Caloocan City!

Transfer day was insane! First of all, the planned route that I was planning on taking was not correct, so I could not just take a straight bus right to my next area. Slightly stressful, especially with no cell phone. Then after travelling for a while to the city, I arrived in the meeting point. However, they told me to meet at the SaveMore, but there was no SaveMore in the area... I was super confused on where I needed to go. I went to the HyperMarket, which is similar to SaveMore hoping that I would see my new companion. However they were no where in sight. So there I was, in the middle of a city that I have never been in before with no phone. I was not even sure if I was in the right area. The only answer that I could think of was prayer! I prayed and was patient. As I attempted to find a phone to call my new zone leaders, I saw two white guys in the distance! My prayer was answered! I made it safely to my new area and met my new companion Elder Lucana.

Elder Lucana is literally the smallest missionary in the entire mission. When people see us they always call us David and Goliath haha! He is under 5 feet and I feel huge next to him. My neck literally hurts sometimes from looking down so much when I talk to him. Elder Lucana is literally the nicest person I have ever met. He is from Eastern Samar, just an hour away from where my dad was born. He speaks very little English so it pushes me to always use my mission language which is really good. I am improving faster than ever since I only speak in Tagalog 24/7. There is a special spark in his eye when he talks about God. I know that this will be my best area yeat.

Now I am in Caloocan City! Specifically I am in Navotas and Malabon. The area here is gigantic, and we are assigned to two different wards. The mission president made tracting not allowed in our area. There are many many squatters (super small houses that are built on top of each other) and many people. In some of the houses we go in, they are so small that I cannot stand up straight. I am literally always ducking and crouching over. I will probably have a hunch back after the mission haha! This area is the most populated area in the mission, but there are only 8 missionaries in the whole zone. So far I really love it here though. We live close to the ocean and even though all the water is black water (which smells really bad and is super polluted) it is cool to see. To get to the Navotas area we take a boat across this channel! The members are amazing and we are already about to have 2 baptisms next week! Also my father lived in this area before and was in this same stake before. Coincidence? I think not!

One little miracle this week helped me know that I was meant to serve in this area. In the MTC I had a roommate who had to go home and sort some things out before he could go on his mission. This brother is in the ward that I am serving in! We have already formed a strong bond in the MTC and he promised to work with us often (and feed us!). According to his family they are very grateful that I am here because he has been losing his desire to return to the mission field. Hopefully through the will of God I can spark that interest in his spirit! 

I forgot my card reader so no pictures this week.. sorry! It really is amazing here, I love it! Love you all and have a great week!