A Missionary's Work: Our Focus

4/17/17

Wow! So here's the update this week. It's been really crazy!
So the highlights:
1- I was transferred to an area called Paco Roman, a super small area that's close to my last area but in a different zone (all of my areas so far are within an hour of each other).

2- It's Holy Week here which is a big holiday type deal but all week, which means a lot of partying it up, which also means a lot of drunks. I actually saw a drunk guy try to kill another drunk guy with two knives, but maybe the other guy didn't go overboard with wetting the whistle because he had a really long piece of wood and took the other guy out. Apparently people are pretty used to it and everyone just sat and watched. I was sort-of shocked nobody did anything (btw I was soo ready to tackle the guy #wrestlingcomesinhandy)

3- My new area is sooo bukid, or farm area, that there isn't even a market to buy food for the week, use the computer, and anything else like that. But the new area and new companion are awesome! And now I have to learn a new language (As soon as I think I'm actually pretty good at Tagalog, I have to learn a new one), it's called Ilokano. Apparently more common in America is Ilokano and Tagalog.

Here's some random things you can always find in a house here: rice, sandals, something relating to Christ, and a TV. Well, we're doing good and my new companion is Elder Basas and he's really good at basketball and even better at ping pong (like the Olympic players, it's a really big sport here).

So here's something that just happened right now as we're in the cpu shop. The owner is disabled and as we're talking about the mission and such, he says to me "I was born disabled, but through a loving God and loving parents, I am surviving and alive. I know if I do the right things in the sight of God, I will be with them in heaven. The blessings will come, I know they will." Now doesn't that touch your heart? He's my new friend and he knows more about God and life than a log of people I have met here. He is focused on Christ and on loving other people. Now why can't we do as such? Love and serve people, not making enemies, and truly with no doubt have faith in Christ. We can only go where we point our focus, so why not point toward Christ? I know as we do so, we'll become more like the person He wants us to be. I love you all and challenge you to focus on Christ this week. Think about him before work, in stressful moments, and always. Love you all! Here's some pics!

Elder Peterson