Travel Plans

AUGUST 26, 2011

Sige. Here's what's going down. Out of Salt Lake at 8:15 PM on Sept. 5th to LAX. Then from LAX at 1:55 AM on the 6th to Taipei, Taiwan. Then from Taipei on the 7th at 9:30 AM to Manila, Philippines which will be about a two hour flight. Then I'll get bused to San Pablo. But that's basically it. I get to cross the dateline and everything. Also I'm not going alone, which is nice. Elder Christian is, straight from SLC to Tokyo, which is not cool. I think I'd go crazy. He can do it though.

I'm excited for the stop over in Taiwan, that's gonna be so cool. Geez. So close. I'm almost there.

Oh. Hey. If you want to now, you can send me e-mails as well as dear elders. I found a way around the time restriction thingy. No I didn't hack anything, I just found a better way. Cause I'm a genius. Sige.

Mahal ko kayo!!

Elder Moore

Kamusta!

Alex's MTC District at the Provo Temple

AUGUST 26th, 2011

Kamusta!

Same old grind huh? You're telling me! It's basically the same thing every day here. Not that its bothering me because every day you have something to do at some time idk. Super weird. So yeah. I'm basically the favorite older guy among the new districts. All the guys on my floor love me and I go into the other district's class and talk to the Tongan sisters all the time, in Tongan, or at least what I know from Elder Tamale. Sister Ofa says that after the mission I have to go to Tonga and she'll find me a wife. Idk about that. I would totally love to go to Tonga though.

Anyway, I'm thinking you guys should just make a business out of our backyard. That way, you can hire people to just come and maintain it and get money for letting people rent it out. That would be pretty sweet. Idk. Sounds like its been crazy around there though. I totally forgot Kelli was still there. HI KELLI! Wow. It seems like its been forever since I've seen anyone.

I got to host this Wednesday! That was so much fun. Taking the newbies to their rooms and classrooms. I felt like I did a good job. I didn't try to be too scary. And I've been helping the new district with their language stuff, which in turn is really helpful to me because it helps me remember the principles and stuff and also gives me teaching experience iffin' I wanted to become a teacher someday.
I sent an e-mail to Brock last week and I got a response so don't worry about his address anymore. I think we'll just e-mail for now. I also got a wedding announcement for Zac Reese! Geez. My life is starting to speed by.

As for the suitcases, I feel like it'll be ok. They're just sitting around and they aren't being moved too much if at all. Plus even if I did switch them now, where would I put the other one? I just don't have tons of room. Sorry. It'll probably be expensive to get them to the 'Pines, though. Idk. I'll think some more about it, ask around maybe. Get a general consensus from the teachers or something.

That totally sucks about Kyler! Aw man. If all my stuff was just gone, that would totally ruin my day.
Really glad Parker is dedicated. I think football will be a really good thing for him. Just make sure he knows that this is going to take a lot of effort on his part, not just physically, but mentally and spiritually. I'm not really worried about him though. Is Sarah all ready to go!? I hope she's ready to freeze her butt off because it's going to be so cold up there.

Things for me have been going really well. I've finished the BoM, D&C, and th PoGP and now I'm starting in on the OT. We'll see how far I get. I'm not even done with Genesis yet. Sigh. Oh. I've basically decided I'm getting a motorcycle upon my return as well. Sorry Mom. I want one. Elder Mansfield and Elder Dickey have some so they're gonna help me buy one maybe. Figure out what I'd like or something. But that's a long way off. Other than that we should get our travel plans today. I might hop on later and let you know what that's gonna be if I remember. You know me. I don't remember five minutes ago. Elder Cloward is sitting next to me right now. I can't tell if he's reading this over my shoulder. Hi Elder Cloward! He's legit. Love the kid.

GRAGH! I miss my music really a lot right now. They won't even let you listen to what you brought here. Only in the field. So I'm slowly going crazy. But that's OK. I was a tad crazy before anyway.
Are you guys ready to be down two kids? It's going to be that start of your old life. :p I hope you guys are doing awesome! I love you tons!

Mahal ko kayo!!!

Elder Moore

Ooga Booga!

AUGUST 19th, 2011

Elder Moore and Elder Urban

WHAT! Crazy wedding that I missed! Man. I love Polynesians. They're super nice. There are so many of them here too! Man I hate this keyboard. Ugh. It's....weird.

Sounds like the ward is keeping you guys busy. Good job. Active work is the best. I've really realized that we need to be active in our roles and in the church, that's what enduring to the end is.
Let me know what happens with Parker! I'm not too worried. I know that if he's working hard and really showing effort. They'll keep him. Plus he's related to me so he has that going for him. haha. Kick his but also about getting those merit badges done. He needs to do his project now so I don't have to do anything. :p

Nice to know Sarah is contributing to the DI. I love the DI. I don't know if I ever told you how many awesome things I found at the Logan DI. So yeah. Wow. She's about to go to college. How awesome! She just needs to be careful. Its not called BYU-I do for nothing. But please have her hold off till I get home. And as I realized when I got here, my Patriarchal Blessing is the coolest thing ever. I love it. I need to read it more. So yeah. Get that for her.

