Maligayang Pasko

Maligayang Pasko!!

Best time of the year no doubt. It doesn't get better than Christmas for me honestly. We had a fun week here and I'm thankful I was able to spend this Christmas being a missionary. Different from past years but I know it's an experience I'll remember throughout my life.

As far as the work goes this week not as much got done because of our mission Christmas party on Wednesday and people in general just being so busy. We were however able to get some new investigators and gave out tons of pass along cards and pamphlets. Some of our investigators lately haven't been great keeping commitments so we're doing our best to find those who are really interested. A highlight was being able to attend a baptism for the other companionship. Minutes before it started, I was asked to give a talk on the Holy Ghost. It actually went well and it helped me realize my language is a little better than I sometimes think. 

Anyways Wednesday we had the mission Christmas party which was super fun. It's always good to get to know new Elders and talk to the others i've met so far. We just played some games, made projects for the mission to give to kids, watched a nativity, ate super good food (and real ice cream) and watched "the fourth wiseman" which was funny and had a really good message. It talks about a wise man who tried to go find Jesus the night he was born, got lost in the wilderness, but found a group of people in which he ended up helping serve for years and years. Most people didn't really like him either. This whole time however he still wanted to meet Jesus Christ, and at the end of the movie after all of this time serving and getting no recognition he finally got to see Him. Jesus said "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto me." It just reminded me that the best service is when others don't see and we aren't looking for personal recognition. We need to remember to worry about what God thinks of us, not others. We will be blessed so much and truly grow if we can show this pure love for God and His children.

Christmas day itself was a good one. Fun to talk to the fam for sure. Right after i finished we ate lunch and just got back to work. The streets were loaded with people, parties, food, and "babylonian music" haha. People were extra nice too since it was Christmas and i guess also because most of them were drunk. We just talked to as many people as possible and tried to get a few return appointments. One experience though for me on Christmas was when I woke up i went out to our little deck and looked down at the street and saw an old man cleaning up trash on the street. This is a job that literally pays nothing and it just hit me super hard that morning seeing him walking along alone on Christmas morning cleaning the dirty streets of Tondo. It made me really thankful, once again, for everything I've been blessed with. I'm glad that I have a knowledge of this gospel as well, and for the peace and purpose it brings to my life. Not sure why some of us are blessed with more than others, but I know God is the master architect over all things and we need to trust in His ways. I'm sure He's got a great plan for all people. 

I read a cool scripture the other day, Moroni 7:41 "And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise." I'm thankful for God's perfect love for us and for Him sending His son Jesus Christ here to the earth. It must've been hard for Christ for sure, but I'm sure it was just as hard for God. But they both knew that it had to be done so we could all return back to God. I'm thankful we can have hope of being worthy in God's eyes as we continue to do our best. Through the atonement we can all make it. We all have our hard times, but it's to help us grow and become like Him. The atonement reminds me that my problems and stresses are literally so small, especially in an eternal perspective. When I think something doesn't make sense or something isn't fair I can always fall back on Christ's example. He lived a perfect life and did nothing but tried to help people, yet he was still rejected and crucified. I hope you will all take some time to realize your strengths, and think of how God must be proud of you. Think of small ways you can change to continue to grow and become more like Him. Always try to follow his example and look for positives in everyone and everything around you. Be anxiously engaged in a good cause and always lift where you stand :) I hope we will accept the Atonement in our lives and stretch our hand out to his waiting arms. He wants to help us but we must let him.

Have a good week. Love you all! There's a slight chance of me being transferred the 28th, but probably not. Basically all missionaries in this mission stay in their first area for 6 months, we'll have to see though!

Mahal ko po kayo! Elder Reber

Ward Christmas Party

Mission Christmas Party 

This sweet sister is so good to the missionaries!