We've been figuring things out. We've been relying a lot on the ward missionaries to figure out where everything is, where all of our investigators are and everything. It's been hard with hardly any information in the area book, but we're working things out. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that if I don't want all of the investigators in an area to get instantly dropped, UPDATE THE BLOODY AREA BOOK. There's a very good reason it's there. :P
This area is a lot bigger than Boni 4th was. While Boni 4th only covered two barangays, Pembo and Rizal (here, addresses usually go house, street, zone, barangay, city, Philippines, depending on where you live. Actually, in Boni 4th, it was lot, block, street, zone, barangay, city, Philippines; here, it's a bit different... If that made any sense), Pasig 1st covers at least four or five barangays: Kalawaan, Pinagbuhatan, Sagad, half of Maybunga, and others that I can't think of the names of right now. And there a lot of random alleyways and somewhat complex neighborhoods that will take a lot of time to memorize. @.@ :P Travel costs are also much more expensive. A tricycle drive from one place to another, which in Boni 4th cost about 25-ish pesos, costs as much as 50 or 60 here. Last night we got jipped out of 80 pesos with one tricycle drive. I was like, "80?! Ano ba iyan??" We may go bankrupt in this area... D:
The ward here is really nice. The Olivar Family, recent converts of Elder Tolson, who used to be my kabahay (apartment-mate, if you will. :P Kabahay's just easier to say), has been especially kind. They're really fun, and they're easy to make friends with. The first family we met here was the Bunyi Family, who is also fairly nice. We're a bit wary of them, though. We've been duly warned by Elder Tolson, the zone leaders, and several ward members not to work with Sister Jessica Bunyi. As far as first impression goes, she's, while admittedly a bit noisy, nice enough, likes to joke a lot. ...But apparently, she's gotten missionaries sent home before. >.> Duly noted.
Friday, we had dinner at the Hernandez house, which is, I believe, the biggest house I've ever been in since coming here in the Philippines, besides the mission home. It's HUGE. Especially considering most houses here in the Philippines have one, maybe two rooms. It was like, NAKU!! IT'S HUGE!! It's three stories, so it's even bigger than our house.
Also Friday (Friday was pretty eventful..), while we were visiting the Olivar family, someone taught me a Muslim prayer, "Because you might have investigators who are Muslim." ...Okaaaay... Whatever... >.> But I went with it anyway. So they had me kneel on the ground and repeat over and over, "ABASI, RAFA, LAKO!! ABASI, RAFA, LAKO!!" They had me repeat it over and over, faster and faster, until they had me stop, and then they explained to me that I'd actually been saying, "Aba! Sira pala ako!!" ("Hey! I'm crazy!!") XD
So, anyway, that's what's been going on here. It's been a bit rough so far, but it's been fun.
Glad to hear your camping trip went well. True to form, something always goes wrong on camping trips.. ^^'' Kawawa naman si Darcy... D: Those waterfalls look beautiful. The pictures turned out okay, except they were tiny. o.o But that's okay. I'm impressed that Mom made it through the upper cave. Yaaay!! :D That's a tough hike (it was a bit tougher when I went through it last July because I was still pretty dead from climbing the mountain, but it's a tough hike nonetheless).
I've learned a lesson in the last few days... The next time you guys send cookies, I need to put them in the refrigerator immediately. Because there's no other safe place in the apartment. Within less than a day of opening up the bags of cookies, the ants violently attacked them. They were still okay, you can pretty much just brush the ants off and they're still fine... but they're better if you know there haven't been ants crawling all over them... D:
The milk is tasty. Om nom nom. I haven't actually had cereal since transfer day, since I ran out and we haven't had a chance to go to Market Market and get more, but the milk is masarap. Actually, I'd prefer it if you just sent the chocolate and strawberry kind (vanilla is okay, too, but definitely chocolate and strawberry). :D Thank youuuu....
Anyway, ubos na ang oras ko. :P So, until next week (probably next Wednesday), ingat! :D
Love,
Elder David Jones
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