The best birthday present I could ask for

Magandang Buhay! Here are my highlights/thoughts this week

1.) We will be having a baptism this Friday! Usually our baptisms are on Saturday but Saturday is fiesta. All week is fiesta but Saturday is the big fiesta. It's basically a big party every night! In one of the areas where we proselyte they put up some rides. I wish i could have taken a picture. The rides are so sketchy! There was this man putting together the roller coaster in his boxers and little kids swinging from the rails! it was crazy! but really funny! anyways..back to the baptism...Arvie jay will be baptized! he is 19 years old! we found him thru his girlfriend,Casylin. she works with us sometimes. Anyways we've been teaching him, and now he is ready to be baptized! I'm so excited!!!!! 

2.) February 7! So yes February seventh is my birthday....but what makes it even better is that we have 3 baptisms planned for that day! It will be the best present ever!!! 2 of the 3 people are the sons of a recent convert,Marilou. She was baptized in December  At first, her sons did not want to be taught. But their mom really loves this gospel. She has prayed long and hard for her sons to be willing to listen and now we teach them every other night and they are actively and excitedly listening! The 3rd baptism will be sister Hewlitt, she is 21. I can't explain my joy about her being baptized. Imagine going to disneyland then eating the best ice cream in the world and then multiply that by 100 that's my joy! I am so happy because she has truly been changed through the atonement of Jesus Christ. I love her story and I love her! and one day she will be a missionary! She told us! 

3.) Prayer and fasting! Before my mission when I heard the word "fast sunday" I thought "yikes! I'm already hungry!" but now I look for days that I can fast. Fasting brings miracles! There are some great articles in the liahona of fasting, read them! 

4.) Transfers.....so transfers are next week! I don't think I will leave this area. But me and my district leader have a bet, he and other missionaries tell me I'll leave! So we will see who gets the ice cream next Wednesday! :) I really want to be here for February 7 but I am excited for new areas and new experiences! 

5.) We are so blessed. Sometimes its easy to overlook miracles and blessings. but they are everywhere. and you are happier when you see them, you realize how much Heavenly Father is in your life. 

6.) Cold! It's been cold here at night! I never thought I'd be cold in the Philippines! 

well until next week! :)

love, Sister Peavler

Prayers answered

Hello! I'm so excited to share my experiences this week!

1.) Earthquake! I woke up to an earthquake the other night! It was a scary, but cool experience!

2.) Baptism! Saturday was so great because a really sweet elderly man Brother Crispon was baptized! He really wants his family to join the church, but he always just comes by himself. His wife agreed to come to his baptism though and he was so excited she came! It was such a sweet day!

3.) Many answered prayers! I had a really great experience the other day. We hadn't found a new investigator all week but all week we had been praying! We had specifically been praying for a family! This area really needs families! So we went out saturday morning and we were led to a great family! I was so happy and excited! They were very receptive and we will be going back to visit them. I knew it was an answer to my prayer.
Another experience I had was with our other new investigator from saturday. His heart is a little hard. He refused to pray. After about five minutes of explaining to him why its important for him to pray he still refused. So I told him that if he prayed now, that he would receive his answer. He told me that would not happen! That he would not receive an answer right away! i told him that he wouldnt if he didn't believe! anyways he still refused so i prayed. but before I prayed and while I prayed I pleaded with Heavenly Father for him to feel something. to have a witness through the holy ghost. Right after the prayer he asked us about this feeling he had. He didnt know what it was. I was smiling from ear to ear because I knew my prayer was answered!

till next week! (it will be longer...promise:)

sister peavler

 Brother Crispon's baptism!

Brother Crispon and his wife and granddaughter

Being silly with friends!

Me and my companion sister Salde from Bacolod, Philippines

This picture is during another lunch break that is a squid! It actually tastes good!

Happy New Year!

hello! Yesterday was my 6 month mark in the mission! crazy how time flies...I really can't believe it! 

Highlights...

1.) Christmas of course! I got to skype the good ole familyy!:) that was definitely the best part! the rest of the day was everyday missionary life! but everyone gave us food! my favorite here is fruit salad! but most of the people here make the fruit salad with the fruit out of a can....i don't understand it! because they have like the best fresh fruit in the world! but its till good! but when i make fruit salad i use fresh fruit! like coconut,mango,watermelon,banana, and other delicious stuff! i think the fruit here is definitely one of my favorite things! anyways that's my fruit salad story...haha. 

2.) Christmas conference! So the mission got together and we had a conference! it was really fun! I got to see friends from the MTC that I haven't seen since then! I'll send some pictures! 

3.) New years! So we had a curfew on new years eve at 6 pm. We watched some church movies,and caught up on some stuff! but we woke up to fireworks in the middle of the night surrounding our house! they were so loud! they weren't the little fireworks we're used to! they were the huge ones! anyways we sat on our porch for a little bit and watched them. It was a new years ill definitely never forget! 

4.) Tatay Crispin! So I'm really excited to tell you about him! he is a 75 year old man that lives really close to the church here. anyways he will be baptized on saturday so ill make sure to send pictures! I'm kind of worried how he will get under the water cuz his body is so fragile!! but there's a way! haha.

5.) We had zone interviews with our mission president this past week! We obviously get interviewed, but then we are taught by some of our leaders. these first few months of the year we are focusing on the atonement and its enabling power! Everyone who reads this needs to watch the Mormon message " reclaimed" here's the link! the atonement is not just for sinners though! It's shown in our everyday lives! Through the atonement we can do things that we can't do on our own! and I definitely feel it here in the mission! I've grown in ways I couldn't have on my own! 

https://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#reclaimed

6.) "Ponder the path of thy feet" this is a talk by the prophet. read it! its about becoming more like the Savior. i really love my Savior! Ive gotten to know Him better through reading, the book of Mormon, the bible,preach my gospel,Jesus the Christ. and through finding people and teaching people. I don't understand how someone could love us so much. I was reading the account of His atonement in the book "Jesus the Christ: (read that too! ..you have a lot of homework!) anyways it made me so sad reading about His pain.but I'm so grateful for his sacrifice. just imagine that, giving your whole life for other people. All your time, efforts,and even you literal life. yet sometimes we are selfish and want things for ourselves, now. but the Savior never thought about Himself. I just really love learning about Him.

7.) I really love this gospel! I don't have a perfect knowledge of all the things of the gospel! i sometimes have questions! but that's okay cuz there are some things I do know that make everything else not matter. and those things are : Jesus Christ lives. He knows us individually. We have a loving Heavenly Father. He wants us to go to Him through SINCERE prayer. The Book of Mormon is the words of God. If you want to have a better relationship with Him and our Savior..read it! Joesph smith is a prophet that was called of God. i don't have all the facts about the apostasy and restoration, but i know it really happened. He sacrificed His life for this gospel, along with many other saints. but more importantly, i have my own testimony of the restoration. i know it in my heart and it just makes sense that Heavenly Father still speaks to us because we are His children , and we need guidance and He loves us! so of course he can call a prophet in these days and reveal to us His will! i also know the atonement can change you. it can truly change your desires,your heart, and your weaknesses. its truly amazing! I'm not a super good missionary, i have many weaknesses. but i always try to make sure everyone knows they have a loving Heavenly Father who knows and loves and has a plan for them. that, to me, is the message of the restoration and the gospel of Jesus Christ! i know family is the most important unit of the gospel. the home is the most sacred next to the temple. I heard that in a quote that week. That's pretty amazing! I know that when we have trials we are being blessed. ether 12:27. If we are having trials its a good thing. Hard, but we are growing closer to the Savior.

anyways hope all is well back in the good old AZ! :)

love Sister Peavler