Week 6 at the MTC

Kamusta po kayo tatay at nanay at nobia at mga kapatid at lahat kaibigan ko?!

This week was a great week! I learned a lot. I'm almost at 100% speaking Tagalog. For the most part this week we're working on lesson 2 sa tagalog. And I actually find it a lot easier then lesson one, which is great.

So the last week went pretty well. The bago district came in on Wednesday and they're pretty cool. One of the guys came in on Tuesday because he is from somewhere I can't remember....But he can't speak english like at all which is going to be tough. He's going to Manila so that's really kool. Him and I could be mga kasama someday. Things with Elder Johnson and I are going well. He still has to be interviewed for some reason by the district president and he has to make regular phone calls to his bishop back home, for reasons i just don't know.....

Last Lunes, we had a ZTA and we taught Lesson 1 to the sister missionaries in the other district. It went ok. Elder Johnson really needs to start speaking more. I also had a hard time knowing what to say.

Sa Martes we had a Devotional by the first councillor in the bishopric. It was alright, he spoke mostly about the importance of using members while doing missionary work. It was a good talk, and I got quite a bit of notes about it, but I don't have them on me. Elder Johnson and I also sang in the choir, we sang a song called "Blessings"

Sa Miyercules, we had service first thing in the morning. By the way what we do for service is mostly clean bathrooms. Oh and before I forget...what i do for Gym is play 4-square with Elder Andrus, Elder Leishman and Elder Comish. It's really fun. Elder Leishmans father was at the MTC today because he has a church job as head doctor or something.....I don't actually remember what it is, but he is in the Church video on LDS.Org titled "Update on Haiti and Chile." he has like a small interview towards the end of the video. Anyways Elder Leishman didn't want to find him because he thought it would be weird, but during lunch his father found him, so I took a picture of them together, because I was the only one with a camera on me. It was really funny and cool that his dad found him.

Sa huwebes We had the TRC that night, and it went alright, I was able to say why I was serving a mission sa tagalog and we were able to teach allright that night, but Elder Johnson still didn't say much.

Sa Biyernes, we had another LGM with Elder Collette about the power of Holy Ghost. It was an awesome LGM. He always starts them with: "I'm Elder Collette I served my mission in Montreal, and my first area was in the ward where Elder Gagnon lives." It's pretty funny. The rest of the day I went to class, we started learning Lesson 2 in Tagalog, and we taught the newest district that came in on Wednesday, part of lesson 2 in Tagalog. So I would talk and Elder Johnson would translate, or when he would talk I would translate. It went pretty well I really like lesson 2.

Sabado. Pretty much did the same thing as Biyernes, Studied a lot more and learned how to give directions sa Tagalog. Also taught the younger district again, they were asking for advice on how to teach so I gave them some, which is weird because 4 weeks ago I was getting advice from the older district in our zone. Now we're the old ones, which is really weird.

Linggo. Had mission conference, President Williams(District president), President Mciff (1st councillor in the MTC presidency ((the guy with the "S" whistle!)), and President Brown (MTC President) and their wives all spoke to us, mostly about the atonement. President Brown's talk was really great, it was about our purpose as missionaries which is on page 1 of Preach my Gospel, and he spoke about every different part of our purpose. Then that night we had the Provo temple president come and speak to us about temples, it was a great talk.

So far today, we went to the temple, my laundry is in the dryer, and that's about it. We have a ZTA tonight so I hope that goes well.

Oh, one thing that Elder Leishman, Elder Andrus and I started is using a whiteboard and writing jokes or quotes and stuff, which is pretty fun. We write it the day before for the person, then put it facedown on the persons desk then they wake up that morning and find a quote or joke. It's pretty fun. One of ones I did, for Elder Comish, is found in 2 Kings I think verses 23-24, I don't have my bible on me, but I'm pretty sure that's it.... Anyways it's kinda funny, but cruel.

Thank you so much for the Dear Elders and the Package. The Tongans and Samoans in our residence love the Ringolos! They actually go nuts for them! Thanks for all the other Canadian foods too. Everyone really likes them. You said you sent a calling card, but there is no calling card in the box.... and I looked everywhere for it....so yea....
It's really kool that you got to see Rebecca's and Brunos wedding. Tell them I said congrats and all the best! Tell Jon I think he's a huge baby!:) Also please thank Courtney and Bill Kaufman for their Dear Elders. And Tell Courtney my favourite verse in the scriptures is found in Psalms. It's Psalms 97:10.
And again please tell Theresa I love her and thank her for sending me Dear Elders araw araw! It makes my day at the end of the night to read them and know that she still loves me. I really love her too, and please tell her that for me.
Thanks for all the updates back home, everyone seems to be doing great, which is awesome! I will still have time to send another email later today, just send something and if it's before 6:00 your time, I should be able to respond!

Mahal Kita!

Elder Gagnon

P.S. I don't really want anything for my birthday, the ties will be enough really. Um there's not a whole lot I really want in the next package, just Ringalos, and if you could send a bit of popcorn too that would be good too! Thanks so much for everything! Elder Tomasi is writing you guys a letter, so you should be able to see that next week or so. Also he says thanks for the letter and the chocolates! Oh and my departure date is going to be March 21st. I will be getting travel plans next week, so its pretty exciting! I can't wait to get to the field! Thanks so much for everything mom! I love you guys!

Elder Gagnon.