DECEMBER 8th - MOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM

Mom.  I love you a lot.  Just thought I would tell you again.  You are really awesome and I am grateful every day that you are my mom. 

Tell dad thanks for working so hard all the time, but still being a good camper.  And for making me laugh.  I am so lucky to have you two for parents.

Thanks for getting married.

Thanks for raising me so good.  Thanks for always making me laugh too.  I can't even imagine going through this life without having that family base.  I wouldn't last very long. I know what is good in this life and what I want to emulate! Big deal.

I am so glad you are ok.  I am so sorry you hit a deer.  So the red car is completely totaled? Are you sure you are ok? Have you had any neck problems or anything? That scares me, but I laughed pretty hard about the christmas presents thing.  HAHAHA. 

I am glad you survived the week of craziness.  I am glad you go crazy for Christmas! It is awesome.

This week we made pupusas with Gxxxxxxa.  She was at church when we passed around the dinner calendar so she signed up haha.  It was really fun and pupusas are good.  You should internet iPhone them and then make them or something!  It was really fun. 

Bxxxxa called us this week and said, she wants to get baptized no matter what.  She said either Jxxx Lxxx will marry her, or she will separate from him.  Wow.  She is super strong but that is really hard.  I can tell that this is having an impact though, because she is really sad.  But is still solid coming to church.  She loves it so much.  It is a miracle.  She is a champ. 

 I was kind of having a hard time with some things, and President talked with me and told me a really cool thing about having hope, and having guilt.  It really has helped me a lot.  I was always taking the guilt path, but I am working on that and also communicating better.  I can always do better of course. I just say this because President was totally receiving revelation for me.  I am really grateful for that experience.  

Everything is good!  I am excited for Christmas!  Thanks for the packages, I haven't gotten them yet though.  They might be saving them in the office because they do a Santa Claus thing with all the packages before Christmas. 

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:

Yes Hermana Skidmore did indeed return one week later.  She flew home, was home for a few days and then flew out with her parents for the week.  Her brothers drove in from Utah.  It was because it was thanksgiving break and that was the only time her whole family could do it.  So that was crazy.  She is one of the most amazing people on this earth.  It was really cool to meet her family. 

Hermana Cuesta is from Virginia, but her parents are both from Columbia.  So she speaks perfect Spanish.  It is really good, but still I need to speak in Spanish more! But I have learned a lot of new words which is great AND my solo espanol pact is still in place so I have not eaten a Mcdonalds icecream cone in probably 10 weeks.  At this pace I will never eat one of them again on my mission. 

For Christmas this year we get to go to the temple the 11.  We do a session in the temple, and then there is a zone conference right after.  There will be lots of music and President Jardine will speak.  I am really excited.  All the missionaries here that were here last year are super stoked so I know its going to be great.  I am really excited!!!!  And the Sacramento Temple is probably my favorite temple ever.  It is so pretty we are going when we come to visit of course at the end of my mission.

CHRISTMAS LIST of IDEAS:

--picture flipbook.  I don't have any pictures of any of you.  I want a picture of everyone, especially my family!! And friends.  Fun times.  Just whatever you think would be awesome.  Just something simple like the one Tosha sent (that's what everyone uses) full of pictures!

--a simple compilation of vegan recipes or ideas.  From the internet, or if there is a book that is cheap or something.  Go vegan or go home! #unlessyouareinspanishwardandallyoueatismeatbeansandrice.  But most of that can be veganized.  I am just thinking of those days for lunch and things.  Mother nature! Ya!

--Felt/Flannel sheets.  Like the really comfortable kind that you have.  but with a cool design or something.  Christmas-y design, or whatever unique thing you can find these days on the internet.

--Music CD's or something.  Not necessarily Mormon tabernacle choir.  I have collection of those that sisters have left behind already! The rules are not love related, and good themed.  I am not sure exactly.  Side note.  My favorite song from the mission so far is Go Down Moses by lower lights.  Tell Lizzy to look it up. haha.