Thanks for the ties!!!!! I already traded a couple of em. :p I really liked them! And even the silk ones, no worries. I don't think it's as big of a deal as it's been made out to be. Random story. One of the Elders in the group that just left on Tuesday got ties from his mom like every week. He had so many ties. It was crazy. I don't need that many. But I'm thankful for the ones I have.

Speaking of the group that just left. I was going to tell you about Ooga Booga. Its like a game that you're supposed to play on the district below you when you leave. What you do it have one person sit in a chair across from the person you're going to get. You have them follow every action you do and say Ooga Booga!" every time you do something. Eventually you have them stand up and someone pours water in their chair while they're fixed on you. Then you slam yourself down in the chair, because they have to do everything you do, exactly how you do it, they'll slam themselves down in the water. Its really funny. I think I had a wet butt for an hour. I really liked that group. I had lots of friends in it and the MTC isn't the same without them. But we did get a new batch this Wednesday. There's another Elder Moore, from Logan of all places. He's cool. I like these guys. They actually live on our floor too, so we aren't completely cut off from the rest of our zone because we live on the fourth floor.

Yeah! So I'm having a great time. I'm ready to get outta here and get to the Philippines! I'M NEXT!!!! a;sojvbhasilbvpkasjfvbh So crazy. Thanks for the constant stream of packages and letters and love!

Love you guys!
Elder Moore

Throw the Chair

Alex's Desk at the MTC

AUGUST 12th, 2011

Sorry this is so late in the day. I would've written during laundry time but for some reason the internet was broked. But yay! P-day. It would be better if I hadn't been sick all week. Seriously though. I've gone through TWO bags of cough drops and I just can't seem to recover. I've even been taking Dayquil and NyQuil, but to no avail. I still have a cough today and my voice is still a tad raspy. I almost didn't have a voice at all Tuesday. It's just annoying. But I'm pushing through. I think everyone has gotten some form of this. Hopefully you guys have gotten that little package I sent. I'm gonna send more pictures soon.

Super glad to hear everyone had a good time in Utah. I'll start the list.

Mom: I'M SO JEALOUS YOU MET M. RUSSELL BALLARD!!!! That must have been so cool. URGH! I was listening to conference talks on Tuesday so I'm like, insanely jealous you got to meet one of the Apostles! I was gonna tell you that I was really thinking about Grandma this week. The topic for our church talk is Endure to the End. I don't know if I told you about church talks. They assign a topic and then everyone writes a talk on it, then on Sunday they just call you up. Anyway. I put a story at the beginning of mine about my Grandma. How she was the chorister in our ward and how she served faithfully and with everything she had right until she couldn't. That and singing hymns here remind me of her tons. Music reminds me of her. I don't really know what else to say about it. But, I love you! Thanks for all the packages, the Japanese on my floor eat well. Also I just gave a package of Oreo's to Elder Su'a. He likes your cookies. haha.

Dad: Thanks for the lyrics! I know it was a very strange request, but I really enjoy that song. Its like a constant reminder to never stop trying. Idk. Anyway. I wanted to tell you that I actually have been writing Kyle and he's written back. I've mentioned to him the awesome-sauceness of this place. I think he really does want to go. He really expressed his desire to serve. I'll talk to him more about it. I was gonna telly you that they sell Sobe's here, and with the missionary discount they're like $1.13 so I buy tons with the free money they give us (I know its not free, but still). I got the chance to go through this thing called a free box last night. One of the Japanese Elders took stuff he didn't want and put it in a box for anyone to have. So I took a golf ball and a Japanese phrasebook. So, yeah. I've been learning a bit of Japanese on the side. There's also a Korean Elder on my floor. I don't remember exactly where he's from, but he said it was close to Seoul. I told him that's where my Dad went and he asked if you still spoke Korean. I wasn't sure how to answer. But I love you and the example you set for me by serving.

Parker: Gettin into the rough stuff. The nitty gritty now. Glad to hear you had an awesome time at EFY! As far as football goes. Work hard. Show that you want to play. Put all your effort in and you'll be fine. I doubt they'd cut you. You've got more heart than probably half the other kids there. Just keep goin hard and never quit. Also, I've been told they play lots of Basketball in the Philippines, so Imma ball all up ons when I get back. Also. 100% Ice. I keep mentioning it, but nobody gets it. Sigh.

Meagan! Hi. I love you bunches. You are not adopted (as far as I know). Remember how you felt when you were at temple square. That feeling is just a touch of what you can really feel. I love it! I love you!

Sarah gets her own e-mail because she wrote me a letter. So there.

But, yeah! I love you guys tons! Mom I have yet to open the almonds, but I welcome more. I love almonds myself. Also please ties! They're like a currency here. Idk. Also I want more. Just not silk and skinny and slim would actually be awesome. I can get some nice ties off of those. Also I still need Brock's address? It's on the letters he sent me, I put them in my folder of stuff from school. In the bottom drawer of my desk. So if I could get that that would be awesome!!!

