Getting Ready for the Philippines

I'm doing great! We leave this thursday for the Philippines and we got our flight plans this week! We are leaving at 3:30 in the morning and we are flying for 21 hours. We are stopping in Portland, OR and in Tokyo Japan for a layover and then straight on to the philippines. I'm excited. I don't know if the Typhoon will delay our flight plans, but I really hope not, cause then we might be stuck here till christmas! I want to get into the Philippines as soon as possible so we can help out and do service. It looks like the Typhoon will hit on the east side of the island and will probably affect the entire country. Please keep the people of the Philippines in your prayers. I'm not sure if the Typhoon has hit yet or how that will affect our travel, but I am definitely praying for the Filipinos as well. I've heard a lot of stories about how humble and kind the people are over there and it will be an honor to help them in any way I can.

I also have another story from choir. Yesterday all of the hundred or so branch presidents here and their wives were invited to a banquet Christmas dinner to thank them for all of their hard work. It was put on by the MTC president, president Nally and his wife. All through the night they ate and had a choir of about eight people that caroled throughout the dinner. At the end of the dinner, they were told that they had another surprize waiting for them. It was us, the entire MTC choir of about 500 missionaries were waiting outside the door. The pianist started playing Silent Night and we flooded in and serenaded them. It was so special. The branch presidents, including Brother and Sister Howard, who are our branch presidency, were all crying uncontrollably because of our surprize. It was so cool! The spirit was really strong. It was the least we could do for all of our branch presidents who do so much for us. Many of the wives came up and hugged us and thanked us. it was way special.