Wow, Maligayang Kaarawan and Happy Birthday to Samuel!!! Ten years old? What in the world, man, do I feel old...I remember when I went to his baptism. This overwhelming feeling came over me that I needed to go on a mission. What a special opportunity-baptism. Anyways, off of that completely random tangent, yea, happy birthday Samuel. When I get back ill take you bowling (cause that's what the cool kids do nowadays). Where else do you get to wear stylish shoes and listen to music 3 notches too loud?...besides the 70s...I hope your birthday is awesome. You all should take a trip to temple square! What a cool birthday present...go rock the pantry in Salt Lake!! Happy Belated Birthday Grandma!! Wow, nangyari na pala:/ Happy happy birthday!!! Oh and before I even start my letter I want to complain to Brady-please forward this to him:
Dear Brady-
Who in the world do you think you are at 14 years old and 5'9"? If you remember, I told you that you will NEVER pass me up in height...although I wasnt that tall when I was your age. This is whats going down-first off I have contacts in Roy, if you know what im sayin, that can take care of this little height problem that we are having. What is this "he wants to be over 6' when you get back" garbage? *sigh* I suppose there is nothing that I can do to prevent such a thing from happening...but I will still always destroy you in basketball ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...
Anyways, wow mom, 13 months and counting. Time goes way too fast. Soon, ill be graduating USU...then ill have 8 rambunctious bouncing babies, then 45 grandchildren...then, well who knows what! On the down low, I have received your (mom) package. I actually received it last week, but forgot to mention it. Let me just say that those starburst didnt stand a chance:/ I kind of felt bad because I wanted to share them with my comp so when I opened the first bag I was like hey you better take some of these before they dissappear. He took some and then...well...I dont know what happened...2 bags dissappeared over 2 days. I did share a bag (well I tried to share but his hand was just too slow...as was his mouth) with my zone leader so...yea. 5 Good Samaritan points for elder Muller!!!! I dont remember getting any package from Grandma and Grandpa Muller...but I do have a slight memory gap, as kids call it these days...no but ill tell you all when I get anything. I must say, I opened my package and the smell of the house came up and carressed my nostrils and I couldnt help but hold the shirts up to my face and just smell them...for a good 15 minutes. The wierd things you do on your mission right? My comp thought I was kind of a wierd-e...but who cares, I was in euphoric awesomeness!!! I had a big misunderstanding though because when I opened my package I saw this blue bag in it. I opened the bag up and saw this croc no more than 7 inches long. I was like why in the world did mom send me benjamin's croc? Turns out the APs opened my package and put MY croc in it. I had left it in their apartment when I slept over at the start of the transfer...and they put it in the car and forgot about it. Well, turns out my croc got shrinky-dinkified in the back of the car because of heat and water. Sad day right? I suppose that is life. So now, I wear one croc and one reef flip flop that was lent to me when I take a bucket shower. Hey, no one can see me so I couldnt care less:D
I am REALLY excited for general conference this coming up Saturday and Sunday. We are really kickin it up a notch here to get our investigators ready, to make sure they have the money to go see general conference (it is at the stake center in Sta. Cruz-a 33 piso trip one way. That is less than a buck, but it isnt easy for a family to pay both ways when there are 5 or 6 of them. That is awesome that they are putting a new temple up north. I have been telling people that there is gonna be another temple erected here (hows that for prophesying?) for ever and ever. The Pilipinos deserve another temple. They are downright awesome, but it takes some a year to save to be able to go to the temple. I have a guess-either on Mindanao (the southernmost set of islands), or in Baguio city. We will see if I am right!!!! I am between the Manila temple, and the Cebu temple (you either need to fly or take a ship to get to Cebu, it is on another island...or when you are like me and have mad swimming skills, you can make it in ten minutes:D). The Manila temple is a good 3 hours away from Majayjay (Majayjay to Sta. Cruz, Sta. Cruz to San Pablo, San Pablo to Manila) so it wont be near here.
This week was a good week;just an all out good week. I have really been stuck in this rut for a little bit now, and things kind of piled up on Wednesday which wasnt the best or the easiest, but after prayers, a fast, and searching the scriptures, all is well. Fasting is probably one of the biggest blessings that we, as members of the Church, miss out on. Of course, it's a hard thing to go 24 hours without food or drink. Sometimes we fast just to fufill the requirement each first Sunday of the month...but is that really fasting. Although it is common sense that we cant change the Lord's will, we can receive the blessings that we couldnt otherwise by fasting. Needless to say, I am full of gratitude for the opportunity to fast-the health and the knowledge needed.
