One Year! One Year?

Dear Family,
I've got to start out with a big thanks to the awesome, Primary for the poster, pictures, and signatures! Everybody here was shocked that you were all just one ward. I was proud to point out 4 of them as siblings. And I loved the newsletter. I was going to send home the hammock, but we've put it to better use on our front porch.

Hard work really is the secret. I love how creativity leads to improvement of the surroundings. I read again Elder Uchdorf's talk about creativity as an inborn Godly attribute, the article she pointed out to me a year and a half ago -- (about the greasy eggs, burnt toast, and feeling like a hero). I'm really excited for general conference, but are ya'll sure it's been 6 months? Did we skip a month somewhere? Today is the first day of Holy Week, which was TOTALLY WILD in my first area (I arrived to the field in the middle of holy week last year -- yikes, have I been here a year? I guess I've experience the whole weather cycle! And . . . there's not much to it.) I'm just glad I'm farther away from Pampanga this year, where people are actually taking turns crucifying themselves this Friday. There's only a little excitement here in Nueva Ecija. The Campaigning started this week -- that's wild, sure is different here.

Brother Presas didn't plan on serving a short time mission but got talked into it, and it's a good thing his stake president was persuasive! He's the oldest of 5, is Kapampangan, and he is so talented and hard working. We hit it off really good and I wish we had more time together, but he's headed home on April 9 -- bad news because my new companion comes on April 22. The missionary in San Isidro (technically part of Lupao, but 7 kilometers away) has the same problem starting on April 5, and it may happen that we get paired for two weeks. Which would be wild because we're both American (who haven't gone two by two for 20 years in this mission) and we're both from Utah. We'll see what happens! We have interviews on Friday, and I'm looking forward to a good (and hopefully long) talk with President Puzey.

Jervie Capistrano returned his borrowed motorcycle and is now pumping the pedals on a too-small bike he painted hooked up to a fish-bowl sidecar. He's got all the social gatherings and happenings in Lupao memorized, he knows where the fish-bowl selling is going to happen and when for the next month. The menu? There's fish-bowl, chicken bowl, squid bowl, one day old deep fried chicken, among a lot of other things I don't know, with his special sauce. We ran into him on the street two nights ago and it looked like business is booming. The town fiesta is on April 8,9,10, and 11. But he didn't make it to church! His soon to be wife came, but he had to run an errand in San Jose. We'll see him tomorrow. On our last visit we met at the Elders Quorum President's home, where the Degusman couple testified about the beauty of the temple sealing to Brother Capistrano. They were sealed back in December. Ronnel's baptism was moved to the 17th of April, he was sick yesterday, and we haven't finished the lessons yet. We've had some success getting some long-time inactives to church yesterday. We got to give a short workshop for the ward leaders, and we've been invited to sit in with the ward council next week as they discuss the ward mission plan. We're using what Elder Ko taught and things look like their really going to come together.

I love you all, and things are going great here!
Love,
Elder Loren Peck

Happy Birthday Dad & Congratulations Rachel!

Dear Family,

Wow! Thanks for the great letter! Congratulations to Rachel! I liked the commentary, I was on the edge of my seat here reading about the BEE. I'll tell ya', my spelling has gone out the window, but I'm enjoying tagalog spelling. This morning I read in the tagalog liahona about somebody's experience in 'hayskul'. Yes -- phonetics. By the way, I hope you can send that Ensign article you mentioned a month ago. Chris, thanks for making that fence -- I'm sweating just thinking about all that work. And really, sweating all the time. It's HOT. Summer is here and I have to laugh as I see the weeds in our front yard shrivelling up. It's beginning to look a lot like southern utah. I'm now the taste-tester again, and I've learned 3 new dishes, including a better paksiw, sinigang, and tinola. mmm. . . sarap.

