Isis?, a baptism, and challenges of a mission

Hi.

So many exciting things going on at home! I love hearing about all the things people are doing at home and everything. It's weird to hear about life still happening back at home. I realized how truly cut off from the world I am here, being a missionary, when I got into a discussion with one of the newer missionaries last week. This was essentially the conversation:

Me: "Hey the news was playing on a tv the other day and they said something about some "Isis" group or something? I couldn't understand it... You know anything about that?"

Him: ".....you haven't heard about that..?"

Me: "Umm... no... is it important?"

Him: "You've been gone a while, haven't you?"

Me: "Yeah, I guess so..."

He then proceeded to recount everything that has happened since I have been gone. Wow. I guess I have missed some stuff.

It's weird to think that in two days I will have been gone for eight months already. I feel like I just BARELY left... It's really starting to hit me now that I hear about all the people getting their mission calls and everything! Wow! It's quick. The days just keep getting faster and faster...

We had a baptism this week! His name is R---- and he is AWESOME. This kid is super mature for his age, he's only 11 years old, but he seems a lot older. I was honored to be chosen to baptize him. Yes, the font was still dirty... but it was still great!

My favorite part of the baptism was when they gave their testimonies after. Unfortunately, I think we should have taught him more about testimonies. When he saw the other person get up to give her testimony, his eyes darted over to me like, "Man, you didn't tell me about THIS?!" Sensing the fear in his heart, I decided to give him some quick instructions on bearing his testimony. "Look, just start out by introducing yourself, say whatever you want about your baptism and what you felt, and then the important part is to just end it by saying, 'in the name of Jesus Christ, amen' You can do it! It's easy!" As he walked to the front, I began praying for him in my mind, hoping he wouldn't start crying out of fear. Here is what happened:

"Hi, my name is Renzi....... ummm..... I don't know!.... inthenameofJesusChristamen"

I got a good chuckle with that one. Good kid. Next time I need to remember to give them a few tips.

People have been asking me about the hard things of my mission. I will tell you some of them, but I can't share everything because it would be really long, and I never know who might be reading this, so I have to be careful, so as to not send the wrong message!

The hardest part is being tired. I just want to SLEEP all the time. But I feel guilty if I sleep in even just a minute after that alarm. I will sleep for a week when I get home. It's also hard trying to find the correct desire to go out and work. Some days I go out and work and I just don't want to at all. But some days I feel love for every person I meet. I wish it could always be the latter. The food is hard for me, I miss American food, I still don't understand the language (actually, languages), and I never feel like I am competent or capable enough to do this work. It's always hot, and it's only getting hotter every day right now. I don't fit in the tricycles because my body is too big, and I got REALLY sunburned the other day. BUT it is all worth it, no matter the struggle. I have the opportunity to see people make changes in their lives and to make choices that affect things not now, but later. It's all worth the sacrifice.

I am excited to tell everyone all about the culture when I get home from my mission. The Philippines is a great place!

I hope you all have a great week!

Elder Welton