Email sent June 3, 2009

Hi everybody! Things are going well for us here in the Philippines! We are keeping busy so the days seem to go pretty fast. I thought it might be good to let those that gave us some money to help with our mission know where some of the money has gone. Our first gift was to a church group(Basic unit group because they didn’t qualify to be a branch). They had very little supplies to run their Sunday services, so we gave them the “Select Hymns CD’s” and bought them a DVD/CD player. They were so excited to have the player. They still had to borrow a TV from a member for our movie night. We bought some DVD’s with the money that my mom gave us for our birthdays at the Church Distribution center before we came. They have really been a hit along with “Johnny Lingo”(the modern version),” Work and the Glory 123”, “Praise to the Man”, “Mobsters and the Mormons”. We have had Branch FHE’s with 3 branches so far and we have showed “The Testament” at all three. Our second gift was giving Steve’s reading glasses to Nilo Pacheo and purchasing some medicine and juices to drink for his really sick 7 month baby. We went to the Pacheo family with the Elders to meet the family because the branch president assigned us to visit/home teach them for a little while. They told us the baby had been sick for awhile and they needed to take her to the doctor but didn’t have the money to do so. Nilo (the dad) was trying to fix a TV so they could take the baby-Angel Bless to have some tests done. Nilo has really bad eyes so he had to get real close to things to see them. Elder Adams gave him his reading glasses and told him to see if he could read from a book. He was excited because he could see a little bit better. We gave him the glasses, had a lesson about priesthood blessing , and ask if the missionaries could give Angel a blessing. They agreed and gave her a really nice blessing. The whole family came to church the next day and Nilo was so happy to sing the hymns. The blessing helped and the baby was doing better.. We stopped by a few weeks later and the baby was really sick again. They had sold the TV and was able to take her to the doctor and have the tests. The doctor had given them a prescription for two medicines but they didn’t have the money to buy them. We decided this was a worthy case so we bought the meds. Nilo and Mayline are suppose to come and weed the flowers when the baby gets better to help payback the cost. We have been told to be very careful about handing over money because word spreads fast. We also bought Nilo a stronger power pair of glasses. Nilo is a less active member and Mayline is not a member but is getting baptized on June 13. Our third gift was another pair of reading glasses. Fred was trying to read the Book of Mormon with a magnifying glass the Elders had given him. We decided to get him the glasses and went with the Elders to the next teaching appointment. Elder Adams presented them to him and had him read out of the B of M. He was so excited! We have had Fred and Hilda over to our house for FHE and have gone to their home for FHE and your don’t see Fred without his glasses. They hang on his shirt if they are not on him. Fred is being baptized on June 13. Hilda is already a member. Our fourth gift was buying a table we had built so the mother and father in the Mascaso family could afford to buy the marriage license to get married. They have been taking the missionary discussions for quite awhile and wanted to have the whole family baptized. They have 6 children ranging in age from 14yrs to 1yr old. They couldn’t get baptized until they were legally married. They were married on May 15 and on May 23 the parents and 4 children were baptized. It was a very special day to be there and witness this event. I put a picture of the family in an email. Our next gift was to the La Castellana Branch fast offerings. The branch has a newly called missionary that needs help so this is how we came up with a plan to help him. I can’t remember his name right now. I will call him “Elder”. Elder was involved in a fireworks accident 4 years ago and lost his right hand. He was 14 yrs old and the only member of his family. The ward really rallied around him and helped him cope. The branch president is a return missionary and knew how a mission would be a great thing for the “Elder”. The Pres. Contacted the church missionary department and found out that he could go on a mission if they met all the requirements. Missing his hand was not a problem as long as he was healthy and able to take care of himself. The branch members helped to commit to the 500pesos a month that the branch has to pay for him, so they sent in the papers and he got his call to Philippines Bagio Mission leaving July 4, 2009. The only problem was he needed more money to buy his garments, supplies, and travel to Manilla MTC. We told them we would like to help out by donating to the branch. They both were teary eyed and very appreciative. “Elder” has been going out with the missionaries for quite some time and even came to our Zone Conference. We went to shake hands with him and he offered his left hand and we said No. We want to shake his right hand.( He keeps it in his pocket most the time when he is around people he is not familiar with.) We told him with his arm in his pocket all the time people were going to think he was protecting his money. We were joking with him of course and he laughed. We said when we see you again we will want to shake with your right arm so to be practicing. He is going to be such a wonderful missionary and I think this mission will be very life changing for him. I want to buy him a Carabao Horn belt. They are really neat looking. I’m going to tell him people will see the belt and will want to know about it and not notice his hand is gone when they met at first or something like that. It is time to get this sent and go to bed. We have been gone since early this morning with the Elders to Ayungon visiting part member families. Hope everyone is doing good and enjoying the beautiful Spring Summer weather . Palangga ka namon!(We love you!) Elder& Sister Adams/ Nana & Papa/Mom & Dad June 3 2009