Hey Family,
Well I am here. The plane ride was very long and I slept a little but it was not comfy and it wasn’t a good sleep at all. It’s okay though! It was so weird being on an Asian flight everything is in another language. I actually did really well I didn’t even cry that much when we left.
We didn’t take a bus to the mission home Pres. Anderson and Sister Anderson came to pick us up and I spent two nights in the mission home! It was so nice! They let us go to bed early and I just had some time to myself to think. The traffic here is crazy! On the way to the mission home I was thinking wow, I thought LA was bad! Everyone just pushes through and its nuts! So it was nice to stay in the mission home and the mission president talked to us about what he wants for the mission and things like that.
After I got in to the field I didn’t like that we stayed at his house! It is a false reality! I cried my first night in my apartment I know shocker! But I just had a really hard time thinking that I am actually here and I have no idea how to do anything! It is okay though! I have the best trainer in the world she is Filipino and she speaks English very well! She is such a big help! I don’t even know what food to buy or how to cook it. She is helping me. I had to get shampoo because my shampoo was too heavy for the plane. But everything here comes in individual packages. It is so funny, the dish soap, shampoo everything. So I got some of that.
I have been thinking a lot these past few days and everything is very crazy! I have no idea were to even start! Oh by the way my companions name is Sis. Clave! She is wonderful! So I don’t know Tagalog! Haha! I just have to smile and laugh about things because I have no idea what I am doing. A mission is not easy, I want so badly to share the gospel with these people and I can’t because I can’t speak but Sis. Clave is helping me with the language and she has me teach a principle or she has me bear my testimony! The MTC is nothing like the mission field! I think that in the MTC they were preparing me to serve a mission in the states! I can’t even explain how different life is here. We ride in a jeepney everywhere I will send pictures as soon as I can. It is kind of like a bus and we just jump in the back. It's crazy they smush so many people on them too! My area has a lot of flooding. Not my apt. or anything like that, but we helped with giving food for service on Friday.
Everyone says that I am beautiful here. I think I look so bad and everyone calls me maganda! It is kind of nice but besides that and a few other words I can't tell what they are saying! They talk so fast and so softly! Plus they are all mumblers. Anywoo, it is crazy but Sis. Clave again is the best and she speaks slowly and clearly and is helping me learn so much! I never want to leave her! She has made food for me and it is really good. However I have not eaten very much I don’t feel like eating here! I don’t know why. I do but I'm never hungry. I think it is the heat. Oh and I have like a zillion blisters because after I got off the plane my feet were swollen! My shoes don’t fit, Sis. Anderson said it happened to her too, I just need to wait for them to go down.
It is weird because I am so quiet here! I want to talk more and I try to do what they taught me in the MTC but then I have no idea what people are saying back to me so I cant just talk all the time right now but I'm trying my hardest.
So funny story. We went to a baptism for another area in our zone and Sis. Clave didn’t have her money so she asked if we could go back to the apt. I said oh I have money. But I didn’t know that two of our ward missionaries were coming too and that we pay for them so we didn’t have money to get back. Then when we were about to head home (getting some money from the elders) I went to get my flashlight and it didn’t work. Can you please send batteries? Oh and baby powder, and Tums- the wintergreen flavor. They are used as calcium and I like those ones. That would be great. I haven’t had any stomach problems YET! but I haven’t eaten much either. I am drinking a lot of water. There are filters in every apt. It’s really nice! I have a shower and a toilet and t.p.! yes it is amazing but only in the apt. the church building does sometimes.
So a cockroach crawled into my shoe! Yeah it wouldn’t have been too bad except... I was wearing them!!!! Yeah it took everything in me not to scream! haha! but Sister Clave and I always say this when crazy or bad things happen "the church is still true" ... "yes, it is" I love it!
So the people here are soo sooo nice! Whoever said that is right I just don’t know what they are saying. They are so humble, the humblest of living conditions it is crazy! I am so blessed! I can’t believe it sometimes. A lot of the moms are single that we have met. It is so sad! The dogs are pretty sad to see too! You can see their skin and it’s all pink and nasty it is so sad. We aren’t a loud to touch them or any animal! I wouldn’t want to though. People just start going to the bathroom on the street and people here don’t wash their hands. Kids sometimes run around naked. I feel so bad because their rice fields here are all flooded! I just want to help the people so much we are so lucky to live in America and I think about that all the time.
This has been the best experience of my life! It is crazy! I know that it is only going to get better!
It is really hard but it will be wonderful! I know that the language will come and I just have to be patient! It is so hard but I love it! Oh and it is so beautiful here!
Besides all that I am doing great mom! It is hard! I won’t lie to you and I am struggling but the lord has given me so many blessings and I have seen his hand in this work if it was easy it wouldn’t be worth it! I am learning so much and I know that I will be a much different person when I get home - for the better! I know the Lord needs me here and I’m not sure why yet but I do love it! I love the people and I just want to serve them! They make me smile and the kids are so cute! People like to laugh at me when I talk because it is funny but I know they like that I am trying to speak Tagalog! Also they always talk about me when I walk by but I don’t know what they are saying. They are so amazing! I know I’m supposed to be here! I’m so lost and confused but I know that I am where I’m supposed to be right now! My heart will always be with my home and I love you all so much so don’t be sad. I just mean that I was always supposed to come here and I’m finally here! Here for the Lord and here for the people!
I can’t even believe how much I love it here even though I have no idea what I am doing!
So I don’t know what else to write. There is so much that I know I am forgetting so ask questions. I don’t have to wear nylons but I am right now because it feels better in my shoes because of the blisters.
Anywoo. I love it, I will hopefully be able to send pics and explain more about the Philippines with the pics but for now it is all just so crazy! We were teaching a new investigator and he is so awesome! He wouldn’t talk or come out of his house for like 5 years and then when the gospel was taught to him he changed; it was great! His testimony is so strong and he talks a lot, I couldn’t understand it all but the spirit was amazing! I also have been able to teach many investigators and they are all so strong especially the youth! You would love it mom! They are so awesome they are ready and go out with the missionaries it is awesome! I love the people they have humbled me so much! It is great! I love it here but I’m struggling to adjust. It will come it is just completely different I truly understand the meaning of foreign!
Well I love you all! I’m sorry I didn’t get to say I love you to Heather before the phones cut out! I love you all you have helped me so much through out my whole life and really are a strength in the field! Please write! It won’t get to me for a while but please write I can’t wait to hear from you! I love you all so much! It is crazy! Tell everyone I love them. I love you all, I will tell you more next week after my first full week. I love you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment