Dear Family,

Holy Holy Holy, this week was awesome, I know I say that every week, but this one...was awesome! For a few reasons! 

First of all I went on splits with Elder Proctor, we had to get special permission from president to do this splits, cause Elder Molino wanted to work a day in Bagabag because he wanted to say goodbye to the members and investigators before he gets transferred. Molino and Valdez were nervous to ask prez for permission, but proctor and I figured, if you don't at least ask the answer is definatly no, if ya do ya at least got a chance. So we asked and he said yes. Anyway that was really fun, proctor has a really hard area, its full of hard core catholics, and lamut is pretty far away from the Bagabag chapel, so you have to get people to go all the way to Bagabag to go to church, so its a pretty hard area. The language actually went better then expected. It turns out Proctor and I might actually be comps next cycle, I dont want to get my hopes up, but that we be awesome, Proctor and I have talked about how we would do it, what we would improve, and stuff like that... 

Anyway on to our investigators and less actives we are teaching. 

Tatay Magno, that dog came to Church!!! Holy smokes, when we were waiting at the doors at church on sunday and we saw him pull up to the Chapel, I was bonked out of my stinking mind! We ran out to greet him, he had a big smile on his face. This might have been one of my happiest times on the mission, was watching that man walk into the Church. The members fellowshipped him awesomely! He is really good friends with Brother Baluabal this really rich guy in our ward. It was awesome seeing that dog at church. 

Sister Lacden and Erica are still doing awesome, sister Lacden is soooo ready is ridiculous. She said that she prayed about Joseph Smith, she said after her prayer her mind seemed really clear, and she felt peaceful, and went she went to sleep, she had the best sleep that she had in a long time, and she said that she took that as her answer that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet. She just really gets the Gospel, we taught baptism to her last night, and she basically said she knew that she needed to be baptized and that she wanted her whole family to be baptized too. Her husband is working abroad in Korea, and we asked if she told him yet, she said yes, but she would do it again just to be sure. Because it wouldn't be very good if he got home and Sister is just like, "Hey I'm Mormon now." Haha she understood that and she told her husband and he didn't have a problem with it. Sister also said that she had been taught twice before, but she just didn't get the gospel, and she just didn't feel anything, she said this time things really started making sense and the Gospel was a lot Clearer. She wanted to bear her testimony on sunday, but said she was too nervous. Her baptism is on the 26th, all we have to teach her are the Commandments, but I am not really nervous for any of those, I doubt she drinks or has a problem with the LoC. When it comes to commandments in the Philippines Tithing is always the hardest. Cause, alot of Filipinos are already poor, then they need to pay tithing. Its a hard thing to ask, but its just a way to show our faith. Do you really think the Lord needs our money. Tithing more than anything is a act of Faith! 

The bodigon (sorry there is always a different spelling for their last names...I really don't know how to spell it.) The bodigon Brothers are still doing good, they are starting to pay more attention. They are actually starting to understand it and get more into the lessons. They are coming to church, and doing all of the reading assignments. Their really a great group of kids, I could see this one being a future missionary. Renzo, that kid is a stud. The most interested one out of them all. 

We have been teaching this girl named Valen, I don't really get her, she is interested, and she comes to church and reads and stuff, there is just something about her I don't get. I don't know how really interested she is. We need to give her a baptismal date, but it probably wont be till like late June or something. I think the difference is, is there are some people like sister Lacaden, where their faith just sky rockets up, then there are some like Valen where it's a little slower and harder... I don't know we will see. 

Nanay Torio came to Church again, that was awesome, it was her 3rd week in a row. And to be counted as "active" again in our new program, they need  to come back 4 weeks. Her daughter Valorie also came too, it was her first sunday, but she finally got sunday mornings off, at her work, she works from 8-8 everyday!! And she is only like 19ish... kawawa siya di ba! 

I got to teach primary this sunday, that was fun, the Primary 2nd counselor asked me to teach it, her husband is less active, so we are trying to teach him, but he still refuses to join the lessons. I don't know what we are gonna do to get him to listen... but anyway Sister Bayom asked me to teach primary about Ammon and how to become like him, it was pretty fun. This kid slipped a note into elder Proctors pocket after class it was soo funny! Hahah it said, You guys wait, we are gonna box after Primary, at the playground both of you wait out side. haha that was great! Kids are the same here as they are there in America! 

Oh yeah I actually forgot to tell you about this in my last email, on saturday...last last saturday, we did a service project, and we were going along the highway cleaning up the sides, and I was cutting down the weeds and stuff with these cutter things, and I accidently stepped in a ant hill, and got bit like 30 times...no joke on my legs, hurt so much. Then Saturday we were at Angelica's house and elder valdez and I were hiding from her, I was behind a big tree, I jumped out, and my right foot landed on something uneven, and I rolled my ankle super bad, It still really hurts, it was hard to walk on it, and got pretty swollen. It was just a bad roll, its not sprained or anything. 

We finally went to Banaue!! The 8th wonder of the world, it was awesome, sooo stinking beautiful. It would bonk you out of your mind if you saw it, I took some pics but they just wont do justice. I also bought some really cool souvenir  . Next cycle we are going to go again, I am gonna get some more. They have some really cool wood carvings. I bought this really cool nativity set. Thats your Mothers day gift, Happy Mothers Day Mom! Love You. Unfortunately for you, you dont get it till I come home. I am gonna try to get a little souvenir's for all of you. They have tribal war masks, that are awesome, that I can hang in my man cave when I am older. 

Anyway Love you all thanks for everything

Elder James

P.s. Happy Mothers day to all the Mothers out there. Or in Tagalog Maligayang Araw ng mga Nanay