Maligiyan Pako talaga! Merry Christmas It is really here!
I cannot believe how fast the time as flown by it is
already Christmas ready or not! I will first share that
a Filipino Christmas has a few traditions , they are
HUGE on caroling here but they give out money to
carollers it is a requirement. So all the little poor kids
run around all the rich neighborhoods and beat on plastic
milk can drums and sing at the top of their little tone
deaf lungs its kind of cute and kind of sad, As missionaries
we cant give them money but we do give them little food
treats and the love me and the other white American sister
in the house their treat is just touching our hair ( Sister
daily also has blond hair and they think it looks like real
gold! Another tradition is Videokie! I know sounds crazy
but EVERY single house that is able to afford a vikeo will
have one this Christmas and they will sing as loud and out
of tune as you can imagine. The other thing is fireworks.
I remember last  year a bunch of street kids chased after me
throwing fireworks at my feet( and you thought dogs were bad!)
but this year it seems like I'm in an area that maybe is
not quite as big on the fireworks so t hat is a blessing.
 A blessing among many we are so excited to have two
baptisms this Saturday on Christmas day. The biggest
blessing a missionary can ask for. In the thought of
Christmas though I would like to share with you a thought
that I jotted down yesterday in sacrament meeting as
I was listening to the speaker talk of what the true gifts
were that we could give to the Saviour this Christmas.
I thought of what that means to me as a missionary and
thinking of this Christmas and what I would report to the
Saviour of my first year in the mission field. What gifts
do I have to give to him. What have I done or have yet to
do to give him as an offering. Maybe it isn't the
Frankincense, Gold or Mir that the Sheppard's gave
but I know that my willing heart to be obedient, my
diligent mind to stay focused on the work, and a pair of
well worn out shoes representing my whole sole given up
in serving the lord with all my heart might mind and soul
sounds to me like the gift I want to give to the saviour.
I hope and pray that this can be my report to him and
to you at the end of my time here in the field and for now
at Christmas I am just grateful for every day left to bring
others closer to this Christ this reason for the season.
His gift to me is the opportunity to be his representative
and my gift in return however humble it may be is my whole
might, mind and strength.
With love and Christmas wishes to all,
Sister Quinn

Kamusta po kayo,
December NA! its crazy how fast this time is flying by.
We decorated the house this week with Christmas lights and
 moved into greater prominence the classic Christmas tree
that stands up whole year round in the house of every
missionary! We are in Tarlac again this p day and are
looking for matching Christmas pj pants for our whole house
and stuff to make gingerbread houses we are really going all
 out this year! I'm excited and with the seniour couple
next door we are sure to have some great times! They are
soo sweet to us they always share the American stuff their
 kids send to them in packages. In terms of happenings.
Our Bravo family of recent converts paid their first
honest fast offering of which we we're very proud to see
 and are as always pleased with their continued progress.
 Last night I attended my now 8th funeral in my time here
in Camilng. I swear its like I'm killing of people, that's
 what the branch president said jokingly in our ward
correlation I told them all to watch out maybe they'd be
next! hehehe. Our soon to be baptized super strong
investigator Sister Sandra Almazan stood and bore and
amazingly bold testimony of the gospel and of her experience
 praying and how she knew without at doubt that Joseph
Smith was a true prophet it was an amazing testimony it
brought tears to my eyes. For Christmas Zone conference we
will be learning a traditional Christmas song in tagalog
 it is seriously like a tongue twister and has something
to do with Christmas lights being like sparkly stars.
Its really up beat and corny too though so we've done out
 actions. All the Americans in our zone will be singing that
and then their Filipino companion's will be singing white
 Christmas and other American traditional Christmas song.
Its funny our zone at the moment is literally half American
 half Filipion every companionship is split its never
happened to any of use before but we all get on well and
have a good time. For this week that's all I've got
I'm afraid though its gotta be a short one. I love yoU!
I sent off all your Christmas cards on Tuesday so they
should all get their in time for Christmas.
Maligayan Pakol ( merry Christmas in Tagalog)
Ingat sa lahat Palagi,
Sister Quinn

Maligayan Paskol,
It is Close to that time of the year! Maligayan Paskol is
Happy Christmas in Tagalog. This week This week we we're
excited and happy to see the 10 year old son (EJ)  of our
 recent convert Bravo family attend the district Primary
Priesthood preview all dressed up in shirt and tie. His
older sister also attended the district Seminary activity
later on that Saturday. Pleas check out the pictures on my new
Photobucket account . The old one is now full but can still
 be viewed in the same way. For the new one the account name
is sisterashtonquinn2 just type that in and the password
is the same sisterashtonquinn2 just please do not delete
 any pictures and enjoy looking , and PLEASE feel free to
 post comments and let me know if you have commented on any
 of my pictures. IN terms of finding this week we have
finally found the prepared. I always know they are out
there and when we find them it feels so good ! We tracked
 into a sister who was just outside the house of a referral
 we we're trying to contact and she was about to go and do
her washing but stood and listened as my companion began to
 teach and testify straight away to her of our purpose and
the truthfulness of our message. She shared with us that
just yesterday her neighbour a long time ago former
investigator had told her to listen to the Mormons when
she had confided to him that she somehow felt no desire to
 return to her church and that she felt something was missing
 their , yet she just did not know what. As my companion
and I shared with her the message of the Restoration this
last Sunday night, it was she herself that committed and felt
 " I should pray about this, I want to know if this Joseph
 Smith you said is really the prophet of God" Those where
 her words and not mine. It strengthens my testimony that
the lord truly does prepare the hearts and minds of his
 children here in the Philippines Angeles Mission and in
every area to hear and find out for themselves the truthfulness
 of the restored Gospel.  For thanksgiving this week the
 seniour couple Sister Prisbey made is pumpkin pie. We know
 we are blessed! and it was funny to watch our Filipino
 companions try it. Their are two American sister in my house
right now me and Sister Daily from my MTC batch and we got a
 good laugh out of our Filipino companions telling us that
their pumpkin pie was spicy. We are already planing out our
Christmas celebrations . WE will be turning on the lights at
 our house on DEC 1 this Wednesday and we are very excited!
We also both have baptisms this DEC 25 Christmas day. So
Me and my companion ( Branch 1) and the Branch 4 Sisters
 ( Daily and Lamoste) will be having a double baptism
which we are very excited about. We are singing all I
want for Christmas is a baptism, and missionary lyricing
 other Christmas songs a well!
With Love and Laughs this week,
Ingat as Lahat,
Sister QUinn