September 24th, 2012

    Today I am writing from Dagupan, we went there to get some things we couldn't find in Lingayen.  It is a busy city.  Anyway we found tons of new people this week.  We found this one really nice family, but it turns out they can't read, so they are not reading the Book of Mormon.  (well actually one is pretending, he won't admit he can't read and just makes stuff up if we ask him to read a scripture.) 
      We found a lady this week that used to wash clothes for the missionaries way back when. This women was endowed before and just slowly went inactive.  She is so nice to us.  She is pretty excited to see us when we come over.  She also told us she wants to come to church again.  We will keep working with her, she also has a lot of inactive children and thus non member grandchildren.  One less active man we've been teaching Brother Randy has come to church for a few weeks now.  He is just really determined to go to church now.  I guess in the first few lessons we stressed it enough and he has got it down.  Now if we ask a question, just about any question (Why is the atonement important?) he will bring up going to church. (Well it means I can be clean again, but I gotta just keep going to church)  He is a pretty cool guy. 
     This week is family week.  I think it is supposed to be a nationally recognized thing, but it seems to me only our church is actually doing anything for family week.  I think you can see the gradual degrade of the importance of families in the worlds eyes, but that the church continues to uphold the family values. 
      Thats all I really have time for today sorry.  Oh wait.  I got a letter that said my family should update my blog more often.  Maybe dad should do it.  You might have to teach him how first, but he would definitely be consistent. 

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Have a good week, keep your head up, and smile.
                                                                           Elder Nathaniel J. Merrill