Feliz Navidad

Family!!

I loved the airport pics of darling Meishy and photos of the fam all together (minus 2). I can’t believe she is home. 

We had a good week! We have had quite a few activities. 

Wednesday we had zone conference. In the past, all the missionaries in the whole mission would gather together to have a big talent show and Christmas dinner. But the mission had about a hundred less missionaries in the past. Now we have 250, which is the limit. With 250 missionaries we were unable to all gather. So, instead we had zone conference with a few different zones. We had a program and then a dinner. It was so fun. 

We also did a service project on Friday. Our service project was caroling. We all brought our hymn books and someone had a flute so we could sing peaceful Christmas songs to the patients. However, it didn’t turn out to be peaceful or reverent at all. Some random guy (who was not a missionary) with huge drums joined us and was playing super loud. Then some of the nurses joined in and were shouting, "with more enthusiasm." So our reverent hymns turned into all these peppy Latin Christmas songs I had never heard before. All the gringo missionaries just awkwardly clapped to the beat. It was so fun and super hilarious but I feel bad for the poor patients who probably wanted to sleep. 

After caroling we did a program in the lobby of the hospital. Every set of missionaries did an act or a musical number. We did the skit where the person behind is supposed to be the arms. We put on makeup and did hair for the hermanas in front. (Hopefully the pictures make this understandable). One of the nurses was laughing so hard she was crying. 

One thing that is fun about this area is that we get to do exchanges with the hermanas in the MTC. I feel like I was just in the MTC but going on exchanges is kind of fun to see how much we have grown. I remember being so scared contacting or trying to teach when I went on splits in the MTC. Now it seems like second nature. 

Here, the big celebration is on Christmas Eve. The tradition is to have a big dinner. We have been invited to eat at the house of our bishop. I am going to make some American desserts to take with us (thank you for sending the recipes). And then the kids get to open their presents on el dia de los reyes which is January 5, 6 or 7th, depending on the year. 

Tell the Boss family and Brian Anderson thank you for the cards!! It is fun to receive mail from great friends. 

I am so grateful to be here during this Christmas season. It is a very different Christmas, but one I will never forget. I have such wonderful friends and family and want to say thank you. I am grateful for our lord and savior Jesus Christ; for his example and courage. I am so happy and love my mission. 

Xoxoxo

Meg

Talk to you tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!