Elder!

Dear Mom,
It has been another quick week. I can't believe we're already half-way through this transfer. It seems like nearly every other day is a p-day!

That's great to hear about Jason and that they're doing the "Step Above" article on him in the 89138 magazine. I'm really proud of him and all that he's done. You'll have to mail me a copy of the magazine so I can show it to everyone here. It just seems like the other day I was taking my picture when they did the article on me. Can you believe that was almost three years ago?

Also, way awesome to hear that BYU basketball is doing so well. I'm actually pretty close with Elder Haws, the BYU basketball player. We went to the temple this morning together and we keep in touch really well. He's awesome and really humble. Him and Elder Kessler (who was in my calculus lab at BYU), are like my best friends here. They also l love taking pictures together with me because I'm so tiny. Here's the picture I don't think I sent to you last Christmas and the one we took today. Mainly, because I look so ridiculous standing next to them.

Well last week was great, we had zone conference on Tuesday which was great. We always realize how humbled we are when we walk in the mission home and pretty much kiss the air conditioning, carpet, and toilets. I mean, we're not exactly living like Americans here that's for sure. We were taught about some of the new fundamentals of Preach My Gospel: teaching people and not lessons as well as revelation through church attendance. These new lessons that they're highlighting from Preach My Gospel are great because they eliminate the robot missionary and let us teach to meet needs. It was a fun and great experience. In the picture, to my left is the other Elder Corpuz in the mission.

The rest of the week went pretty fast. It's been a bit difficult, but fast. We were able to truck (jeepney) a bunch of the people we're teaching to the long awaited temple tour that hasn't happened since January. This time the temple was packed! We were there from nine until one in the afternoon which is insane. The tour that the sisters put on is only about 20 minutes and theres a 15 minute video presentation that they do before, so that can give you just a little idea of how long we were waiting with the heat. They're all awesome and they loved it though. Every time we bring new people to the temple, the first reaction is always, "I feel like I'm in heaven." The Philippines is very loud and dirty, so to walk into a place that is clean and quiet with beauty all around, is quite the culture shock to them. All the people in the picture I attached will either be baptized either on the 26th or on April 9th. We love them so much and are very excited for them!

I did have some cool experiences this week. We're teaching a few teenagers boys and one of their older sisters. They're really awesome and love coming to church. I got a text this week from one of them named Vince and it was probably the nicest thing I've heard my whole mission. He told me how he is so thankful for us and how he wouldn't know God without us. Every time we teach them, him and his cousin always say that in their prayers, it's always something that brings a smile to our faces.

We also are teaching this family that is all LDS except for their father. He's great and really funny. They're youngest is just over a year. He can't really talk aside of "Ma" or "Pa." And then while we were teaching, sister screamed while she was holding him. I assumed the baby pee'd on her or something because that's, well, what happens to me here. And she got teary eyed and said, "He spoke! He said, 'Elder.'" It was a moment, I'll definitely never forget.


After we went to the temple today, a gracious member took our whole zone out for lunch... yep all 16 of us! It was way nice of her, but she's way loaded for a Filipino. In conversion to dollars, she fed all of us at an all-you-can-eat buffet here for just over $100. Crazy right? Anyway, we're going bowling now with some of the elders so I'll be catching you all next week!

Love,
Elder Corpuz