The HEAT is on!

Hello everyone,

Well it has been another great week here in the Philippines. Just another week of working hard and sweating non stop. For everyone back home who still thinks it is pretty cold, I will switch you places ;) the heat kicks my butt at times.

Any who, Elder Neilsen and I had a baptism this week. Her name is Mary Rose, actually she is the sister of Meryl who we baptized 2 weeks ago. A cool thing about Mary Rose is we thought we were going to have to push back her baptism until April 1 because of a few things, but she literally sat Elder Nielsen and I down and begged us to be baptized last Saturday. It is so amazing to see the faith of people and the desires they have after feeling the Spirit.

One of my favorite people in my new ward is Sister Judeth. The reason she is one of my favorite is because she is one of the very few people who is not afraid to share the gospel with others. And the way she talks during lessons, its like she is a missionary herself. She has such a strong spirit to her. I have seen the joy and blessing that come from sharing the gospel at all times. She is definitely converted in the gospel. You can just feel it when you are around her.  

I am still eating lots of rice :)  For my day to day life, my breakfast comes from the tree outside our house. We just grab the fruit from it and eat that. Kinda of unsanitary.. but it's delicious. The lady below us still cooks us lunch, she is the greatest and we usually end up cooking our own dinner.

I was able to participate in a funeral for a member who passed away this week. Filippinos celebrate deaths different than in America. Basically we did a little singing and then just ate.... like ate and ate and ate. That is how Filipinos celebrate everything. From something good that happened to something bad. 

I miss you all and hope everyone has a great week. 

Inagt po kayo diyan (you guys take care over there)

Elder Richards

Fruit from the tree behind us!

Baptism for Mary Rose