Thanksgiving of many!

It took all week to get better, but I'm whole now and back to work. I got myself a box of that Emergen-C and have been taking multi-vitamins, which have really helped. I did get the conference talks this past Friday, thanks for sending it.
We got to play football thanksgiving morning with a bunch of non members and members at Tyson practice field, which was very awesome. We were only able to play for 2 hours and only got two games in but they were so fun! Well we lucked out and had only 2 dinner appointments for thanks giving, both at members homes, we had a lot more invitations but we were only able to make it to two of them. The first one was at 1:00 and the next was at 5:00. We went to the Lazartas and watched a movie on Emma Smith while we waited for dinner to cook. So we ate at 2:30, 3:00. They had all the classic thanksgiving food, except for yams, I have never had them before I cam out here, so that was a little different for me. When we get done eating we sit there the table telling them stories from our missions and answering there questions. While my companion is telling a story he unexpectedly yells and straitens out his right leg and tries to stand up, then he yells again and straitens his left leg out! By this time everyone is looking at him thinking "what the heck?" I helped him stand up and he tells us that he is cramping up and stands there yelling as it tightens up on him. It was so funny! He walked it off and everything settled down. Then we went to Brother and Sister Simmons, he is the funniest Philippine man you will ever meet, Tyler will know what I mean when I say he is funnier then Jun. So we start eating and start on seconds and by this time we are stuffed and just ready to pop. Brother Simmon just keeps putting it on my plate telling me that I can't stop eating till he does, telling me that it is a Philippine custom. So by the time he gets done eating I can't take deep breaths or bend my back because of how full I was. Then he brings out desert and it's a huge piece of some kind of cake. Man eating that think felt like an eternity and I thought that I was never going to get through it! I have never been so full in my life! Earlier that morning we all weighed our selves to see who at the end of the day would gain the most, which I gained 8.3 pounds! When I got home all I could do was lie in bed and think of how much I hate food.
Well Elsie and her family (Janet and Joanna) got baptized this past week end! They finally did it and it was so awesome to be apart of it! They have made it past all the trials that come before that huge leap towards Christ!
I'm a little sad this week because we got a call this past Saturday and my companion Elder Harrison is being transferred. I have learned so much from him and hate to see him go. Now I have to face another companion and start all over again with another relationship. But Elder Harrison knows who my new companion will be and says that he is a great Elder, and that he came out with him. His name is Elder Jacobsen; all I know is that he is 5'5'' and that he's way sweat missionary. I'm a little excited for the change, but there are a lot more unknowns now and it's pretty daunting.
So that's awesome that Tyler will be getting out here sooner, I'm so excited for him! That means it will be less then three years that I won't see him! Oh my suit size is 44 and I will be mailing those suits back this Monday or next, depends on if we get to the post office. It's gotten very cold here and has been snowing for the past two days, which looks really pretty, but makes it even colder.
Mom I'm thankful for you and the whole family, I can't tell you enough how thankful I am for the sacrifices made by you and Dad for me. I love you and pray for you always!
Your son
Elder David Kelly Conrad

The sick week

I have been sick for most of the week so I have done a lot of sleeping these past four days. We still did missionary work but it's been really tough. We mostly went to Elsie's and re-taught them (Joanna, Janet and Elsie) so that they were ready for their baptismal interviews this past Sunday. They have become like a second family to me. I love them so much and would do anything for them. It's so sweet that I got to know them. If the only reason I came out here on this mission was to meet these three people and share the gospel with them that would be alright with me. I have seen this family come so far since I have been here. I have seen a night and day change with Janet. When I first met her she was very negative about everything and was a heavy smoker. Now over the course of the past few months she is more positive about life, she has stopped smoking and has a new light about her. When I sit back and think about it, it's been all one huge miracle the change in this family. It's very humbling to see that this family has changed even though I have so many short comings. The fact that they have come this far proves to me that it's not me or my companion that is making this change in their lives.
Anyways, other then being sick and meeting with this family everyday there is not much else to say. It's gotten very cold lately and it's not helping me get any better. It's to cold to ride a bike so we have been on foot.
I feel a lot better about myself and where I'm at with things; this past week has been tough because we didn't do much because I have been sick. But I'm feeling more confident in my planning skills and have learned a lot from this experience. I'm learning how to plan to investigators needs and plan to progress them towards baptism. I have focused on Elsie and her family, but there are others that we are teaching that we have kind of lost track of because I've been sick and my Companion Elder Harrison baptized our cell phone while washing dishes last Wednesday. Speaking of Elder Harrison, we get the call this coming Saturday on wither or not one of us gets moved. He's been here for four and a half months and is due to be moved and I'm not looking forward to it at all. We get along with each other so well; he's like another brother to me! We are going to get matching hats and ties today for preparation day, its going to be way sweet!
About the suits, Elsie's sister has a sowing business and will do the suits and pants for free, but from what she tells me is that the suit top will still be to small for me, so some time this week I'm going to go over there with them and get a professional opinion on wither or not they can be fitted to me, and if they cant I'll send them home for Will t use. They are way classy suits, you just got to make sure that you give him a lot of blue socks if he does use them. I think my blue suit is 44 inches long, I'm not to sure, I will go back to the apartment and write you a hand letter with that info in it. Don't worry about getting me a cord for my Alpha Smart, I'll be getting one today if everything works out, we will be going to some electronic stores that hopefully will have what I need.
Yeah I hear from Clarissa every week! She's doing real well from what I hear. She's been telling me how she is making plans to go to Africa or China and teach English to children over there, which sounds like a sweet deal to me!
So life is good for this missionary, things are getting better and I'm learning more and more, I started to read Jesus the Christ the other day and to my amazement I actually understand it! I have been feeling like I have learned all that I can lately and that's what got me reading this book. The other day in church, while I was thinking of why I was feeling this way, I figured that I didn't really understand the role Jesus Christ plays in my life and to those around me, and I have been told that this book really helps you understand what His role is, so I'm reading it for deeper understanding.
So that's what's going on with me and what I'm learning, I hope all is well with the family( I didn't here from them this past week because you weren't there to twist arms and get them to write, which is alright) I love you all and pray that you all grow and learn.

Elder David Kelly Conrad

P.S I did get the second sweater, it came a week after the other one, sorry I forget to mention it :P Love you!

Investigators