April 27, 2012

Hey Mom :)

I forgot to tell you that My Pday got switched to Tuesday.... haha my bad - but it'll be like that for the remainder of my time in the MTC  - it's so wierd to think that I only have 3 pday's left until I'm out of the MTC.

Things are going great here. Super busy all the time! The Language is coming - and now the pilot program is kicking it into high gear. They are really pushing us - and I thought they were pushing us before. But it's gotta be nose to the grindstone now! We got a new teacher - so we have 2 now. his name is brother Lopez and he is so freaking awesome - it's hilarious. I taught everyone in my district the llama song that the girls taught me (happy llama, sad Llama, mentally retarded llama)... haha  and now everyone calls me "Black Llama" I have a gang sign were you make two llama faces with your hands and cross them. I think that it is wayy cooler than it really is haha. I'm just trying to think of things to report but not a lot  happened in the past couple of days - Devotional on Sunday was bomb.com from a guy that I can't remember his name but it was about missionary work and gutting it through to the end. He talked about how the Lord comforts his missionaries, even though they will suffer afflictions. Saturday was a good day and so was Monday (yesterday). It was pretty melancholy because one of the districts dipped out - on their way to the Philippines. They've been here the whole time that I have and it was wierd to see them leave. One of them looked like Kendon - so you can imagine we were great friends.  He gave me the coolest tie ever. It has buffalos on it. haha. I know - SICK!

April 20, 2012

Hello Mommie :)

Thank you for your thoughts!! I love the scriptures!! Moroni 7 is one of my all time favorites :).  We had the opportunity to go to  a seminar on the atonement. I loved it. I love the atonement. I love it's enabling power to help us love. Especially in companionships, haha. I love you mom, and am eternally grateful for your example and inspiration to me. I gave a talk on Sunday about faith.... this is how they choose who gives talks here: they ask everyone to prepare a 5 minute shpeal on the subject they choose and then after sacrament they announce who will be giving the talk.... the first time our branch has non-fasting sacrament meeting guess who goes first? Haha - this guy! I bore my testimony about what it means to rely on god, and on the accomplishing power of faith. :) I felt the spirit and hope that others did as well. I felt prompted to bear about Ely and how I knew that things were going to work out. Everyone hopes that she is okay :) I pray for her always.

But that will be wierd!! I hope they (Bret and Ian) will get to see each other! I'm still peeing my pants about how awesome it will be for both of us to be in the Philippines!!

I will leave the MTC on the 14th of May - we have a lay over flight in Tokyo Japan, and then on to the Philippines!!

We get to go to the temple, but that is  about as far away as it gets , but we do get to chill outside alot. The weather is gorgeous. it's been overcast the last couple of days, but still absolutely beautiful. There are zero sisters in our district... which is nice because I can fart whenever I want! Haha. It kind of stinks though because there are sisters in our zone and one day I farted really stinky like and a sister walked in... I had to explain to her that she might want to leave haha. It was funny. Favorite part of the MTC is probably how much it's kicking my butt - I'm learning that you can do so much in one day if you'll just take the time to plan it out and stick to that plan!

Thank you So much for that package :) It totally made my day! If I could ask for anything else it would be maybe to stop by ross and pick up a like a 15$ bottle of cologne.... ummm, I had something else but i forgot haha. I hope that everthing is going great for you.  If you could send me no bake cookies, that would be the best. haha but no pressures!

Everything is going amazing though I'm finally able to construct simple sentences in the language with the limited vocabulary that I have. It's awesome.

Alam ko po na totoo po ang ebanghelyo ni Jesu Cristo. Buhay si Jesu Cristo. Mahalaga ang pagbabayad-Sala ni Jesu Cristo!! Sa pangalan ni Jesu Cristo, amen :).

i love you mom, and always look forward to being able to talk to you. Give my love to the family. :)
p.s. David archuletta sang The spirit of God the night before he left... it was so sick! He's got a good voice.... Also, it might be hard to find - but if you could find a talk called "Character of Christ" by David A. Bednar, your life will be so blessed!!

