December 23: Feliz Navidad!

What a week. Thank you for you great letters! I truly love them so much! I really have been trying not to think about you, it is so much harder than i thought. I really have to pray every single day to not think so much about you. I really miss my family... But i know why i am here. It makes things a lot easier. I have a big family here. All is well.

FELIZ NAVIDAD!! I cannot believe it is Christmas. It really doesn´t feel like it, which is probably a good thing. I am so stinking excited to talk to you. We are going to a familes house and we get to SKYPE! yay!! THank you so much for setting up my account. I was stressing about it!! In Mexico time it will be around 12 or 1. I hope. Cole, if you are reading this and would like to go to my house, it would be fun to talk to you with my family too before you head off on your mission. 

This week has been a whole lot of emotions. I am not supposed to write anything bad about my companion, so i wont. But she has absolutely no patience for me any more. It is really difficult. The mission is hard enough, i really want to have a great realationship with her. But it is clear she doesn´t like me. We have very different ideas. I think being on time is very important in the mission. I dont want to waste any precious time. She doesn´t even have a watch. She gets really frustrated with me when i say it is time to go. Another challenge is setting goals. She doesnt think that they are as important as the people. I totally agree. I am here for the people, not the number of goals i set. However, i believe goals are inspired by God. If they weren´t important we wouldn´t have them right? ANyway, i am telling you this because i really want my parents advice. I trust you so much. It is a challenge. I know it is me who needs to change, but how? Do i listen to my trainer? or do i fight for what i believe? HELP ME!! It is a lot easier to be humble with God than it is with Hermana -------------- 

However, the good news is we taught the most lessons in the zone! See? time is important! We were both happy about that!

Speaking of lessons, man i am blessed. Everyone is very humble and nice. Some people have nice houses, and others are lucky if they have a chair in their house. Not only have i been blessed with the temporal things, but so much more. One sweet couple has been inactive for six years. He lost his sight six years ago and hasn´t left his house since then. Not one time! 

Another woman, whom i love dearly has been smoking for years and years. She has come to church every week for three months. She pays tithing, supports the ward, reads the book of mormon, etc. She is so ready to be baptized, but she doesn´t want to quit smoking. It is very difficult. 

Remembering names is so hard. They are all different and hard to pronounce. I have been really trying to learn them. If i dont even know their names, how can i learn and love them? I will keep trying!

We have about ten investigators, and too many menos activos. There is lots of work that needs to be done! I am ready!! I just need my companion and i to be on the same team!

I feel like my spanish still has a very long way to go, but I can feel Heavenly Father`s love and patience for me every single day. It truly is a huge blessing. 

We had a party with my zone and Hermana C----------´s zone on Friday with our Mission President and his wife. It was really fun! Seeing Hermana C--------- brightens my day! We performed a little skit for eachother. There were missionaries who came in and talked about Samuel and the Sign, then the rest of us acted out the lesson. It was pretty fun! We watched some slides of Jesus Christ to the song Mary did you know? I bawled like a baby. After the skit we passed out gifts one by one. We were assigned to get a gift to a missionary. I got two scarves and a really nice note from an elder. I gave Elder C------ a wallet. He said that he had the same wallet for twelve years. He was so grateful! He gave me his old wallet and told me to burn it. I am keeping it. If that wallet can last through his mission, i can last through mine. I have never wanted to go home, but i definitely want you to come here and be with me. Doest that make sense?

I really do love being here. I have already learned so much. I feel the Spirit, Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father closer than ever. I have been given so much. It is my turn to give now. It is easier said than done, but Heavenly Father continually helps me. Holy cow i am so in debt to Him.

I bought the family some fun little presents for Christmas. I was told if i am lucky it will take two months to send. If not, six. The stickers of Jesus really help! I hope that it gets to you. 

Mom, if you are ever able to send a package, i realized that i didn´t bring my notebook that we bought at Deseret Book. The grey and blue one that says Called to Serve. Remember? Its not a big deal, but if you can, that would be great. I believe it is in my black purse. Also, i cannot find my lammintated blessing anywhere! I have my other copy. I know you worked hard on it! Did i leave it home??

All the many dollars you spent for this mission is really coming in handy. I use everything we have bought. It is all very helpful and convienent. Cole! Go. to. the. Luggage. Store. 

Thank you so much for your letters, prayers and all the hard work you do for me. I will always be in debt to you. Mom, and Dad i love and miss you so much. Too much. It is hard, but i am trying. You are the best parents anyone could ever ask for. Thank you for everything that you have done for me. Emily, That is so great that your friend got baptized!! How incredible! Thank you for you letter. I cant wait to see you in two days via skype! Jen and Ry, of course i wont forget about you! Cant wait to talk to you! THat would be great if we could do it all together! 

Mom, I dont have Dana´s email either. please tell her how grateful i am for her gift! I ate all the reeces and Mac n cheese. I absoltuely love the binder. She must have put a lot of work into it! Thank you thank you thank you!!

Mom, I dont know Cindy´s email, but she has a letter she promised she would send me when the mission is hard. Will you have her send it to me please??

I am out of time. I love you so much!!

Love, Hermana Anderson.