Letter 9 (Syem): I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

Hey Panimalay and Mga Abyan!

Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas season! I know I did! I can't believe tomorrow is New Years Eve!

58F in the house because of a temperamental heater just sounds terrible. Would you all believe me when I say that I'm wearing a jacket for a second day in a row? I don't know the official temperature or anything, but it's been stormy here (aka, the clouds haven't gone away for 2.5 days, and it rains on and off depending on the weather's mood). Saturday I was getting a bit chilled, and we were invited to this dinner of the Stake President's family (turns out it was actually a Christmas party), and it was on the roof of the building, and I had goosebumps! It probably wasn't even that cold! (by Utah Standards in the summer)

And I get cold at district meeting too, because the air-con (Air conditioning) Actually works really well. I'm sure some of you are shaking your heads going, "Wow, only Sister Smith." 

Star Lanterns

It's really sad, they're taking down their Christmas lights (or not lighting them anymore) and that's how I first had the Philippines, so it doesn't very complete with all the decorations coming down. . .

The week before Christmas was really great! We talked to a lot of new people, got some new investigators, and taught our current investigators and had some awesome experiences. Then Christmas happened. . . It's great that everyone is spending time with their families. . . Out of Town! Yep, all the members that normally work with us were gone, and our investigators weren't home much either. But hey, after New Years, that Speed Bump should be gone, and we can get back to normal!

I made my first Filipino food! Pansit! it's actually super great! It's rice noodles, carrots, cabbage, pork, and soysauce. That's pansit. And syempre (of course) it goes over rice. It's supposed to be easy (Though I decided to make it in the most infective and long way possible.)

I've reached that point again. . where I don't know what to talk about. Maybe that's because I just talked and talked and talked during skype time. I've run out of things to say!

Maybe because I'm thinking of a verse I came across in my scriptures.

1 Nephi 6:6  Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men.

And I thought about how my journal, and my letters home are kind of like my own plates. So I should make sure not just to make an account on large plates (A history, stories, things about the Philippines, normal journal-ing at the end of the day) and also remember to make Small plates (Like a Scripture Journal!), and remember to account for the spiritual in my week. So. . . Thinking about it.

The ward is so amazing here. You know it's small when you literally only have 2 Young Men, and that's all you really need to effectively pass the Sacrament. The ward is so inviting, and they're so good about fellow-shipping members (as most of them are converts themselves). Even though they're busy people, they still find time to work with the missionaries, and we're very grateful, because they are so wonderful. They are so much better at explaining the more difficult parts of the gospel that we just don't have the vocabulary for yet.

Daily Planning by Candlelight

So Last night when it was raining, and we'd come in for the day, a brownout decided to happen! I'm used to them in the morning, but that just means that the fan doesn't work, and we continue to use sunlight. Luckily I keep my flashlight in my bag, and with that Sister Massé was able to pull out two candles for a Daily Planning By Candle Light! (How. . . romantic? Jokes!)

anyway, I love you all so much! Have a Happy New Year!