The MTC Saga Continues...

Kumusta Pamilya!!

I hope you are having a Mabuting mabuti day!! I am! Just got back from the temple and as usual it was amazing! I just love the temple and the blessings that I feel there. I am glad the boys and dad were able to go it is really the happiest place on earth :) I hope I get to go when I get to the Philies!

Thanks for the letters and all the Love. I love hearing about all the things you are doing. I´m glad you liked the pics I sent!! I love love love my zone and I wish you could meet them all. Also I wish I could send you more pics but I somehow misplaced my camera........soooo we will be searching for it today and if I dont find it I might just buy a new one. Untill then I am going to have sister Palmer´s mother email you pics.

That is so crazy that little Sammie is in High School!! You go Brother! I love your guts! Learn lot's and work hard!

Good to hear alex is doing well too:) I miss hearing you play the piano bro. don't stop playing!

I am proud of Abbott for winning a prize his first year at the fair...That's my Nephew!  I miss him very much so kiss him double for me ok:)

So this week has been a tough yet rewarding one. I said this in the hand written letter I sent but I will say it again, My Kasamas and I have made a goal to speak Tagalog 100% of the time excluding companionship study, personal study, and when we are speaking to non Tagalog speakers. It has been so mahirap (difficult) pero, it is helping so much! I never realized how much Tagalog I knew until now. We can actually have full on conversations! it is so much fun! I love this language!

It is very hard though, At the beginning of the week I was feeling very discouraged. I was comparing myself to my peers and I felt like i didn't know as much as they did. I knew these thoughts would not get me anywhere but I couldn't stop bringing myself down. I was also starting to get a cold so that didn't help. Anyway I started cryingin class because of all the pressure....haha. Anyway I got the prompting to ask one of my eldes to give me a blessing. So of course I followed it and Elder Ha'o gave me a great blessing. Afterward I felt peace and calm. I felt confident that I could learn and even be fluent by the time I leave the MTC! I love the blessings of the priesthood and the calming spirit of the Holy Ghost.

So This week is sort of a sad one, District 16c are leaving! they all got their travel plans a few days ago and they leave in 6 days. We are really good friends with this district and it is sad to see them go. But exciting because it made us realize that in a couple of weeks WE will be getting travel plans!!! I cant believe it is so close!! Anyway, Sister Tauti is in District 16C. I love her and I know she will be a great missionary :)

Let's see what else happened this week.....I sang in church. Well Me, Sister Walker (going to baguio), Elder Ha'o, and Elder finley sang come thou fount. I forgot the words on the first verse but I hummed and I think it turned out great :)) I also said the opening prayer in tagalog :) Also this week we had an awesome Relief Society taught by the 2nd councelor of the General YW Presidency Sister Cook. She is so sweet and we got to meet and chat with her afterwards. I also met some really sweet filippino sisters this week! My kasamas and I were able to communicate with them in Tagalog it was very exciting.

So some funny things that happened this week. Yesterday Elder Finley told an investigator "I promise that if you Leave the Church, you and your family will be blessed" haha!!! the word for leave and go are kinda the same. lol. Tagalog is a really funny language. Pretty much if you put "Mag" in front of any english word it makes it into a word in tagalog. Halimbawa (example) my teacher, Brother Ah Mu, always says "Segi mga missionero Magpractice siya!" (ok missionaries practice it!) or we say "Pwede po ba kami Magrestroom?" can we use the restroom? just add Mag and you too can speak tagalog! haha! Funfact: The longest word I know so far is Pinakamakapangyarihan. That means "almighty" pretty fun!

Anyway I am running out of time!! So I will write anything I forgot in a handwritten letter.

Mahal ko kayo! Alam ko po na totoo And Simbahan ni JesuCristo ng mga Banal sa mga Huling Araw!

Keep reading and Aklat Ni Mormon! it is the best book ever I love it with all my heart.

And I love you!!!

Mahalna mahal ko kayo! Kitakits pamiliya ko!!

Sister Stapp

p.s. I am writing in my journal.