November 25, 2013

FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!!

WOW, I AM HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES!!!
I am so sorry that you never heard from me, I lost my calling card that I had bought and then a Sister was going to let me borrow hers, but when I went to call it didn't work. I think she didn't have enough minutes and we just didn't have enough time. We thought we'd have all the time in the world at the airport, but nope, that was wrong. It takes so much longer than you think to get through security. Also the mission President said we were going to e mail our families the night we got here to let them know we were safe at that all is well, but he never did. AHHHHH, so sorry to keep you waiting, EVERYTHING IS GOOD AND ALL IS WELL!! I was kind of sad, just cuz I hadn't talked to you in a while, but that's okay, now I get to send this and tell you of my adventures.

Okay where to begin. . . . .
                Well, the last few days at the MTC was INCREDIBLE!! I feel like we had so little time to do everything, but were blessed because we were able to finish mostly everything we had planned to. BLESSED? I KNOW SO. Tender Mercies are coming from everywhere. Okay so Sunday was a perfect last day at the temple to take pictures with our zone and our district and just whoever else we wanted to take pictures with. We also heard the funniest speaker ever on Sunday night! Her name is Mary Ellen Edmunds and wow, she was hilarious. She shared stories about her missions that she went on and all she learned from them and advice to us. She showed us her journal she had written on her mission and that if she hadn't gone on one she wouldn't have had this much to go back and learn from. She mentioned that she was glad she pushed through because think if she went home, how so many memories would have been taken away and she wouldn't have known as much as she does now. That was a good analogy so think if times get hard, you can definitely make it through. she told us, don't even think about coming home. I hadn't planned to, but if there is ever a time that gets hard I need to remember that. Members of my district were saying that I was going to be her someday. They think I am way funny and will be the next Mary Ellen Edmunds. I thought that was funny, but very nice too! It really made my day. She had spiritual things to say too, so it was a good balance. We also decided to celebrate Christmas as a district our last Saturday in the MTC. OH MY GOODNESS, IT WAS SO WONDERFUL! We drew names just like at home and got each other gifts that were 2 dollars or less. We read the nativity, and sang Christmas songs all day. It also was the day that it snowed, well slushed a little, PERFECT CHRISTMAS RIGHT?! Funny thing is Sister Rimai got two presents because someone mixed up both of our names. I think Elder Ellis forgot who he was supposed to get a gift too, so I actually never got one, but it's totally fine. I feel like she needed it so much more than me. I have so much and hopefully it was able to make her day getting two gifts. But Sister Warner's family did send the whole district some things, so I did get some gifts, and that was wonderful. Our tree was pretty cool too, made out of toilet paper roles and paper, I'll have to send you some  pictures. HEHEHE. We also got to write in each other's journals, like yearbooks to remember people and be able to keep in contact throughout  our missions or just after. Also we got blessings Sunday night from Elders in our District. Mine was given by Elder Lasalosi, he said he had never given a blessing to anyone before, so I was his first one. AHHH, SO COOL ;) He blessed me with comfort because as time got closer I did get a little more scared. And told me that the language will come in time and that I will be a very powerful teacher. I was so grateful for the words he said and how much they helped fears go away  and how he was willing to give me a blessing even though he hadn't done it before. That is an EXPERIENCE I will never forget.

