Up to bat

Dear Family!

So first off, tell dad Happy Fathers day and thanks so much to him for and everything he has done for me in my life!  I've learned so much out here on the mission.  I've thought back to how dad applies it to everyday life.  So thank you so much dad for your great example to me and for the things you have taught me and the things you have helped me with!  It means so much and I love you!

 So this week - oh ya it was my birthday.  Kinda forgot about it!  But that's okay.  It was like any other normal day here, haha just missionary work.  And like I said, everything in the Philippines is backwards.  So here on your birthday, everyone expects you to buy a bunch of stuff and have people come over and eat it all.  I was like ya - no thanks.  So I just went out to lunch with the other elders and ate a little food.  Then I  just payed for it for my birthday!  Can't wait to get back to america for real birthdays!  Where people are supposed to give you stuff!!   hahaha So my birthday was pretty good.  Still gotta just love being a missionary!! (:

Apparently, it's not just American's favorite pastime!

So this week was kinda good!!  At first, the area presidency came over and he taught us some really cool stuff!!  Some stuff that I read about in a book that kimarie sent me a while ago.  So it was kinda familiar, but he talked about how we set limits on our selves and it lowers the work for the new people coming in because they see that we have a set limit on the things we can achieve.  And so he talked about how we can get rid of that and truly achieve greatness!!  I thought that was really cool and I'm looking forward to that!!  In our mission, we are struggling to achieve the goals we have set, baptizing at 2 a month per companionship. On the bright side though, we are doing it in our zone and in our companionship!!  So that's way cool.  Since January, we have hit the standard of excellence in baptisms!!  So I guess I'm an excellent misisonary. (: haha But that was really cool to hear!!  And also he told us a little bit about our mission.  We are actually the 2nd highest baptizing mission in the Philippines.  That was so awesome to hear!!  It's just great seeing us all come together and work on in bringing people unto Christ!!  Another big thing that he talked about was how we need to get the members more involved and teach them their responsibility becaause we are basically doing this on our own and we need to get them more involved.  So we will be working with that.  It's kinda hard in this area, no one knows what their doing.  But it's okay, we will work with them and teach them in a loving way!  That was basically the stuff we learned about from the meeting with the area presidency and it was great!!

The work here in this area is going really good!!  We had 6 investigators at church this week which was so awesome!  And then the really good news on this saturday we have 3 baptisms!!!  I'm so excited for that!!  I'll make sure and take some pictures for you guys and on another sd card also!!  My card got corrupted again thats why I didn't send pictures. But I'll make sure to get some out to you guys soon!!  I'll send some hopefully today as long as it doesn't get corrupted!!  That would probably set me off the edge!!  But it doesn't mean I don't love you guys.  I promise i do!  I hope you are all doing great!!  I love seeing the pictures of Sydney!(:  She is so funny I just miss you guys(:   Remember that the Lord comes first before other things and thats how you earn the blessings of eternal life!!  So put him first in all that you do!(: I promise it works out all in the end as long as we focus on him and just involve him in our life!!(:  The only request I have is starbursts in my package!(:  And I wanna see some pictures of the backyard and the pool and the firepit!!(: So I can show my fellow missionaries!~! (:  Oh and you're welcome - this email is long!  I felt like writing to you guys today.  So I actually put some time into it!(: Haha  I love you guys remember that the church is true!!  Think of some ways you can help the missionaries!  Or just pray for them! (: 

I love you guys!(: Mahal ko kayo!!(: 

Elder Hedman