The Epistle of Elder Swensen in the Philippines: MTC 2nd Week

I don't know if you have gotten any letters from me but, I've sent two. My experience here has been like no other experience I've ever had before. The spirit here is so strong and I have great friends here that are irreplaceable. I guess I'll kind of go through and describe who my companions are.

Elder Ivines: He's from Blanding, has a girlfriend that he's been dating for four years, I don't remember the name of the high school he went to, but he played football, and basketball in high school, he's tone deaf, but probably one of the nicest kids I've met. Elder Staheli: From St. George: played football and did choir in high school, has a girlfriend, but they have only been dating a few months. So Elder Ivins is on the right side, Elder Staheli is in the middle.

The one on the right is Elder Brown. He is probably the most nice, caring kid I've met here. He's from Compton California. He had heart surgery when he was 5 and his grandpa gave him a blessing and he said that if he survived he would serve a mission and he says he never wanted to serve a mission, but he said something changed and he just felt like he had to come. and I'm glad her did he pushes all of us harder than we have been pushed before. The one on the left is Elder Soifua. He is one of our zone leaders and he is cousins with JJ. He is a pretty good guy. I like him.

This one is kind of blurry, but the Elder on the left is Elder Lucido. He's in our zone. He Is full Filipino bit he grew up in New York and didn't know a word of Tagalog before he came here. He is probably one of my greatest friends here. He is way funny. The one in the middle is Elder Dichens. He is a pretty funny kid that spen a year in Austria through and exchange student program. He is our other zone leader and he has some good stories.

These are the other 2 Elders in our district. Elder Garate and Elder McBride. Elder Garate is from Reno Nevada. He has a different sense of humor that's just as funny, but he thinks our humor is "Retarded". Elder McBride is impossible to get a picture of because his nose is always in the books.

Our zone does this pretty funny thing. Whenever we have cameras we run up to random missionaries and yell 'Make some noise' and then snap a selfie. So here are a few shots I got on our temple walk and then last night at the Fourth of July celebration.