JD made it to the Philippines last Tuesday and we were able to talk to him for a few minutes while he was in the airport in San Francisco. He sounded really excited and a little nervous. We then recieved a letter from him on Sunday telling us about his first week:
I am starting to adjust to the time difference since it is totally backwards. I cant hardly understand anyone they speak so fast and so softly... that has been my biggest struggle so far for sure... the people here are so nice and are always giving you merienda (snacks). my companion is native and from Cavite and is so so cool... His name is Elder Labatiao... his English is pretty good but sometimes it is hard to understand him lol. I have taught like ten lessons already and like four of them have mostly been me teaching... I gave a spiritual thought to the Mamaya and Cabral families... We have a couple investigators PaolMar is a young boy who we a re pushing to get baptized i really think he will do... he is so smart when we get to his house he pulls out his Book of Mormon and will like highlight verses it is crazy lol... i gave him one of my colored scripture markers cause he thought they were so cool lol... The food for the most part has been good... just super different. People are so poor here they have like nothing it is so crazy....we dont have a flushing toilet, a warm shower, no silverware, no toilet paper, we have to move light bulbs from room to room at night... it is so crazy here... we have to ride trices everywhere and every morning to our area cause it is too far to walk... they are motorcycles with side cars lol... it is so hot here but that isnt to big of a struggle... i try and stay positive and keep on learning and doing my best...i had to introduce myself in church yesterday and it went alright then i had to bear my testimony and i hope that went good lol... the churches here are so nice it is weird cause everyone it so poor... everything is gated for safety. it gets dark here at like six everyday all year long. My area is pretty small but buy a huge city... the mission president is so stinking nice and so cool since he is from Idaho..the first night we all just slept on the floor in the mission house (only us six from the states). Then the next day we met the natives that came in the same time as us and then met your companions and headed off to our areas... that day seemed so long and hard cause i was so tired... but this is a whole new world over here and i am trying to just soak it all in... it is hard to teach because people are so loud.. People have huge karaoke machines and they are so so loud... all the music is in English which always makes me think of home lol.. the everything is piped out and as loud as loud comes lol. The airplane ride was killer like i could have died. It was 15 hours... I sat next to a drifter who was going back to Monila to live on the beach, kind of weird guy, but fairly nice...it was super hard cause i couldn't sleep cause there was no room but we all made it... being in China was pretty cool too all the Chinese symbols were sweet. So is was a three hour flight from Salt lake to San Fran. then 15 hours to Hong Kong then 2 hours to monila and then a three hour drive to angeles then the next day a three and half hour bus ride to Aduas.... I could have just died. Longest days of my life like wow. The Mission President leave in July so i will only have him for six months of my mission.. they are great people total horse people and stuff. He know like no tagalog too lol. That night we slept there they cooked us some great food. People here are so friendly and kind. I swear almost everyone is members just in active or part of a part member family. The people here are so poor i cant believe it most house are dirt floors or cement if they have money... they are build of brick or bamboo. The people are so humble thought and so loving..It was super hard this week and i am trying to push through... i live with the Zone Leaders which is rare you are usually all alone so that has helped too. Life here is so different but i just try and take it head on.
.. if you ever send a package dont ever use FedEx or UPS k... it cost me a lot to pick them up...and always write missionary supplies on it too always write that on your papers so i dont have to pay costumes k... write that on the slip you fill out, tell everyone that...k thank you...
