Hello,

Well I’m sure everyone is hootin and haollerin after Bryce's wedding. That's awesome. I'm bummed I missed it... But it's all-good. How was Seattle and what not?? Oh and speaking of BYU basketball, my trainer’s (Elder Tabucol) his new companion knows Ty Haws, and my current companion knew him as well, which is coolso beanso. (Elder Lamoglia and Elder Dela Cruz.)

   My area is good.. .We are just exploring a different part of it each day. It's so big haha... Friday we went to a part in our area called Phillex Mines that was an hour Jeepney ride away. So we spent 50 pesos each getting there (50 pesos is the equivalent to like a dollar and 5 cents.... but here it's a fortune) and we got there and there was no people.... at all... everyone told us it would be a good place to go and ya...... 0 people haha... So we started walking back cause it was getting kind of late.... so we are walking and we see heavy rain in the distance and of course we are like "Oh that won't get to us. We're good." But after about an hour and a half of walking and waiting for a Jeepney the rain was dominating us. No houses in site-- just me, my companion and the open road... and finally after what seemed like forever sprinting in the rain looking for shelter a taxi drove by filled with like 5243807976 people. So we crammed in that. The taxi driver was our savior.

   We have so many potential investigators and about 4 progressing... the only problemo is the church is in Baguio plaza which is was far away so the struggle is getting them to church. But we are working on some less actives to return. There's this one investigator named Shaira who is very awesome and stuff, she's 17 (ya for some reason all of our investigators are like 17-22 yr old women) and she is so ready to be baptized, but she has a different religion and her parents hate us. They despise us and always turn us away because they are devoted to some no name catholic church. But she always comes out and we teach her in her store so her parents don't kill us haha... Than another potential is Sister Caroline Nester. She is awesome and has two kids but she lives in the bukids like waaaay the crud away from anything. But she is awesome and always asks questions and stuff, but her problem is no money at all.... Like they hunt for their food and just live off surroundings type of dealio. The people in the middle of no-where are my favorite though... so humble and what not. 

   Another problem is some of our investigators only speak Illocano... neither me or my companion speak it-- so it's a struggle every time we teach. But it's just like when I didn't know Tagalog. Same concept... lots of awkward hand gestures.. 

   But ya my area is great, my companion is great. I'm loving district leader-- it's awesome! I went on exchanges and gave an apartment check and stuff --haha it's the life! 

   Earlier today the DL's (me Elder Hernandez and Elder Lagasca) the sister training leaders (Sister Perena and Pemesa) and the zone leaders (Elders Tanner and Sison) all had a meeting.  The meeting was about what the ZL’s had talked to president Balledos about and was way awesome stuff. It was kind of a new look on our mission and a strategy because there are so many missionaries coming in the next few months. So it's like the district leaders will choose someone in their district who has the most potential to be a future district leader and start in a way training them like going on splits and making them do little workshops and what not. And the Zone leaders will do the same thing with all the district leaders. This way President can start seeing his leadership and our mission can start having awesome leadership because we will sort of be pre trained... It's a cool idea and I hope it works in the future!

   On an ending note, this investigator told us last week the Born Again missionaries in our area just preach against us... they don't even preach their religion.  They just tell people we are of the devil; a cult, and we believe this and that. And that ticked the crap out of me to be honest.... But our investigator was like, "Ya but everyone loves the Mormons! Two handsome teenage kids preaching what they know to be true for two years!" And she just talked about how the Born Again missionaries were like old guys just trashing us and stuff so ya.... there's that..

   Anyway… hope all is well. Congrats Bryce and NIkki! Don’t have baby’s too fast! Love you all. The church is true! I’m changing more every day. Obedience leads to charity which is the start of Faith and hope,(I just made that up..... mom make a quilt out that quote or something)... Love you

-Elder Jones

PS Whats up with the US? Everyone’s telling me it's in shambles???