Things have really been falling into place again this week. The sun is starting to come out from it's hiding place, and the tough times of the past few weeks have started to soften in my memory. Elder Maandig sent a short email to President saying only: 'dear president, I'm sorry, it was my fault, --Elder Maandig' That's all the news I've heard from him. Things are returning to normal and as I turn to Heavenly Father and learn from the past, he has comforted me and helped me from day to day. Thank you all so much for your unfailing support and love. I love you all.

In the area, our most progressing investigator came to church for the 4th time, an 18 year old named Ronnel Carig. He's amazing, especially when it comes to studying. He started keeping the Word of WIsdom before we even taught it, and he's become part of the ward. We've still got a lot to teach him, but we're feeling really good about him. I'm so sad about Brother Capistrano! He's such a good guy -- he's starting a new business on Wednesday, biking a 'fish-bowl'. It's a step up from dried fish, and he's got a great mind for business. But he let it get in the way of church yesterday as he was painting his new fish-bowl-er-sidecar. His brother-in-law comes home from his mission on April 1. We'll see what happens. Sister Galecia came to church yesterday, she is doing a lot better. Great news! I've been teaching piano lessons for about 6 weeks, once a week in our service time, and yesterday, my student played the piano in sacrament meeting! It was great to sit in the congregation and hear everybody say, 'hey, Darius knows how to play the piano?' He did a great job and once he gets 12 hymns down, we think we can get him a keyboard from a church program. I'm feeling pretty happy about that. Jason Alambra was baptized by Gerald Gonzales and confirmed. He's doing great.

Elder Ko had some great things for us. The thing that really stuck out to me was what he taught about working with the ward. He said: 'do you think you have the responsibility for missionary work in your units? You don't! The bishop has the responsibility and more importantly, the right to inspiration for the vision and plans for the ward mission. The missionaries are just his full-time resources to put that vision or plan into action.' He told us to think of ourselves as tools offering help, wanting to serve and work in the Mission Plan, and discouraged us from flipping things around. That was a great thing to hear, because it's just too much for us to handle when we start to take responsiblity for retention, reactivation, AND conversion. He reminded us that we are only there for 4 months, the bishop is there for years, and has a bigger view, as well as the inspiration. We just have to serve him and make plans happen. It really helped me realize my purpose in the ward. I'm so excited about what's going on over there, dad! Big things are sure to happen.

I love you all! Thanks so much again for all the news!

Love, Elder Loren Peck

"It's so nice to know there are jackalopes around!"

Hi everyone! Last week we received another email from Loren stating, "On Saturday my companion grabbed his bag and disappeared while I was in the shower. I knew all sorts of experiences were ahead of me . . .but some you never expect, and this one has just about worn me out emotionally."

Loren was paired with some returned missionaries in his ward until a short-term missionary could get there. Loren is still serving as district leader. This should explain some of the things he talks about in this letter.

-- Kerry

Dear Family,

Thanks for the great letter, it sure was a boost this week. Thanks so much for putting my name in the temple, I'll tell ya'll what -- it's been a week full of miracles. On thursday we traveled to Angeles and I was just feeling sick because I knew I was going to be asked upwards of a thousand times what had happened to my companion and I was just tired inside. Before the main meeting started I looked up and saw President Puzey looking at me and he smiled a big smile and I couldn't help but smile as well and I knew everything was going to be okay.

Before the announcement the short term missionary gave his testimony and he said among other things that he was going to go out, be a friend to his new companion, and work hard. After the meeting I got to talk with the Puzeys. Sister Puzey put both hands on my shoulders and said "Don't think for a minute that anybody blames you, not for a second". It was what I needed to hear, and those two gave me the comfort I needed and the strength to head out and start again. On Friday morning I woke up to find my new companion, Brother Presas, cleaning out our fridge and cooking breakfast for us, and I just got on my knees and I cried. The Lord is so good to me. He is so good. Not a week ago I read the talk of Elder Wirthlin: Come what may, and love it, where he says that every tear shed today will be followed by a thousand tears of joy as part of the Lord's law of compensation. I don't know everything that happened, I don't have an idea about everything that will happen, I just know I love the the Lord and I love His work. And I know, without a doubt, that He loves me. I'm not sure why life is always so unfair in my favor. There are so many around me that love me no matter what, I just feel so spoiled by the blessings of a family like ya'll and leaders that are always there for me.

