11 Enero

Sunday Afternoon.

It has been a fairly uneventful week. I finished a couple of paintings that I liked. We exercised 4 days. We attended meetings and went with the missionaries to teach James.  I studied Tagalog three mornings and learned a bit, but I can't remember what I studied before . . . so I can't say I learned. (No memory, no learning)We hauled district leaders to interview a baptism candidate whose parent won't allow the baptism. We started apartment checks with Dao, Hamtic, and San Jose. We will go again Thursday to Sibalom, Bugasong, Tibiao and Culasi. I went to Bugasong with President Amar and Brother Mark Cabreros to church. Sister S went to San Jose.

We look forward to a restful afternoon and evening. This coming week we have a few things lined-up, but not much. We will do English testing, a big zone conference at the mission home, apartment checks in Iloilo, and whatever else we can squeeze in . . . James we hope.

Adding a few pictures. I may already have put some of these on, but I am not going to check. Some are new.

Elders Nocom and Suerte. Elder Suerte, right, is going home this next transfer, about two weeks. We will miss him. We think Elder Nocom may be transferred out because he has been in Dao for quite a while. We will definitely miss him too. Two good men.

From the left: Elder Tracy, Elder Borboran, Elder Chapman and Elder Tolentino. Four more good guys.

From left: Sister Smith, Sister Haun, SisterFantone and Sister Cristano. They are great and after teaching here in San Jose. Serious Sister missionaries

Zone Leaders, Elder Panganiban and Elder Ramos. Elder P is going home soon, in Elder Suerte's batch and Elder Ramos has been here for some time. We shall see what happens at transfer. Two more good men. Elder Panganiban loves purple and is a lot of fun and he is very kind.

Christmas tree decoration in Hamtic Plaza. Sister S took this, thinking it was pretty unusual . . .  She is right.

It's a fourple. Not a big thing here, but I snapped it quick last evening while we waited for missionaries to give them a lift to San Jose.

I have been enjoying my BoM study. In 2 Nephi. I really like that book. It is full of meat. I love the Song/Psalm of Nephi, 2 Nephi 4: 17 thru 35. These verses make me feel closer to Nephi as he describes his very human feelings of being easily set upon by sin. He is such a hero that I can only be in awe of him, but he describes human weakness. Then, he counts his blessings and his knowledge of the Atonement and says, ". . . why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow . . . " Because of the Atonement, verse 26, "And why should I yield to sin . . . why should I give way to temptations . . . " Then in verse 27, "Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin . . ." Because of the Savior, we can move forward always, why droop in sin and sorrow. We can repent. Thanks oh my Father in Heaven for the Plan of Salvation, for The Savior's key role, for repentance, for mercy and long suffering.