Officially Half Way at the MTC

> So, I first want to point out that I am officially halfway done the MTC. I have 28 days from today and then its off on a plane to the Philippines. I actually want to address something real quick regarding that actually...
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> I have the opportunity to call whoever I want when I am at the airport. I buy a calling card here (I choose between 500, 1000, and 2000 minutes at 5, 10, and 20 dollars respectively) and then I use it during all my layovers in LAX and stuff so here is what is going down. I need to know when you guys are gonna be home so I can call you. I am going to have SO much time to talk ha so you better be ready. Will you be able to be home (mom and dad) or will I have to call your cell phones? Either way, all is good. I am planning on calling the house when I get into either SLC or LAX so hopefully you will be home. I hope I get to talk to everyone cause, well, what else do you do during a 12 hour layover? Ill answer that one-you sing hymns! Ha, the elders in my district have come up with a playlist of hymns we are gonna bellow out in the airport. Its gonna be mormon DOMINATION!!! We expect at least 550 people to be converted that day so its gonna be a good day. Anyways, like I said, I need to know when you guys are gonna be home so I can call. Oh man...hundreds if not thousands of minutes at my disposal with a brain full of phone numbers...how I could get into trouble:)
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> Anyways, life in the MTC is good. I have gotten used to the constant day by day schedule that NEVER CHANGES so its not that bad anymore. General conference this weekend was absolutely AMAZING. I got to watch all 5 sessions (that includes priesthood obviously) and it was one of the fattest spiritual highs I have ever had. It was way cool during the priesthood session cause the song that they sang with the congregation was praise to the man (amongst the top of our mormon domination playlist ill have you know) and we were near the front so I had 2000 elders singing way loud behind me it rocked my socks im not gonna lie. Anyways, one of the things that I noticed was the pure love that President Monson has for us holy cow. I dont even know the man personally and I love him like family. I feel myself turning into the stereotypically missionary. What is next? Laughing at "the singles ward" and parting my hair in the middle? I am finally starting the appreciate the MTC. I am finally learning that there are so many blessings that come from obediance. Rules are there to strengthen us, not restrict us so Braeden, Samuel, and Ben-listen to mom and dad or ill come home and dominate you!
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> I got to go to the temple today, just like every other monday, and, just like every other monday, it was such a good experience. I am destined to become a temple president one day. That would be the job of a champion. I am gonna try for a session a week when I get back and I am gonna try to volunteer weekly as well. I love how the general authority (I forget who) announced the Brigham City temple. Who lives in Brigham City? I know of two really nice old people who live there and thats it. Still, the temple is gonna be way pretty.
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> Anyways, how is life at home? How is the epidemic known as the swine flu coming along? Has everyone gotten over it? I hope so, but remember, you do have someone with the priesthood right on the second floor of the house if needed:)
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> The language is actually coming along really well. This thursday Elder Hansen and I are going to teach the first lesson in Tagalog, and we are feeling rather confident about it. All I do is memorize memorize memorize so its all good. After you have the 10 million structures of sentances and conjugation and possession and all that trash down, its actually not that bad. Some of the elders in our zone decide to memorize phrases that they...lets say...will NEVER USE on a mission so I already have half of the vulgar dictionary ingrained in my head. When I come back and we are riding in the car, I have decided that I am only going to speak Tagalog so we will see how much you understand. Its funny because I will find myself mixing up randomly. We pray in tagalog, and all our classes are straight Tagalog now (no english) and so its starting to get to my head. I will randomly mix up words and phrases and stuff (like calling him Jesu Christ or Jesus Cristo) but its all good like I said.
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> Next week, the branch 3 weeks ahead of us leaves, which means we are the oldest Tagalog speaking branch in the MTC. Of course, we also get 50 new Tagalog speaking missionaries in next week also so that kinda sucks (30 minute lines to take a shower here we come!) but no worries. I am sure you all have heard of the insane tropical storm that hit the Philippines this month so that is what everyone is doing right now who is over there. The tropical storm hit 2 main missions-Manilla, and, yep, you guessed it, San Pablo. Ha oh well though-ill do what the Lord wants me to do:)
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> Elder Hansen was telling me what the San Pablo RMs were telling him and its really interesting. Apparantly, there is a place in San Pablo called "the strip" and its like the tourist attraction of the Philippines. It is right on the beach, and it is where all of the people who visit the Philippines go so that is gonna be tight. The whole "strip" is covered in hotels and stuff like that...of course, when you go to its back yard, you are in the jungle book with mowgli as your tour guide wishing you had your machete, so I guess its once again to balance out the good and the bad. You better believe that I am gonna take 10 MILLION pictures and send them to you so be ready. I need to set up a gmail account by the way cause that is what the missionaries use in the Philippines to rock email (by the way, the pouch service only comes once a month at zone conferences so probably not an efficient way to send mail that way:/) so I will do that once I get over there. I am sending a memory card this week, so it should get to the house Wednesday-hopefully.
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> Well, I hope all is well, and I love and miss you all!!
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> Keep everyone safe and rockin the iron rod with the grip of death:D
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> Love always,
> Jake
> a.k.a. Elder Muller...or akela...