Okay so this week. man, On Monday we had so much to do, last minute errands to run, people to see and say  goodbye to, but we did it all. THANK GOODNESS, we were so blessed. Well the plane ride was long, but I was able to sleep a lot, and read, and  write in my journal. We started out on a plane to LA and me and Elder Jacobs talked to a lady name Ulinda who was actually Philippino, she heard me say Salamat, and recognized that was a tagolog word. She speaks tagalog. SOOOOOOOO NINDOT KAAYO! So we talked to her the whole plane ride about randome things and actually ended up giving her a Book of Mormon. SO SWEET! I always thought it was weird to just bring it up, but with us dressed up and name tags and so many of us on the plane she had a ton of questions so it just kind of lead into it. She said she would read the intro and Moroni 10:3-5. WOW, coolest experience. She got our contact information and told us we'd keep in touch by e mailing. I sure hope she reads it and learns from it. Then we checked into the Philippino Airport which took forever, transferring luggage and everything, but it's all right. All my luggage was under weight and things went splendid except not being able to talk to you. ;( The plane to the Phillippines was 2 stories, wow, I don't think I've ever seen one that big, insane. It was cool and they fed us dinner and breakfast and snacks, it was wonderful. I talked to some other people on the plane, a girl name Sam who was 19 in the US for 7 months for culinary school and gave her a pass-along card, and a guy named Roy who travels all over for work who just came from Germany. Both were super talkative and it was fun to get to know them more. We stopped in Hawaii because there were strong winds in Manilla which delayed us  about an hour which made us late for our next flight to Cebu. I didn't get too restless because I mostly slept, but I was excited to get off. So we landed in Manilla and had one more flight to Cebu, this one was only going to be about an hour and then we would be there! OH BOY! Looking through the window was awesome. I loved seeing all colorful houses and everything. It made America seem boring. hehehe. We arrived, and none of my luggage came. uh. . .What?! I was a little worried. They told me that it will most  likely come in the next flight, so I was hoping. It did come eventually, but was still missing one of my suitcases. They told me it was still in LA and that it will come in the next few days I was so lucky to have had the luggage I did or else, that would have been hard. I would have died without my toothbrush and shampoo. Our mission President and wife were there to pick us up and HOLY COW, they are sooooooooooooooooooooo sweet, I can't even begin to describe them. Right as we met them, they both had the hugest smiles, came up and hugged us and shook our hands and they are just so excited for us to be there. They both remembered skyping with me and said they've been waiting for me to come. So funny! That made me feel AMAZING. I was just so happy to be here. I was jumping, and skipping, singing, and smiling. A GREEAAT Day!! Ugh, it is so humid here though. I could feel it right as we got off the plane, EWWW, I sure hope I get used to this. We all went back to the mission home after saying goodbye to people in our zone at the MTC going to Cebu East. Had dinner, talked with us about what to expect in this mission, got to know each other a little bit and talked about other essentials such as health and money. I haven't gotten sick!!! And all the people here speak CEBUANO, which is a blessing. I feel so bad for Kody that he had a hard time with everything at the beginning!

The mission home is right on the temple grounds, so cool, gorgeous temple too!! And is super nice. Everyone was telling me to expect certain things, but it has been different than they've said. There is milk here, toilet paper, flushing toilets, and showers. We can use a bucket and ladle to shower if we want, but the place I am at now has one that comes down at you, it's just cold. But honestly it feels good after a long day in the heat. There really is only toilet paper in some places. You can buy some, and were actually recommended to use it by one of our teachers because it's safer and there are weird things in the water. Bugs and e coli and stuff. There is plenty of water and just all that we had worried about is fine.
My trainer is Sister Tandiman whom I loved and adore already. I thought she was only going to speak Cebuano to me, but she speaks a lot of English to me, which helps. She is from Indonesia and super sweet and an excellent teacher. She encourages me and helps me with Cebuano and in lessons and communicating with others. The language is pretty tough. We taught 2 lessons the first day I arrived. I understood most of it, but didn't really know how they responded. People speak so fast and it is just hard to hear them sometimes. Plus we've been taught all the vocab used in lessons, but not really responses like they have. It's been kind of  a struggle, but I know in time it will come. Sister Tandiman knows a lot of cebuano because she's been here since August, this is her third transfer so she is pretty much fluent. She is the one who mostly teaches the lessons and I mostly just testify, but I have been getting better at just adding in certain things, stories, experiences or scriptures. And people here actually do speak a lot of English, but I want to learn Visayan to speak more with them. People at church were surprised it was my first area, they all say, WOOW, you speak Cebuano very well. WHAT!? That's crazy, I don't feel like it, but that is very nice of them. I am getting more sentences down and am getting more comfortable starting a conversation with people, but in the middle I just get mixed up. Oh well, it's the fist week right?

Oh man, also. EVERYONE HERE STARES AT ME! It's so funny. Everyone just keeps saying GWAPA, GWAPA, GWAPA, which means beautiful. It is so sweet, but kind of scary sometimes. It does make my day though. So if any of you are feeling down on yourself or have low self esteem, just come here and they'll love you. I have seen some crazy things here already that i wouldn't see at home. Dogs are just all over the streets and aren't in very good condition it's pretty sad actually. Also people who go to the bathroom just on the street, very interesting. People are just a lot more open here it's funny. Well I am out of time, I have so much more to say, but I will talk to you next week, and I will send pictures for sure. I'm so sorry you won't get any this week, I was excited, but we had computer problems and we have 2 hours to write the mission president and you and friends. and read e mails, AHHH, not enough time. Oh well. And I do get Dear Elder Letters here, so send them if you like and thanks for all you've done for me and letting me come here. It's been INCREDIBLE to see all these people so happy with what they have, when they don't have a ton. A dollar for America is 42 pesos here. Crazy. and gas is 49 pesos or something. it's insane. we get to ride tricycle things everywhere which is nice and only 8 pesos. I haven't tried any weird food yet but will keep you posed.

Love you tons and can't wait to tell you more about the people and experiences here next week.
hope all is well and things are fun with friends and family.
              Love Sister Riggs