Jeff's first MTC email September 7th, 2009

Hello family!

I am finally able to write! it is kind of stressful tho because there is a timer in the top corner of the screen! I only have 30 minutes. BUt the mtc is going great so far. i am loving it.. i would put exclimation points but this keyboard blows and puts question marks lol... so far i have just studied tagalog for like 12 hours a day. i am learning a lot about the language and about how freaking hard it is. right now i am thinking i would rather have an english speakling mission lol.. but it is all good i am loving it. ok so you probably want to hear about my companion. his name is elder muller he is a really cool guy but he is having a lot of trouble here ( i know i would be the one to get the depressed companion ) but anyways, he left his girlfriend the night before he came and is having a rough time. all i can to is pray for him and hope that he can get his act together and be an effective missionary.

anyways the power of prayer is probably the first thing i learned when i left. i have been praying like 50 times a day and it is so cool to feel the peace that comes from praying. my favorite time is when i have personal prayers, they have helped me so much and without them i would be very discouraged. it is awesome...
omg it is so cold here too, on my alarm clock i have a temp gauge and it said 61 degrees in my room last night and our air conditioner will not turn off, oh and i am taking cold showers every morning..... like ice cold, it is hindi mabuti. but it is all good i guess. there are certian parts of this place that i would definately like to change but it is all the lord has provided us with so i will do my best.

so far i think i have studied more here than i have in my entire life. every minute of every day is booked with learning and study. i dont have time to breathe. but it like it because it keeps me very busy and very focused. i feel very strongly about obeying with exactness and last night i got in my room like 5 minutes late (9:35) and i felt so horrible. i repented for a good 10 min lol... but yeah i can really feel the lord's mantle helping me be obedient and helping me to learn tagalog. it is awesome.

the language is so hard, but the lord is providing. i learned more the first day than i did in all those months of rosetta stone. my teachers are bro bartholemu and bro ward. they served in the philippines and are great teachers. it is only my 6th day and i can go bear my testimony in tagalog. i am working on praying right now, it is soooo awesome.

but hey my time is running out i sent you a letter and i have some gnarly pictures and videos for you so keep a look out. it should be there by like thursday.

i love you all
elder hansen