IT'S GAMEDAY!!!!!!

Well today's the day!

I leave the MTC at 4:30. Our flight doesn't leave until 8:30 so I plan on calling home between 6 and 7 tonight. We fly to LAX and then we have a layover until we get on the plane at 12:05 AM for Hong Kong. I'll get to Manila around 11:30 AM on Wednesday (Philippines time) so it will be around 8:30 PM tuesday night(?)...

Also I'm not sure how long it takes for DearElder's to get to the Philippines. So all of you faithful DearElder.com users please convert over to just emailing me :)

This last week at the MTC has been great! Finally got to learn some waray-waray! Sister Blonquist brought her Waray to English dictionary that she bought on her mission. If I ever see the book in the Philippines I will buy it on sight! I don't know a whole lot but I know enough to bear my testimony and say a prayer, which is really all you need right? It sounds a whole lot faster and more harsh than cebuano. There are 7 waray-waray zones and 3 cebuano zones in the Tacloban mission.(or at least there were when Brother Anderson got back 8 months ago...) Its crazy to think I'm going to be introducing myself next Sunday in some branch or ward 7500 miles away in a foreign language. That fact alone is a testimony to me that the Lord is blessing and supporting me in this. This morning in the temple I went in with a prayer in my heart, asking Heavenly Father to let me know that I will be safe. When I got to the Celestial Room I opened some scriptures and stopped on D+C section 15. I received my answer. Everything is going to be just fine and I am doing the right thing.

It sounds like everything is going great at home. Rick I'm super excited to hear about your story! I've been praying for you especially with regards to your audition. The Lord is still a miracle worker in the latter days!

I received everyone's packages last week and I have weight to spare in packing my suitcase. I actually bought another suitcase here at the MTC just because I figured out how to make it work better. Thank you Lindsay for the tape. I started to listen to it for about 5 minutes before I had to turn it off. Can't afford to be homesick right before I leave but I promise I will listen to the rest of it when I get settled in next week. Thank you Call family for all the food! Fun fact for you all... Did you know that poor people in the Philippines eat potatoes instead of rice. Also, Jess I forgot to tell you but Gakus in cebuano means "hug" Some things are just meant to be.

I am excited beyond description. Dili ko maghulagway sa mga pagbati nako. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night half expecting this to be a dream. But this is my life. This is what I have been called to do. I love my calling. I have been so blessed to be able to serve God and my fellowmen.

I know this is the Lord's work. I like other missionaries will come and go but the work will continue on until it has sounded in every ear and heard in every clime and nation, until the Lord comes again and says it is done. This is the true church. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. Thomas S Monson is God's prophet on the earth today. Heed his counsel. Joseph Smith was the prophet of the Restoration. Above all, I know that Jesus is the Christ. The Holy Son of God. Saviour of all. He knows each and everyone of us personally and intimately. He invites all men everywhere to come unto Him and repent and be baptized in His name. He is our advocate with the Father. He is my elder brother and best friend. He has pulled me from misery and set me on a course that I will never deviate from. My shoulder is set to the wheel and I will not look back.

I love you all, but I've got to go now.

Fear knocked at the door, but Faith answered and there was no one there.

Onward. Ever onward.

Elder McGuire