Our Elder!

My brother Ryan is serving in the Quezon Philippines Mission. We have been very worried about Him. He was bitten by a Mosquito and got Dengue Fever. He was in the Hospital for more than a week with severe flu like symptoms. And He said there were Mosquitoes in His hospital room!!!! What's up with that? He had low blood platelets for a long time. We are so happy He is OK now. Boy, does he have stories to tell.

This is an excerpt from one of Ryan's letters. We will really miss His letters when He returns in January. They always lift and inspire us. He is a great example to me and my family.

"Ok, can you name them? The far left is Sister and President HO Ching then ELDER COOK, ELDER OAKS, MY red head Companion, AND I don’t know who that light post looking thing is on the far right. HOW COOL IS THAT?!?! They came to the Philippines to dedicate the new CebuTemple in the south, and while they were here they did a Mission President's fireside. I have come to learn that…. Everywhere President goes his Assistants are right behind him. AND THANK GOODNESS for that Rule!!! They had their training at one of the nicest hotels in the PHILIPPINES. When we went to pick them up, we felt under dressed in our white shirts and ties. IT WAS SO NICE! We got to eat there also! That’s when I realized my mouth hasn’t tasted REAL food for a long time! It was American food! AND OH was it GOOD! They were so excited to talk to us both. They were very personal. Elder Oaks keep grabbing me and telling me jokes and they told me about the times they had been through little old RICHFIELD! It's so amazing to think that they are APOSTLES of the LORD! I wanted to shake all the hotel employees who were serving us food and say DO YOU REALIZE WHO THAT IS! And if they only did know! HE IS AN APOSTLE OF THE LORD JUST LIKE PETER JAMES AND JOHN! I thought I better behave though so I didn’t do any shaking of random people!"