Makeup Christmas Week 2010

So this week has been pretty crazy, it being CHRISTMAS and all! Thank you so much for all of the Christmas joy!! Everything that was sent was exactly what I needed. I had to have those athletic shoes this morning because we cleaned the temple. Pretty cool experience except all we did was scrub out the lockers.

About Tagalog....

It it pretty much the best language ever! At first I was bummed because it was Spanish, and my Spanish knowledge was kinda messing me up. But now I know better.

1. Everything is PERFECTLY phonetic. It is spelt exactly as it sounds. It sounds exactly how it is spelt. No exceptions.

2. There aren't 168 conjugations for every verb like Spanish.

3. Everyone in the Philippines is really laid back, and the language definitely reflects that. Example:

In English, you can be cutting the pinneapple, you can throw the pinneapple, you can smash the pinneapple, you can eat the pinneaple, etc. In Tagalog, you pinneaple. You are pinneappling. That's pretty much it! Any noun can be made a verb, and it makes perfect sense to them. Now I've just got to learn how to catch on to context and figure out if you are cutting, throwing, eating, etc. the pinneapple.

4. There are a lot of Spanish words and English words mixed in. The language is a little sloppy like that, but it is beautiful when you can say it all right. When you want a high five, you say, "Uphere!" and there are many more. My name tag says, "The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints". Instead of "Ang Simbahan ni Jesukristo ng mga Banal sa mga Huling Araw".

I've got no time cause class is starting right now, but I love you all and the Church is true!

PS I spent about 4 hours no more than 15 feet away from Elder Russell M. Nelson. It was really cool. He was with us Christmas and the day after. So much learned!!

Love,

Elder Brown