Greetings!

Hello! Life is great! I love it here in the Philippines. The longer I'm here, the more I think it's going to be hard to leave. Hehe, do I miss the snow... sometimes, with how hot it gets, yes! But I am loving it here.

This week has been full of little miracles. We are teaching a wonderful family with 5 children! The mom was taught by missionaries in 2002, but stopped investigating. Just recently, she has felt very desirous for her family to grow up in the gospel and asked her Mormon friend to please send the missionaries to them "as soon as possible." They are progressing and it seems they have really been prepared by the Lord.

Sister Chona is receiving answers to her prayers. As she read the pamphlet we gave her, she felt the spirit enlighten her mind about the truthfulness of Joseph Smith as a true prophet. She is still wanting to prove all things for herself, but she is progressing, and I'm so happy for her. Please pray for her. She is such a special daughter of Heavenly Father, and I want her to receive the gospel sooooo much. I feel that if she was the only person I came to the Philippines to help, the whole 18 months would be totally worth it.

We are also teaching sister Christine (8 years old). It is fun to teach children. She is picking up the lessons very quickly and excited to be baptized. yay!

On Wednesday, as we did a CSP clearing land, about 10 little girls, Jennifer and Jessica's age, crowded around me and wanted to help. It was cute. They asked all sorts of questions and wanted to touch my hair. I think it was the first time they'd seen a foreigner. I taught them the song "I am a Child of God." It was great fun.

Those are some great questions. As for General Conference, we're all in suspense here ...we have to wait a week. They will rebroadcast it on Saturday and Sunday (April 10 and 11) so everyone here can watch it at the Stake center. I'm excited! I look forward to General Conference like it's Christmas. We are really trying to persuade Chona to come. Oh I hope she'll be able to so much! I'm pretty sure that it is broadcast in English - perhaps when the Liahona comes out, there will be Tagalog translations available. At church, during Sunday school they use mostly Tagalog. Hehe, in our new-investigator class, Sister Velasquez, uses English, Tagalog, and Pangasinan (the native language of most people here), while she teaches, so it's kind of fun to hear the mix. In Sacrament meetings, usually they use about half and half (Tagalog and English). Sometimes mostly English. Most understand English to some extent but prefer Tagalog in normal daily conversation. Also, many of them prefer English scriptures at church, because the Tagalog translation has "deep" Tagalog words and is often harder to understand. We always teach the missionary lessons in Tagalog however. But it's funny because even the Tagalog is sometimes Taglish because some words are easier and they prefer the English. So by the time I come back, I'll be very fluent in Taglish! hehe. But actually, the language is coming along great. There are times I still feel really inadequate, but then I look back and see how far I've come, and I begin to realize how much Heavenly Father is helping me.

P.S. they have "cheese and corn" ice-cream here. I haven't tried it- it sounds weird ;) Hehe!

Sarah Dixon! Boston, that's awesome! She will be a great missionary :)
That's awesome Taylor is engaged!
Wow, have fun in Florida! How exciting! Enjoy the heat - think of me! hehe.