2 weeks 'til the PHILIPPINES - July 28, 2017

Don't get me wrong, I love it here in the MTC. But there is a country called the Philippines that I really just want to dive into! The more I learn Tagalog and here amazing stories from my incredible teachers Sister Spencer and Brother West the more I want to just jump into the field! But it's still crazy to think that I have been gone for a month already! Nothing too spectacular happened this week though the MTC here is PACKED!!! When I first got here on June 28th there was hardly any lines in the cafeteria, the devotionals had empty seats (not a lot but a few) and for gym time there was always an extra basketball hoop to play on. NOW we have lines that stretch out of not only the cafeteria but well beyond the doors of the building, devotionals have an overflow gym where they have about 600 missionaries go when the actual devotional gym is full (that was before we got 800 new missionaries this Wednesday), and gym time is always insanely packed! We are way over capacity here but I'd say "too many missionaries" is a good problem to have!  This week has been a great week of learning Tagalog and having an increased desire to serve those I have been called to serve! I'm sure I'm going to just close my eyes for a second and then wake up in the Philippines! Alam ko po na totoo ang Ebanghelyo ni Jesucristo at Ang Aklat ni Mormon din. Dahil ang Pagbabayad-sala ni Jesucristo ng mga pamilya are walang-hanggang. Nagmamahal ng  Diyos ng lahat ng anak niya! Totoo ng autoridad ng priesthood ng Diyos. I have felt the kapangyarihan of iyang priesthood first hand. It is real and it is powerful in blessing the lives of others. Love and miss you all! Stay posted for some cheesy pictures of some hardworking mga misionaryo! 

Mahal,

Elder Payne