Heavenly Father knows YOU!

I want to tell you about the best experience I've had on my mission, maybe my life. On p-day a couple of weeks ago, me and my comp were emailing and some really obnoxious, annoying teenage boys were playing some dumb video games and yelling and cursing at it. Both me and my comp felt the spirit leave. We both realized we really love the spirit and really love the things of the Lord, like the scriptures and the spirit and not stupid video games. So, when we got to our house and got ready to start daily planning for the next day I chose a hymn to sing, the opening song, Joseph Smith's First Prayer. It was in tagalog of course. And that invited the spirit which we really wanted to feel and have again. So then I gave the opening prayer to further invite the spirit and as soon as I addressed our Heavenly Father (Ama po namin sa langit), I was filled, over come with the love of our Heavenly Father and the spirit. And I immediately started crying, bawling even, right after I said his name. And I cried through out my prayer. I was fully overwhelmed by the love of God. I know he loves us, each and everyone of us, and he knows us and what we are going through. I felt his love and it was like he was there around me embracing me. I cried like I never had before. And after the prayer my comp gave me a big hug and said he feels the spirit. That was the greatest experience I have had and I'm glad I had it early in my mission.
I got transferred to a new area. Way up at the top, closer to the equator! But it's way sweet. My new area is Bani But I live in Alaminos with two other elders. My new comp is Elder Westwood from Utah. He is awesome. And we live with Elder Muliain, a Samoan from Australia and his comp Elder Gerbolingo, who's Filipino. All 3 of these elders are so tight. It was fun to be with other elders. It was so boring before. :) Our house is good too. We got one room with air conditioning so we do pretty much everything in there. =) Eat, study, sleep. It's awesome! Oh and it's way cool I am up here in Alaminos with Sis. Anderson who was in my district in the MTC. So it's sweet to see her again. My area is cool. We have to travel to it everyday though, but it's not to far. Our branch in Bani is way cool. Much bigger than in San Marcelino. And the church building is huge, 2 stories. And it's cool to live in Alaminos cuz it's a pretty big city and it has everything - mall, McDonald's, supermarket and stuff. And the couple missionaries up here are way awesome too, the Ashcrafts from Idaho. They are our mom and dad/grandma and grandpa here. Oh yeah - we got a lot of good investigators too. Two girls had their baptismal interview this Saturday and their baptism is this next Sunday, May 2. So yeah, I'm doing great. Language is still iffy. But I talk a lot and say as much as I can. Ano ang pinagkakaabalahn ninyo? I just learned that and I say that all the time. I want to learn how to ask why are you looking at me, cuz everyone is looking at me, mostly the kids and the ladies, the guys just say Hey Joe! or What's up man! So yeah. Mahal ko kayo. Ingat. Hangang sa muli. E. Pennock

First Transfer = New Comp & New Area

So my first transfer is over now. It went so fast! And now I am getting transferred to another area with a new comp. The members are so awesome. Especially when they give us food. =) Even some investigators give us food. Its great. For meals we eat rice and either fish or pork. It's good, masarap. And for snacks, like mangos, a lot of mangos, sweet potato, gabi (a kind of potato, I don't know if that's the right spelling, but that's masarap too).
I bought this sweet battery charger in Olongapo for 800 pesos. It's awesome, for AA and AAA and it came with AA batteries, great purchase =)
The kids are awesome. When they ask what my name is I say pare! (bro/dude). They are calling me that now. haha. Sweet. This one kid was telling me a story and I couldn't understand anything, just tapos, at tapos. (which means then and then) It was so funny. He was telling me a really long story too.
Earlier today we played basketball, just me and my comp cuz none of the young ment showedup. It was fun though. I started kickin and juggling the basketball and heading it in the hoop cuz I miss soccer.
Yeah Brianhead is so cool. That's awesome you guys are getting good.
I'm starting to see some things of how the Philippines are good for me. One thing is the filipino time - always 20 minutes late. I have been on filipino time my whole life =). And you would love this place Dad, everyone wears flipflops everywhere and eat mangos and it's awesome.
I was thinking this week how crazy our message really is. How Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ came to a 14 year old boy and restored his church by calling him as a prophet. Really crazy and hard to believe. But I know it's true.

Elder Gillet & General Conference

Holy Cow! or Ano ba iyan! that's so crazy that I could be related to Elder Gillet. His full name is Jarod Ammon Gillet. His dad is in the navy or some kind of military so they have lived all over. They live in Kansas right now. I think they are planning to go to colorado. That's so cool though. He is going to join us on exchanges again this friday. It's awesome.
Haha. Everyone has raccoon eyes. That's so funny. That's sweet you had a fun time. Oh sweet! You got the stuff from the mission president. Cool huh? The pictures of me, Elder Davies, Elder Alms and Sister Andersen and our comps. Way cool. We are doin great. I don't know how Alms is doin. But I figure he is doin good. No news is good news because I heard from Pres. Aquino that Sis. Andersen got sick. Hope she is better now. And Davies is doin awesome. I see him a lot since he is in my zone.
Yeah - general conference was totally the best. Elder Gillett said he looks forward to general conference more than the holidays. even before his mission. We got to watch it in English a week later than you. But it was great. All about Christ, really centered on Christ and strengthening the family, and avoiding temptations and enduring well through trials and learning from them.
Mahal kita mom. Is anything new and exciting goin on in the world? I'm even farther away from the USA now than in the MTC. Everything goin good? Love you. Miss you. Oh and it really touched me and made me miss you when one speaker talked about mothers and their love and how the love of a mother is the closest to the love of the Lord and of our Heavenly Father. Really thought provoking.
I love you - Elder Pennock

A Brownout

So sorry there was a blackout, or as they say here in the Philippines, a brownout. We were in Olongapo buying stuff and getting money for the month. So we were busy all day. I was so bummed when the brownout happened. I haven't eaten anything very crazy. Just small squids a couple times, and a whole fish all the time. At this single adult activity some people in my branch caught some tiny shrimp and ate those raw. They wanted me to eat it, but I really don't want tot get sick. The other missionaries like Elder Davies ate balut (the duck egg, with the fetus) Yikes! haha.
Yeah I get to watch conference this sat and sun the 10th and 11th and its in english :) We watch it at the stake center in San Antonio. That's so funny, Q was on the toilet during the earthquake. hahaha. I miss him. I miss all you guys. That's awesome about Lori. And yeah about the money I go to Olongapo or a bank every month and get the money for the whole month.
Yeah, I ride the jeepneys quite often and the buses. But the little trikes, tricycles, I ride those all the time. they are all so small :) Yeah I still have the stickers. I give them to little kids and some to members. Usually when some kids are following me for a long time I give them stickers. And then they go away. :) hahaha
I am still doin awesome. I'm almost done with my first transfer! I miss you. I love you. Elder Pennock