Week 1- Ang koloob ng mga wikas (the gift of tongues) is real

Steve noticed right when Rpbert's email arrived and I was able to chat back and forth with him for a few minutes and ask some extra questions tonight. Needless to say it was the highlight of my week! Here are the highlights of his letter and responses. Enjoy :)

My P-day is on Friday. 

I actually have 2 companions now because Elder Peterson's never showed up so he jumped in with Elder Zesiger and me. He's from Idaho. 

In my room there are 5 of us. Elders Zesiger, Peterson, Valentine, Balenavecou and myself. Elder Valentine and Elder Cow are from Fiji. They're really funny. 

There are probably 20 missionaries that came in at the same time as me. Only 4 are from the U.S. 2 are from Fiji, 8-9 are Samoan, and a few are from Australia.

How many of them are going to the same mission as you?

My companions, one of the Samoans and one of the Sisters that was from Utah is in my mission. 

Tell me more about your classes and what your days are like?

In my class there is only 11 of us. The 20ish of us that came were divided into 2 groups: Enoch and Helaman districts. I'm in Helaman with my companions, the Fijians and 6 Samoan sisters. It's really fun. My guro (teacher) is really nice! We spend probably 4 hours a day in tagalog class and any other free time between personal/companion study, devotionals, and meals, studying on our own. It's pretty amazing how fast it's coming. I'm still not that good, but I'm still amazed at myself for how much I learned in just a week. Ang koloob ng mga wikas (the gift of tongues) is real, just in case you were wondering. :) It's pretty great!

It's really cool here. Not cool as in cold (except when the AC blows right on my feet when I try to sleep) but like the WOWZERS kinda cool.

The second day we started our Tagalog training and teaching a Tagalog investigator. It was really hard because all I knew how to say was How are you? and all they could say was lots of stuff but none of it was in english. Good thing for the Espirito Santo (Holy Ghost), am I right? Yes. I am. 

When everyone said get ready for a lot of rice. I believed them but they were underexagerating. I get a mountainous glob of it on my plate for every meal. It's ridiculus. Yesterday for dinner though we ate hamburgers. Elder Zesiger had an expression of utter bliss on his face with every bite. He doesn't like rice. hahaha.

Do they celebrate Halloween in the Philippines?

I don't know if the filipinos celebrate halloween, but the MTC does, kinda. It's more like christmas here right now. There was Christmas trees set up before I even got here! hahaha It's funny. Everyone freaks when Christmas is started before Thanksgiving, but here they start in September. hahaha kinda fun!!! hahaha

My buhay (life) is pretty great here. I love you. Thanks for all the E-mails! I love you!!!!!

I am running late for my afternoon mound of rice.

Mahal kita!!! (I love you!)

Elder Fawson