Elder Kyle Alldredge

MAGANDANG UMAGA PAMILYA & FRIENDS!!!!!

Ok first off I LOVE LOVE LOVE it here! So much fun!

So i'll tell you about my flight experiences because there were many! So I met some elders and sisters going to New Zealand on their missions and i flew to LAX with them. They were super fun! We just all talked about our missions and partied! Then at LAX airport we got food then they had to leave on their flight, so I was the only missionary in the airport!! I was walking around for like 30 minutes by myself not knowing where to go because they covered up my ticket with some sticker and I had no idea!! But I finally found Elder Zacchilli!!! He is my MTC companion! He is from San Diego and he loves to be active, he plays rugby, football, and volleyball so we fit pretty well together! It's been very good!

Then we flew 15 HOURS to Hong Kong!! That was such a long flight! We slept for about 6 or 7 hours, then tried to read scriptures and books for the other part. But we finally arrived then Elder Zacchilli almost got arrested because they thought he had lasers... they were pens!!! HAHA Then we took a 2 hour flight to Manila.

But while waiting for our suitcases we realized that mine were not there!!! Elder Zacchilli had his but mine were gone! So we talked to security, and my bags were left in LA!!! HAHAHA we were kinda freaking out! But they sent them on the next flight and they said to come back the next night to pick them up! HAHA ya right!!! By ourselves not knowing where to go... in the Philippines! In a taxi, of some sort!?!? NO WAY!! So we went to talk to our drivers, and they said to have them send it to the MTC, so I went back in by myself and convinced them to send my bags to the MTC. I seriously thought my bags were going to be empty arriving at the MTC. The MTC President was really worried and said that some of my things might not be there. Because there is a big problem in the Philippines with things like that! So I just prayed and prayed that they would come safely and that nothing important would be stolen, and because of those prayers and a whole lot of luck my bags came without anything being stolen! Except maybe my flashlight,.. I cant find that;) But its all good! Super funny experience! Oh and I wore Elder Zacchilli's clothes until I got my luggage.

Then once we left the airport we drove through the craziest traffic in the world!! Holy nothing in the US compares to this in the slightest! It was hilarious, I was dying laughing the whole entire time! I thought we were going to crash like 10 times and we were within inches multiple times. But actually their driving style is somehow really safe! The Filipinos don't get mad at all at anyone, most all of the time they will let anyone switch lanes and things, but there is also nonstop Honking, so funny!

Then once we got to the Privato Hotel, which is SO NICE!! We went into our rooms. Then we got a knock on the door, and about 15 Filipino Elders rushed into our room! They were all speaking Tagalog and were teaching me and Elder Zacchilli as much as we could take in. No actually way more! Then we gave them some American treats and they went crazy eating it, they loved it! So picture about 15 Filipino Elders surrounding a bed with 2 white Americans sitting on it, and all of the Filipinos talking to us and teaching us. It was the funniest thing ever!!!! Oh and basically anything we say the Filipinos die laughing at because we talk weird and we always say Tagalog words wrong! SO FUNNY!!! And they call me and Elder Z guapo, then we say Hindi Hindi(no no), kayo Elder GUAPO!!! Then they all bust up laughing, its the best! My confidence in my funniness is going up:) It's like Kaylee laughing at all of everyone's jokes then times that by 10! That is a Filipino for you!

We arrive at the MTC the next morning and me and Elder Z are the only white Elders or Sisters!! About 100 missionaries came and only us 2 were white! I LOVE IT!!! We had to go through a bunch of tests and stuff, with immunizations and stuff so we got to meet everyone! They really are the nicest people ever! Then they asked about my musical skills, and asked me to prove it by playing Called to Serve. SO I played it and seriously everyone stopped what they were doing and basically started dancing to the music!! They were all complimenting me on it and they were so grateful for my mom for teaching me! So thanks for that mom!!!

So far I have played the piano at almost every meeting! Last night a general authority Elder Babita from the Philippines, and I played for the whole thing! I played for all the missionaries in the choir on We Thank thee oh God for a Prophet! It was powerful!! I played prelude music for about 30 minutes before the meeting, then after the meeting one of the teachers just kept on telling me to play songs and everyone to sing to them, all of the missionaries! So in just last night I probably played about 30 hymns!!! It was crazy! I was basically sleeping while I was playing towards the end... JOKELANG!!!

Ok I just want to say sorry to all the other missionaries out there because my MTC district is seriously the BEST there is!!!! We have so much fun! One word to describe us, is JOKELANG!!! We say it basically every other sentence. Its the best!! There is me and Elder Z then 5 sisters. Sister Fukofuka, Sister Tukia, Sister Makihele all from Tonga, then Sister Tham from Malaysia, then Sister Falau from New Zealand. And they are all hilarious! We play pranks, we Jokelang all day long. And we also have such spiritual meetings and testimonies shared in our district room, I LOVE MY DISTRICT!!! Sister Fukofuka is so crazy, she talks so much and is so hilarious! Me at kasama ko love to mess with her, cuz she is so funny!

On Sunday was testimony meeting and I bore my testimony! Ako nakakita, Magandang Umaga! Ako po si Elder Alldredge, taga Utah po ako. Then mostly in English unless I really knew the word in Tagalog. But I have learned so much Tagalog already!!! I can say almost the whole prayer in Tagalog. I can bear my testimony in Tagalog. I can even teach mostly all of a lesson in Tagalog to our investigator who only speaks Tagalog! But we have most of it translated before hand. But we have taught our investigator Emil 3 times now and it gets better everytime. We now mostly ask him questions, try to understand his very fast speaking Tagalog, then respond with our testimonies in Tagalog. Understanding him is so hard! But we are working on it, trying to become better everyday!

One time he asked where the church was at. And I told him "Daon and pinto!!" I thought pinto was street... NOPE;) It is actually door:) So he points at the door very confused, and I Bust out laughing!!! Then me and Elder Z were just laughing hard while he was sitting there obviously very confused. It was so funny! But we make a lot of mistakes, but we are working on it, trying to be better! Oh and I also commited him to be baptized in all Tagalog!! I have the "will you follow the example of the Savior and be baptized?" All MEMORIZED!!! In TAGALOG!!! It is super long but I prayed for help on it and boy does it come, praying helps with everything!

Well I love you FAM!!! and friends! I miss you a lot rn!! But to tell you the truth I haven't even started thinking about home until basically right now! There is just so much to do and I LOVE IT!!

Missionary work it so fun, and I am so happy!

Don't worry about me at all!! I LOVE IT HERE!!

Mahal ko ito!!!! I LOVE the Philippines!! I LOVE the Filipino people! I LOVE my district!!

I really LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!

I am so happy here!! I can't stop smiling! And everybody here is amazing!

The Philippines MTC is awesome!!

Thanks for all you do and have ever done for me!!

Keep writing me!!! I appreciate it!

Mahal ko kayo!!! SO MUCH!!!

LOVE, Elder Guapo:) jokelang...;)

Paalam, Elder Alldredge