Feliz Navidad familia! Y prospero año también!!
Bueno, this week has been a good one! We are still hard at work and it is still getting hotter and hotter! If you guys wanted to send all that snow and ice you scrape off your driveways my way, I would really appreciate it. :)
As for the Holiday Season, Elder Inocente and I are decked out. We got the paper Christmas tree with all the ornament pictures. And under it we got presents and on the side our stockings with presents too. And newly added addition is our windows. We got CHRISTMAS LIGHTS! The people who live under us who we are renting our place from have two little girls. One day we were doing a little cleaning up in the morning and the door was open (since when we sweep the floor, it gets DUSTY) and these two little girls run in and ask if we want Christmas lights? I was like.... ok! (Inside I was SO PUMPED.) And so they brought them up and the next day we set them up! We got them lining the top of one of our windows, and the other window has a star and a candle deal. It's awesome. I'll try to send pictures for next P Day, since I have totally spaced taking that picture so far... SORRY!
Tomorrow we have a multi zone reunion for Christmas, and I am so excited for that! And tonight we have a Branch party that will be so fun! Every organization is doing 2 group songs or talents and I think it will be very fun.
OH!!! Remember how Hermana Mara got baptized on the 1st of this month? Well, this Sunday, she was called to be the PRESIDENT OF THE RELIEF SOCIETY!!! Talk about crazy. I was so excited, and I will admit my jaw dropped. And she is already hitting the job strong. She is seriously such a strong new addition to this church and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be here as a missionary who helped teach her.
Thank you all for the emails! I hope you all have such a wonderful Christmas! Here they have a lot of parties with Hot Chocolate and Paneton, which is like a fruitcake but lighter bread, I really like it!
Yeah, the pictures Mom saw were from a Family Home Evening at Hermana Marion's house. She is in Trujillo for Christmas so she wanted to have a little celebration before she left! We have Christmas exchanges and I drew Presidente Bazalar, the Branch President. I got him a baby toy trumpet which is a long inside joke, that I might have to spend a whole other email on one day or explain in the skype call. haha And Marion drew my name, and HOLY SMOKES, she gave me a framed picture with a collage of pictures from these past 3 months of me here in Sechura, and wowzers, it's amazing. I will seriously keep that forever. I will send a picture of that next time too!! Man, I'm sorry I am kinda not doing so well on the pictures. But I must admit my journal and email writing is off the charts. I am rocking at Journal writing, I say. haha
Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Peterson for the letter! And thank you Stake Presidency for the letter too! And Aunt Darcy, thank you for your letter, I sure love you! These parents that are serving in Peru, do you know their last names. It does sound like one of the councilors from the CCM, and he is serving with his wife in Lima Central mission. If so, he is a super man, although I really don't know him too well. But if he is serving here in Peru, he's got to be a STELLAR man, and his wife as well! :)
Well, things are going well down here! It's hot, and my training time is actually almost over! I change companions on the 30th I think, since that's when changes are. But we don't hear what the changes are until the 28th at night. So for next P Day I might be with a new companion... Which is sad. I sure love Elder Inocente. He's been a great Mission Dad to me. I have learned SO MUCH from him. And I know he has a sincere love for the people he serves, and he teaches with power and authority and a strong knowledge of the scriptures. I hope to always keep in touch with him. :) Good ol' Guatemalans, seriously though, every one I know is a seriously good missionary!!
Ok, so I best be off now. I hope all is going well for you all!! I wish you all the best Christmas wishes EVER! I think and pray about you all very much and very often! The mission is the hardest thing I've ever done and I have suffered, but man I KNOW that I am growing and expanding in knowledge, maturity, spiritual sensitivity, and in so many other ways. And if all this has happened in under 4 months, I cannot wait to see what more is to come!
A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL Y'ALL! This season brings tidings of great joy, and dont you forget that! Be Happy and know that I love you, and your Heavenly Father loves you!
Con Amor y felicidad,
Elder Collin Russell
(Here are some pictures that Lourdes took of the FHE gift exchange at Hermana Marion's house)
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