HE MADE IT!!!!

Holy Smokes! If you only knew what I've done this week. What I've seen...smelt...heard...tasted...and felt! You have no idea! haha I won't tell everything to spare you Mom. So the trip it's self was really good- i slept most of the way from LA to Hong Kong and it was just regular airport stuff- BUT when we got to the philippines and we were flying from Manilla to Naga we got dropped off at the wrong place and so like an hour later- a few sprints and a lot of sweat later-we made it a bus in the airport that would take us to the plane out on the runway like they do.. we got on and we flew away in the next five minutes. But we made it, and President was there waiting for us- CRAZY! So President is AWESOME! He's so great- we spent the morning there and then met our trainers and took off! My trainer or TATAY "dad" is ELDER RYAN VOGELSBERG and he is so awesome! He's from Texas and went to BYU. We're both just massive sports fans and especially BYU! He's great- and OBEDIENT! I got so blessed with a fantastic trainer. He's only been out a YEAR! and he's already training, he's super good in Tagalog. We get a long great.SO BLESSED TO GET HIM! So the first time I got to my apartment it was completely FLOODED! our sink was broke and there was water everywhere! It wasn't all that fun. hahaha Then the next morning we woke and had the same thing. It happened the next day too and now we finally have it fixed... yata. But our apartment is like 100 yards from the ocean! It's super cool. My town and AREA is called Pasacao . . . "pass a cow" I feel right at home! Half the people we teach are dirt floor and grass roofs... or maybe tin roofs. The really well off people have cement floors and walls! Pasacao is crazy cool and I feel like I'm in a dream! They speak Tagalog so fast and I"M LOST HALF THE TIME! And then when I do start to understand what they're saying they randomly will speak BICOL! Which I for sure don't understand. BUT my companion takes good care of me and we're working hard and praying hard for the Gift of Tongues. I am convinced I got Elder Vogelsberg due to my many prayers and YOUR MANY PRAYERS, thank you! The first lesson I was in was with Tatay Domingo- he has a baptismal date and is the most humble incredible person ever! In the lesson we asked how his reading in the Book of Mormon was and he was almost in 2nd Nephi! He asked us what people do that don't have the Book of Mormon in their lives? He said, "they need this book, all the prophesies are true" He told us he knew it was a true book. We told him(and by we I mean my companion 99% of the time hahahaha) that that's why we're serving a mission was to give this book to those who don't have it and let them know about Christ! Oh my goodness he's an awesome investigator! In a couple weeks he should be baptized- IN THE OCEAN! Pictures to come! So, as far as wild life... I've seen a dead bat, a BIG dead lizard. I haven't seen the Rat yet but apparently we have one in our apartment like the size of a high school football! CRAZY! He won't fit in the trap hahaha. Also we got off a Tricii and a banana spider was on my companion. He said, "Elder Davis Elder Davis what's on my back?" and I said... DON"T MOVE hahaha it was about 5 inches across so it wasn't too big but still massive. I tried to flick it off and it went under his armpit and started going all over him until it got to the ground it was hilarious! Indiana Jones style. NEXT BANANA STORY, I was taking a "shower" and when I was done and I looked up at the wall and saw him looking at me... with no clothes on... SCARY! There are always like 15 or 20 spiders in my shower but they're only like the size of a nickel and apparently they eat the misquitts so we're friends. But this guy freaked me out and I got out and we killed it with a shoe, talk about nasty.! SO the FOOD! It is delicious, most of it. It's really good so far, we don't eat a tone and I've already lost wait. There is some nasty lookin stuff- but it all tastes good as so far I haven't been sick haha So we're good in the food department.... MY GOODNESS THE FRUIT IS SO GOOD- MANGOS delicious. Also I cooked up some SHERWOOD RICE CAKES and they were so good, my companion like them too. Grandma would be proud. You'd all be proud. One down side of the food is.... what goes in must come out. hahaha One week and I haven't seen a smidge of TP! hahaha T.M.I? MAYBE. Important information? Well, I think so! And I knew you were all curious. So we're good in that department too. So we're in a small branch here in Pasacao and our Branch President lives so far away he has to come on Saturday and stay the night in the meeting house for church the next day! He's incredible, I respect these people so much. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true EVERYWHERE! My Tagalog is struggling but I'm working hard and it will come. The little kids are sooooo cool and so cute! I hope All my pictures will get home to you! So we had mission tour yesterday with Elder Teh of the 70! And guess what? He's been to EAGAR! He came with President Uchtdorf when he was first made a 70. Small world! and small Philippinos- I'm a GIANT! A BIG WHITE GIANT! haha Also because of mission tour our P-day was today but it should have been yesterday so It will be on Monday from here on out. Everything is so poor and so dirty but I LOVE IT AND I LOVE THE PEOPLE! I can't wait until I'm good enough in Tagalog to be able to tell them about what God has waiting for them in the Next Life because they have absolutely nothing here.I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! So I always knew I grew up blessed... but I never knew how blessed. We have carpet in our home... food... cushions on ALL our chairs, a house, clothes.... shoes, toilets that flush, water that you can just drink without being filtered, AND ABOVE ALL THE GOSPEL! Holy smokes we're all so blessed! I have a dang good bed for Pasacao and its 3 inches of good foam directly on metal. I sleep like a champ though so don't worry! Really though THANK HEAVENLY FATHER FOR WHAT YOU HAVE... EVERYTHING! SO this is the point where I tell Mom... don't you dare worry! I'm doing great! And being OBEDIENT! Thanks for all your prayers on my behalf, I pray for you too, and It will be fun in 2 years when I can come home and step on carpet again in my bare toes with you all and tell you stories, but until then... THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO NEED ELDER DAVIS TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE RESTORED GOSPEL! So don't worry about me. MOM every time you picture me in your mind you can know 5 things for sure 1 I'm sweating 2 There is at least one bug on me 3 I'm being obedient 4 I'm happy 5 I love being a missionary Ye need not worry! Glad to hear the little ninyos are excited for school, hope all is well. I hope that Uncle Bob and Aunt Tona are good and the Grandparents and EVERYONE! Well I got to go... I LOVE YOU ALL. Elder Chantz Davis, Pasacao Philippines 2012