It's been a great week and Brother Presas is amazing. I wish for the world that he was called here in this mission, but he's leaving in mid april for the Davau Philippines mission. We've really hit it off and it has been so good to have a companion again. I missed having a companion. Elder Thorn, my MTC companion just moved into our zone as the other district leader, and I can tell we've both changed so much. We had a great time earlier catching up and I've got all the respect in the world for him. Earlier Brother Presas and I mopped the floor and cleaned the bathroom and uncovered the original surface. I took pictures of the apartment. I'm an Americano for sure, I just had to buy that hammock earlier for 3 bucks -- I'll send a package home sometime in the next 3 months with the camera card.

Great news! Elder Ko is doing a mission tour TOMORROW and he'll be looking at our area books -- (yikes!) and I'm really excited. We'll be in Cabanatuan. The work is rolling on and Gerald Gonzales' referral came to church for the 3rd time yesterday. Gerald himself was set apart as the Elders Quorum 2nd counselor and will participate in Baptisms for the dead this Saturday.

This might be the happiest news for me: Last Saturday Carla Zamorah from "Ligtasan" street in Capas, Tarlac finally joined her parents as a member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. Their family is now complete! Their youngest son is already waiting on the other side, and now, in a year they can all go to the temple to be sealed for time and all eternity! I have their picture on my board and I cannot forget that family! I heard this week that they still have my picture in a frame with other pictures in their living room. The things that happened in the conversion of that family helps me know that my time here is well spent -- those times and memories may well be some of the only treasure we can take into the next life and enjoy for eternity.

I love the Lord, I love the mission, and I feel your support, especially in times like these. Thank you so much for everything!

Love your son and brother, Elder Loren Peck

Planning by Candlelight!

Dear Family,

I think everyone who wrote last night wrote that it was a "normal week". Mine was not. Wow, it's been a wild one. Here's just a few of the smaller things that happened:

I couldn't email yesterday because there was a province wide brown out that lasted almost the entire day. We were all practiced because earlier this week the power company cut the power to our home and we were in the dark for 24 hours because we didn't pay the bill. The person delivering the bill couldn't find us at home so he gave the bill to one of our neighbors and they hadn't given it to us yet. A power outage for us means no electricity and no clean water. We pump all our water from a hand pump out behind the house. It's dirty water, so we have to clorox it. But out back is where we bathe while we're pumpin', and the sun's coming up . . . that's an experience! Good thing the back walls are high! After our night with no electricity we got our hands on the bill and paid, and within 6 hours it was back -- thank goodness -- running water is such a blessing!

A lot more happened as well that I'll write about in another email. Yesterday was transfer announcements and it turns out I'll have a new companion here in Lupao, a short time missionary that will be here for only 5 weeks. I'm excited, it'll be a good experience -- It means I'll be here in Lupao for at least 3 more months and that's a good thing because I'm just starting to get close to all the members and investigators. One of Gerald's referrals, Ronnel Carig, has come to church 2 times and is seriously investigating. He'll turn 19 this month and he came to activities this week and Bishop Cruz has really taken to him, along with all the other members. He's a good guy. He's got a goal date on April 3rd. We have a baptism coming up on the 19th -- a youth who's dad passed away and who's mom has been in another country for work for 3 years. He's come to church 11 times and is amazing for being 12 years old. He's qualified himself by every standard, and just waiting for us and for the interview on Friday. Sister Violeta's children came to church again but Sister herself didn't make it, she was washing clothes. Brother Capistrano didn't make it either, but he and his wife are moving closer to working on the marriage arrangements. There's been some good progress and we met a promising new family -- teaching the gospel is such a good experience when it's to an entire family, the doctrine is more applicable and families are just fun to teach. They are former investigators that were about to be baptized 2 years ago when they moved to Pangasinan. Now they say they want to be taught again. Mabanta is their family name.

