Tacloban here we are!

Hello pamilya!

After an hour and a half plane ride to Cebu, a two hour bus ride to a ferry, a three hour ferry ride, and then another two hour drive I made it to Tacloban!!

We spent two days with President and Sister Maurer going through some training. They are amazing people! I love them! Then Friday came and it was transfer day! We went to MacArthur Park and that was beautiful! We then got in a big circle and they said, "We will call up a trainee then announce their area, language, and then their trainer." I got called up first! What?! I've been assigned in Catarman, and I’m speaking waray waray-s. Caratman is the farthest area in Tacloban. It took us 7 hours to get here from the mission home. It's in the bukid-mountain/jungle. Holy cow! I had a feeling I would be speaking waray waray, and so I'm learning all over again. I don't understand a thing but everyone is so nice here! And the people in the ward tell me I will learn it as I continue to talk to them, and they're right!

My trainer is Sister Skey. She is seriously so sweet. She is 1/2 Filipino and lives an Island away from Tacloban. (I already forgot the name-oops) She is helping me learn the language and is so patient. I haven't met all of our investigators yet, but there is one family who are members that I just adore. The Sermento family! They are the sweetest people on earth. The Sermentos have 10 kids (3 have passed away) and they love when the missionaries come over. They are so patient with me as I'm learning waray waray, and their kids are so fun. They had us over for dinner last night and we had a dish called sticky rice. (I almost threw up-yikes) I ate my whole serving but dang was my stomach churning! I'm all good now! :)

Our apartment has many Lizards. We like them though because they eat the bugs. Plus, they are kinda cute ;) The kids here love me! And I love them! They follow me everywhere. It's hilarious! They see me from a distance and yell, Öy! Americana!" and I love it! People are also constantly telling me how beautiful I am which is so sweet, but sometimes it's creepy ;) The Sister missionaries that are Filipino call me Sister Adele because they think I sing and look like her. Saying I sing like her is okay because she's alright, but saying I look like her...no! Basta, Filipinos love to sing and they love my voice which is kinda fun. Basketball is also HUGE here! They are so good too! We were playing this morning and it was super fun. I wasn't bad either! Miracles happen!

I hope all is well at home! I love you all!!
Love,
Sister Wilde

We are finally arriving in Tacloban!

So glad to finally be here

Waiting for transfers

Here we are at MacArthur Memorial Landing Park

Panoramic picture of our group

My companion and I in our transportation!

We get around in these and man the people that do this are so strong! I'm so dako (big) for these but it works!

Bad picture, but look at the little lizard!

My closet

My bed

We made it!

Kamusta!

The Philippines has my heart! I love this country and I love the people. I cannot wait to get to Tacloban, I leave at 4am!

Proselyting through Manilla yesterday was the most humbling experience. People told me to prepare myself for the things that I would see, but nothing can. We had two appointments, and their homes are so small. I'm not even kidding when I say a home that we taught in was the length and width of our couch. I promise. And you are just sweating, and trying to understand and help them.

Oh my, the KIDS!!! They love me!! It's so cute! When I was walking down the street they just hold on to my skirt and they want to know my name. I wish I could've talked to them but I don't speak Tagolog (yet), so I can't wait to talk to the kids in Tacloban.

I wish I had more time to email, but I don't. I probably will on Monday (I'm assuming) I love being a missionary and I LOVE THE PHILIPPINES AND THE FILIPINIOS. I can't wait to tell you more when I can!

I'm going to the Manilla Temple today, so that's awesome :) My District went to the immigration center yesterday and I talked to many people there. Only one spoke Cebuano but it was awesome to share a message with them!  :)

I love you both so much! Tell the boys I love them too! :)

~ Sister Wilde

Our last day at the MTC with our teachers Sister Whitehead and Brother Wilkes. I love them!

The bathrooms in Japan. So bomb!

We thought these were so funny!

I LOVE my district!!

Some random Filippino lady gave us this food and it was sticky and horrible. So fun to try though!

The BEST drink around for 40 pesos!

I'll get better pictures of these eventually, but these are called Jeepneys. They are all we ride in. It's crazy! You just jump in through the back. Traffic here is scary! Crossing the street is like playing frogger. No joke! It's a thrill! The Jeepneys are decorated differently and it's hilarious.

We got to visit a cemetery dedicated to those who died in WWII and that was so awesome!

I did it! I found an umbrella!

Sister Wilde is in the Philippines!!

Hello! I have made it safely to the Philippines! The travel was so long! I'm really tired but am so excited! It feels like I'm walking in a bowl of soup! And my hair is curly curly! I love you both so much! Make sure you tell everyone I made it and that I love them!

I'm going proselyting today and everyone here speaks Tagalog, so this should be interesting but a great experience! I'll let you know how it goes! I don't know when I'll be able to email again.
Oh, we (the sisters and I) were welcomed to the MTC by a cockroach. Nice. I get to go to Tacloban on Wednesday and I might have to take a 13 hour boat ride to do it pero I can't wait! I just want to get down there right now! 

I love you all! I wish I could tell you more about the Philippines, but I haven't seen it really! The airport last night is a blur, and I was trying not to suffocate. ;) Hopefully I'll actually get some sleep! Flying is not my favorite thing in the world and I didn't sleep good last night. Okay long!
I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH.

Oh, I had a cool experience on the plane ride to Tokoyo! I sat in the middle of two guys and I was able to teach them! I'll have to share when I have more time! And mom- you should have seen my feet and ankles after the plane ride! They looked like yours do when they are swollen or maybe a little bit bigger. Ouch. I'm okay now though! 

~ Sister Wilde
 Here are some pictures from Sister Wilde's last Sunday before they all left to the Philippines

Last P-Day in America!

