First week in the Phillipines

Hello from the Philippines! Lets start this email off on Wednesday when I got to host Malerie.. Or should I say Sister Pitt into the MTC!! The work is an awesome work and I'm so happy I got to see her and the rest of my family when they dropped her off! So on our way to the airport we took the Front Runner and were getting off before the Front Runner went past our stop.. Elder Katutu forgot his bag in the train- (you are all allowed to roll your eyes because I did as well)- and so he got back on to grab it.. Pretty good idea right? Forget a bag, go back in and grab it.. Well I dont know about the FrontRunners in Kiribati but the ones in Utah dont really wait that long so the door shuts while hes in there and starts to leave!!!!! I dont know what happened inside the train but he must have done something loud enough to make the driver stop and open up the doors hahahaha. We didnt know if we should have all hugged him because we were so worried or beat him up but it was a good experience ill say that! We flew from SLC to LA, hungout in the airport, ate Panda Express.. Twice (no judgement please) and hung out for a couple hours! We met the BYU Womens Volleyball team at the aiport, They were headed to Hong Kong as well! After the food coma subdued we then hopped on the plane to head to Hong Kong! Fun fact of the day: Cathay Pacific Airlines, the airlines we flew, has never had a plane have mechanical failures of any kind when there has been a missionary on the plane! So with 21 missionaries and the BYU volleyball team, im sure the captain could feel that we were in very good hands! hahah So get this, we left the aiport about 11:45 ish on Wednesday the 4th, and landed in Hong Kong on Friday the 5th! I apologize to all native-Mexicans because i missed Cinco de mayo in its entirety! The Hong Kong airport was super gorgeous! And the flight to Manila from Hong Kong went by super quick, which is what should have been expected after a 15 hour flight hahaha. The Philippines is amazing! Its so gorgeous and the people are so nice. I have been here only a short couple days and already feel the genuine love people have for each others. 

The Philippines MTC is right across the street from the B.E.A.utiful Manila Temple, if you havent seen what it looks like, google it! It is so much bigger in person as well! On Thursday we met with our Mission President, President Balledos! Hes awesome and so is his wife! We were assigned our Trainers for the next 12 weeks and my trainer is Elder Golle! He is from the Philippines but I dont remember where! Every new missionary received a trainer and their assigned area. All f the trainers were already previously assigned in their areas so they ha lessons planned and peple t talk to and all that good jazz.. BUT (theres always a but am i right) Elder Golle and I were assigned t open a new area!! So what does that mean? 1. We have no knowledge of where anything is, 2. That includes our apartment, 3. We have no plans or people to talk to 4. We dont knw who the church leader in that area is, and 4. The Lord is on our side!! 

Our area is Luna, la union. It is very small and the neighborhoods are separated into what is called a Barangay or a Rimos! It is also very very hot and humid! But that is okay hahah. The first day we were here we cleaned the entire apartment because no one had been living there before and it was SO dirty! I can only describe the feeling i had about how dirty it was with the example of my feeling when i had trashed my house after school and i heard the garage door start to open, meaning my mom was home and she was about to kill me! hahah (love yah Shellz) 

On Saturday we went around and met with the members of the ward and the Branch President of Luna. President Ramirez is a really cool guy and very smart. He expressed his concerns to us and told us to stop by whenever for water or food while we are walking.. I have a feeling we might take up his offer haha! 

Sunday was our first Sabbath Day with the Luna Branch! The meetinghouse is very very small. I taught Young Mens and Elder Golle taught a different class so it was just me and the young men!! I will be humble and say yes my Tagalog is terrible hahaha but they helped me out and corrected me whenever i said something wrong! It almost turned into a game of who could correct Elder Pitt first hahha but they are awesome. 

Like i said the meeting house is very small. There are about 3 rooms and then a bigger room in the middle where we all meet as a congregation for sacrament meeting. Its very hot with everyone in one room, no AC and very close to each other. BUT! It was one of the best meetings ever. People here have a very rough life and it is difficult for them to make it to church but there faith is so strong and some how The Man upstairs makes it possible! 

Most of our zone is Filipino and the missionaries close to us in our district are all Filipino except one so I never really here English unless its my thoughts. Its good because i am always around the language that i am trying to learn but hard because i dont always know what is going on. Time and hard work will change all! I love it here in Luna and I absolutely love the people! Everyone here either makes fun of me for being white or loves me because im white hahhah!

BASKETBALL COURTS EVERYWHERE! So whenever we pass one and a teen calls me "Joe" or "Americano" ill play a quick game of one on one and 90 percent of the time i can hold my own lol, everyone here is shorter than i am so rebounds are no problem. A big thank you to all of the basketball coaches i have had to prepare for this mission!! I miss you all and would love to here from you all! Have awesome weeks!! 

Elder Pitt