I wrote last week I believe about our giving a blessing to Brother Galecia, who was suffering for quite some time. When I thought to give a blessing of healing, the words wouldn't come, and I blessed him instead with peace in his heart and heavenly help to ease his suffering. We visited one more time after that and in our short meeting an exhausted Brother Galecia looked at me and said that he was ready to leave, he was just waiting for the Lord to let him pass from his trial. A few days after that, Brother Galecia passed from this life to the next. As we were walking home past the Galecia home we noticed bishop and a few members inside, and we talked to Brother Galecia's wife just after he'd left his mortal body behind, and passed through the veil to a place where he will not know pain or sickness. I am so grateful to know the truths of the gospel and to be sure of Heavenly Father's eternal plan for us. I know he's planned all sorts of things for us, hard times and times of happiness, but it's all for our good, and to help us become like Him.

I love you all, family, and I am so grateful for your prayers and support. It means so much to me!

Love, Elder Loren Peck

Delicious! That's the best snail I've ever tasted!

Dear Family,
This week, Brother Capistrano, who is a great cook, made us a hot meal. I'll say it was one of the tastiest dishes I've ever had! It was a little different -- It's called suso. It's snails, gathered from somewhere up in the mountains, boiled in coconut milk, along with squash, green beans, and peppers. They break off the bottom tips of the snail shell so that you can more easily slurp out the insides. The snail itself is a little rubbery, but it had a really great taste. I only ate one, because although Brother Capistrano assured me it was perfectly clean, I'm still a little curious as to just how you clean a snail. And I don't want to take any risks. Rachel -- I'll try to get the recipe so you can try it at home. By the way I don't think I updated ya'll on the language here -- it's Ilokhano and I'm starting to learn some simple things -- enough to make the investigators laugh. I can say good night, thank you, before we start . . . , there aren't any people there, come here!, and "I'm guapo". It astounds me how many different languages there are here! It's wild, especially as the election draws near, I wonder, how do all these countrymen get along?
As far as the investigators, we had some great success yesterday! Brother Capistrano came with his wife. One of our investigators, Sister Violeta Bongato didn't make it, but three of her children came -- mom hopes to come next week. Another success is a new investigator, a referral of Gerald Gonzales. Gerald was baptized Jan 9, 2010, but he's already one of the strongest and most committed members of the ward. On Saturday he received the Melchizedek Priesthood and yesterday he gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting about repentance. He prepared for two weeks and used all sorts of resources and all 4 scriptures in his preparation. He is an amazing convert, and now he's helping all his friends and neighbors. He's on fire about the work, and he'll talk openly and honestly to his friends about his experience joining the church and the blessings he's received. We've taught several referrals in his home, and Ronnel is one. We toured the chapel with him on Saturday and on Sunday he was there -- early. He's still pretty young -- 18. The single adults are taking full responsibility for the fellowshipping. Yesterday we got around to giving a baptismal goal date and he was waiting for it. He's read the Introduction and testimonies in the front of the Book of Mormon, and now he's started in the Book of Nephi. He asked us how he would be sure that Heavenly Father was giving him an answer to his questions. We're excited about him.
The work is grueling sometimes, and when I hit the pillow at night, I'm worn out! As I look back over the past year, I see that most of the time has been spent doing hard work in difficult conditions. But there are a few moments that stand out like jewels. If you put them all together it would be a small percentage as far as hours go, but those moments are the best moments of my life. I believe my life up to this point has more worth because of those instances where I felt like I stood where Christ would have, and said what He would have. I have felt the overwhelming desire to help someone else, and that feeling of love gives me a reason to think that this is a very valuable time of life. I treasure the investigators I've been able to see baptized and I want so much for them to make it all the way.
I love you all! A lot! Thanks so much again for the letter, I love your letters and all the news.
Love, Elder Loren Peck