The Best Christmas Present: RABIES

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

For Christmas Eve, we had a fun zone activity where we sang Christmas songs, read the Christmas story, played Christmas Games, had a snowflake making contest, and had a Christmas Scavenger hunt. It was a hoot and a half! I am so grateful for a zone in which I can feel like I have family. After which we ate our Christmas Eve dinner with the Christmas (Pasko) Family, and slept at the other Elders apartment where it is a little safer during this time of parties. I remember last year that we had curfew on Christmas where we had to be inside our apartments by 6 pm. I was excited for the break and to rest from the work. This year I just feel bummed out that we have to use these precious hours inside the house. Either way I love this time of year where we can celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. 

Christmas day we went to the ward Christmas party. This was the most LIT church Christmas party that I have ever seen. They had professional lighting and the decorations were 10/10. There were competitions, which I always love a good competition and games, and of course prizes. We did not win anything or really participated in the games too much but it was a great opportunity for us to meet some less actives and friends of the members. The Christmas spirit is pumping in our veins! Right before we left, the four of us who are serving in the ward sang two Tagalog Christmas songs. This was the first time that I sang in front of a crowd in a different language. Luckily my companion sings like he is a member of One Direction and just rocked his solo. Of course at the end, we ATE. I LOVE FOOD! Food here in the Philippines is like none other. When we got home I got the best Christmas present ever! In our apartment, sometimes our neighbor's cat that we named Pogi wanders in, and each time we kick it out. This night I was pretty tired and did not notice that Pogi was in the house. I took a step backwards and I think I might have stepped on its tail or something, because all I heard was a screech and then I felt a hard  pinch on my foot. Yeah.. I got bit by a cat. And I got rabies, maybe. Either way I am getting a series of rabies shots right now. 3 down, 3 to go.... Thanks for the Christmas present Pogi!!

This week we had the most spiritual moment that I ever had in my entire mission. I have been teaching this one investigator named Christian ever since I have gotten in this area 5 months ago. Christian's wife is a member and goes to church pretty regularly but he has never had the desire to be baptized. Christian really struggled with drinking alcohol and smoking. On top of that, he never went to school so he does not know how to read, and has a hard time providing for his family. He is very shy and has a really hard time remembering and understanding us. He never wants to pray because he forgets how to pray and we have to remind him almost every time. But if there is one thing that Christian does, is that he loves his family more than anything. He wants to support and love his children. Over the 5 months we have helped him to slowly overcome his addiction with smoking and drinking. This week with Elder Moralita, we decided that we should teach him about the Priesthood. Before, I was skeptical to share about the Priesthood because I was afraid that he would not understand it. However, this time it just felt right. As Elder Moralita and I taught this lesson, everything went according to our lesson plan and even more. My mind was planning on going on direction in the lesson, but the words that I were speaking were different. I felt God giving me the words that I should say and the experience that I should share. Finally we felt like we should extend a baptismal date for Christian. We have asked in the past and he has always said he was not ready. This time, because of his desire to bless his family through the Priesthood and because of the converting power of the Holy Ghost he agreed to a baptism this January. I could not help from smiling and tearing up. At the end we asked him to offer the prayer, and in his prayer he pleaded with God to help him prepare for his baptism. As soon as we left their home, I hugged my companion and cried tears of joy. I could not stop crying all the way until we got to our next appointment. God used us as a instrument to bring true, lasting change in the life of this man and his family. Please keep Brother Christian in your prayers as he prepares for this life changing experience.

This week we also had Karl's Baptism. Karl has become one of my best friends. He has made huge sacrifices in his life in order to be baptized in this church. Every weekend he travels over an hour and a half in order to go to this church. His goal in life is not just baptism but to enter into the temple and be sealed as a family. His testimony that he gave was one of the sweetest moments. He testified without a doubt in his mind that Jesus Christ is our Savior, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and that this is the living church of God that is led by a living prophet. I remember the first time that I met him, all the members thought he was a returned missionary because of his countenance. Even though at first his faith in Christ was week, he wanted to live a Christ-like life. God has been preparing Karl his entire life to start on this path. We are so grateful to be able to witness this conversion and change in his life.

New Year is coming up and I have been pondering on my new year's resolutions. I have many specific things that I want to accomplish, but I also chose a phrase that I want to define my year. Design my faith, sculpt my brain, refine my life. God has given us all agency where we have the right to choose for ourselves. This year, while I am on the last part of my mission I want to deliberately design my faith. Deliberately act according to my faith in order to design the blueprints to my life. I also want to develop good habits. As we do all the little things, the actual physicality of our brain changes. It takes time. I need to cautiously look at my life and develop the habits that I want to guide my life. In the past, over years of mistakes I have formed bad habits. Forming good habits will take time. With every conscious decision that I make, I will ask, in which way is this sculpting my brain. I know that if I do these two things: design my faith and sculpt my brain, then my life will be refined to be more like our Savior Jesus Christ. 

For the mission I am still sticking with three sentences that I want to describe my mission as:

1) Burning desire to improve

2) Listen to promptings and fearlessly follow them

3) Lift, Inspire, Encourage, and Bless the lives of my fellow men starting with my companion

I am excited for the new start of the year. #newyear #newme. There are so many ways to improve and things that I need to change. Most of all, I think the biggest new year's resolution of them all is to not get rabies or dengue again this year... haha

Love you all! Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon (Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year)

-Elder Cadayong