THANK YOU GUYS! I love getting letters from home. You have no idea. Oh. Before I go. Isa pa funny story. Our teacher, Brother Day, is a bit stern sometimes. The first day he taught us I thought he was going to throw a chair. Since that day it was my dream to witness the chair throwing ability of Brother Day. Now, he's a cool guy, but he's a punk. He told me that once I could say, in Perfect Tagalog, "Throw the chair" He'd do it. So I tried for like two weeks to figure this out, which you think would be easy, but there are multiple wrong ways to say throw. Elder Dickey made a little chair out of popsicle sticks and I figured it out. So we went to class and Elder Dickey puts the chair next to Brother Day and I sit at my desk and go. "Brother Day. Ihagis ang upuan!: And he did. Right at my head. I dodged it though. I feel really successful. Bahahaha. Anyway. Fun times. I have another story, but for next time. Remind me about the Ooga Booga thing.

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!

Elder Moore

Wawasakin Kita!

It's so crazy that you guys are so close! I could literally walk down to
where Parker is at EFY. Mom isn't too far away and Meagan is with her! Wow. Like, I
don't even know. THANK YOU SO MUCH for writing Elder Tamale. It looks like
everyone in our district has asked their families to do stuff because he's
been getting letters and packages like crazy. I don't think he knows what to
do with it all. But he's insanely grateful. He's already written you a
letter back, so I'll help him send it off.

I have to tell you this funny story. So I went with Elder Tamale this week to go see off one of his Tongan friends and so we're chilling in the room with tons of Tongans just running in and out, always with food. Elder Tamale and I start to go around to the other Tongans rooms too and he just takes their stuff! Its so funny. Its not bad or anything because that's just how they are. They're so friendly that they don't mind sharing things. One of them gave me a pair of pants! They're too big for me, but he was like just give them to one of your friends. Like, it's just really funny. They're awesome people.

I really hope Sarah has a good time in Nauvoo and other places. I would love to visit there. That
would be so cool. As far as packages and things go, I can't eat this food as fast as you're sending it!! The Japanese will eat well this week. For sure. Haha. I really like your idea mom. Elder Johnson and Elder Yost are also interested to see what you send. So keep right on going with those!

Dad! Oh my goodness. hindi mabuti iyan. two weeks! I'd be dying to go home too. Don't worry though. I know you're blessed for your commitment. I love you! This is for Parker when he can see it. So I was in the bookstore and they had Vick's Vapor Rub in there. and I was like. What is this? Vick's Vapor Rub? Whats funny about Vick's Vapor rub.........? I got nothin'. But anyway.
EFY is basically awesome. I hope you danced with girls. Glad to hear you're working on the Articles of Faith. I've been more interested in them myself recently. Also I saw that you wrote the little message on one of moms card things. Nice going! Here's some Tagalog for you, if you want to impress some people. Or if you just want to be funny. Go up to someone and say "Wawasakin
Kita!" That means "I will destroy you!" I basically say it all the time. haha.

Meagan! Thanks for picking Tv over me!! Joke lang. So nice to hear from you! I'm glad you're enjoying my phone. Its basically the best phone ever made. You'll figure out so much stuff. About the whole crying during your talk thing. I'm not sure if its just nerves of if you feel the Spirit, but crying is actually one of the best things you can do when you give a talk. It lets everyone know that you care about what you're saying. As for Parker, don't worry about it. I'm sure he'll mellow up soon. He's going to be getting most of his aggression out during football and he'll be too tired to pick on you. Just say "Mahal kita" which means "I love you" and keep praying for strength!

I love hearing from you guys! Its nice just knowing that you guys are safe and that you're enjoying life. Its kinda like what Meagan said. I'm at college for a couple years, just with no Christmas, summer, or spring break. Also this college is much more spiritual. That binder you guys sent was super awesome! I even have a picture of Molly now! Haha. She's such a punk.
Also the extra socks and shirts! OMG THANK YOU! I was so happy to get that package. Everyone really enjoys the 3.5 pound bag of Swedish Fish. Its a floor fav. The older district right above me just got their travel plans this week, as did my Japanese pals. I'm losing friends! AHHH! Its so weird too. I should be getting those plans in a couple weeks. Oh! We've officially reached the halfway point. We'll be switching District Leaders and Zone Leaders on Sunday. Chances are good I might end up being one of the two. So... XP We'll see. Elder Johnson has been pretty sickly the last couple days so hopefully he can improve and feel well. I actually gave him a blessing a couple nights ago. Elder Yost was also feeling sick so Elder Tamale gave him a blessing. In Tongan! It was really cool.

I'm running low on time so I'll just say goodbye for now! I love you guys! I can't wait to hear from you! Thanks for all the packages!!!!

Mahal ko kayo!!

Elder Moore