There is No Toilet Paper Here

Magandang Umaga po!

The rice fields in Daet

The culture shock hasn't been very shocking. I absolutely love it here.

After taking a flight to Legaspy, we took a 4-hour car ride to Naga where I met my new companion. Then we took a 4-hour bus ride to Daet, the farthest area from the mission home. My companion is Sister Geralde. She is the most amazing missionary, and she is so so so loving and kind. I'm already learning so much from her. I am happy to have a native Filipino companion; she has already really helped me with my Tagalog.

We actually live with 2 other Filipino sisters in a little concrete apartment. Despite all the bugs, it is actually a nicer apartment than the one I had in Sacramento. Haha!

The street we live on. Note the guys who caught me taking a picture

View from our apartment. Our neighbors are Vietnamese. they don't know English or Tagalog, so we just wave and smile to each other

This big boy actually dropped from the ceiling. No one told me spiders the size of my hand would be falling from the sky, but here we are.

I was going to take a picture of my shower, too but it's literally just a bucket in the corner of the bathroom, so it's not that exciting.

We go everywhere in tricycles. We have a strategy where my companion gets on the back of the motorcycle so she can talk to the driver and I get in the little sidecar so I can talk to anyone else we pick up on the way. It works out nicely. 

Just a casual sidecar selfie

What they look like from the outside

I don't think I understood how much I would stand out before coming here. Heads literally turn while they are driving. When I introduce myself, they say "You aren't Gray, you're white." And then they laugh.

I think the biggest shock here is just the difference between Sacramento and Naga regarding missionary work in general. We taught more lessons in the first 4 hours here than my entire time in Sacramento. I don't know what to say besides I have very high respect for all the missionaries serving in first world countries. Also, I am so grateful I get to experience both. The field is white and ready to harvest here in the Philippines, and I'm so excited to get to work.

During one lesson I was concentrating really hard on trying to understand. For the most part I could understand what was going on and would bear our testimony every once in a while and then I had the thought to ask her to be baptized so I waited for a moment I thought would be good but I was scared I didn't actually know what was going on and would do it at the wrong time. Then my companion looked over at me and whispered: "extend imbitatyon."

So I went for it, and she said yes! Her name is Almera, and we are also teaching her friends.

This is all of them at church the next day

I am so grateful for this humbling experience to try to testify of Jesus Christ and serve and love the people of Daet.  Pdays are Monday by the way! That is Sunday night for all of you, so write before then so I can respond.  :)

Love you all!!
-Sister Gray