Dec 14-26, 2010

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!! =) I hope you all had a awesome Christmas. Christmas is totally different in the mission field and in the Philippines. So it has been a fun, busy 2 weeks. Like every night there were groups of kids and teenagers "caroling". But the caroling here is way different, the soul purpose of it is to get money. They bang on cans or play guitars and they all sing the same songs. A lot of times it is just a few little kids goin around late at night. Crazy.
We had meetings these last two weeks, special training the first week, where afterwards the assistants and even the mission president and his wife split up and went proselyting with us. One of the assistants went with me and my comp. It was fun and i learned alot from him. Then we had Zone Conference the next week, where we just asked President some questions and concerns we have as missionaries. It was good.
These last two Saturdays we cleaned the church, one time we had some youth help us out but the other time it was just me and my comp. But we got it done in 1 and 1/2 hours, which is pretty good. We wanted the church cleaned because we had a Baptism. Sister Geraldine, 19, got baptised. I was afraid she wouldn't be fellowshipped in the church because there were no members who went with us to teach her. But with the Christmas parties at the church and at the members houses she made alot of friends.

The Christmas parties were way fun, one with the branch, where we had alot of games and food.

Then a Christmas party with just the missionaries. We had games, food and a gift exchange/swap. It was alot of fun. So I had a pretty fun Christmas even though i was away from my family for the first time. On the actual day of Christmas we worked a little then went to 2 member's houses to eat and have FHE. The work is doin pretty good. We are finding new investigators and they are also priesthood so that is way awesome. Cuz the branch is really short on priesthood.

This was the lst week of the transfer and my companion, Elder Niar, is now done with his mission. So I will get a new companion and i am excited for this coming transfer. I probably will be senior companion. Well everything is going great. Love you all. Elder Pennock