Happy (early)New Year!

Did you know that 14 years ago today I was baptized? And now I am in Argentina.

It was good to talk to you all christmas. Wow, that was just a week ago. I feel like lots has happened in the past week?....and I haven't written a letter in quite a while so here it goes, some things may be repeated from the skype.

- Christmas. Here Noche Buena is a big deal. We went to a members house for dinner, but early...our little fiesta ended at 10, and this is when everyone was just starting everything. They eat at like 11 and go all night long. Christmas morning we went to the beach. Well, we quickly realized this may not have been the smartest. The music was still playing and the bar still open, at 6:30 am, with tons of college age kids just heading home. jaja.

- The day before christmas we went as a zona to a big outside shopping place to sing. It was quite the site, we sang christmas hymns and handed out folletos and Books of Mormon. I loved this part, it was the first real christmas spirit i had felt here in argentina. They don't really do anything here christmas, it's too hot so everyone just eats and sits around. We made cinnamon rolls for our zone, and christmas morning me and my comp ate cinnamon rolls, ensalada de fruta, and chocolate milk. We also went to visit some members and christmas carol. They think that's weird here.

- We celebrated my comps bday, ate ice cream, alfajores. She's 20 now! ja.

- I went to the dentist. I had the most painful mouth ever. So i ended up going, found out i have an infeccion, and have to go back. Mom, i will email you about that. It was not the most pleasant few days though.

- The heat is not a joke here...every time i think it's the hottest i have ever been, it just gets hotter! The humidity is killing me....espeically when we did service to paint a room inside a house, with practically no ventalation. jaja I have never sweated so much in my life, even just standing there.

- Yesterday for new year we went with a family here. We had quite the comida....apple pie (we made it, but the cream turned into butter...that's what happens with the hot and humid), hushpuppies (the elders), the yummiest meat (pork, which we hardly ever eat here, it's expensive), pan dulce, hot chocolate, juice, potatoes. It was soo delicious. I was stuffed, and we slept without even missing fireworks.

- We met some crazy people contacting. A schizophrinic. One of our menos activos who is convinced that the image of virgen maria she found in her bottle of juice frozen in the freezer is a sign from God, a man who invited us to break more of the word of wisdom in the 5 minutes we talked to him than I have been invited in my whole life. Oh, and a lady from Australia!

- Yesterday we went way north in our area. And we found a dirt road. I was in heaven. Our area is super long and skinny, so it takes time to go up there. But we were walking and went to a house, and found this lady from Australia. A guy came to the door, then told us to wait a minute. Then she came out, and i just started talking. Then she said, "no i really don't speak spanish"... and it hit me. Hello, speak English. She is living here with her boyfriend...who she met on facebook, and was so excited to meet us to speak english. She thought she was the only person here in santa fe. Jaja. Let's just say it was probably quite the awkward conversation... I have never taught in english. I struggled, good thing my comp speaks english. I didn't even have an english pamphlet to give her. And my comp said the prayer, I couldn't. It was a cool experience though, to be able to share my testimony in english. Sounds weird, but it's been a year, and was almost foreign.

We have dropped a lot of investidagores...people who weren't progressing. At this point we are contacting a ton. We are looking for people. And we have had some miracles. The work is real. I have a testimony of fasting and prayer. And our personal diligence and faith.

I'm sure more has happened the past few weeks....

I hope the Cali trip was good! And just to let you know, the elves forgot to stop by my apartment here in argentina. but here's some christmas pictures:

noche buena

This is my zone, (with cinnamon rolls),
(elders are still 18-19 year old boys)

and the raaaaain