Happy Birthday Mom! I love you!
Wow! That took some work. This computer is nuts. But Happy Birthday Mom!
It was so good to hear that you are all going to get to go into Philly together and hang out. I am so grateful for such an amazing loving family that is so close and tightly knit together. You don't really find that much anymore, and it is fantastic to know that I am so blessed. I realized while talking to some Elders the other day, that I have never, ever, heard my parents raise their voices at each other. I cannot even recall a time when they had a disagreement. I was so impressed with the respect and love that you have always showed one another, and for how that has taught me about what I need to be when I have my own family. Mom, Dad, you two are amazing. I love you so much. Sisters, don't you dare take that for granted. We have the best parents in the world, and if it wasn't for us, they would probably be translated. I love you all!
This week was another great one. First, Mom, I feel completely at home here. I told Elder Shelley the other day that I was surprised at how comfortable I am now. I don't feel out of place at all. I can speak to and understand every single person I meet, I know my way around the Island, and the culture has just become second nature. I love being able to pee wherever I want (haha) and the people are so loving and friendly all the time. I love it here. Even the food is delicious now. Rice is the best! Speaking of food, I ate dog yesterday and it was super good. Way better that pork. It was crazy though. There are a ton of dogs in the Philippines and they are all super nice since they are around people all day. We walked to a small village and passed a ton of dogs on the way, even petting some. We got to the village and they surprised us with lunch. After we ate the spit roasted dog, we taught a lesson and headed back to a different area. Every single dog that we passed on the way home bared it's teeth and growled or barked, and we even got snapped at a couple times. It was crazy! We got to our next appointment and the member told us that dogs can smell cooked dog flesh for hours after you eat it, and they were all scared/angry that we had eaten a cousin or something. Scary. I would definitely eat it again though. I hope CJ will forgive me. I miss the little guy.
As for work this week, we had a training meeting in the City on Thursday for Elder Shelley and I, and it was great. President Schmutz is a stud. Such an awesome man. We learned a ton there. We also had tons more success this week. We committed the Borlau family to baptism on April 7 and they are looking solid. Sister Castillote is doing fantastic as well. She has been off cigerettes for a good while now and has such a determination to get her family to the temple. Her baptismal interview is tomorrow, and her baptism is on the 17 of this month. I am not too sure about her daughter JoyJoy. She was solid before but has since gotten into a new group of friends and we need to really find out what her desires are. We will probably hold off on her until a later date when we know she is ready. We had a nonmember wife of a less active man in our area come to church this week too. She woke up early and walked for an hour and a half to get to the church, and she brought her two young children. She is looking solid as well. We also had an entire family come to church this Sunday. Bro. Labigan, his nonmember wife and 2 nonmember kids. They are very interested in the church as well and Sister Labigan has a baptismal date for the 31 of this month. Things are going great out here, and I am loving it more and more each week. Time is flying though, and I can't seem to hold on to it. It's crazy how fast time flies when you are working so closely with the Spirit.
Thanks for all your love! Elder Shelley says "Aww. Salamat. Thanks Mom!" I love you all!
Love,
Elder Garver
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