Hand Written Letter from Manila MTC

Tuesday 3/10/15
A letter Leticia sent through the mail that we just received



Kamusta po ang pamilya ko,

The MTC in Manila is absolutely beautiful, but the city is a crazy place. We went yesterday to immigration and got to see the city and all of the huge houses and all of the slums and really poor areas. We even saw a prison where people yelled from the windows that they wanted bread. It was heart breaking to see the kids running around half dressed and alone. The rules of the road are that you fill in space unless the car behind you is going faster. Buses are always right. I do not even know how people drive here, it is so crazy. It's cute to be with all of the Filipino's here in the MTC because they stare at us and are always wanting to talk with us and shake our hands. They are all so tiny here, we are not only much taller but we are huge compared to them. They always walk around saying "Hello Sister" It is adorable. We have had some really funny experiences in the MTC. We were studying outside yesterday and it was just about dark when these two cats appeared from out of nowhere and we were narrating their lives while we could see them. They provided the best laughs. Then I saw something jumping around and there was a frog/toad just on the grass by us. I tried to get a picture but couldn't. We ended up seeing 3 frogs that night. So far those have been the craziest animals I have seen. It is so funny here because you tell someone that you are from Utah and they think you know everyone in the whole state of Utah. Sister Goodman and I get asked all the time if we were friends before our missions. We watched Legacy Sunday night and it was so cute to see all the Filipinos cover their eyes or their neighbors in the kissing scene. On Sunday, we also got a cultural lesson and the presenter was laughing his head off at all his jokes. It was so great. Filipinos definitely love to laugh. The last couple of days our schedule has been changing like none other and its funny because one person will ask us why we aren't were we are supposed to be and we will be told something completely different by President Trask(sorry for typo on email) The food here is great you just never ask what it is. Today is my last day in the MTC after tomorrow I am a real missionary. We went proselyting with the missionaries from Manila and actually met the missionaries from Olongapo who we will be replacing and they knew Kim and said she will be training soon. By the time you get this you, will probably know who my trainer is and I'll have emailed home but that's OK. It was crazy to go out proselyting because everyone thought I spoke Ilongo since I am going to Olongapo so that's a scary thought.  Filipinos speak so fast and so quiet that I can barely hear them let alone understand them.
I hope all is well at home and that you all are holding in there. I am here and I've actually eaten some pineapple on accident, of course. I also got told I will pick the language up quick because I speak it well right now. So there's hope. I love you all and can't wait to tell you all of my fun stories from here. When we meet again, love you all. Talk to you soon.
Mahal Kita,
Sister Hansen

Facebook to the Rescue

There is a wonderful man, whom I hope to meet some day, that made my day! He must be serving in the office in the mission. Anyway, he posted all these photos and we were lucky enough to have Teesh and her traveling buddies from the Provo MTC, ride with him, so that means Teesh is in a lot of photos. If you only knew how much these photos have made me smile. I love how this elder has documented all the little details(man after my own heart) He mentions how this will be the last group of missionaries he will be welcoming into the mission, so I feel super extra blessed.
In this photo, Teesh, Sister Gibbs, and Sister Edrington are front row girls during orientation.

This is all the new missionaries with their trainers. Obviously there were a lot more missionaries that attended the Manila MTC than Provo. Can you see the 4 Caucasian sisters in the bunch. President and Sister Dahle are from Lehi Utah. They are front and center in the photo below.

This is a pretty common scene(according to the elder serving in the mission office) The dogs are all pretty skinny and are sometimes people's dinner. Hungry anyone?

This is a common street market.

 Teesh with her trainer. Sister Sarah Jane Sardo Aggasid. I had a sweet, recently returned, sister reach out to me and let me know she trained Teesh's  trainer. She said that you wouldn't find a more patient, loving and kind sister than Sister Aggasid. I cried tears of joy when I received that message,  those were the exact words I have been praying for Teesh in a trainer. The Lord hears and answers prayers.

Mission President wife and MTC Companion, Sister Gibbs

I laughed with this photo. Teesh rarely ate fresh vegetables in the MTC. She said all the vegetables were either cooked or canned. She said "I can't wait to eat fresh vegetables in the Philippines".Well sweetie, your wish has been granted.

Teesh must have been in her interview with the President in this shot but here are her three traveling buddies.

This was the last lunch served before sending the missionaries out into the field. Good luck missionaries. Go find those souls searching for the gospel.

Arrived!!!!!

I have made it to Manila!!!!

 It is so beautiful here. We got in and to the MTC about midnight and just started our first morning and day here. It is 11:00 right now on Saturday which is weird that we missed like 2 days in travel. The traffic and cars are so weird there are lanes but no one follows them and they just go wherever they want to go. I tried to call in Tokyo but no one answered since it was so late. We met President Trast at the airport last night and he is wonderful. He is so friendly and warm and inviting to everyone. I will be here until Wednesday and then will transfer out to the field.  I don't know when I will have the opportunity to email home again. I haven't gotten any pictures yet but I will before I leave and try to send them home. It is not as hot as I was expecting but we are inside for almost all of the last little bit. It is so bright and so nice here.  I actually got a hot shower last night, it felt wonderful. 

I hope that one day I can bring the whole family here for you to experience it, but the flight is awful. I took some of the pills but I still got pretty sick yesterday and a little today. This morning we got pancakes and ham with some delicious bread. I have no clue what kind it is but I love it. It's weird to think that it is after 8 pm there at home and the next day here but one day I will be adjusted to it. We also found out the temple is closed while we are here for renovations so we get to see it but not go inside. 

Today I get to go and teach with the missionaries here in Manila and that will be so cool. Let me know if there is anything you want me to find out or to look up and get pictures of while I am here. Oh and the water tastes terrible but hopefully soon I can get used to that. I loved talking with you all in Salt Lake that was the best part. I tried to text when we got up this morning but I did not have any service and we got busy.  I am working on getting caught up on sleep. I felt like I slept the whole way here but somehow I am still tired. I haven't been able to look up the flight numbers but I bet you could find them on line or call someone to get it figured out I think the flight was 623 from Salt Lake to Portland and from there to Narita Japan and then Manila. I exchanged some of my money into pesos and they are so cool looking. The pills I took helped a lot but did knock me out for a while.

Love you all, I'll talk to you as soon as I can. 

Mahal Kita

Sister Hansen