Mahal ko kayo!!

*His sd card just corrupt again.  Sad day. 

Dear Family and Friends!

So this week was kinda crazy!!  But first off the people here are literally so nice.  It's so crazy!!  This week the district we are in, Guimba district, they had like their youth conference thing.  They went to Baguio.  Some of the members are so nice and they bought me shirts and some gifts from there!!  I was like mad.  I told them not too or I was going to pay them. But they didn't want to accept my money.  So I got 2 shirts, one from Rosiel, she's the one in a lot of my pictures, and then another one from Jennifer.  She's really nice also so that was so nice of them!!  So the week started off pretty good!!!

I can't believe that Quinn is turning 15 years old.  That's so weird he was so young and now he can almost get a learners permit to drive.  Time is going by so fast.  I can't even believe it!!  And I can't believe Sydney is getting old also!!  Tell Quinn I said happy birthday!!  So that way he knows I didn't forget!!  Glad to know the family is doing okay.  Sorry to hear about what happened to dad's aunt.  Hope they are doing okay.. that must be hard :/

So for our work this week we actually did do really well.  It was, by the way, my companions last week in the mission.  He is heading home now.  So next email I will have a new companion!  He was okay.  We got along great but some things just like - wow.  hahaha  Love him still!  But we wanted to work really hard this last week to make sure that we finished off strong.  So we got 9 new investigators this week and taught almost 40 lessons which was really good!!  We only had 1 investigator at church but the others were caught up with something with the city they had to do something, so they weren't able to make it.  But their baptisms are still scheduled for the 16th of May.  They actually went also to Baguio.  I feel like they are members already.  The youth are doing a good job of friend shipping them.   So that's really cool!!  We are working on completing families here.  A big problem in the Philippines is children get baptized but the parents just are lazy and don't really want to make commitments.  So we are teaching a lot of parents right now and it's getting some good progression.  So that's really good!!!  But really here, it's crazy about like with parents, the tatay's or the dads.  They really bug me so much sometimes.  Some thing that really annoys me and makes me love dad so much more, is just here they are so lazy and don't do anything to teach children at all.  Most of the dads here just sit on their motor's, or like little goped's, basically and wait for people that need a ride and then say they were hard working and trying to support their family.  But when they get home they literally go buy a big bottle of alcohol and just start drinking with a bunch of these other old dad's.  And the wife just doesn't do anything either so the kids run around and mess everything up.  It's so crazy.  I get so annoyed at times but hey I'm just learning patience.  So that's something I really noticed this week!!! 

I'm loving being a missionary.  But wow with just time getting closer I'm so excited to go home and be able to do stuff like drive and eat out at subway.  So it's so fun being a missionary and seeing a change in peoples lives is literally like the craziest and coolest thing ever!!  Seeing people drop their old habits because of the presence of the holy ghost is so incredible.  I'm loving it so much and i know I'm going to miss this place so much.

Keep up your prayers for our investigators, because it's helping so much and thank you!!  This past week also we have been studying faith a lot and it has helped a lot and just given me new grown hope.  I hope that's a word also... haha but its been great.  I'm in Alma in the book of Mormon.  I've been slacking studying prophet stuff and studying preach my gospel.  So I'll get back into the book of Mormon a little more!!  And I'll let you know how that goes this next week!!  Thanks for everything you guys do!!  Remember the church is true and that Jesus Christ is our savior and our way to salvation!!  Love you all! mahal ko kayo!! 

Ingat kayo Lagi!! Amping Kanunay... Aganad kayo!!! 

Elder Hedman