May 1st, 2012

Mother dearest,

Tonight at the fireside, They shared a story of a picture of the Savior, with a quote "If only you saw you as I see you, If only you knew you like I knew you" Mom, Imagine the Savior telling this to you.


I love the temple!!It is also such a neat opportunity to do real service for real people. We went through a session this morning and oh! How sweet it was! One of the new elders in my district is supposedly a descendant of John the Baptist to that is pretty cool - he's from Guam. lol - but he went through for the first time here and that was wayy neat to see him.

Thank you for your insight mom! Reading the two languages in scripture side by side is something that I've been wanting to do for a while, but struggle to find time - it makes me want to do it even more because of your testimony! The Tagalog language is definitely a mountain to climb! But it is coming. I'm so grateful for the Spirit and its role in teaching me the language. It's so real!

I WIll be sure to send some pics - they are planning on closing the photo print shop soon - so i hope i can get some in before they do that - i might just buy a memory card here and send the other one back home though; it's 12 bucks for an 8 GB memory card! Everything is going good with my companions haha. We are all so different it's pretty hilarious but of all the companionships we seem to be getting along the best. Things are hard sometimes because of our differing levels of everything.. like, gospel, common sense, and things like that.But we're learning how to use each other's strengths and strengthen weaknesses. It has been a truly humbling experience for me. I have definitely learned a lot from both of my companions. Haha.

Scripture for missionary plaque.... I don't know! I hate decisions haha either John 16:33, 2 Timothy 1:7-9, or Ether 2:24. Let me know what you think!  That is so weird. I'm falling in love with everthing at the MTC and now I have to leave! pretty weird. I don't know if you know, but My Pday got moved to Tuesdays.

There are random similarities between Tagalog and Spanish, only in random vocabulary terms, and in telling time lol. To say, "how are you"? you say "Kumusta", but it's not "como esta", because that is a combinations of how, and state of being... in Tagalog, that's just how you say it lol. weird, i know!

Things have been so good lately though - our teacher brother Lopez is the bombest man I've ever met in my life. I really knows how to take it to our level which has boosted our learning in dramatic ways.

Some interesting things that happened this week - I had another ingrown toenail removed on my left foot. This one hurt way worse than when Doctor Inman did it - he's the man. But it was weird. I watched to whole thing and took it like a man. The weirdest thing was that I got to travel outside the MTC to the Podiatrist - first time I've left the MTC grounds except to go to the temple. It's healing a bit slower than the surgery Doctor Inman performed as well, but it is all good. I was able to fit into shoes today so that was a plus!

My Companinon Elder Fatani - the one from New Zealand - performed at devotional on Sunday that was way cool.  He sang "Abide with me" in a quartet- sounded so beautiful. It's funny because He's Tongan. I'm picking up on the Polynesian attitude a bit. If they think something is cool, they would say "That's cool as!" haha it's so funny.

 I am doing so good! The gospel is sooo true. Jesus Christ is aware of you.



Love,



Elder Eric Blackham