out here in the Philippines, not limited to: dogs, cats, frogs, rats, fish.

But anyway, you might see that the temperatures here often get to 100 F. Which has been so hot. It's like a hot Virginia summer almost every single day out here! I don't know how on earth I haven't died of the heat yet xD

Oh my gosh, Mommy, you need to fix a typo: you said that Sister Good assigned to call and invite less actives to FEEL the Elders. I don't think that the Elders need to be felt by ANYONE. I think that you mean feed ;)

PETERRRR HAPPY BIRTHDAY. You want to know the way Filipinos sing Happy Birthday? They sing it all just saying Happy Birthday, to the happy birthday tune. No other words. So happy birthday bro, keep being awesome :D

You guys are so awesome, thanks so much for telling me all that's been going on! I love to hear about all of it!

So, I actually really had a great time this week! We really keep giving our best out here in San Leon, despite the mild difficulties that we face every single day. I think that my first big news is that IT FINALLY RAINED. Okay, so for like 2 minutes and not really that heavy, but it was precipitation that came from the sky, so therefore it counts!

But you'll see from my pictures that we had an FHE with one of the members where most of the members showed up, and it was really a ton of fun, Filipinos certainly love to cook for other people and then cook! So it was a really good opportunity to become even closer to the members. Something that really did strike me is that absolute ability for Filipinos to just laugh and to smile even in the hardest of circumstances, I mean with poverty and the economic situations, I don't think that I have ever met people who are satisfied with their situations and make the best of it. Really really optimistic people! :)

Later on in the week we went to go and teach Brother C, the one investigator of ours right now who is preparing himself for baptism on May 7th, he talks SO FAST. But he loves the lessons and I know that he's going to be ready! What's super awesome is that he showed up to church before we even got there, some 30-40 minutes before church even started, he was there mingling with the members who also show up super early. It was so great! The path to get to his house is this really long concrete trail across a bukid (field). Super awesome!

And then we went to a birthday party of one of our investigators because they invited us, and that was really fun. Though I can't really say that the cake was good at all, since it was coffee cake and I chose not to eat it xD But it was still a lot of fun, she's one of our investigators who've we only taught a few times but is one of the most astounding listeners that I have met here in the Philippines so far. We of course pray for them everyday, our investigators! Though speaking of that, our goal for this week is to really find new investigators... because we've dropped a bunch because they are not progressing at all, I mean havent progressed at all in some 4 months. So it's kind of a situation where we do that so that they can prepare and notice differences in their lives from when they were being taught and now that they aren't, hopefully when missionaries return in some 6 months or something they'll be ready to accept this message of the restoration :)

And now for some two crazy stories, one is that yesterday there was no power in our area from 1pm to 10pm, which wasn't too bad since we were out most of that time, but in the evening it was so hard... because it was dark and really hot. I have to say that I wasn't quite expecting to be using candles to get ready for bed and to write in my journal.

And the second was this morning we were getting ready to go out for P-day and found these nests in a tree... some 5 or so ant nests in the trees. It was so weird, they like used some sort of I don't even know to hold leaves together and make a colony in the tree. They also could like build little bridges using their bodies, it was actually pretty cool! Though I don't know at all what type of ant they are, it was just super fun to see! Speaking of animals of sorts, after this Elder M and I are going to go to Balungao in hopes of finding a "mini zoo" that apparantly has two really huge snakes, who are fed whole, live chickens. Now THAT ought to be an adventure if we're able to find them! Wish us luck!


Dad, I wasn't really expecting an email from you! Thank you so much, I love hearing about things going on at home, and how things are from your perspective of life! You're still working in DC? I hear that you're looking for a job that will hopefully help more. I know that that would really help, and rest assured I'm praying for you and everyone back home. I also know that the promises from tithing truly are amazing and real!
Oh my gosh, you totally need to do that, it's so cool that he's coming here to Urdaneta! I might actually be his companion one day, now that would be crazy!
I'm so grateful that the boys think of me as a good example, I've really had just wanted to be a good example to them so they know that there can be a line between funny and crazy and hard working ;) WHY on earth didn't the youth have a chicken dance while I was still able to go to the dances, because that sounds like the best idea that I have ever heard!
Wow, congrats on the calling, Dad! You get to be the Executive Secretary, I don't think that there would be anyone better to do in that calling than you! It makes you quite realize that the Lord does know who needs it. I think that what I've found though sometimes, especially out here in my branch, is that when the Lord gives a calling it's not exactly always for the others who will benefit. But is often to help the person receiving the calling to learn and grow for themselves. What a great story though with the call extension. That's what I would call a hilarious story! :D Super cool that you're doing softball now, that sounds really fun! If you want to have any sort of comfort, the people here in the Philippines LOVE basketball, even though nobody is really that good at it. But they do what they love! And so many times have I been asked if I play basketball, I think what I need to do now is just mess with them and actually pretend like I was super good back home XD Dad, thank you so much for being a good example to me. I wanted to let you know that you're doing such a great job as a Father and I want to be like you one day. Thank you so much :) I guess I'll go ahead and include yah in the weekly even though I'm sure Mommy forwards it to you 8)

