The only thing that could have made it better is if we'd had second breakfast...

Hello everyone!

This week most certainly was super busy! After our P-day on Tuesday we went back to Manila on Wednesday for MLC which was fun. A lot of my batch was there, like Elder Zesiger, Sister Barton, Sister Holzworth, Sister Thatcher, and more. The sisters were with us in the MTC. They'll be going home the transfer after next, so that's super crazy!!! MLC was awesome though. We talked a lot about what we learned from Elder Bednar. Not so much about what he said, but how he taught. He asked lots of questions that made us think and evaluate ourselves. As a mission we are going to try to teach our investigators more like that. Not just teaching doctrine and stuff, but really understanding our investigators concerns and questions, and helping them over come those. Inspired questions are hard! All the travel and stuff was totally worth it though. We got fed 2 meals there. Breakfast, and lunch! It was super tasty. The only thing that could have made it better is if we'd had second breakfast, but I don't think he knows about second breakfast. We didn't have afternoon tea either ('cause that's bawal) but they did give us some tasty cookies at the end! :)

I'm glad you were thinking about Rhea, Mom. She is doing really great and we were able to teach her one time this week, however there is some unfortunate news. She is moving back to Negros. That's where she is from. She came here to Roxas visiting her aunt and has been here now for the last 2 years. Just last Saturday her sister sent her some money to fly back home to Negros. She wasn't planning on going back until June or July, but now she is leaving later today. :( I find it more than a coincidence that the week after we start teaching her this happens. Satan is so sneaky! We will refer her to the missionaries over there though, and I'm sure everything will all work out. She will be baptized, whether Satan likes it or not. :) She's super prepared talaga! [really!]

I'm really diggin' this whole Book of Mormon in 90 days too! I'v never really read the Book of Mormon just looking for a specific focus, like the atonement, before. It's really awesome though. I'm only in 1 Nephi 17, and have already learned a lot. It helps me to focus more when I'm looking for specific things. Sometimes when I'm reading it's like I'm reading, but when I finish a column I'm like, "huh?" Often times I would have just been like "ah what ever" and kept reading, but now it's like "ah snap. What if there was some scripture I should have marked there?" and I read it again, and there really is something I would have missed. It's cool. The Book of Mormon is cool. True story!

Last Friday as we were walking around (like we do everyday) I saw this little girl and was like "kamusta ate?" [how are you, sister?] Then I noticed her eyes were all cross-eyed as she looked at me. It was really strange. I don't know if her eyes are always like that or if she was just so amazed at my crazy height, blazing red hair, and surprisingly authentic Filipino accent that it boggled her brain. I think it must have been the last. haha It was funny though, and a nice reminder that I'm not from here. I here all the time, "Grabe ang tangkad mo!" [you are tall] and "Bigyan mo ako ng height mo!" [give me your height!]  but this was different. It was like sheer amazement. It made me laugh to myself. :)

Another thing that was nice is that last P-day we wandered around our area and took lots of photos of the cool places. It's really beautiful here! Not only the awesome oceanic landscape, but my adobo I cooked up too! :) My companion doesn't look too bad either. He's my first white companion since the MTC. hahahaha

Elder Cortez

Robert cooks up his own adobo

Awesome Oceanic landscape :)

I hope you all have a great week and have a lot of fun with whatever you're all doing. Heidi, have fun doing your "chemistry homework." *wink ;) Mahal ko kayo!

Elder Fawson