February 4, 2013

Hey Mom, how have you been? This is my first chance to email, and I think I will be emailing close to this time each week. Anyway, how is the shop? How is Dad? And the sisters?  Anyway, I am most grateful for teachers this week. My teacher Sister Powell is an awesome teacher and she is helping us to understand the language very quickly. I have already taught an investigator twice, and it hasn't been very successful  Imagine trying to ask Dad to change the processor in a quad core laptop and giving him a hammer to do it. We are about that blunt when trying to teach due to only knowing select phrases. The more complex of them being, yes, I am American. So that is always fun haha. Tell Emily that she needs to feed the fish at the aquarium for me. Also, I need to be sent Christopher's email address  Half an hour is more then enough time to attempt to email both of you. How are Grandma P, M and Paul doing? More about what I am doing.... I can see mom saying, WHAT ABOUT THE MTC?!? ARE YOU FED? SLEEPING? HAPPY? ARE YOU DEAD? and the answers are yes, yes, yes and yes. Figuratively to the last one, as in dead tired. The days seem to last forever. Also if Bishop hasn't put up my plaque yet, I would really like him to put the section from D&C 121 starting with verse 7 going to 9 I believe. I didn't bring my scrips into this room. The verses that talk about trials being for our benefit, and try to get in in Cebuano if its possible. Also, I have pictures of my companions, buuuuut I can not find an SD slot in my computer, so we have a problem Houston. I sent a letter to you, I hope you got it, I details the horrid nature of the blankets here? Comparable to the feeling of a cardboard mat being laid over you. I am always super tired when I get back to bed, so its irrelevant, but still, a blanket would be much appreciated. As would some extra black socks. Also the camera works pretty well, but I think that it wont last long in Takloban (it is spelled with a c or a k). And as of my district, we have 14 cebuano speakers in my class, and an additional class at the other end of the building, so there are quite a few of us. I am getting super excited to travel to Tacloban and meet the people. I am starting to feel  a distinct love towards the people there.  I love you guys very much say to every one for me. And tell Josh his new phrase is Pagballor (baller in cebuano when semi directly translated and turned from a verb to a noun). I don't have many complaints as to my living conditions, barring the fact that communal showers are an odd prospect to say the least.

Maayo Suerte pamilya akong!

Elder Marlin :D

P.S. wack doug for my and hug the twins, miles, sean, tucdog and the potatoe for me.

His first letter.  Don't worry, I sent him his blanket the his Grandma made for him.  He has always been a kid that loved his blanket.  Christopher told him not to take it to save space but it just won't work for this kid.