Santo Domingo Week 11

 

 November 2, 2014

Kumusta Francis Pamilya,
 

I am doing great in the Philippines, the weather is still so hot and it will just get hotter. The people here in the Philippines are so friendly and kind to me and even though the language is hard, and I am saying the words wrong they are happy to see me trying. I am progressing a lot in the language. There is a lot of poverty here in the Philippines and it's so sad to see but they are all so full of hope and happiness, always smiling everyday. It's sad to see the kids around here smoking and all of the problems around here, but it's ok. Me and Elder Williams are doing great and we are loving it.

For Halloween I got to eat BALUT!!! it looked so gross and yucky, but I just ate it and tried new things, it actually was not too bad.

Hopefully next month in December we will have 3 baptisms, I hope.  We are focusing a lot on them the most. But we have had a lot of finding, and a lot of lessons, but we are working hard, and we never give up.

It's sounds like you guys are doing great at home, how is everything going? How is the family? How is work going for dad? How is school going for Emily? Is she having fun with her friends? How are the dogs doing? How is the house? How is the rest of the family? I sure miss you guys a ton, but everybody here is my family and they are all so friendly to me, and they take care of us so much. It sounds like you guys had a good Halloween and are heading to grandmas house for thanksgiving. They don't celebrate Halloween or thanksgiving here in the Philippines only Christmas from September through December which is awesome. Christmas music for four months. Then on November 1st and 2nd they celebrate All Saint's Day, and The Day of The Dead, which is when the families all gather together at the cemetery and eat food, drink and dance and celebrate the dead. But it's cool to see what the culture is like here.

How is the ward doing, tell everybody I am doing great, and having fun, but working hard. Everything is going great here and we are having fun and doing the Lord's work. Thank you for the packages that you are sending to me.  I  got one of them so far, thank you. I have gotten some souvenirs but I will keep them so when I get home I will just give them to you guys. P-days are a lot of fun we go shopping for food for the week and we E-mail home and we can either go to the zoo in Vigan city, shopping for Souvenirs or sight-seeing which is cool. I will be eating a lot more weird foods now but I am willing to try new things. I am so excited for Christmas to come. I hope everything is going good for you at home, and you guys are safe. Have fun and I miss you guys a ton.

Mahal Kita, Elder Francis