MTC Week 4

Magandang Tanghali!‏

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From:	Michael Nay (michael.nay@myldsmail.net)
Sent:	Fri 7/29/11 7:09 PM
Kamusta!

First off, thanks for the packages/mail. The frozen eggnog was a lovely surprise. It probably would have tasted a little better if I had it while it was cold though. When I opened it at night it was still too frozen to drink so I let it sit overnight next to the ice thinking it would be a nice treat the next afternoon. As soon as I woke up and checked though, it was already kind of warm. So I chugged it all as soon as I got out of bed. :) If I do gain any weight in this place, a lot of it will be thanks to you! That gooey butter cake was scrumptious as well. Also, those PMG's are perfect! I'll try to send home a little package next week sometime with my memory card and some money from Elder Dickey and Mansfield. About the memory cards though, I have been hearing too many horror stories about missionaries sending their cards home and then having them jacked in the mail and losing all of the pictures. So I'm thinking that I won't be doing that once I get to the Philippines. I'll figure something else out though like maybe ripping them onto a cd. But they sell 4gb cards here for only 7 bucks, so I might get 1 or 2 more so I'll have enough for the whole mish.

For the past day and a half, I have had no voice. So that has been a blast. I woke up yesterday morning and could only talk in a really low voice and muster out every other word or so. It was really weird. I don't really have any other symptoms, just no voice. It made trying to teach our investigator last night interesting. I think its getting better though. But just because I can't talk, I know my branch presidency will call on me to speak on sunday. They give us a topic the week before, then randomly select 3 missionaries from the pulpit. Its a good way for us to get a good bank of talks that are pre-prepared. I'm glad I took those few from home.

The older district left for the Philippines this week, so there is evidence that people actually make it out of here! Haha. But that means a newer district came in, and we are no longer the young ones in the branch. It is weird that we are already almost halfway through the MTC. Time is starting to fly by like crazy.

Remember how my right big toe started hurting when I bumped it like the day before I came into the MTC? Well it doesn't really hurt when I walk normally, but whenever it bumps into something it hurts. So I decided to get it checked out and get it taken care of before I left to the Philippines. Turns out its a wart! I had no idea warts could look like that. It hardly looks like anything at all on the outside. I'll try to get a picture of it. But anyways, there's a podiatrist coming in on the 10th of August and he'll take care of it then. They offered to ship me out and have it done right away, but its not that bad and this way I don't have to pay the 40$ co-pay.

Today was the first time we could go to the temple. As always, the temple was great. I ended up seeing Brian Matthews, the guy that runs Hearthstone. He was working the initiatory desk and he proceeded to tell me how much he loved Don. I told him that for better or worse, he probably won't be forgetting him any time soon! Haha.

For the past 2 weeks or so I have been exhausted, 24/7. Even though I'm getting like 7 hours of sleep every night, it doesn't seem like enough. It seems like I fall asleep at least once during each day at times I'm not supposed to (classes, meetings, study time). It seems like no matter how hard I force myself to stay awake each day, its bound to happen. I just keep hoping for that extra strength that we're supposed to get as missionaries in times like this! During a fireside though, someone said that if you feel like you're tired 24/7 and always needing a nap, you're being a good missionary. So I guess thats a good thing! It doesn't help that I am on the top bunk. The top bunks are a pain. I feel like I'm doing a pull up just to get to bed each day, and making them is ridiculous.

That should be fun to have those folk fest people at the house for a couple days. It seems pretty convenient that they are both Bryan's age! I guess his dating strategy has worked-let them come to him! Haha.

Dad, that horse trip sounded like fun. Sounds like you got to see more wildlife there than you ever would at Wind Rivers! That should be fun too.

Time's up.

Mahal Kita!

Elder Nay