I also attached a picture of a small pineapple, that isn't really good for anything other than looking cute, which was definitely enough for me to buy it (for only 10 pesos!)
I also attached some pictures of what we ate at one of our Christmas dinners. (We had four dinners.)
There is a picture of the 4 of us in our apartment in Lubao.
There is also picture of Sister T and I with a bunch of little kids on Christmas. They basically swarmed in on us, so we decided to teach a short lesson about Christmas. They were very cute.
New Years was a bit terrifying. I was appreciate of our 6:00 curfew. Sister T said that it sounded like we were getting bombed, when 12 came. I somehow slept through it...
(I didn't write last week, because I talked to my parents.) The past two weeks have been so great. I've eaten 'Dinuguan' which is made with coagulated pig's blood. (I included some pictures of the pig that the ward bought for the ward Christmas Party. There is a picture of some ward members cooking it as well.) We also ate cow stomach/tongue at our Branch President's house for Christmas dinner. This week I learned how to make 'pansit' from one of the filipino sisters in our apartment which is very masarap.
One time my companion asked an old man in our lesson how he was doing, and he responded, "Mabuhay pa!" (I'm still alive!) It reminded me of something that Papaw would say.
On the 29th, we were in Santiago (Santiago is a smaller neighborhood, another 'barangay.') We walked to San Pedro which is easily my favorite area because it is a bit more quiet and calm than in the main area of Lubao. We walked through rice fields and it was the most alone we've been since I've been here. The sky is always changing here, and it feels alive. The stars come out around 7, after the sun goes down. It was incredibly beautiful and I felt humbled and grateful to be here.
Last night, we had an interesting lesson. We met at a member's house for dinner on New Years. We ate outside at a table with 6 other men (They were all members/friends from the neighborhood.) We weren't sure where the mother went, but the 8 of us just ended up eating together. We talked and laughed and they asked us questions about America. It was so great to be able to interact with them in a more casual setting. More laughing, etc.
After we ate, we had a discussion about faith. We shared Alma 32: 26-27 and we discussed "experimenting upon my words and exercise a particle of faith" and what that means. Despite it being a more participative and loud lesson, at the end we were able to have a few moments of quiet sincerity.
We have 4 investigators that want to be baptized, and 2 will probably happen this month. Missionary work is different than I thought it would be, and in some ways is how I thought it would be. I am beginning to appreciate and develop a love for this work and for people. (I am realizing that having the answers to every question that I've had isn't necessary right now. I think answers to my questions will come over many many years.)
I am continually amazed at what I find in the Book of Mormon. I feel like I am reading something that I have never read before. I am finding more than I have ever found previous to my mission.
Jacob 4:13-14 is very very full. Jacob 4:8 too. (John 1: 1, 14 is very interesting as well.)
Tagalog is coming coming coming. Some lessons, I feel like I can hardly speak, and then some lessons, I feel good about speaking.
I am happy.Love you all.
