Week 2 in the Phillipines

> So, I have a story about the whole wallet thing. Remember how I frantically emailed you last week about how I had lost it? Well, it turns out that the trike driver found my wallet in his trike, took the money, and tossed the wallet into the gutter outside this weird Catholic Church. I told the bishop about it when I was at his house the day it happened and he went and told the tricycle president and his wife texted the FM station and they broadcast a bulletin about how I had lost it and anyone who finds it should bring it to the radio station. My zone leader came in my apartment 4 days later and told me that they had found it and that the radio station had it. I was expecting to get a wallet that was torn to pieces and that was practically unusable, but to my surprise everything (except the money of course-but that isn't important) was in there. Things were re-arranged but nothing was missing. All my IDs, my temple recommend, and even my subway card (which has enough points to get some free cookies-very very valuable, and come to think about it, since all my cards were canceled it was probably the most valuable thing in my wallet. Too bad the person who could have taken it would have had to fly 7000 miles to use it...) were all safe and sound. What is the lesson that I learned from this experience? Well, that is another story from another day. I feel like I am living a Dr. Seuss book because there was a hidden message in my struggles, but isn’t there always??
>
> So, back to what I had typed in the last email that got erased...the Philippines are so different than the USA-obviously right? I will say it is discouraging at times because whenever we have an appointment I can’t catch half the things that are being said because they are being said at mach 4 and my brain doesn't register words that fast, but I am getting better. Luckily I have elder Banawan because he does a lot of the talking and whenever I want to say something that I can’t get across right, he is always there to help me out. This mission has an extremely high baptizing rate and I can’t understand why. Every week we get 2-3 more people with a baptismal goal date-which is only a goal I realize, but it is that much closer, and better than nothing. I have a baptism this coming Saturday that is going to be interesting because I will probably say the words wrong because they need to be said in Tagalog ha. The Filipino people are the kindest, most loving people that I have ever met in my life. Last night, at one of my appointments, Elder Banawan mentioned that we hadn’t eaten that day anything besides lunch and the family made us a meal which was only supposed to be for the father, but they expanded it so it would suit us. Whenever we go to an appointment people always try to feed us haha it is so so different than the USA where one, in contrast to here, people are so greedy and selfish. How is the food you ask?
>
> The food is a different story. It isn’t too bad actually. I was expecting things like intestines (which, like I said in my last email, I have eaten...I almost threw up all over my companion...) and chicken head but it’s not that bad, or at least I haven’t seen it that bad yet. One thing that they do is cook a whole fish and then slap it down on your plate accompanied by a "you eat fish!" It isn’t very comforting to know that the thing that you are about to eat is staring you right in the face. You just have to remove the meat and eat it with a smile on your face. In accordance with all the jokes that you all made about me eating nothing but rice-you were wrong...there is a carrot or two thrown in there every now and then. I have never eaten so much rice in my life. Am I getting sick of it? Ehh...not yet actually. It never is straight rice-they always make something crazy to put over the top so it isn’t that bad. I haven’t had the blood and organ pudding or the boiled chicken foot yet so that is next on the list. I am ashamed to say that I had to turn down baloot yesterday because my companion told me that one of the American elders ate it and they got really really sick. The little boy who was handing it out had this look of innocence on his face and I think deep down inside he was thinking "if only I can get this American to eat this baloot...then we will see how strong his stomach really is..."
>
> The kids are another thing in themselves. Kids always come up and crawl in your lap and joke around with you and they allow you to take time and have fun. There is this one kid named Bernard who rekindled the fire in me to become a teacher. He is one of the cutest kids that I have ever seen. Good ol' Bernard is 4 years old and he is one of the only people that I can have a conversation with because his vocabulary is about as extensive as mine. Bernard and I have each other’s backs-except for yesterday...he tried to put this ant the size of Rhode Island on me and I screamed like a girl and ran away into the barren wilderness.
>
> I had the opportunity the other day to stop by a birthday party and let me tell you-Filipino birthday parties are something ELSE. In reality though, they are not that much different than one you would see in a non-lds home in America. We heard this music coming from the home when we were approaching and we could see a light. When we got closer, we realized that it was a karaoke machine. Filipinos LOVE karaoke. Much to my dismay however, when we got there it turned out that the people singing it weren't the best people to have at an LDS birthday party. Let me describe the scene for you. I walked up and I saw a couple of drunk Filipinos with no shirts on drunk out of their minds singing in a language that, even if I was fluent in Tagalog, I couldn't understand. We wished the sister happy birthday, talked to her for a little bit and then left.
>
> Transportation is a fun thing here in Lopez. In order to get from one area to another, you call a trike. It is kind of like hailing a taxi, but you get in this little side car (which I awkwardly don’t fit in ill have you know) and you tell them the destination and they go-their 100cc engine sputtering the whole way. If you really try, you can get a good 6 or 7 people on that baby and then it’s going 3 mph up a quarter mile hill-as dad would say, sped racer. It is fun to ride them however cause you get a decent breeze and you can watch the scenery go by.
>
> My companion is a cool kid. He is a native of the Philippines and he speaks rather efficient English. I have taken the liberty of explaining such essential English words as "boonies" and "ghetto" to him so he will be able to understand me when I speak in English. Elder Banawan is 5'5" so it looks...shall I say...different when we are walking down the street together. I am pretty sure I already said this in my last email, but we totally look like David and goliath when we are walking to our appointments.
>
> Now, the height is another issue in itself. I don’t fit on my bed, I dont fit in any of the trikes, I dont fit at my desk, I dont fit in anyones house (cause they are all made of bamboo and these leaves-most of them at least, the ones that arent in the city) and so whenever I get into the house the floor creaks and I have to hunch down because if I dont I hit my head. It sucks and is funny at the same time because the Filipinos always hang their laundry out on these metal wires...that are just high enough that they dont hit them...and there is no electricity in most of the trails that we walk obviously and so at night I always run into them and strangle myself. Funny, but not:/
>
> I dont think that I have ever been more grateful for all the things that I took for granted in the states. Family is a big one. I dont think that we really realize how much family really means to us until they are gone (or just really really really far away). There are also things that I miss deeply...washing machines...my bed...wal-mart...air conditioner...cold...english..

.schoolwork...a reliable form of transportation...clean water...there are so so many things that I will never again take for granted. Absence makes the heart grow fond and that is totally being manifested ha.
>
> I am going to send out a letter today (hopefully) that has my memory card in it so I hope it gets to you all safely. Seeing as how I lost all my spending money, I want to apologize for skimping out on the Christmas presents this year. I will find some way to send everyone stuff for their birthdays however.
>
> The mission president is a really really nice guy. You can tell, or maybe just I can tell I dont know, that he is a grandpa haha. He is really really nice and immediately took me under his wing. The mission home is a really nice place and it served us well. I will send you some pictures on my memory card of the mission home and all the missionaries in my batch. Have you found Elder Hansen's mom yet? I told him to tell his mom but I dont know if he did or not.
>
> I love you all with all my heart and miss you all so much. I hope that you all are enjoying the snow cause all I get is rain and MUD MUD MUD MUD:/
>
> Stay safe and bundle up. Keep going strong in the church. Brady, Samuel, and Ben, you may not realize it now, but eventually the church will become one of the most important things in your lives. Cherish it. Dont blow it off and play video games your whole childhood (now who does that sound like...) ha. Embrace young mens and try your hardest to accomplish all you can in scouts. I didn’t get my eagle scout, but I know that it would have been worth it and I regret not getting it. Hang in there guys!
>
> One again, I love you all and hope you are all doing well.
>
> Until next Monday
> Love always,
> Jake
> Aka Elder Muller