Today is my last P-Day in America!! I can't believe it! I'm so excited! This last week here at the MTC has been amazing! Duh, General Conference!! General Conference in the MTC is really the best thing ever. I'm sure you're all jealous ;) I loved every talk and took more notes then I ever have in my entire life of watching conference! Obviously I would listen, pero I would always wait for their name to come up again because that usually means they're close to being done, and this time when the name came up I was like wait no!

Basta, I want to share my two favorite talks that really hit me! First was the talk given by Dallin H. Oaks on Love. He said we should always remember and obey the first two commandments.

1. Love the Lord thy God
2. Love thy neighbors.

He expounded on both and what he said about loving our neighbors really hit me, because it's so important to love the people you will serve as a missionary, and I honestly already love the people of the Philippines the more I learn about them! They celebrate Christmas from September 1st to January 30th and I'll get there during rainy season! (Which is just as HOT!) I also got to skype to the Philippines last night and it was AMAZING!

I was super nervous but I just told myself to be happy and excited and to not seem so scared! I clicked the button to call and when she (Kiristie) popped up I just smiled and said, "Kamusta!!" And she laughed with the biggest smile on her face and said Kamusta back and we just started talking! My ka-ubans thing wasn't working at the time so I was just making small talk and it was so awesome! Then my ka-uban got on and we taught her about paglaum ug kakugi. (Hope and Diligence) It was maayo kaayo! (very good) She told our teacher we had really good Cebuano and that we shared a scripture that really helped her. (Score!)  She was so sweet and no doubt the other Filipinos will be too! I actually have a Filipino friend who is from Cebu and he got here this last Wednesday and he's going to the West Indies mission! Nidot kaayo! (very cool!) He was born in Tacloban and told us we will speak 4 dialects and that they are not similar. Awesome. He said Cebuano is the hardest. I was nervous when he said that at first, but man the more I think about it the more excited I become, and I know the Lord will help me if I do my best!!

The other talk that I really liked was Jeffery R. Hollands. (who doesn't gugma his talks?) He emphasized on helping the poor and needy, and being kind to everyone. BOOM! Philippines! Ah my District and I talked about his talk forever and we just got each other more excited!

Oh, Vai Sikahema (I can't spell his name pero he played for the Green bay packers so I'm sure you know who I'm talking about Dad) and he gave an AMAZING devotional! He said not only are we assigned a place to serve pero also a mission president! I can't wait to meet my mission president and his wife!! I already know they'll be amazing but I can't wait to actually meet them!

The sisters and I have been going through our things and packing up because we never have time and we have lots to do! I've loved the MTC, pero I can't wait to go to the Philippines! (In case you can't tell!)

Gihigugma ta kamo! (I love you all!)
Sister Wilde
 

This is the only picture I have this week, and it's from Elder Toani's camera. Obviously we are missing some people, but I will send more next week

  

It's getting real...travel plans are here!

Kamusta Pamilya! I'm so excited right now because I just got my Travel Itinerary! Say what?! I go from Salt Lake to Portland, then from Portland to Tokyo, then from Tokyo to Manila! It says I'll be in Manila for a month, but I'll really only be there for like 5 days in the MTC, so that's nidot! (cool) If my Visa doesn't clear then I'll be there longer and have to go to Hong Kong. Pero, they haven't had any problems so hopefully it stays that way! Basta, things are getting so real! :)

On Wednesday we had to host 526 missionaries! So crazy! It was fun though! It was also awkward because every missionary I had was bawling and I just didn't know what to say…yikes! I made them feel better and assured them that everything will be fine because they're only here at the MTC for 12 days!! (Which I think is a bummer!)

I get to skype to the Philippines next week and teach a lesson to a member over there! I can't wait! It will be nidot kaayo! (very cool) Cebuano is hard but it's going to be so awesome when I get it down. I can understand it really well surprisingly! Speaking it is coming slowly, but surely :) We actually taught a guy who got back from Tacloban 2 months ago for practice and he said we were so awesome which meant so much! I started asking him all about his mission and I asked about President Maurer and Sister Maurer and he said I will love them! He told me he was going to send President Maurer a message saying he's getting some amazing Sister Missionaries! He also prayed in another dialect for us (I can't spell it, starts with a W) since we'll speak that too, and it was awesome to hear! I could understand it for the most part so it will be very similar (Fingers crossed!) 

There isn't too much that happened this week because it's same old stuff ;) I've made some really good friends that came in 2 weeks ago that are going to a different mission in the Philippines! They're hilarious! I love it here at the MTC and I'm nervous, but so excited to go to the Philippines! I feel like I need to remind myself that the MTC isn't my whole mission ;) 

 I GUGMA (love) all of you!!! Have a maayo kaayo week! (very good) 

Love, 
Sister Wilde 

Temple walk. I know I say it all the time, but I love these girls so much!! They are the best!

Sister Brereton! I love her! We may not be companions or live in the same room, but we talk all the time!

Sister Hayes, Sister Larson, Sister Wilde, Sister Harper

 

This was Elder Fonua and Elder Toani opening their packages from you! They LOVED it!! It was seriously the sweetest thing! Elder Fonua held back tears! He read the card, then came up to me and said, "If I could give you a hug right now I would, as well as your family. Tell them thank you so much. It means so much to me." Elder Toani said he loved the package so much, and that he has never gotten a gift that nice before. (Brings tears to my eyes!) Elder Fonua gave me a shirt from Tonga and I told him no no and he said said, “No Sister Wilde I really want you to have it. It's the most I can give, and I really want you to take it.” So nice! It's a sweet shirt too!