Day 188 Carcar, Philippines wait. what. it's DECEMBER????

Soooooooo, it's still green here. And hot. And I'm still getting sunburned. But it's Christmas time! My mind is boggled. I'm sweaty, but I have weird desires to drink hot chocolate and bundle up next to a fireplace. :)

Sorry last week's email was so short. This one probably will be too. It was just an ordinary week. Just a normal week of PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL! :) And yes, you guessed right, nothing much for Thanksgiving. I wrote a few thank-you letters to some people but that was about it. BUT my suitcase came that day!!! Um, mom you sent way too much stuff! I can't believe there were so many donations! I'm blown away by how much people want to help. Thank you thank you thank you to everyone!

We're teaching this brother named Matt who's a volunteer choir conductor at the local Catholic church. He's only 21, but he's super involved in the community and church and stuff. We've taught him several times and he's way receptive! Right now, he's committed to baptism and has a date for next month. We've been teaching him about the priesthood and it's really starting to click with him. He asks great questions like "Is there a hell?" or "How can I prepare to be baptized?"---the kinds of questions missionaries love to answer.

I've really been enjoying FTE-ing and OST-ing: Finding the Elect and On the Spot Teaching. We've found some really elect and prepared people. At the close of one of our OSTs, the investigator asked God all the questions answered in the Plan of Salvation pamphlet: Where did I come from? What is my purpose? Where am I going? I couldn't help but grin during the prayer. She told us she missed hearing the word of God. We're finding so many people that have been missing the word of God---really, so many people keep saying it! I think since we're a newer area, the people haven't been used to missionaries yet, so they're open to hear what we have to say. We're paving the way for so many lives to be touched! It's so exciting. Finding is definitely my favorite (especially when we go to a really bukid area where they haven't really seen white people before and their faces are sooooo shocked! i can't help but laugh every time).

I got splashed by a coconut the other day. I was walking in a darkish area along a little path next a rice field, when i hear this giant crash. Then I realize i'm covered in mud! Turns out, a coconut had fallen and splashed me! My glasses were covered, so we stopped by a member's house to hose off. The member was like WHAT HAPPENED?? funny stuff.

I feel more or less back to normal, whatever normal is. I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has all power to heal us, no matter what we have been through. I know I can do all things with his strength, understanding, and enabling power. I was reading the Living Christ during my personal study, and I just can't think of a better explanation of the meaning of Christmas. :) Read it again!

LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOO MUCH! :)

My bukid area with Sister Zamora! Yes those are goats in the background :)

The Baran family's tricycle. :)