November 8, 2010

Hello family!

um, so from reading mom's letter, I see that I actually got a nice check from my summer job. I thought they werent going to pay me my end of the summer check. Yes! Im rich. kinda. ok not really.

I see that jimmy is still moving to Oregon.. maybe?

I also see that someone found my picture of me on my toilet... or made one. hahaha.

And looks like I have a package coming. sweet! Yeah.. about earlyer, (a couple weeks ago) I sent about how you shouldn't send packages and stuff. Yeah. I am starting to realize that I was taking somethings a little too seroisly. Go a head and send stuff if you want. There prolly be a big fee, like maybe 200 pasos which 5 bucks (i just made that up, could be more or none). But I can buy stuff here. And most every thing is here... and much cheaper.(although cheaper quailty.. as most things just say "nike" or "vans" but really its just someone printing the name on it.. as no real copyright laws. Most tricycles have a sticker that big company for motorcycle (i forgot, harley maybe) ... but can hardly work)

Anyways thats fine. about packages.

Oh about letters. On saterday I got my first letters. That was cool. Bunch of different letters (3 paper letters, 2 postcards, and 3-4 letters through dearelder... but still no fill in the blank letters like i made and sent to peter and jimmy), a bunch of different ways, so maybe ill give an idea how people can send things.

So first, anything that gets to me has to go through our pouch... anything can go through our pouch, but it means, I can only get letters when I or someone from our zone is with Mission president. This is at transfers, zone conference, and when we have mission prez interviews. so only 3-4 times a transfer i think.

Sarah (John), sent a letter through dear elder on the 18th or so (someone else on the 23), and asked about what is the fastest way to send letters. Well for family, you can just email, I see that every week.

(I have also gotten letters from mom like this before.. but mom, you email them too, so it means that when I get the letters its been a long time already. like I just got a letter from one of the first weeks i was here).

if your not family or want to send paper mail, then there are a couple ways. I think all of them take about the same amount of time, but can't really be sure.

I got a letter from Craig, my roomate at college, who is on a mission in florida. He send it to salt lake to go through a pouch system.

To:

Elder Luke Dickinson

Philippines Angeles Mission

P.O. box 30150

Salt Lake City UT 84130

the problem with this is, you can only send a white piece of paper, folded into 3. He did this,and on the out side of it wrote the addesses and stuff, and put a stamp on it (to get to salt lake), and then a piece of tape to keep it closed.

I have also gotten a postcard this way. postcards seem to be fine too.

(the dear elder thing, as I understand, is the same as pouch, except, you dont have to send it to salt lake, someone else does.)

Another way is to send it straight to the philipines, to the mission home. From what I understand its 2 stamps for this. I got a letter from derek, another roomate from college, who is califorina.

Again.. I actally got a postcard like this, stuffed with 98 cents worth of stamps.

There is actally one more way. kinda.

All really know is I got a letter from Angela from our ward. I dont know how it got here. From the stamps on the back, I understand I went through philipines mail. But She only put one stamp on it (maybe thats enough.. dont know) and she forgot to put the address. (well she forgot the line '1827 gumain st.')

oh well somehow it got here. haha.

About the mission. oh hey. um, We have a family plus one more, for a total of 7, getting baptized this friday. thats pretty cool. um exciting. um, transfers are next week, (which means ill be email a day late), but from rumors that are going around, my compaion is going to stay in the area. which means we will prolly both stay... but hmm maybe ill transfer... prolly not though.

um, yah lots of lessons and stuff.... Oh! ok so i think last letter or so, I was talking about a member we found who was going to another church because it was closer? I think i might have said something like i was thinking that not punching her was a good thought? Yah good thing. For a number of reasons. But she came to church this sunday, and stayed the whole time. (thats a problem.. we had 63 at church, but about 10 stayed after sacrament meeting this week).

hmmm things are doing alright... hmm i am thinking i ate something werid, this week, but i dont remember what. Oh I found ice cream! I didnt get any this time, but i found for 99 pesos (2.50 ish) a tub of cheese flavored Ice cream!

well i attached that picture of me and the toilet, because i thought that was rad.

ummm well .. till next time.