Week 7 - Jessica's first letter from the Philippines

KUMUSTA!

Guys guess what?? I'm in the Philippines!!! Seriously though, sometimes i'll be walking down the road or on a jeepni or see the jungle around me and be like oh... i'm in the Philippines haha. So first things first. I got here safe and sound on monday night and we spent the night at the Manila hotel. The next day we rode a bus to Olongapo and let me tell you, that was quite the adventure in itself. The driving here is nuts! Like for real- no rules. They just weave in and out as they please and unfortunately my motion sickness prone stomach didn't take it so well haha. But ok lang! We got to the mission home and the next day we got separated from our MTC batch and got assigned to our new companions and areas! Not gonna lie, I miss my MTC batch and district so much, but now it's time for the real world. My new companion is sister Canaunan and she is so sweet! She always looks out for me and makes sure i'm ok. She is a native Filipino and speaks mostly Tagalog, but that will definitely push me to get better at the language. We are assigned to open a new area in Hermosa and we are the first sister missionaries to ever be there! Pretty cool huh? We live in an apartment with 2 other girls- sister Ila (another Filipino) and sister Mack from my district in the MTC!!!!! I am seriously so grateful to have her here with me and have someone to talk to. So the rumors about the bathrooms, toilet paper, showers, and food... all true hahaha. It's great though! Most of the time I just laugh it off and think about what an adventure it is here. Plus I get to share the gospel and my testimony of Jesus Christ everyday so what could be better than that?? The Philippines sure is crazy though!  First of all it is sobrang mainit dito!! So hot here! And so humid! You know that feeling of being dry? Ya I don't haha. You never stop sweating and always feel a little sticky, but you just accept it and move on haha. Oh and It rains randomly throughout the day everyday. Like water up past my ankles in the street haha. Mom I am SO glad we got the crocks now haha. My companions are all jealous haha. 

The people and members here in the Philippines are SO SO nice! Even though my Tagalog is at like level zero they always try to talk to me and make me feel welcome and help me to say things. They all tell me that they will teach my Tagalog if I help them with english. Pretty fair trade. It's so funny, on the street people always just stare at me and little kids always come up to me which is the best. People always call out to me with the funniest names. Some include: "hi joe!", hey Barbie!", Americano!, or grabe, sobrang magana, gorgeous and who knows what else haha. My companion laughs sometimes at stuff they say to me and she says they always think i'm some kind of a celebrity. She always jokes around and says she has a celebrity for a companion haha. The members here are super nice and ALWAYS want to feed us! I'm going to be roughly 5000 lb. by the time I get home so you better still love me! Remember, it's all about my sparkling personality :) haha. Just kidding with all the walking in the sun we do I should be ok.  But ya, Life as a missionary is great! We have 8 new investigators and 2 people who already want to be baptized! Its so cool  to be able to share my testimony of the gospel with others and help them to form a closer relationship with their heavenly father and Jesus Christ. These people live in conditions that I can't even describe into words. Like literally, they have nothing. Most of the people we teach live in the jungle/ rice fields with cement boxes as home- if they are even that lucky. Many just find scraps of metal or wood and put them against trees and find tin or tree branches for a roof. I've not seen a single home here with windows, carpet or tile floor, washers and dryers, or AC. But you know what? They are the happiest people because they have their families and are humble and enjoy the little things in life. I know this experience is going to and already has made me appreciate what I have been blessed with in my life. I feel so blessed to be with this people and to learn from them and to bring them something that means everything to me- the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love you all so so much- like seriously you don't even know how much I love and miss you, but I know I am where I am supposed to be and I have people who need me to teach them the gospel. Sorry if this has seemed jumbled and random but there is just so much I want to tell you with so little time and for all of you who know me -I’m horrible at typing haha. You all are amazing and such good examples to me. I love you and love this gospel and know it is true and that Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us and knows what you are going through.

Keep being amazing and write me lots of emails :)

MAHAL KITA!!

Sister Lowe

-ps sorry I don't have any pics of the Philippines... a monkey jumped out at me and I got scared and dropped my camera and it broke. True story. No mom I am not making it up haha and yes I know that is like the fourth camera I’ve broken in 2 years. But i'm going to buy a new one today! I love you :)

here are some pictures of my last night at the MTC with all my girls I was over as a sister training leader :)