FIRST WEEK!

Hey Everyone!!
So just to let everyone know, Tuesday is my p-day so I'll be r=writing an email every Tuesday. Oh and if you could do the Dear Elder thing that could help me a lot since it's hard to read all the emails and write a big email in only 30 minutes. WE only get 30 minutes and some people get a little annoyed since they want to write too. It's no problem at all. So this week went by and it seemed like it was going slow until we got to p-day and realized I have been here 6 days. Everyone always says that the days go by like weeks and the weeks go by like days. This is sooo true. They very first day I got here my host companion took me to my room and then to class. And right away my teacher Brother Stephenson started talking in only Tagalog and no English. Yesterday was the first day he taught in English. Learning Tagalog is super crazy, there are so many things in it, but I know it's not as hard as learning English. English has got to be one of the hardest languages to learn since there are so many meanings for just the exact same word. We have learned how to pray, how to bear our testimonies, and we have an investigator named Queen Zabala who we have taught 3 lessons to already. She always talks in Tagalog and when we ask her questions she totally goes off and says a whole bunch of stuff and we just nod and say "mabuti" which means good! Yea I don't know if it's good or not but she always has a good look on her face so I sure hope so. The food is decent, it makes a lot of Elders in my district gassy. Especially my roommates Elder Lomu and Elder MCBride. My companions name is Elder Webb and he's awesome. He's goofy and funny and we get along super well. He always goes off talking about nerdy things like comics an TV shows. He is soo great. My district is super awesome as well. Elder Lomu and Elder McBride are two huge Elders and they totally are the enforcers. Elder Mcbride is our district leader and I honestly believe it's because he is gigantic. Elder Brockbank, oh dad I think he's the one elder you were talking about who is going to be in the Philippine Islands the same time as me, well he's a red head and he has a girl at home. Elder Wong is from New Zealand and he has a sweet accent. I always try to mimic his accent and I guess I always sound Australian. I honestly thought I was doing it great. Elder Conrow is a small elder but he is hands down the funniest elder in the district. He ways the funniest things and it's really funny because you would never know it from him. Elder Branham is really serious all the time and he always keeps Elder Conrow in Check. Elder Taylor is too cool for school and Edler Ellis just laughs all the time. Elder Park is a baseball player and a lifeguard and he's great. He wanted to switch companions or something so he would be with me. Elder Kiser is really nerdy and little but he is amazing at singing. He also makes his own songs. Well I'm out of time so I'm not able to write a lot more. I love you all and miss you all. Thanks for the letters and prayers. They help out a lot. Again, please write the Dear Elder. I know this work is true and that I am doing it for the Lord. I know that Jesus Christ helps me with everything. I know that the spirit helps guide us and keep us safe and that his is what I am supposed to do. I love my family so much. I am so grateful for my parents and their love and support for me. I can't wait to get more letters and emails and I can't wait to write again. I LOVE YOU ALL!

Elder Stephens