Dear Family,
It's a brand new year and a brand new start in. . . I don't know where yet! Tomorrow is the big day: Transfers. I got a note from President Puzey saying happy birthday and that they'd see me sometime this next week in my new area.
But for now, I've been working for a week in Palayan City, Bongabon Zone, (In Nueva Ecija) with Elder Alcibor -- who I went on splits with occasionally in Paniqui and who is one of my favorite Elders! I sure was surprised last Monday evening to know that I'd be out of the office on Thursday -- right before Christmas. I had a lot to think about. We'd just had some great lessons with some investigators in Sapang Bato, and we'd taught Brother Sibal about the Word of Wisdom, which he accepted. He and his wife both came to church last Sunday even though he was dead tired because of his graveyard shift. Sister Sibal said she wanted them to be baptized together, and hopefully Elder Landingin and Elder Williams (the new AP from New Zealand) got around to teaching them last thursday evening.
My last two transfers where some of the best in my mission. I love Elder Landingin and learned so much from him -- It's amazing the way we could work things out. Elder Landingin will be in charge of all the training, and he'll probably be in the office one or two more transfers. I just took Elder William's place in the field for a week, he was a zone leader here in Palayan. Poor guy, he only knew on Tuesday that he was leaving thursday noon, and he missed Christmas with all of his investigators. I feel like this is my area now, even though I'll be leaving tomorrow. I think I'd be just fine here for a long time -- but anywhere is okay!
On Christmas day first off we met a family that became new investigators -- poor mom was busy doing laundry on Christmas day and they let us right in to teach. We taught another 4 lessons and it was a very normal day! But every day here is full of the spirit of Christmas, so we're just lucky! I woke up at 6:30, exercised, then opened gifts! It was a special morning because I put on Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Music. For breakfast we had boiled eggs and dried fish, then at lunch a part member family invited us over. It was a birthday/christmas, and they shared their meager lunch of menudo, rice, and some homemade coconut salad. It's touching that whatever they have they're so happy to share. That evening we cooked up some barbecue to have with our rice, and we called it a day! Elder Alcibor is an incredible cook and an incredible teacher. He was a convert for only one year before coming here. He formerly taught professionally and cooked at the family carinderia. He's still the only member in his family (he's the youngest of 12). On the 27th, he cooked Filipino style spaghetti for my birthday, and we cooked up 2.2 pounds of it. There is still a lot in the Fridge and we've been eating it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Also on my birthday an investigator made us soman (from a sort of sweet potato) and a recent convert family invited us to teach during their family home evening. I took some balloons to give to the kids and they had a good time popping them. We've been hitting the area hard, finding this week. We've taught many new families and there are also 4 investigators preparing for baptism on January 15.
Christmas day was kind of a special day. Our last appointment was with a man named Emil, about 40 years old, who always comes to church and had kept from smoking for 10 days now. Poor guy, he's all alone right now and while he was reading on Christmas day, he saw some coins he'd forgotten about under his tv and he couldn't resist going down the road a ways to his neighbor's tindahan, and he bought 3 cigarettes. NO! He was heart-broken when we got there. The first thing he said was "Elders! I'm sorry. I sinned earlier." The poor man was so ashamed, he's been doing everything to be baptized -- his brother and sister in law are recent converts. We ended up having a really spiritual visit about the Atonement, reading from Alma. I remembered feeling at times what Emil was feeling, just struggling with disappointment and discouragement, and I felt so strongly while we were with him that the Savoir is so understanding and loving. Those feelings are just what he needs to bring him out of his addiction and we were able to promise him that in time he'll be completely free and his sins will be "blotted out". I know that's true.
Rachel asked how New Years is celebrated here. With lots and lots of illegal fireworks is the answer. And usually there's some bottles going round. Last year there was an early curfew, I'm not sure if there will be this year. Happy 2010, while it's still here!
Love you all so much! I'm glad Christmas was so good there, but you just can't top a christmas day in the mission field! Sorry!
Love, Elder Loren Peck
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