I title my email Merry Christmas and a happy new year because 1) I won't be in contact wtih you on Christmas and 2) I leave Monday so I will be on a plane next Monday to the Philippines!!!! Yes I indeed we did get our flight plans!!!!

I'll try writing them down but I will also send a picture of it so its easier to read!!! This time next week I will be at the SLC airport....

Alright so flight plans...

Delta Airlines - Flight #4829 - SLC-San Francisco Flight takes off at 945 get into SF at 11

Delta Airlines - Flight #617 - SF-Tokyo Japan Flight leaves at 1235pm on Dec 31 get into Japan at 525 PM Jan 1st cause of the time change

Delta Airlines - Flight #173 - Tokyo-Manila Flight leaves at 620PM get into manila at 1025PM still Jan 1st

Philippines Airlines- Flight #157 -Manila-Bacolod Flight leaves at 2pm Jan 2 and gets into Bacolod at 315pm Jan2

Let me know when the best time is to call. Probably only allowed to call in SLC and SF. I bought a calling card and have like 300 minutes so I should be good!

So crazy!!! I'm grateful though cause all the other people going to the Philippines to different missions like Iloilo are leaving Sunday night flying all the way to NY then have 6-7 hour layover then fly to Manila from NY. We get into Manila at the same time so maybe we'll see each other at the Manila airport or something! Who knows!!!

But I'm so excited! And like I said I'll take a picture and send it to you during wash so you can more easily read it.

So with the letter! This week has been pretty good! It's been kinda bummer cause its Christmas time and I've just been missing home on occassion just thinking about all the music lights and festivities going on with the family and the kids tracking santa on his sleigh running out side trying to find him and rudolf in the night sky! I wish I could be there to help all them find him. I'll make sure I look for him tonight though in the night sky here at the MTC! Hopefully he doesn't forget about us elders and sisters here at the MTC! I think santa has a better idea than I do though so I think he'll find me! Better "leave some cookies out" (Justin Beiber Shout out for Shauna)! speaking of shout outs Happy birthday to EVAN BELL!!! I can't believe you are already 6! Such a big boy! Your Uncle Robbie is proud of you and just think in two years I'll be home and you'll just about be 8 so I can be at your baptism! Such a cool thought huh? Grandma and your mom told me you had a good birthday with lots of presents! Hope you had a good one!

So back to Christmas! Although I said I've been missing home I'm really excited for Christmas. We have lots of fun thing going on like movie nights with different Christmas movies and also a lot of devotionals which I'm excited about. So my district made friends with the Excecutive secratary and he said he'll save us seats on the 2nd row for tomorrow when eiher an Apostle or someone from the First presidency is here! It's going to be so sweet!! I'm really excited!

So to answer some questions!!!

1)My chest is doing good! Been off the meds for about a week and still doing good. I went back in and he gave me more medicene just in case it comes back while I'm in the Philippines! So all is good there

2)Yeah so the phone call says that there is a surcharge and its says that 35% of the the total cost of the call will apply! I really have no idea what that means and neither did the people at the bookstore. It was only 5 bucks so I just bought it....!!! any advice or anything! let me know!!!

4) I'm going to start packing everything I don't need these next 2 days to send out the package back home either wed or thursday so I should be good there!

I thought there were more questions then that but I guess not! haha

So fam and friends! Know that I love and miss you all!

I can't believe it's Christmas and I'm not at home but I'm so excited cause I know that I'm were I am supposed to be and by serving a mission I am giving the Lord myself for 2 years and that is the greatest gift I can give him at this time! Know that I love and miss you all! I wrote in my journal last night... "First christmas away from those who I love and miss the most, won't be a good Christmas if Christ isn't close." How true is that! I don't think I could actually do it this Christmas and have a good Christmas if I wasn't looking for Christ and really relying on Him to make it a good one for me as I am away! Without His comfort and direction I don't know where I would be right now! It's crazy to think how much he does for us and we don't notice until we actively search for Him! I know that this will be one of the best Christmas's I can have if I make it a CHRIST-mas! I'm so thankful for all that He has given me and blessed me with! I know that for serving a mission I will be blessed forever and ever as I continue to follow him!!!

I can't wait to call home next week at the airport and talk to you!! I'm so excited to be able to go to the Philippines and teach and preach to the filipinos about Christ and our message that we share that we have Christ True Church back on this earth today through a prophet named Joseph Smith.I'm so thankful that I have this knowledge! For this Christmas I leave with all of you my testimony that Christ does live! He is our Savior our Redemer and our Messiah. We have a Loving Heavenly Father who has put a Prophet on this earth today to lead us a guide us so we can live with our families forever in the presence of God! I know this is true!

I love you and miss you all!!! Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

Love,

Elder Sargent!!!