Merry Christmas!

Dear Family,
I am in the Lupao Ward, San Jose Stake/Zone, Nueva Ecija. My new companion is Elder Dampios, from Davou, Region 11 Philippines. He is amazing, really diligent, and an obedient missionary. I feel like we're going to be able to do great things together. He's got a great attitude, and he's happy and masipag talaga. Which is great!
I spent the bus ride missing Aduas. It is really tough to leave everything behind, especially with Christmas and my birthday just one week away. Here's the update on Sister Luna and the Ison family:
We bid farewell to the Luna family on Tuesday and also filled out her baptismal record. If all went well, her interview should have taken place by now. All her grandchildren went crazy when I pulled out the camera and we took a lot of pictures. Sister Lyn Luna, a daughter and long time diligent member of the ward gave me a note and a keychain to remember them by. She was present back at the first lesson and cried for joy when her mother accepted the Baptismal Goal Date.
I can't write about all the investigators and members that I'm going to miss, but one of them is Jhei Yambot -- the young men president, and stand-in ward missionary and ward mission leader. He gave me a "bahay kubo" key chain from Bagio that has my name on it. Wow, he's just a great guy.
My very last appointment in Aduas was at the Ison family home. They'd brought some of their extended family from Hain to listen to us. We had a great discussion and referred their family to the missionaries assigned in Hain. I gave The Isons a few pictures -- the Logan temple and two of our family pictures, and wrote them a note. I bid farewell to them, and shook their hands. Brother Ison held on to my hand and told me thank you and smiled and told me to take care always. I told myself I wasn't going to look back as we walked down the dirt road, but I did anyway. They were standing on the edge of the street in front of their home, waving goodbye. I waved to them and they waited there until we were out of sight.
I've thought about them and pray for them. I look forward to writing them. It is strange to think that I cannot go back to them or see them.
We live at the base of some HUGE mountains -- covered in forest. It's the dry season, and on the dirt roads I feel like I'm walking in Southern Utah, dusty and hot, the sand is red as well. Lupao is a small city, but it's small and out of the way, and it feels homey. It's surrounded with "Palayan" rice fields. The ground is not flat here, so they are terraced, and bright green, and very beautiful. The weather is cooling down and the mornings even feel chilly. My first morning we woke up to a brown out, and I pumped water for my morning shower out of a bucket. When there is power -- it's still a bucket shower. My companion washes his own clothes and he's been teaching me. Up until now I haven't had to wash my clothes in a bucket. We'll live pretty frugally. It's easy to make it a week on about 700 pesos, or about 15 dollars. I'm excited about the area and there is a lot to do -- there is a lot of potential here in this area. Both my companion and I are relatively new here, and it's been great to get together with the ward leaders and start to see some good things happening.
I feel more at home than ever in this work. I love talking to people and getting to know them, and it's easier and easier to share the gospel. The changes have put me to my knees once again, and I am reminded where the true source of strength is. It doesn't feel like Christmas time yet, I've had a lot on my mind this past week and haven't had time to think about what time of year it is. The days fly by and there is always so much to do and the work is so satisfying. This is the best place to be, I know I am not wasting my time. The work is real and it's important. I know that Christ is the very head and I love to testify of Him. I love you, family. The mission is too short. The time and the changes and the opportunities come and go too fast. I am grateful for your prayers. I feel your strength. It's strange to think that I don't know where -- literally -- in the world I am right now. But it doesn't make any difference, the work of the Lord is the same everywhere, and it's the feeling, charity and love, that defines it and is the beginning of every good thing that happens.
Merry Christmas, family, I hope you all know how much I love you! Have a great Christmas --
With love, Elder Loren Peck