First week from the Pinas!

Wow! These last few days have been insane. We landed and the six of us from the Provo MTC walked outside to wait for our ride. We waited outside, in the blazing hot sun, for an hour..in our suits. I wanted to get right back on the plane and go home. Ha ha. Joke lang..but! It was hot. After the hour we were finally picked up and brought to the mission home. President Sperry and Sister Sperry are just so nice! We sat for awhile and talked, got to know each other, had an interview, ate lunch, it was just fantastic! After that they told us that we were a day earlier than any other group...and so they did not know what to do with us. They had a bunch of the missionaries that were leaving coming to the home to have their final interviews/"talk" before they left at three in the morning. So! They were not sure what to do with us. We ended up going out with the AP's and getting a tour of the place. That was nuts. The streets here are insane. Pretty much the lines on the road are just for decoration. And they just fill in the gasps. There is not a speed limit on any of the roads and the rule is the biggest vehicle is first. No one obeys the traffic signals, and iIm pretty sure it is the coolest thing I have ever experienced. 

We woke up the next morning, had breakfast, and had our welcome devotional with president. After the meeting we went to the transfer meeting. I was called to serve in the Caloocan area, and my new companion is Elder Millano. He is the coolest guy. He is from a province in the Baguio mission, and he has been here on the mission for 7 months now. He does not speak almost any English...as hard as that is, it is exactly what I had been praying for. He speaks enough that we can get along, but about 75 percent of the time I have absolutely no clue what is going on. He is a very humble, hard working guy. So far we get along really well. He said that I pick up on the language really quickly...lets hope that is true. I really need it! 

So on Sunday I got to speak in sacrament meeting, or really just share my testimony. I'm pretty sure it was a fail. Either way, it was cruel for the bishop to ask me to do that. Ha, joke lang, but it was napakamahirap! Or very hard..

This place is very different. There is trash everywhere, about a thousand wild dogs and cats on each block, and tons and tons of what they call squatters. Pretty much people will make houses out of everything. Out of trash, and it is very dirty and small. The people here live in very humble conditions, or pretty much in nothing at all. I really do not feel worthy to be their servant. But! I am very thankful for this opportunity. It is like nothing I have ever, or ever will again experience...I am just trying to live it up while I can!

Just to let you know, it is not a rumor...you really do wipe your butt with your hand, and a little bit of water. The worst part is, the left hand is not a bawal hand. They still use that hand in everything that they do. It is kinda hard to be OK with it. I am very glad Sister Sperry gave us all hand sanitizer. Oh! Mom, you should be happy, they have given us vitamins that we have to take everyday. So! You have nothing to worry about there.

Well! I love you all, thank you for the emails. I loved talking to you at the airport. And don't send off any packages or mail yet...I need to ask about that.

Mahal Kita! 

Elder Leonard