Smelly

Me with Elder Magnum

This week my mission actually had the first mission conference they have had for a very long time! Guess I came at the right time, huh? It was cool getting to meet so many other missionaries, but also a little awkward at times as everyone was hugging all of their past companions, and Elder Mangum and I just feel like 211th and 212th wheels... :P BUT, I learned a lot, and even made a friend of a sister missionary from PAKISTAN! Pretty cool stuff! I also met a girl from my BYU Ward! Wow! Small world! 

A few things about my new country...

Everyone calls Americans Joe here. I guess named after GI Joes? Haha I've gotten it a lot the last couple of days!

The weather here is a furnace! Gee wiz, I miss my nice Bangalore weather! 

EVERYONE plays Basketball here! Everyone in Philippines wants to be a baller (and of course they all watch the NBA and wear jerseys everywhere), everyone in India plays Cricket, and I guess everyone in America channel surfs? haha ^_^

The saying here is "It's more fun in the Philippines!" 

Here's an example of the way girls dress here in the Philippines: We invited a 15 year old girl named Let Let to church, and she asked what she should wear. We told her a dress or skirt. She then asked how long it should be, and we said it should come to your knees or lower. She and her sister then busted out laughing, and told us she didn't own any dress of that length! haha oh Philippians...

Here's a story I think all of you will enjoy (especially Noah). So, one evening this last week our ward mission leader pulled all of us elders aside, and said something he needed to talk to us about. He said though he didn't want any of us to get offended. And after a few minutes of us PROMISING him we won't get offended, this is what he told us: Elder Anderson and Elder Mangum, I've been getting some complaints from the members that the two new elders from India stink really bad. haha what?! Apparently quite a few people had mentioned they were offened by our smell, but didn't have the guts to tell us, so they told Brother Richards to let us know... I guess we've lived in India for too long, where EVERYONE smells bad, so it just became normal to smell the way we smelled... (curry bleeding out into your sweaty pores does not smell very nice). So, this week I got some new deodorant and body spray. Hopefully I won't offend so many people! I've gotten Elder Mangum hooked on Noah's prayer as well "Please bless us that we will look good, smell good, and be good!" haha, fun times.

Regardless of my smell though, everyone thinks I'm super hot, so that's a bonus. I can't tell you how many people tell me that I'm handsome! My white skin, rosy cheeks, and nicely shaped nose are all hot stuff here in the Philippines!