Kumusta ang aking pamilya!

The beautiful new Cebu City Temple
dedicated June 13, 2010

Water Buffalo (or in Tagalog it is called a Caribou)
they use them like oxen because they don't have
tractors.

District service project in Bagac

District service project in Bagac

Hello my family! It sounds like life is still good there. All is still amazing here. I may have spoken to fast about the rain here. It didn't rain once this last week. So I guess you guys are having the weather we should be having here haha..........................

This last week was pretty awesome, because yesterday the 2nd temple in the Philippines was dedicated; the Cebu City Temple. It was awesome. We watched the dedication here in the Stake Center for our Stake in Orani. President Monson dedicated the Temple, and he had President Eyering and Elder Oaks with him. It was so amazing. There were three sessions, and all the missionaries here attended the last 2 sessions. It was like we were really in the Temple. You could feel that spirit that you feel in the Temple. All the talks were amazing, but especially Pres. Monson's talk in the last session. He was the last speaker and kind of went to start, then he just stopped and kind of looked into the camera for nearly 10 seconds. Then he started again, and you could feel it wasn't his planned talk. He was just talking from the heart and by the Spirit. Every once in a while he would stop like that before going on. It was the most uplifting, spiritual talk I have ever heard. And it seemed it was meant for me. I learned a lot about things I had been wondering about and praying about. It was definately revelation to us all. I can't explain to you how awesome that talk and experience was. It was just amazing. It is also the closest I'll get to being in the Temple for almost a year and a half. Elder Edwards, from the 70 and Philippines Area President, talked too and said that if we attend the Temple as often as we possibly can, the Lord makes those experiences last till we are able to go again. But we have to go the next chance we have, because that is as far as it will last. The Lord will do his part and we have to do ours. So I ask you all, the next chance you get, go to the Temple. Go do some baptisms. You that are endowed, if you are short on time just go sit in the Celestial Room for a few minutes. The Temple is so amazing. I wish I had gone more before my mission. I wish I had taken Heidi's offer and gone to the Rexburg Temple with her a time or two. Now I have to wait a while till I get the opportunity again, So you guys go for me.

Our investigators are still progressing really well. Brother Bernie Florez is still progressing to baptism. We had to move his baptismal goal date back a couple more weeks because he wasn't able to go to church the last couple weeks, and because he still has a bit of a word of wisdom problem. Back when I first met him a few months ago, he smoked 30 cigarettes a day and drank lots of coffee. Now he isn't drinking coffee anymore, and he is down to 2 cigarettes a day. So he is progressing. But his smoking is catching up to him and he didn't come to church those last couple weeks because his body was hurting. So please pray for him that he will be able to stop smoking and that he will be able to come to church. He is really close now. But we still need some help from the Lord.

I know this church is true. I know that God really does answer our prayers. Sometimes it isn't right away, but he answers them. I know that through the Atonement we can all become cleansed and return to our Father in Heaven. I am so thankful for the Atonement. It is so very amazing. And I know we can all be together forever. But like President Monson said yesterday, we all still have to do our part to make it there. I am so thankful for you guys, and I love you all sooo much, and God be with you till we meet again. Elder Brough