I love this gospel and the enabling power of the atonement!!! Keep the Faith, and Know that He is.
 Love,

Elder Blackham

April13, 2012

Hey Mamacita!!

 The first Saturday is a psuedo-pday for all new missionaries but My normal pdays will be on fridays.... Like today!!! We got to go to the temple this morning! I freaking love that place!! Everything is going great with my companions. haha, Yeah the time here is great... there are 9 people in my district and we are all so boss! Tell everyone I miss them but that the gospel is true.  :)

Right now we are working on sentence structure and grammar in Tagalog It's pretty overwhelming. Tell bret that it will be worth the wait and that I'm so proud of him. And mom, I love you so much! I really do! I hope all is well, and keep strong. I came across a scripture that was awesome for bret to look up. alma 28:14. LOVE IT!
I ran into elder pickett up here... .He's a teacher now haha so funny. Thing's are great..

Tell the girls I see Archuletta on a daily basis - we had the same lunch period. I asked him about "rio rio chiu" that one song on his christmas album and he said that it's just a musical phrase... I accidenttally pushed him because I was excited to ask him haha. Tell Ely that I'm still awkard.

Tell Bret that he is the man with the plan and that I love him so much. He's a stud muffin. Seriously. Wow - all three from our ward serving in the philippines - where only the best serve! he's going to love it all. Send me an email with everyone's favorite scripture on it. And tell Elyse that it's okay to take after her older brother ( I heard about the accident) =\ Give her my love.

Peace and loves loves!

Elder Blackham

(below is Elder Blackham's reaction to finding out that Bret will be serving in the Philippines also.)

HOLY CRAPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE THAT! IT"S THE BEST NEWS I"VE HEARD IN MY WHOLLLLE LIFE!!! holy poopstain. SICK!

1st Letter Home (April 6, 2012)

MAMMA :)

Hey mom, I think about you and miss you too, and the family a whole lot. But I absolutely love it here. The spirit is soo strong and I'm able to only focus on what I"m supposed to be doing. The language is hard, but I've already learned how to greet people, say a prayer, share a scripture and bare a simple testimony. The Lord will definately be the reason that I learn the Language. The first couple days are a little overwhelming with just learning everything that you are supposed to do, and to get into the rhythm of things.  I Have two companions who are awesome. One of them is Elder Fatani, from New Zealand. He is also the District Leader, we get a long great. He's a funny dude. I've also got Elder Minson, who is a red hed form Riverton Utah. He's a cool cat. ha. My District is so stinking sweet! We bonded like two ionic elements. That's okay, I left it there on purpose ;)... They gave me another one here! And a whole ton of language learning materials. I Taught my first lesson in Tagalog Yesterday. It was actually cool. Elder Fatanin Said the Openning prayer, I shared a scripture and bore my testimony that the book of mormon was true, and that Jesus Christ Lives. I love this gospel mom. They've got big plans for easter Sunday. Three General authorities are coming to talk to us, and we are having a combines sacrament meeting with the whole of the MTC. I'll be singing with the choir. :). Food here gives me gas... ha but that's nothing new. I sleep on the top bunk, which is nice. I still ave the mini-plaque that says "Our family is a circle of love and friendship". I think I brought too much clothes, would it be alright if I send a Package of some things that I don't need? By the way, I got the easter package yesterday, and a couple letters from Bishop, Lacey and Dad. THANK YOU SOO MUCH!! I love the package, and the beautiful note. Easter gives us a wonderful opportunity to remember. But what we remember on easter is something that should be remembered every day of our lives, the Atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is absolutely paramount in all that we do.

ama ko po na totoo po ang ebanghelyo at buhay si Jesucristo.

Things are moving. The gospel is rolling forth, and will continue to grow until it has sounded in every ear, visited every continent, swept every clime until our savior comes in great glory. I look forward to that day, when we will all be together embracing His love. Morni 7:47-48!

Peace and Love!

Elder Blackham