A hug and a kiss and a little o that 'n' this...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAD!

You are the super bestestest dad of ALL TIME!!!!!!!!! Thank you for being so AwEsOmE! xoxoxoxo
I super miss your horsey and helicopter rides. They were my favorite :) The helicopter was so REAL! (to be continued...)

Well, family. Again, you are the highlight of my week. and i can't believe another has gone by. every time a monday comes to a close, i'm looking forward to the next and it seems so far away, but it just flies. i hope to change. i want to be the kind of person who loves each moment for what it is, and with looking forward to events to come, still relishes the joy of the time she's in. i don't want to go through school looking forward to each weekend and being sad when it's back to classes and work, but loving each learning experience each day--though sunday is always a day i'll look forward to :) i also want to spend each day of my mission loving WORKING. not waiting for the day when my time here is done. because if i spend each day looking forward to the end, when the end comes, there will only be disappointment to look back on. i want to look back in love, awe, and a heart full of peace at the things the Lord and I accomplished together. i am trying to be better at serving with all my heart, might, mind, and strength each day.

honestly, i stumble and "fail" miserably quite often--like all the time--but i know it's not failure. it is simply part of striving. i love the talk by E. D. Todd Christofferson entitled: The Divine Gift of Repentance. it is beautiful.i am moved to tears at this divine gift and the opportunities it affords us all, every last one. how can i sit still when the world awaits the glorious gift of His restored Church! How can i keep from shouting out the joyous claim that Jesus is the Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father, who ransomed us from our sins and prepared the way that we might be free and filled with joy, even as He! I have felt to sing the song of redeeming love! How can i keep from singing?

to answer your question, dad, yes, the Church is fairly big here. it's no utah by any means, but there are many members. we have a ward out of only 4 barangay (villages). and i feel like if everyone would come, we'd probably have a couple more wards :) there is much rescuing to be done all over the world. there are many who have never even heard of "mormons" or seen missionaries! there are many who are kept from the truth because they know not where to find it, and many as well who have entered the fold, but have wandered off and been lost. so many to be rescued!
lol to speak of thunder and lightning.. they have some pretty wicked storms over here. when it rains, it's cats and dogs--which there are a lot of around here, too. and no, they don't eat them here in the city. they are just pets or strays. anywho, a few weeks ago we had fhe with bishop Rebosura's family (just like every monday) and they were talking about how china has decided to invade and how kenzo (the oldest daughter's adorable 2yr old son who is half chinese) is a little spy for the Philippines lol. a day or two later, we were walking to an appointment and i saw a strange flash of light and heard an immediate BOOM!!! i squealed and then we realized it was LIGHTING.holy crazy. we joked that china had begun to invade :) whoa, that was fast.
Dad, you are so funny! thank you for lifting my spirits and sending me your good humor :) no matter how tough things get, you know how to smile. it is a gift. i am working on that. you are so good! and you are so smart. i, like mom, am so glad you have found something which you love doing and in which you have so much natural talent--though your talent stretches far and wide so that doesn't surprise me. you are doing your ol daughter so proud! thank you for all you do for me every day. you don't know what a difference you make to me clear over here. but it's big, i tell you. it's big.

goodness, rae, what did you do?? lol :) what happened? how are you doing? how do your lips feel ;) joke. peace. and lou, yer hair is gargeous, darlin! how much of your life did that take?? talk about niagra falls hair! ang ganda! and joseph, i'm so proud of you, boy. you are doing so well, i hear :) i'm learning to control my temper, too. why is it that i get frustrated over the smallest things?? but as soon as i think of Jesus and what He would think of my pouting and what He would do, my heart gets a little softer. i want to be like HIm. and Bootle, i'm trying to write your class some letters back! or one big letter, rather. how is your summer, sweetie? are you bein' have? you and my little friend Berna would be good girlie pals. she loves barbies too! and pink. lots of pink.

mom, i really appreciate the hymns you share each week. i sing for you all the time :) but especially sundays. i miss singing on sunday afternoons while cleaning the dinner dishes. that's a peaceful time for me. thanks for singing with me :)

i gotta go now. please tell aaron i'm trying to write him letters and i'm sorry. i haven't hadtime to write a single letter in 3 weeks and it's killing me. i've written no one. but i also need keri's address and daniel's too. send aaron my love. he's such a good sport. and i haven't heard from him in what feels like ages, even though i got a dear elder a week or so ago. i wear the earrings just about every day :) what a classy pal! and when you see him next, give him a good, swift kick in the rear! lol and then a big hug. he's a pretty good guy ;) yer right mom.

all my love to you and all the sweet people who have sent theirs-- got grandma's letter! and one from bradley roring! how's their fam?

love sis r