Kumusta!
Hoi naku, this week has been crazy! So last Monday, we left the MTC and headed to the airport to fly out to the Phlippines. I met Elder Finneman's mom who works there, and she was super awesome! She was so nice and helped us with everything, but unfortunately our flight got cancelled.. Half of the missionaries going to Laoag found different flights and left that day, but seven of us had to go back to the MTC for a night. It was a little awkward to come back, especially after saying goodbye to everyone, but oh well, it is what it is. Haha.
Then on Tuesday we came back to the airport and we were able to fly out. We flew to LA, then to Japan, then to Manila. It was my first time on an airplane and it's awesome. It's fairly fun and they fed us, so that was nice. Because of the time-change Tuesday-Thursday was mixed up. I don't know what day is which. Anyway, we landed in Manila at night here and when we got out of the airport a Filipino man showed up. He just told us to get in the van as he started taking our luggage. We were so confused what was going on, but oh well. Then he drove us to the hotel. Driving is crazy, I don't really know if they even have any driving rules because cars were going in every which way and it seems like just a game of chicken to see who gets the right of way. Haha, but it's cool. It's super humid.
The next day we went back to the airport and we flew to Laoag. The mission president, President Barrientos is awesome. We went to the mission home and had an opening session thing. The first person I met here was actually Elder Wood, Zach Blackham's cousin! He's a really cool kid. Then I took a jeepney to Central with Elder Erickson and we placed three Restoration pamphlets, a Plan of Salvation pamphlet, and a Book of Mormon. It was fun, but crazy! You know the quote "that's not the language they taught me in the MTC.." Well it's real! Not kidding. Then we got assigned to our companions. My trainer is Elder Ruga and our first area is Dingras! It's pretty sweet. Elder Del Rosario is a Filipino from Australia and he's with us until tonight because his companion has been in Manila at St. Luke's because he's sick. I'll meet him today.
On Friday I think, we went and met the Branch President, the former president, and some counselors. It was sweet. One family gave us Dragon Fruit with Coke and it was so good. Some of the fruit here is really different but it's awesome. It rains like crazy too. Our shirts rust and turn brown because of the tricycles and the rain. But it's awesome.
Saturday, we visited a less active couple. They are super cool and nanay encouraged and helped me with my Tagalog while I taught her. We actually had to cross a river to get to their house. It was pretty sweet.
On Sunday church was half in Ilokano and half in Tagalog. I didn't understand any of the Ilokano and only a little Tagalog. It's hard because they talk so fast and their accent makes it hard for me to understand, but I'm working on it. My companion is Filipino so his first language was Cebuano, then Tagalog, then English, and now he's working on Ilokano. He's awesome and we work really well together. The members are awesome, especially Bobby who is now a high priest. He served in the SLC mission. I had to speak in Sacrament which was difficult and I have no idea if I even know anything I said. But it was good.
Oh yeah, my apartment. Luckily I have one of the nicer apartments, which means it has electricity and running water. We have filters on the sink, and my companion and Elder Del Rosario like toilet paper, thank goodness. But they said there will come a time where I won't have it. I'm not looking forward to that day and I know I will cry when it comes. Oh well, I try not to think about it. Elder Del Rosario's bathroom has a showerhead! We get to use his apartment for it which is great. Otherwise we use buckets. It's all good, the freezing water is appreciated after such a hot humid day. Sometimes I miss the comfort of the MTC, but it's ok. It's pretty hard for me so far, but I'm really trying to love it.
Oh yeah! Cockroaches! Or in Tagalog, "ibis." There are a lot of them, especially in our apartment. We bought some bug repellant stuff today, but Elder Ruga likes to pour alcohol on them and light them on fire! Haha, it's awesome! It's almost worth having them so that we can do that. Oh, that sounds really messed up, sorry...
Anyway, apparently a lot of the people like me because I'm white. It's pretty sad sometimes because some people try to use umbrellas because they don't want to get any darker. It's definitely different here, but I love transportation. Wherever we go if it's too far to walk, we take Jeepnies and Tricycles. If you don't know what those are, google jeepney's. I'll try to take pictures, but I have really limited time.
Anyway, it's crazy but I'm growing to love it. I hope everything is going great for you and I hope you're enjoying your homes and hot waters. Haha! But I'm blessed, I realize how much we have because of how little some people have here. Count your many blessings!
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