Christmas in Cauayan

From Alayna:  Below is Frasier's email from 12/26.  He has had weird p-days this holiday season.  We got to video talk with him on our Christmas Eve (his Christmas day) - it was AWESOME!  I should have taken more pictures of the people who joined him.  He was at the church and toward the end of the call, the branch started showing up for a Christmas party.  It was so sweet, a couple families came in to say hi, including Sister Abad who got baptized today!  Also, a bunch of little Filipino boys came in and were crawling all over Frasier!  They were sitting on his lap, looking over his shoulder, giving him hugs...it was so sweet!  Made my momma heart very happy because I know he is making such a difference and they love him!  It was snowing on Christmas Eve, so we took the computer outside and showed his companion and the little boys snow.  They were amazed!  They've never seen snow before!

He also was able to send a small package home with a returning sister missionary just before Christmas.  So, Sloane received a handmade dress (Fras said he bought himself a tie that matched), and he sent the boys some hand woven hammocks!  He also sent two bottles of Mogu Mogu (his favorite drink of Lychee fruit with big coconut chunks in it).  We opened the presents and drank the drink on the call.  He is doing great - still working on the language, but that will come!

CHRISTMAS IN CAUAYAN

Christmas is kind of a weird time as a missionary. For me being here in the Philippines the weather is definitely not the same. Which makes it for me not even seem like it is Christmastime. It is also weird because they tell us that we should be working and doing as much as we can on Christmas, so my expectations were that I was going to talk to a hundred people or something. But, it was actually kind of hard to talk to people on Christmas. People were busy or not home. 

There were a lot of good things that happened this Christmas though. First of all, I got to talk to my family and that was awesome! Another rule I'm breaking though...the video calls are supposed to be 30 to 40 minutes and I was probably an hour and a half or more. I don't even know. It didn't matter though cause I could have been talking on the computer all day and still not been talking to my family enough. For me, it is kind of tough to not be able to talk to my family very much at all on a mission, so the Christmas call was very special. I got to see them open the presents I sent them so that was really cool as well.  (Added by Alayna: He did NOT tell us there was a time limit! ha ha)

It was weird after the call because it felt like I was in some virtual world actually talking to them, but then after the call, I'm back in the middle of the Philippines being a missionary, so it is kind of weird. It was like did that really just happen? It doesn't even seem real. 

It was good though because our branch Christmas party was going on right after my video call. So, first of all, I actually got to introduce some of my investigators to my family, and also I was pretty quickly distracted after my call, so I didn't have to much time to worry or cry about how much I miss Brad Anderson. The branch party was fun. We left early, but we got to watch them as they did a bunch of dances and stuff. I sent some videos in a different email. Hopefully they will work. 

(Added by Alayna: Sadly, the videos didn't work, but he was able to send a bunch of pictures from the church, so that was awesome!  It is hard for him to send pictures from the internet cafe.  Here are a couple random pictures including the most recent rat kill!  Heaven help me!)  

I also got to take pictures with the whole branch and with some of the little kids. I love all the people. They are all so happy, loving, and nice. 

The Abad family had their baptismal interview on Sunday. All 4 of them passed (for lack of better word). They are getting baptized on Saturday. I am so excited. They are a really special family and it is going to be a very cool experience to participate in their baptism. As well as the fact that I have been here to see them through their whole conversion process. 

We had a Christmas zone conference on Saturday. That was really awesome! It was a perfect combination of spiritual, inspiring, and really fun. The Hiatts and the senior couples did a performance which was really funny. Then President Hiatt did a solo. We played some games. Watched "The Forgotten Carols" and also got a stocking from the Hiatts, their family, and the senior couples. 

I opened my Christmas package. That was so awesome!!! There were lots of awesome goodies and treats in it. There was too much to say thank you to everyone, but thanks to everyone who put something in there for me. That was really special! That package will keep me going for a while. 

I'm kind of short on time. Mahal kita!

--

Forever and a day, Love Elder Williamson!