ps- I have a question, can you please call the Bank and have them approve my card for withdrawing money out here? I don't think I quite thought that I would be gaining weight and need new work pants because I outgrew the ones that I brought XD

TINA. YOU FAT LARD. COME GET YOUR DINNER.

Oh, my gosh... you dont understand how hard me and Elder M just finished laughing here in the internet cafe seeing those pictures of the Alpacas. I have to say that that is one piece of news from home that I did not at ALL expect, but made my whole week! They look so cute! How tall are they?? Are they able to be sheared and stuff like sheep? DO THEY SPIT AT PEOPLE?!?!?! :D

I love hearing about all that has been going on back home, and you know Mommy, I do feel like that would probably be a good idea. Because the way that this world is going, it might just be better to homeschool them. After all, they do say that the home is the best place for a family to learn!

Another thing that made me laugh really hard was seeing their monk haircuts and hearing the story about Adam talking like a monk... that made me laugh so hard, thank you for that! I'm glad to hear that since I've been gone, not ALL the humor there has been taken away ;) JOKE LANG. (Just joking!) You guys are the best!

This week was really kind of hard for us here in San Leon, but it was good too! It was probably hard because Elder M has obviously never been here... so it was up to me to show him where all the zones are and where the investigators, the members, and the less actives all live. So that was really great! And I think the other part is that we spent a lot of time meeting the members and gathering referrals, since somehow it's one of those areas where literally everyone knows everyone else in the area! There were also a LOT of dinners, I mean we were fed every night this week: The reason is two part; so first Elder M would just ask the members "Hey can we eat at your house sometime this week" and they would very energetically say yes! It was really humbing to me too... because of the poverty situations everywhere here, and they would still go out of their way to feed us! Sometimes it was a very simple meal of rice with some ulam (ulam in Tagalog just means anything that you eat with your rice...) or a very big meal, like we had from the N family! They are the kindest people that I have ever met, and love to cook for us xD

     I think that my other highlight is that we'll hopefully have another baptism coming up on May 7th, for an investigator who has wanted to be baptized for a long time but wasn't married... a live in situation. So we contacted him this week and found out that he is married to her, and is trying to find his certificate. He was so enthusiastic and wants to get baptized so much... for a man who wasn't contacted in months, he was so ready. I mean regularly reading the scriptures and has just started coming to church, the only thing that I'm having a hard time to understand with him is his speaking... because this guy speaks like a million miles an hour in Tagalog. Thank goodness Elder M is really really good in Tagalog!!!

   Well, that'll be all for my adventures this week... now to talk about the wonderful experience of General Conference. There was so much that I learned but by far the most amazing experience for me was hearing the two talks that President Monson gave, one in Priesthood Session and another in the Sunday Morning.

From his priesthood session adress, though short I learned so much about the Priesthood and the importance of always living worthy of such authority and power and to be ready to use it whenever situation will call for it. And then his quote in the Sunday Session is easily becoming my motto in life: "Choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong"

I feel that in a world of slipping values and the influence of Satan over the world, it truly is easier to just choose the wrong. So in that sense, we always much choose the harder right. It's a harder work, but it's also the most rewarding. It leads to joy, happiness, peace, and ultimately, Eternal Life. 

And then I also pondered that in regards to my missionary service, it would be easier to go through the motions and not give my best every day. But what I learned from this is to choose the harder right, to give my best every day and to live every moment out here in the Philippines!

Overall, General Conference was so so incredibly spiritual and I felt so incredibly close to the Lord! May we all make the effort to live the things that we learn, that is how we will all achieve the goal of Eternal Life :)

Take care y'all!!!

-Elder Morris