I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Man am I so grateful for the new year ahead.
I am excited to tell you about Christmas in the Philippines as I am sure many of you may be anxious to know how Christmas is here.
Well in short the Filipinos love Christmas! Christmas time is marked here by paper star decorations and kids caroling in the street, lights and karaoke and lots and lots of good food!
It is such a fun time and a great time to be a missionary as I don't think I have ever had more food in my life! hahaha.
The people here are wonderful. I wish that I had the chance to bring you here and see the wonderful lessons that they are teaching me of service and of love and of humility and faith.
Yesterday, I spoke in sacrament meeting. As soon as I walked into the sacrament hall President Somera asked me if I would speak in 5 minutes. I was a bit worried, I had no time to prepare but I prayed. I asked that I would be able to speak with the power of the Holy Ghost and that I would be able to touch the lives of the people. I had no idea that I would be the one that would learn from the words I would say.
I shared the story of Christ walking on the sea of Galilee and Peter following him. It was a very tender experience for me as I realized the trials in the lives of these faithful saints who travel so far to go to church. Sometimes they have to chose between having money to get to church or money for their meal that night. It is such great faith I see that makes me marvel. I love them so much. And as I spoke, I felt a glimpse of the pain and heaviness that they feel and I started to get emotional. I know that just as the saints here in Gabaldon, no matter the sacrifice and the pain we go through now, that the joy and peace that will come here after is so much greater!
God loves us and He is guiding us as we choose to look to him!
As we look to a New Year let us strive to grow and become better servants and disciples of Christ. I know that as we do what we can and look to our Savior Jesus Christ we have no need to fear, but can believe! I love the joy of being a disciple of Jesus Christ.
I love you all!
ELDER MURDOCK
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