Kumusta pamilya at mga kaibigan!
First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON SATURDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so sad that I'm missing it! But just know that I'll be thinking about you all day!!! You are literally the best mom in the whole entire world and I miss you more than I ever have in my whole life!!!! Your birthday letter will be late but it's coming!!!
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| The flight from LAX to Hong Kong took 14.5 hours |
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| After a 4 hour layover the group headed to Manila |
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| Sisters Andersen and Sims arriving in the Philippines! |
Well.... I'm here in the Philippines! I made it! Just as a quick side note for Nick, ya know in the Bourne Legacy where they have the motorcycle chase? That was filmed in Manila and YES THE DRIVERS ARE LITERALLY THAT INSANE! It's amazing that I haven't seen someone die or crash! There are NO rules! People just walk in the middle of the street and jeepneys and bikes and cars and tricycles and EVERYONE just cuts in front of other people and they all honk but it doesn't really matter because nobody even cares! It's crazy! If you can drive in the Philippines, you can drive anywhere! And it definitely smells here. Sometimes I wanna throw up but maybe I'll get over it as time goes on. Hindi ko alam.
Soooo I'm just gonna go ahead and tell you a few things about this place. Umm I tried my very first mango ever at the President's house when we got there and it was HEAVEN!! I loved it! I didn't get my first bug bite until
Saturday night and since then I've only received four more. I must not taste very good because everyone else is getting eaten alive!
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| Sisters Andersen and Jones |
Oh yeah! My new kasama! Her name is Sister Jones and she's white! She's from Mesa Arizona and she's been in the field for like 8 months I think? I think after the end of this transfer she'll be at 9 months! She's very very nice and patient. I live in an apartment thing with two more Americans which they said is very unusual. That usually doesn't happen. But their names are Sister Hepworth and Sister Streble. They're also very nice! The area I'm in is the Quezon City South area and my kasama and I cover four parts of it. Pansol, Kainig 1 &2, Katipunan, and Daang-Tubo. Daang-Tubo is my least favorite place to go because it's the poorest. But like, it's really super gross. It's called the "squatter" area because the houses are basically just stacked on top of each other and you have to squat in a lot of them. It just stinks really really bad. Nonetheless, we still teach there!!
EVERYBODY stares at me here! Because I'm white and I'm so tall! And they call me things like Beauty Queen, Barbie, Miss USA, and Miss America! Hahaha one investigator called me sexy and I was like what?! That is no allowed! Bawal! But apparently here it means like you have a good figure and you're tall. So that was kind of funny! Last night we were at a dinner appointment and a nonmember just started breastfeeding right in front of us. I knew it was gonna happen but I didn't think it would be so soon! Haha ahhhhh this place is crazy. Speaking of that dinner appointment, when they brought out the food, something that Brother Mansfield told me at lunch one time came straight back into my mind. We were in the cafeteria at the MTC and I was kind of playing with my food and examining it as you all, especially dad, know that I do very often and he said, "Sister, you have to learn not to look at the food or you will starve in the Philippines. Just close your eyes and eat it." And I definitely had to do that last night. It was the first time I've actually had a real Filipino meal and it tasted fine, but it looked like.....rat poison. So that was an adventure for sure. I ate it though! Yay me!
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| Our MTC teacher Brother Mansfield |
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| Our other teacher Sister Briggs |
The showers are cold obviously but we at least have a shower head hose thing that we can use! BAH! The cockroaches flyyyyyyy!!! WHAT THE HECK!! THAT IS DISGUSTING!!! Luckily, I haven't seen any in our apartment. Lots of little itty bitty ants but they're easy to kill and sometimes it's a fun game to take a tissue and kill an entire trail of them.
As far as the language goes, I did not learn a single thing in the MTC. Joke lang. I did. But I don't really know how to speak. I can understand them pretty well. And all I really do during the lessons is bear a really short, simple testimony but I think it's okay because that's all I really know how to do anyway. Pray that I will start learning how to speak it and that I will be able to understand how to use the structure! Pray, pray, pray!!
That's so funny that you had the primary program yesterday! It was the primary program here too! And just to let you all know, there is a Jacob King or Max Morley in every part of the world. There's one little child that was screaming the songs basically! And when they would come up to speak into the microphone, ALL of them just yelled their part and it was painful to the ears but still adorable!
Just for everyone's information, we get mail every two weeks here when they do a mail run. Also, we'll get the Relief Society Broadcast and General Conference a week later. I'm so excited for General Conference!! I can't wait!!
Oh and mom!! THANK YOU FOR THE OATMEAL AND SPAGHETTI AND CHOCOLATE MILK!!! It has literally saved my life. It helped me feel a little more at home when I got here. They sell oatmeal here but it's a little different! So the food from home has been amazing and I use it sparingly so I can have it on days when I miss home! And thank you for sending my owl! Dad, it has been my best friend here! I sleep with him every night and I feel closer to home and to you and to the family!
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| Owl with the pillowcase made by Morgan M. |
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| First morning! |
I didn't really know what to expect when I got here but I know that it's harder than I thought it was going to be. The days are long and I'm still trying to get used to the schedule here but I know that it's worth it. I just want to bear testimony that I know that this is the Lord's work. And I know that this is where I am supposed to be at this time. It's hard and tiring and everything's dirty and I have been so blessed my whole life. They live without so much here! But I know that this is where I am supposed to be and this is what I am supposed to be doing because the Lord strengthens me every single day. I would not be able to do this without Him. I could never ever deal with leaving my home and my family and my friends and all the comfort that comes with just being home if I didn't know that this was important. I ask my Heavenly Father to give me strength every single morning and every single night and all throughout the day. Even if it's just enough strength to last for THAT day. And Every day he gives it to me. And I am so grateful!!
I love you all SO SO SO SO SO SOOOOOOO much and miss you all too!!! Thank you for all your testimonies and words of encouragement and all your prayers!! I love you all!! You're amazing!! Mahal kita!!!
Love, Sister Andersen
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