hey!

Hello everyone! Sounds like this last week was a busy week for you all there with lots happening. Glad to hear things are going good for you all still. Sounds like lots of people are getting their mission calls now. Pretty exciting. And lots are getting home. Thats crazy that Steven is getting home. Here in a couple weeks, the Sister that i was in the MTC with that came here to Olongapo too will be going home. So pretty crazy how time is going. Glad i still got time to serve here. Funny, because you are all just getting rid of your snow. But when i come home, there will be snow again haha. So in that perspective its still a long ways away.

This week was still hot here. We did have some rain the last couple days, but when it isn't raining it is still really hot. Yesterday it had to be 100 degrees, then all of a sudden it started raining in the afternoon. Today is still really hot again, but it could still rain later. Thats the Filipino weather for ya hehe. One minute you are using your umbrela to protect you from the sun, the next to protect you from the rain.

This last week me and my companion were finally given a cell phone to use in our work here. There are still a few companionships without one, but we are one of the last ones to get one. We use it to contact members to work with us and stuff, and investigators to set appointments and check up on their progression. So that was a high point of the week haha joke.

This last week was another week with big ups and downs. Such is missionary work. We had a couple new investigators that are really progressing, and a few other investigators that kinda went backwards. It is hard to see the people we teach going backwards. Yesterday we went to teach a family we have been teaching ever since i got to this area. They had said they would come to church yesterday, but didn't show up. We got there to teach them last night, and the dad and son had both been drinking. It is sad how many people we encounter here that are drunk. I've gotten too good at telling when a person is drunk. Sometimes we'll go to investigators or even members, and they have been or are drinking. Then there are always people sitting in the street drinking with their friends. And its not unusual to see people starting at 15 years old drinking. It is a bad thing to start, and absolutely nothing good comes of it. Lots of times that is a big obstacle for our investigators or less-active members to overcome.

But lots of good did happen this week. We have one investigator that is preparing for baptism in just a couple of weeks on June 11. He has overcome a Word of Wisdom problem, and is doing really good. We also had a new investigator that really progressed. We've only taught her 3 times now, but in the last lesson see accepted to be baptized. It kinda surprised me. Here's the story. We had taught her about the Book of Mormon, and the lesson went good. At the end we committed her to baptism. When i asked her if she would be baptized, she just kinda thought for a second, then she was like "I don't know about going to church. I'm not really fond of wearing a skirt or dress." So we went off about going to church and what to wear and that. At the end of that we were a long was away from the subject of baptism. Me and my companion looked at each other and were like, now what. So my companion just straight up asked her again, out of nowhere. She looked at us for a second and was like, "Yea." I was a bit surprised by that answer. But it was a really good answer. It was awesome to see her progression. We also have a less-active member that is coming to church. Yesterday it was awesome, because their 2 kids that aren't members came with them to church. We have been working for 6 months to get them to come to church, and yesterday they finally did. It was great. It is so great to see the Lord's hand in the work.

The work is going good here. Still having lots of fun with it too. Yesterday me and my companion joined the youth and single adults in the branch to practice for a song they are singing next Sunday at Branch Conference. It was a lot of fun. I wish i had done more stuff with choir in school. It really is a lot of fun. I like singing, even if i'm not exactly that great. Same with the piano. Those are two things i wish i knew how to do better. I could use it so many times here in the mission. But i am glad i know how to just a little. Thanks Mom for making me do those piano lessons when i was little. Even if all i remember is the top hand. I can't do a thing with the bottom hand haha. But i'm trying to work on it.

I hope things keep going good for all of you guys there. Crazy school is getting out. One thing Mom, how did Draney and the track kids do at state? Tell him i said hi and that i'm disappointed he hasn't been writing me hehe. Tell Carter and Gma Brough and Gma & Gpa Hunter hi too. Tell everybody hi for me. Keep up all your good work. The Lord loves you so much, and will continue to help you and bless you in all that you do. This church is true. The Book of Mormon is true. Keep reading it. I love you all so much, and God be with you till we meet again.

Elder Brough

P.S. Quick question. What is the Aagard guys name? There was an Aagard that served here in this area back in 1990. They said it was a Robert Aagard, and he was from either Wyoming or Idaho. Don't know really how many Aagards there could be. So thought i'd see if it was him. Love ya!