Brazil Sister: FELIZ NATAL

Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I did! What did we do this week... hmm.

We started out the week with `Natal Blanco` or White Christmas. Not like the ones I used to know... ha ha! Our zone had a night where everyone met at one chapel to have baptisms. We didn’t have any, and arrived too late, but there was one advantage. This chapel was right next to a HUGE Christmas tree of lights. It was absolutely beautiful! We climbed up on a wall to take a cool picture and almost killed ourselves, but it was worth it! I loved seeing the tree!

Then we had our Christmas conference with all of the missionaries in this city. There were about 80 Elders and 4 of us Sisters. We shared skits, watched `Toy Story 3` (which was a real treat! Such a cute movie!! I died laughing when ken was trying on the clothes, and I LOVED the Spanish Buzz.. so funny! Things also become funnier when you don’t see movies for a long time. But I have to admit that I was trying so hard not to cry in the end in front of 50 young men. Ha ha!) We had a big lunch, a great spiritual time with our president and then got little presents. It was so fun! Its always nice to take a day off and spend time with other missionaries.

Christmas Eve we visited people and wished them a Merry Christmas. Everyone one the street received a `FELIZ NATAL!!` from us, and people here are so friendly that they always shouted it back. We ate dinner in a member´s house who is a chef at a nice restaurant on the beach. YUM!

After, my companion insisted that we celebrate Christmas `Brazilian Style` or in other words, we stay up until midnight to open gifts and party. So I took her package and wrapped all her gifts, wrapped some odd things around the house for myself to open, and then arranged our little tree. She was already sleeping, so I read the Nativity story alone, and realized how grateful I am for all the things in my life. I am so grateful for my Savior, because without him, I wouldn’t have any happiness in my life. But because of him, all of the things I love and are of worth are possible to have forever. It was so great!

So we opened presents at midnight and ate a ton of candy! It was really fun. Then slept..

Christmas day I talked with my family and it was absolutely wonderful! I loved talking with them, and have never had 40 min pass by so fast.

Well I hope you all have a wonderful new year and set good goals for this year. I am so excited for 2011!

Love you all!

-Sister Gordon!

The Tree and the wall....