Dear Mom, Dad, and Cole Family,

I know you were all anxious to hear from your studly missionary who just had his first really experience with the power of nature.  The typhoon was a pretty scary experience and isn't something that I would like to experience again.  We were evacuated to the meeting house because our apartment only has one floor.  There we spent the night with a few families as we awaited to see what Typhoon Glenda had to offer.  Let me just say that that was probably one of the worst nights of sleep that I have ever had in my life.  You could just hear the wind whipping and breaking branches and uprooting trees.  For most of the night I thought that the roof was going to be ripped off.  But thanks to the mercy of our Heavenly Father everything was all right.  As we walked to our apartment the next morning seeing the damage that Glenda had caused, my heart sunk lower and lower.  A lot of people lost their homes and two people even lost their lives.  But there is one word that describes these Filipinos... Perseverance.  Despite the fact that most people had a great deal ripped away from them in one night they still kept going.  They didn't sit and cry and say, "Why did this happen to me".  They said, "Let's get to work".  President Reeder related typhoons here in the Philippines to snow storms in Utah.  When it snows in Utah, we shovel it and keep moving on with our lives.  When a typhoon hits here, the Filipinos rebuild and move on with their lives.

Well as for the after effects, we haven't had electricity for a week now and shouldn't expect it for another month or two.  Oh joy!!  But thankfully enough we still have water pressure unlike some people here.  Right now I'm emailing from the SM (a really big mall) in Naga so I'm grateful that President Reeder gave us the opportunity to email.  But I can say that it's been a great pleasure being able to help serve the people here in Ragay.  My life has been changed through their example and their diligence to the Lord.  No longer will I complain about what I lack, but rather I will give gratitude for what I have, for I truly have been blessed.  The humility of the people is almost for me; a reflection of our Savior.  I truly am going to miss these wonderful Filipino people as my time here is halfway complete.  It's a weird thought thinking that I'm to this point in life, but I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything.  Not even for  an autograph of LeBron James.

Just to let you know Dad, Joselito and his family is just fine.  Their house is still standing but their yard is still flooded and their pig pen is destroyed.  Joy (his wife) is about to have a baby but I won't be here to see him/her.  But hey, at least if it's a boy their going to name him after me!!  That's not something everyone can say.  But I'm grateful for your support through this time and I love you all.  Take care.  Mahal na mahal ko po kayo!!  Namismiss ko po kayong lahat at masaya ako para makita kayo sa SLC kapag uwi ako.  May God be with you till we meet again.

                                         -Elder Cole

PS.  Just ask Sister Shultz or Google translate what I said.  I'm sure she would enjoy translating it for you guys ha ha.