-No packages yet...I'll see my Zone Leaders later tonight and they said I have some letters
-You can donate my football stuff to CYA
-Thanks for sending those pictures of the OHS LAX team and Mike Funk!!
-I ran out of contact solution, so I bought some Alcon that I used to use
Well, I want to start off by thanking you for the Oakton Stake marriage scoop. Congratulations Courtney and Cameron!! Now, let me say that I had to read that about 5 times before I believed my eyes. Wow!! Pretty cool stuff!
It was a pretty good week. I'm 20?? I honestly was not very excited about turning 20. I think I'm just going to say I'm 19 for the rest of my life! Honestly, I miss not saying I'm a teenager, which is funny because it's not like I'm doing teenager things right now, but I still miss it. Thanks for going to the Cheesecake Factory for me!! Too bad I wasn't there!
It was probably the weirdest birthday I've ever had, because it didn't feel like one. My day was just like it always is, I got up at 6:30 am, studied and taught lessons through 9:30 pm, got home, planned the work for the next day, and did record keeping until 10:25, brushed my teeth and went to bed! I haven't been homesick my whole mission really except for my birthday because I really didn't do anything special! I did have a card you sent a while ago that I was able to open, thanks so much it was so sweet!
My companion is doing well! He loves the Philippines so much! One of the first things he wanted to do was eat Balut! (for those of you who are new to Elder Yost’s letters- Balut is a chicken that his almost all the way formed and still in the egg. It’s a real treat in the Philippines!) That's my boy! Next on our dining list is this upcoming Saturday is at our Branch President's house. Pay attention Tia Yost.....we'll be eating dog!!! Yep, I've had it once, it's pretty good. Very spicy! It's funny because Elder J.'s family just became Vegan, and he's so excited to eat all these things that are so NOT Vegan.
We had a good busy week. Time just flew this week and I'm sure it'll only go faster. Elder J.is working hard to learn Tagalog. I think 6 weeks is a bit too short of time in the MTC. At this point he's not really able to teach yet, just testify.. I wouldn't say I'm completely fluent, but I feel like in the last week my language skills have improved a lot, because I don't have someone else to rely on. Elder J. is staying really upbeat though. We're getting along really well. Elder Jones is a really good missionary, and I think we're off to a really good start.
Well hopefully in the next few weeks I'll have my first baptism here! I think I've told you about the father we've been teaching! He's progressing well, and should be baptized on May 6. Also we started teaching his 17 year old daughter this week who seems interested, and came to church! Hopefully this will be a "completed family" that can prepare to go to the temple in about a year! We're also making some progress with some of the Less-Actives.
I'll be going on exchanges tonight with an American Elder from Utah that's about 3 months into the field. The President has asked the district leaders to go on exchanges with every new Elder transferred into my district, and the Zone Leaders have been asked to go on exchanges with all the District Leaders. That's 5 exchanges in 6 weeks! Busy, busy, busy. The District is doing well. Of the 5 companionships in our district, 3 have brand new missionaries! I'm really enjoying the opportunity to train so far. We have an extra hour of companionship study and it's so helpful.
This week I had a Less-Active member tell me that she prays to the Trinity- Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. There is so much confusion here in the Philippines as to the true nature of God. Some people believe in one being, some believe he's a Spirit, some believe he's everywhere and nowhere at all at the same time. John 17:3 says that this is life eternal, that we come to know God the Father. With so much confusion there is so much of a need for the truth. The more and more I study the scriptures, the more I see how we needed a Restoration so badly. I know that the Restoration was brought about through the Prophet Joseph Smith. How grand of an idea is it that amidst all the confusion, all the turmoil. God the Father and his Son personally answered the prayer of a confused 14 year old boy. Seeing that God is no respecter of persons, why would he not do the same for us? While his way of answering us may be very different, I know that he personally attends to every detail, every prayer, ranging from the Prophet to the struggling individual who so desperately wants an answer. I know he loves us, and despite our weaknesses and imperfections, his grace is sufficient to fill us. No unhallowed hand can stop the work!
Love,
Elder Yost
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