Dear Family,
Brother Angeles made little progress this week, he didn't make it to church and didn't read either, but we had a good meeting with him last night. Now is the critical time -- he's making the commitments, and if we can just help him keep the basic ones, especially church attendance, things will start to get moving again. Our plan for him to be picked up by a member fell through when the member himself didn't make it to church. Patience, patience. We met Sister Cabiles' husband and he was wary of us, but we got some rapport going and got him to laugh and set up a return appointment. On our return, we found brother there, but nakainom siya. Yeah, sayang talaga. But we'll be back often. We've got some investigators that are really starting to progress. One of them is Brother Jervie Capistrano. My heart really goes out to him. He's one of the nicest people I've ever met. He's in his twenties, and for a living he sells tinapa -- small fish that's been dried, tastes kind of like kipper snacks, and dad would really like it. It's traditionally eaten with your hands, and here's a good tip -- fish tastes twice as good when it's with rice and eaten with your hands. Just something to keep in mind. Sometimes we pass him as he drives around with a tinapa bucket on the back of his borrowed motorcycle. He would be baptized, but he and his wife (member) aren't married yet. They have one child that's 3 months old. Their problem is that they don't have enough money to take the trip to Cabanatuan to get their birth certificates. And that's a small expense. As he struggles to support his small family, he sometimes works on Sunday. I wish I could explain to him that the only way to get ahead, to "prosper in the land" is to follow all of the commandments. We taught again about the Sabbath and he came to church on Sunday. I pray that his faith will continue to grow.
We found two great families this week -- whole families, which is the best. I'm always amazed as I look back on how the actual contact with great people happens. We were just walking down the road in Bagong Flores after an appointment fell through and I just felt prompted to knock a door on the right. It really didn't look likely, and we called 4 or 5 times over the course of 2 minutes before anybody came out. They just had a baby 7 days ago and they turned out to be ready to listen and invited us back. We will contact them daily this week.
We went bowling in San Jose earlier. Bowling here is NOT the same sport. 3 balls, bigger than a softball, small pins that are set up manually, and record kept on paper. You've got to get the lane that has a good rut right down the middle -- that's the key. It was transfer announcements and I really wasn't expecting any change. Elder Dampios has only been here for 3 months. I'll be headed to Angeles on Thursday to pick up my new companion. Big changes can't seem to leave me alone! It's been a peaceful transfer, because Elder Dampios is absolutely obedience and diligent, and also because we agree on almost everything -- especially food. We have a great time cooking veggies daily -- pacbit, monggo, eggplant, okra, and we laugh every day about the "Pacham" we're eating (short for Pachamba-chamba, or in English, experiment, or luck) Thanks to our (his, I'm just the sous-chef) great cooking I haven't managed to lose any weight (I'm also the taste tester), but I have managed to double my pull-up capacity, from 1 to 1 and a half.
I'm not sure what the new change will bring but I've come to understand what you've always taught me, that happiness does not need to be affected by outside influence. It doesn't matter who is around me or what they are doing, I can say with Abraham Lincoln that I'm just about as happy as I choose to be. I hope to find out this week if the Ison family has been baptized yet. When I left the only thing they were waiting for was 4 weeks without cigarettes for Brother Abraham Ison. Our most recent convert here, Brother Gerald Gonzales, is doing great, active-na-active, and he received the priesthood yesterday. After he was sustained in Sacrament meeting, he leaned over to me and said, "So, now I can bless the sacrament, right? And baptize?" I told him that was right and he just nodded and said "Alright. That was fast."
Piano lessons was great on Thursday and it looks like within a few months we'll have a capable pianist. I tell you what -- teaching in English will be a breeze after this. There's a lot about the piano that doesn't translate very well, so there's a lot of "well, ya' just-- uh, ganito, ok?" We'll all suffer through. It was a blast and the two hours flew by.
There's a lot more to write, but we'll leave it at that! So much happens in one week. The area is great, and the mountain is ablaze every night, we still don't know why they are burning it, but it's beautiful and lights up the sky every night. The area's great and there's plenty to do in the next few months!
Take it easy, family! Keep enjoying the great weather for me! Chris, make the talk good, right? Let's stay away from peligro. Love you all!
Love, Elder Loren Peck
Dear Family,
Thanks for the virtual home tour! I loved the pictures -- I had to laugh at the snowman decorations above the door -- some things never change! (and they shouldn't, either) Looks like everything's been "upgraded" including the garage. Pretty high tech! We pass an elderly man often close to our apartment who is always outside working with wood and simple tools -- making tables for a living. The tables are beautiful, and I often stop and tell him how inspiring his work is. We've got great rapport by now, and I have to laugh, he doesn't want to listen and he's so funny about it! He pretends to be grumpy but he's got a great sense of humor -- he's got a big heart.
Thanks for the picture of the piano room! Sometimes I think I can feel the keys of that piano, and my fingers twitch a little bit. On new years eve we had some time at the zone leaders house, and for the first time I wrote out a few chords and dusted cobwebs out of the "Music Theory" room in my mind. Somehow, bishop found out I play the piano -- busted! No more a capella sacrament meeting. And this thursday I'll get the chance to start teaching piano lessons so that in 4 months or so, we'll have a Lupao Ward pianist. I don't know if I can teach piano in English, let alone Tagalog.
