First Area: San Ramon in the Goa Zone/ First Companion & Trainer: Elder Richards

I'm in the field! Sorry about not emailing last week they wouldn't let us before we left, but because of that i've got quite a few things to talk about but I'll still try and keep it brief. 

First off is the proselyting in Manila. It was crazy, and i'm glad that i'm not there. Every house we went it was filthy and had rats running around everywhere. Some where as big as cats, and there were spiders bigger  than my hand. It was actually a really hard day. Nobody listened to us and the lessons that were planned ended up falling through. So by the end of the day we just covered in filth, and super sweaty and tired.

Besides that though life continued as it did in the Manila MTC. Classes and food. Right before we left though we got to try balut, which is nasty by the way, but I ended up getting it down anyway.

So on Wednesday though we flew to the field and it's absolutely insane here. My Trainers name is Elder RIchards and he's from Colorado, he's in my aunt and uncle's stake so he knew about me before we left. Small world huh? He's helped me a lot but we both struggle because he just got done with his training so we both only know a little Tagalog. But we somehow manage even though I have no idea what anyone is saying. I also can't speak it which is interesting.

Our apartment is cool it's like one of the four houses in our area (everyone else lives in bamboo huts) and it's fairly big. We shower with a bucket, and we have a toilet but no toilet paper and it can't flush. I won't go into the details of it but it's not a pleasant experience. 

There's a couple modes of transportation here, you walk (probably like 10-15 miles) you take a a trike (which are tiny and I struggle to fit into), a jeepne( which I have a cool picture of me riding on the outside of one I'll also share later) or you take a motorcycle, which is actually one of the best experiences even if you have two other people crammed on it. 

To talk about Halloween, they don't really celebrate Halloween here,  but they have what's called Day of the Dead where they go visit and honor the graves in their graveyard. We went there and taught, and it was cool to see some of the traditions there, They keep there dead in Concrete boxes so that was interesting to see. It was really cool, and a great experience. We constantly shared the message that despite death Families can be together forever.

The food here is defentily interesting. I haven't been here more than a week and i've already eaten some interesting things. I ate cooked blood, chicken intestines, pig liver and guts, weird fruits of all kinds, and a snail(picture later). Some were really good, others were questionable at best. Usually it's better to not ask what it is and shove it in your mouth while hoping for the best.

As far as teaching goes, it's a little rough right now, we have some investigators, but aren't interesting, or don't want to commit ect. For the most part we've been visiting inactive's and a lesser actives to try and commit them to church. It's hard though because they either have to hike several miles or they have businesses they need to keep running in order to feed their family. So it's a tough situation, so our branch is usually pretty tiny. That's another thing our meeting house is tiny, we use the same room for Sunday School, Priesthood, and Sacrament Meeting. This area is crazy, and it's already quite the adventure.

Overall though I'm glad to be here doing the lords work, the people here are amazing and so happy and humble despite having so little. We all could learn a lot from them. I miss ya all!

All is Well

Elder Bills

Pictures: (i'll get some pictures of some people were teaching next time I don't know names yet but i'll make sure and get some pictures this week)

4. Me riding on the back of a jeepne

1. This dog that hangs around our house, we call him Guard

8. And some cool views

9. Me and my Kasama

8. And some cool views

10. My District

3. A bridge we took to go meet an investigator.

7. A sunset

5. A snail I ate

11. Our Shower

12. Our Toilet

6. A cockroach the size of my hand

2. Rice that they let dry on the road.

The following photos were sent to us by Paul and Rachel (Rebekah's sister and b-i-l). Their former stake president's son is Elder Richards. Sister Richards (his mom) told Rachel that when he went to the mission home to pick up his 'greenie', Isaac was standing there and Elder Richards KNEW that Isaac was going to be his companion. Isaac turned around and Elder Richards saw his name tag, Elder Bills, and his feeling was confirmed!

Rebekah and I were so glad to hear that Isaac's trainer not only can speak English, but is actually someone that we have distant 'ties' to. Tender mercies abound.

And btw, in this Facebook age, it's been a blessing to get to know the parents of some of these elders serving in the Naga mission -- a luxury our parents did not have.

In fact, there is a woman in Portland OR area that has taken it upon herself to be the distribution center for missionary packages going to the Philippines. That FB page has brought hundreds of parents of Philippines missionaries together. It's like we have an extended Philippines Missions family out there.

The email to Paul and Rachel from Elder Richards' mom:

President & Sister Elgrenn (Paul is in the current stake presidency),

I just got an email from Elder Richards and he enclosed pictures of his new missionary he is training and I think you might know him.   He says Elder Bills is amazing and they are having an awesome time.  

Sister Richards