Elder Miranda and I have really been putting our blood, sweat, and tears into the members here. There is this one young woman that we have been trying and trying to get back to church. Her name is Julie-Ann. Her mom is a member, but her father isnt...and doesnt want to become one anytime soon. She is youth so she is all over the Philippines all the time...thus justifying the level of worrying that her mother does for her. We have been really really persistent with her because she is different-I can see it. She is gonna tear it up when she gets older. Sunday she bore a powerful testimony about trials and about how hard they are without the Lord's help. In a nutshell she was like "brothers and sisters, it has been a while since I have gone to church...I thought I could do it, I though I could handle myself...but I cant. Trials are impossible without the Lord's help...and I am gonna do all I can to become active again because I need his help...I cant do it alone anymore" It was an awesome testimony and tears in the audience confirmed that her testimony penetrated the hearts of those listening.
My health recently just doesnt seem to like me at all. On my right big toe (the one that was "fixed" twice) I have dug out 2 ingrown toenails. Doctors here have no clue what they are doing. Last night I spent an hour, ripping at the base of my toenail because walking was so painful. But, with the use of a razor blade, thumb tack, tons of hydrogen peroxide, and scissors, my attempts to eradicate the enemy were successful. Although it isnt the safest, you gotta do what you gotta do. Atleast now it isnt as painful. I also lost my hearing in my right ear. I woke up one day (now this is kind of gross so viewer, or reader rather, discretion advised) and I felt like something was in my ear so I went to work with my good ol' friend mr. Cotton tip...and my hearing disappeared. Later we are going to the mall in Sta. Cruz with the zone leaders so I am gonna stop in the hospital to see if they can fix it. Why does hearing randomly go away? Way to go body...way to live up to your calling as a temple of God...
Sister Ninit's baptism is this coming up Saturday. We had to go castopo style to get her husband, Joel, to accept our invitation to baptize his wife. Although...she is pregnant...and one big woman. Brother Joel is a wee itty bitty man, but he is strong so he has it in the bag...hopefully...
Last Friday we went to the house of a member who is, well was, pregnant. We went in search of the reason why they havent been going to church. We walked in and I was like where is Ate? The sister (the is only like 20 or so) was like, in english "elder, I have a new baby!!" Her baby was only 12 hours old and it was probably the most perfect thing I have ever seen in my life. The sister looked like she had been through world war 2 and back again (there was even mortor shells in the background), but she had the biggest smile on her face I have ever seen. How awesome is it that the Lord trusts each one of us enough that he allows us to rear his spirit children here in an imperfect world? Awesomely awesome I tell ya!!!
I want to drop a quick thank ya to whoever bought the pizza lady t-shirt. I think it was Chelsea, but I am not 100% sure. If it was, thanks Chelsea-you are a pocketful of awesomeness. If it was another person, thanks other person-you also are a pocketful of awesomeness!!
I am sending some pictures along with this email. The first one is this killer sunset that I saw. To the left is a really heavy rainstorm (rain here is IN-TENSE), and to the right (down the mountainside, which you cant see, towards Sta. Cruz) a sun-filled evening sky! The second one is of these awesome twins that we found in a family next to an investigator we found while we were tracting. They always come and listen when we teach Ate Rochelle. They are way fun to be around. I dont know how all these kids I want to take home are gonna fit in my luggage...after all it is a 40 pound limit...and the last picture is of my kid and me!! Elder Miranda...what an awesome companion. How awesome? "[he] eat[s] a bowl of nails for breakfast" "pssshhh, thats nothing" "WITHOUT ANY MILK!!!" Name that show...ill betcha Brady, Samuel, or Ben know...anyways, that is how it goes here in good ol M to the J to the J Majayjay. He is really easy to train because he is 1000x more prepared than I was when I entered the field. Things here are chill like ice cream! One thing that the mission teaches that really has stuck with me is that your testimony will make up for your inadequacies. 100% true my friends!! I still havent gotten my scriptures because the lady who did it...well, thats a different story for another day. Whatever, Ill get them not this wednesday, but next wednesday cause she is bringing them to transfer day. Man, I only have 6 more weeks here in Majayjay. Sad day. Im gonna ask for an extension...I think...but it depends on the Lord so...yea. You might have noticed in my picture that I have a cool new belt. It is made of wood-how cool is that? The front is the CTR shield. I am having him make me a Utah State Belt with the big A and the word Aggies underneath it!! I also want a belt made of the white horns of a caribou. The problem is it is 1200...but you cant buy a bone belt in the states for 25 bucks so hey, im all for it!!
Pasko(Christmas) is a mere 2 1/2 months away! Hope you all are ready!!!
I hope you all are doing well back stateside. Please, dont take anything for granted. A beautiful chapel, hygenic living conditions, proper medical care, a decent job (something that pays more than 20 dollars a day), temples close enough you could ride a bicycle to, a government that isnt corrupt inside and out, personal transportation, sanitary drinking systems, effective sewers, protection from the elements...etc., etc., etc. For these are the things that over 90 million Pilipino's live without. So let us think twice next time we go to complain that the airconditioner is broken, the car wont start, the water tastes bad, or the doctor's visit took forever:D
With a heart full of love for the people I will be with throughout all eternity (with many more to come;D),
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