The Outside World

Kumusta po Kayo!?

 

    First thing is first! I freaking love P day! It is so nice to finally have a day off!! It gets pretty busy here in the MTC and once P day comes around you just don't want to do anything. This last week went by extremely fast, probably because we are a lot busier and our time is not wasted here.

    Oh lets see... So much has happen since I last e-mailed. The experiences I am having here are just insane and how fast I am learning everything is mind blowing. In little more then 2 weeks we are all ready teaching two investigators (Actors) and we will start a home teaching kind of thing with real people in the Philippines tonight, but all of this in Tagalog!

     The language is starting to getting really frustrating and confusing. I am starting to struggle a little bit because I was never really good with English in the first place so actually sitting in class for three hours twice a day and learning grammar is really hard for me, but I am trying my best to stay focused. I have been really focusing on studying the scriptures and learning of the principles and picking out things that I haven't realized before. The only difference is now I am actually trying to find certain scriptures that will help my investigators. Even though they are actors and you know that they are actors, it is a very real scene when you actually get to the tiny room that you actually teach in. The power of the spirit is very strong, do not underestimate it.

     As usual my companion is pretty freaking awesome but there is one flaw in his awesomeness, and I spoke too soon... He has the worse... and I repeat... the worst snore I have ever heard! I can hear him through my earplugs every single night and I just can't sleep because of it and honestly it sucks. I have been trying to get use to it and not be contentious and just to be patient. So far it isn't working haha but because of that cause, stress, and just constantly thinking about things at night, I don't get very much sleep and it's getting hard to go 16 hours a day everyday on that kind of sleep. Good thing I have a wicked ability to work on low hours of sleep or else I would be doomed!

     My District and Zone are just absolutely awesome and I love them all! A bunch of people in our Zone got their flights plans and they leave next friday! It makes me want to fly out so bad! I feel like I am going to spend my entire mission in the MTC! I have been drinking to much Gatas na Tskokolate

 ( Chocolate Milk) and I get stomach problems every morning but it is so worth it! I got to admit dat BYU creamy got some good milk. Other then that the food to me personally is pretty good for the most part, much better then I expected. 

    One thing I want to point out is that the MTC is truly a different world and a true higher plane of thought. We all call it the outside world because it truly is too us. Us as missionaries are in this routine 16 hours a day and it starts to be all you know, which is good but it is crazy to think about! I think of what the "Outside" world was like before I came here into the MTC and I just think how there is all the wrong and contention and problems there are. Everything you have to deal with that you don't deal with at all in the MTC. If you don't believe me and believe this. They will get mad at you if you are singing songs that are not church, they will get mad at you if you are quoting movies that aren't church related. They will get made if you acting to crazy. All of that does make sense but It really does get annoying sometimes. They don't really get "Mad" but they just tell you to stop.

      I always get in trouble to talking to people. Just like 5 minutes before class I will go socialize with everybody and my teacher keeps pushing me into class just because most of the people I am talking to are sisters, haha. I know they are just trying to help us but, they just don't give any time to us to just socialize with people and if I can't do that I go crazy. So there are little rules here and there that really bug me but I am trying to be patient and have exact obedience cause I know they're blessings the come from doing so.

     Don't think the MTC isn't fun though because it really is a lot of fun. I am having a blast! You in the "Outside" world when you talk about religion or anything like that outside of church it can get kind of awkward or you just don't really don't want to talk about it. Here in the MTC that is all you talk about 24/7 and I find it funny how much of a change it is. Everyone in our district all ready talk about how weird it is going to be when we get back. Not having a companion, not speaking the language, and every other little thing. My teacher said he didn't speak a word of English his entire last  year of his mission and when he got back he forgot how to speak proper English  and that it was easier for him to speak in Tagalog then in English. So that will be really interesting to see when I get back.

     I have been told that I will get my flight plans 2 weeks from now! I am so excited! I can't wait for the 2 day travel! (Not) it is at least a 12 flight to Hong Kong and then another flight to Manila and then at least an 8 hour bus ride, depending where you go. Being in the country for the first time is going to blow my mind but I am really excited!

     Now this is to everyone! If you don't want to wait till my P day (Saturdays) you can Dear Elder me, and when I can find time I can write a letter back. We check the mail after lunch and dinner everyday.

     We have gotten new missionaries in our district and it makes me feel like an experienced missionary haha. They are really cool though so it's all right.

     So most people don't really know this about me but I have all ways wanted to be able to sing really well. I have never really acted on it, but it has been something I have wanted to do. It just so happens like everybody in my District is an amazing singer! and then there is me that knows nothing about singing and can't really sing along cause I can't memorize lyrics to save my life so that kind of sucks. But, they are all really good and they sing all the time, so its like listening to a choir all day long, its nice. Another thing is I love to play basketball but I suck at that too so all of the Elders get annoyed with me being on the team cause I keep missing my shots and ruining their plays I guess, I can hear them whispering about me. So I either don't play basketball anymore or I just go play with the sisters haha. So pretty much at gym time now I either just run or throw the Frisbee around. Pretty lame I know but what evs... 4 square is pretty big here and that is a lot of fun if there are a lot of people playing it.

     Well that is pretty much my week and past events so I'll this very long E-mail. Mother asked for details so I gave details haha. I miss all of you so much! I pretty much have dreams about somebody almost every single night. But... I have not gotten home sick yet thank goodness! I miss everyone so much but I am so happy to be our here right now and just looking foward to the next two years!! I have heard so much about the Philippines and just the miracles and blessing given and receive and I just can't wait to experience them all myself, and also to share it will all of you! I am trying to send pictures but the SD card reader won't work and the videos are to long. So you will all have to probably wait until I send the SD card home.

 

Mahal Kita!

 

-Elder Kikel

 

Tagalog Words & Phrases:

 

Pinakamakapangyarihan - "Almighty"

 

Kumusta po ba kayo pamilya ninyo? - " How is your family"

 

Nagpapasalamat po ako para sa pagbabayad-sala ni Jesuscristo - "I am thankful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ."

 

Alam ko po na totoo ang Aklat ni Mormon - "I know that the Book of Mormon is true."