SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

Hello everybody!

I hope you are all doing well this week and that everything is running smoothly in this time of the year. This week wasn't an exactly exciting week with cool stories but some really neat things happened. First- I extended the baptismal invitation to A(R's mom) and M! They both accepted which was great! I have been leading our lessons now for about three weeks and that was a particularly great lesson! The Spirit was so strong! I love missionary work. The only problem that we currently face is that M still hasn't come to church and A missed yesterday meaning her one missed Sunday buffer is gone. She can't miss again in the next two weeks if she wants to be baptized. Her mother-in-law is an active member and told me that she was busy with something and wanted to come but couldn't. So I don't think that will be too big of a problem:)

Sister M has been really busy and we were only able to stop by once this week. The lesson was phenomenal though! The spirit was incredible and was definitely reaching beyond the three of us because her husband (J) stopped working to listen! We invited her to come to Church but sadly she didn't either. We stopped by her house after church to follow up and she was really really busy with work and said that she is sorry she couldn't make it but will try again next week. We have a lesson with her again tonight! Hopefully all will go well.

R is progressing as always! She is so smart. All of her friends are LDS and she has been going to church for quite a while now. Our lessons with her are more or less reviews because she has learned the required material at church and from her friends. Next week is her baptismal interview and we are so excited for that!

That's my accounting for this week! Transfers are on Wednesday and we find out who transfers (if anyone) tomorrow. I want to stay here but I will go where the Lord wants me to go!

Now onto your emails:

Ali- You will do great with school this year! Always look for the positive and you will realize what a fun time you have and how easy it really all is. The spider was definitely huge. He is a banana spider (which are all over here, just usually smaller) so he isn't poisonous, just fast and a little intimidating. We put him on the porch because the ants will eat him:) They are all over the place and in everything too so that was our best idea.

Ethan- Sounds like you are having a great year so far! Keep up the work! I love the Philippines and I love Ilonggo! It is a beautiful language:) It is hard to understand sometimes but I don't mind because I try to listen with my spirit and not with my ears. The spider was very creepy but it is fun to joke about! I have pictures of him and I will show you sometime! Palangga ta ka!

Grady- Happy birthday again! You didn't give me any ideas as to what you wanted for your birthday... However, I found a great one! I will get you a custom basketball jersey! They are really cool! I just need one thing. What number do you want? I am glad you had a great birthday though! You are good at volleyball too? Why haven't we played! I have got a mean swing... sometimes:) Sister B is doing better but she is starting to relapse. We are hoping that she rebounds in recovery too. They are all in high spirits right now though!

Nate- How is everything bro? I didn't get an email this week.. I hope your Homecoming royalty stuff is going well! I am still waiting for your research on the Apocrypha. Please get back to me on that. How is debate so far this year? Getting ready for the Falcon First? I want to know!

Mom- That spider wasn't particularly dangerous.... I think. It wasn't poisonous by any means if that is what you are concerned about:) I wasn't going to send it home but I took pictures so that you all can see this thing! The phantom lizard is just that, a phantom. I think he left for good though. There is a bigger one now that likes to hang out outside though. I like him though because the spiders are afraid of him. I take lots of pictures! You should be satisfied with the pictures I have taken. I got a haircut this past week and because my haircut was "boring" for the barber, he decided to customize the front. It is a little longer than I would like and I don't like the way it looks in pictures but I am thankful for having short hair again! The rain is back so it has cooled down a little bit. My area doesn't have much of an environmental change. I am way up in the jungle. Pretty rural for most areas but there are two barangays (neighborhoods) that surround our house. So it mixes a little bit but not much. The barangays are even small ones compared to Cadiz (that's the big city we go to for P-Days). Our zone changes a lot from complete  rural to ours to total urban. So it just depends. I want to hear more about this fight. Who was fighting, why and where? Sounds like the basement is progressing a lot! Thanks for sending my packages! Veggie Tales is Great! Very funny with good morals behind most of it! Check out D&C Section 76 this week and get back to me on your thoughts. I have one point of confusion that I hope you can answer. Anyway, this week was fun and great with no spiders! I can't wait to hear from you all next week!!

Palangga ko kamo!

Elder Carver