As far as the lessons go, don't think we're like super teaching machines. When we have work in the morning, (no DDM, no CSP, no Weekly Planning, no church) we can generally get 2 lessons in the morning. In the afternoon we can generally get in 4 or 5, but 1 or 2 of those sometimes are to recent converts -- we've got 12 recent converts right now. The former "thing" in this mission, and the Philippines as a whole, was to have two areas, for example, on tues, thurs, and sat we've got one route, and on the other days we're somewhere else. I found out in my first area with the Zamorah family, and again with the Ison family in Aduas that when investigators are really progressing, it's a lot better to visit them every night. That's also what it says in Preach My Gospel -- contact every investigator every day -- and that's what the mission is focusing on right now. We're working on working in one area every day in the area of strength, and making daily contacts. As we prayerfully start to follow this counsel, I feel like the Lord is opening up opportunities and guiding us. I am so excited about this work, and this area has so much potential. Little by little, we'll find those prepared by the Lord.
We met a sister this week named Sister Cabiles, who we met in a miraculous manner. We were talking to her neighbor and sister Cabiles was listening. Her neighbor turned us down cold, and we humbly were walking away when I saw sister Cabiles and said awkwardly -- um, well, for you, sister -- will you let us share with you? I was surprised when she said yes. We had a ward missionary with us, so we taught her. It turns out she has a terminal heart condition and 2 very young daughters. Her relationship with her husband is stressed, and he only comes home once a week from work. She brought up right away that she was scared about what might happen to her children if she were to pass away. She told us that she'd been taught about Heaven and Hell and she wasn't satisfied with what she'd been told. She wanted to believe that there was more to life, and more after death. I was truly impressed by her honest desire to listen and her humility, and I felt that it wasn't just luck that led us to this sister in her time of need. We were able to extend truth and hope to someone who desperately needed an answer. We arrived at a critical point in her life. I believe that the Lord is truly guiding us, this is so important.
You'd better send a copy of the article in the Ensign along with the package. I don't need new shoes, I can have a shirt tailored for less than 5 bucks, I've got plenty of garments, and the new camera is almost the twin of the old one. I'm in good shape! I cooked the cake this week -- pancake style. Don't try it, but it IS POSSIBLE. Let's just say that anything with enough frosting on it tastes great. Elder Dampios and I live on vegetable dishes, we cook every day, and shop at the palengke. We're healthy and happy and love to cook every day. Rice three times a day. Every night I'm hungry for rice. I've got everything I need for the next long while. Thanks so much, family, and have a great week!
Love,
Elder Loren Peck
Dear Family,
So, the red-eyes happened because of the pollution in Aduas. Cabanatuan is one dirty city when it comes to the air. We had to take a trike 4 times a day, back and forth from our area through heavy traffic, and the wind and dust and charcoal smoke and contacts all teamed up against me and whipped me good. My eyes were that red and that hard to open for almost 3 whole days. Yeah, I got some pretty weird looks for almost 3 whole days. All the members thought I was really feeling the spirit when I cried all three hours of church and kept blowing my nose.
We went to some waterfalls in the Lupao area earlier this morning, and it was beautiful. We passed a lot of the fields that our investigators are working in, and there are a lot of onions out there. Looks like back-breaking work.
I got a new camera, and it came just in time to get a picture with Brother Gerald Gonzales (27) just before his baptism. The bishopric was gone to a temple marriage along with a lot of members, but Gerald said it didn't matter to him as long as the ordinance was completed. Elder Dampios and I did some last minute scrambling cleaning up and ironing some baptismal clothes. It all paid off in the end and I think Gerald had a great baptism. The next day bishop talked to Gerald in his office before the confirmation. As sacrament meeting started, I sat down next to Brother Gonzales and asked him how he was feeling. The hall was a little noisy as everyone filed in, but Brother Gonzales told me he was feeling really peaceful -- he said he was feeling really good about what was happening. He told me he knew this was the change in his life he was waiting for. I could tell by the look on his face that he was ready for the confirmation, and I felt in that moment that he was feeling the power of the Holy Ghost, just minutes before the gift would be offered to him. I prayed hard for Brother Gonzales as the bishop said the words: "receive the Holy Ghost" I don't know if Brother Gonzales felt a big change, but I felt the spirit burn in my heart, and have a renewed testimony that the gift of the Holy Ghost is a very real thing.
We have a great new investigator named Brother Angeles. He works construction for 150 pesos a day plus food. In dollars, that's a little more than 3 dollars. His sons work in the onion fields. He read in the Book of Mormon and takes the lessons and commitments very seriously. He accepted the invitation to be baptized on February 13, and we feel a lot of potential in him.
I don't have a lot of time, but I love you all and I love the news. Sounds like dad hit the ground running! I hope everyone has a great week!
Nagmamahal,
Elder Loren Peck
Dear Family,
The holidays were great here. The work just keeps on going, every day, a little progress here and a little there. The best news of the week is that Gerald Gonzales passed his interview and will be baptized on Saturday. I'm impressed at his conversion story. He was SO prepared from friends, family, and events in his family. His father, who he loved very much, passed away a few years ago. Gerald's father was religious, and searched for the truth. In our lesson last night, Brother Gerald brought it up and wondered out loud if his dad was happy with his choice to join the church. We took the opportunity to teach about where his father is now, and how he is hearing the gospel just like Brother Gerald. Gerald's eyes lit up as we taught. He showed us a picture of his dad on their bookshelf and we had a good discussion.
Dad! I've been thinking about your call! I hope the family is ready! I'm excited to learn a little more about what the bishop does -- what your opportunities are. I'm learning so much here, and I feel that the Lord is giving me help in the specific challenges that we face in the area. I am more and more convinced of the reality of prayer and the fact that it is really 2-way communication. I'm only beginning to appreciate Preach My Gospel and this week a lot of things have been coming together for me. I feel that the Lord is directing us in this area. The computers all shut down in this cafe a few minutes ago so I've just got a second to write. I think the camera thing will be taken care of in a week -- don't worry about sending anything.
Dad! You're in my prayers! Best of luck in all the new responsibilities. I love you all and everybody have fun in school and the new year!
With love,
Elder Loren Peck
