Week 32

We just finished practicing all the Christmas hymns and parts of the Christmas program for the plaza de armas that we’ll be performing at this Friday and Saturday!! pretty exciting:) singing in front of about 2 million people, no big deal or anything:) ahh Christmas is just the GREATEST, right?!? and we can skypeee on the 24th or 25th, I’ll coordinate with Hunt since I´m pretty sure mom’s still trying to figure out how to copy n´paste these days:) so excited!!!!!!! 

My companion has been sick lately, I’ve been taking care of her and we finally were able to make it to the clinic, after vomiting a few times!! hoooray, it was actually more legitimate than I had imagined. She has an inflamed stomach and we’re going back to have tests done this afternoon. The doctor thinks that she has gastritis, which would make sense cause she´s had it before in El Salvador. Hoping to find out what exactly it is, so she can start feeling lots better!!

Transfers are tomorrow and we’re together another 6 weeks. Not a whole lotta changes in the zone, one area was closed and we have a new zone leader and district leader. I’m glad that we’ll be together for Christmas and have a looong list or people that we need to make/buy Christmas gifts for.

José’s baptism was on Friday and was truly wonderful. There were of course a few random close-calls before, like the guy who was gonna baptize him randomly went on vacation and didn´t tell us until a few hours before. and couldn’t figure out how to drain the baptismal water and ended up just adding more to the already dirty water. haha then using a dustpan to filter the bugs that was at the top of the water. oh and the elders saving us when the pair of white pants that we had didn’t fit and they hurry and ran to their room to get another pair. but none-the-less, it went really well. I gave a talk on baptism and the holy ghost and the ward mission leader baptized Jose. truly, his life’s changed forever and he started to cry as he bore his testimony after. He’s awesesome!!

We were invited and sang a pretty song for the activity that the YW had this week, it was beautiful and funny how always any Peruvian activity or event doesn’t start until at LEAST a half an hour after its suppose to. classic Peruvian time. I LOVE the young women´s program and hearing these girl’s testimonies was so beautiful. they are incredible people! I´m so grateful for my own absolutely remarkable mother, I think of you and your example more each and every day:) Especially when I was trying to nurse hna. portillo back to health, I remembered all the many times and different family members that you took care of and how you never once complained or were impatient with. I read her a story in the liahona until she fell asleep, just like you’d do with us in the "big bed". 

Guess who finally finished Alma?? yeeaahhh buddy!! its so incredible, honestly I’m learning so much about the Savior every day and am just LOVING the book of Mormon.

I love you all so much and hope all is well, merry Christmas!!