Merry Christmas!!

[Email dated 12.25.12]

Hey,

So for starters, from now on don't send anything to this MTC because I won't get it by the time I get out.  I probably won't get a lot of anything that has been sent here actually… so don't be too surprised if you did send something.

Also for the record, this keyboard is terrible and I have to almost punch the space bar to get it to work so if this is missing spaces it's not my fault [fortunately, mom is editing for the blog].  So last week was fairly normal as far as a Peruvian MTC week goes.  Then yesterday is when stuff actually started happening.  In the morning we met in the auditorium and watched a film on the service that we would be doing that day. It was about a half hour and then we went took a bus for about half an hour out of the city into the middle of nowhere and got to a river.  The buses can't cross the river so we got out and walked for like half an hour to this orphanage to do some service.  This place was pretty cool, it is self sustaining with animals, crops, water, and classes for the kids and a playground. Pretty impressive. I was basically a farmer for the day.  My group basically fertilized and cleaned up their field.  Other groups painted or built up the wall on the side of the stream with sandbags to avoid flooding.  It was good, hard work. 

Also, their animals were pretty awesome.  They had like 4 pigs weighing about a million pounds each...I doubt they could walk.  They also had a herd of sheep and a couple hundred guinea pigs (they do in fact eat those). 

On the way back, when we got to the river, this little Volvo decided to cross the river with like 10 Peruvians inside.  The car died about 10 feet into the river...come on. So we helped get them back out of the river and who knows if they actually tried it again...

Yesterday we had free time the rest of the day until night when we got to watch the 1st presidency Christmas Devotional (which was cool), followed by cookies and hot chocolate.  The cookies were good.  They also had panettone -- I'm sure Justin knows what this is.  It's basically fruitcake but it is literally everywhere down here and all of the latinos love it.  I ate my piece and I thought it was pretty bad but not so bad that I wanted to die or anything.  Everyone else in my District made it at most a bite into it and couldn't eat anymore.  So needless to say it will not be a huge hit in America anytime soon and I won't exactly be looking forward to getting to eat much more of it. 

Today, we don't really have anything but free time until tonight when we're going to watch something Christmas-y and that's it.  Also I did open my presents.  What are you talking about nothing exciting? I got the batmobile, a dart gun and the greatest tie ever with a matching handkerchief.  Best Christmas ever! 

I'll just leave you with a quick though seeing as it's Christmas and I'll let you do most of the work.  Isaiah 9:6. 

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

The names given to Christ aren't random and don't just sound nice.  They really describe him.  Study those names.  What do they mean?  Who is Christ? How does that effect us?  The one I went into the most depth on was Counsellor.  He knows all.  Don't think that you know better because those who follow him and acknowledge his hand in all him will be exalted.  That is a promise found in the scriptures.

I love you all.  Have a Merry Christmas and remember, it is all about Christ.  Everything that we ever do should be all about Christ.

Elder Peacock