"It really doesn’t feel like Christmas. That’s probably a blessing. It keeps me from getting home sick. :)"

Hey family!

How are you all doing? It sounds like you are all doing well. I loved the video of Charlie Barking at the snowman. Dumb dog! Ha ha. I love him. I love how Marley is just trotting around; having a good time, playing in the snow… and then Charlie is just so offended by the snow man… ha ha. I have to admit I kinda miss those guys. :)
So before I forget to tell you, the time is changing that I’m going to call. I hope you don’t mind, I don’t think you will because now you will be calling sooner. :) If you could call on the 25th still but at 11:00 our time which is 9:00 your time it would be great. :) It’s a little bit earlier but I’m sure you’re fine with that. :)
So you asked how the singing has been going… it has been going great. You’re right, I love singing and I am absolutely loving all these opportunities to do it. But I do have some I’m an idiot/bad news. So Saturday I sang at a Baptism in Franke… and that building has two floors. The Chapel is on the top floor and the Baptismal font is on the bottom. So we have the first part of the meeting upstairs… Then we all go down to the baptismal font… I left my backpack upstairs in the Chapel because I figured “Hey, we’re at a Baptism. That’s safe. And we’re coming right back anyway.” …well, to make a long story short, my camera got stolen. Luckily I had just put all my pictures on CD to send off in your package so I didn’t loose any of those. But now I don’t have a camera. I don’t really trust myself or the salesmen here to buy one because I have no idea what makes a good camera and what’s a good price… let along bargain with them in Spanish… So if you could (whenever you can. Don’t worry about going out of you way to do it) Go get me another one that would be great. Use MY money that’s in my account. I trust you guys better to get a good one that’s not too expensive. If they have it in pink you know that’s always a plus. :) But if not that’s fine too. I’ll take what I can afford. I shouldn’t have left my bag up there even if it was at a baptism. That was dumb on my part. I’ve got to learn to stop trusting people.
But on a lighter happier side, speaking of Baptisms…. :) We have one on Saturday!!! YEAH!!!! Her name is Katy. I don’t know if I’ve told you about her because I was sort of scared to say too much about her because every time I have told you about an investigator that I’m really excited about they have stopped progressing… ha ha. How sad. But this one is for sure. You guys, she is so awesome! She’s 20 years old and has an AMAZING testimony. She is so sweet and she invited us over to her house to have Christmas dinner on the 24th. She just keeps thanking us over and over again for teaching her and changing her life but I really don’t feel like we had to do anything. She was the one who was so awesome and willing to make all the changes and pray and read… all we did was teach the doctrine. She did everything else. She’s awesome. I love her so much! She had her interview yesterday and she more than passed. She really is a special girl! I’m so excited! And por fin I will be singing at my own baptism and not everyone else’s. Ha ha.
We are going to be having intercambios on Monday. Hermana McClellan is going to go up to Ovejeria with the Hermanas Guevara and Rivas (I love them) and Hermana Bourne is going to come down to Ecuador to work with me. This is going to be the first time that I will really be leading the area. :) I’m nervous but excited at the same time. I’ve kind of been dying to have the chance to do it. I don’t know, maybe it’s weird but I have wanted to be in this position for a while. Not that I think I will be so great at it because I’m also terrified at the thought… :) But I want to experience it. Sometimes it’s good to take on scary things because then it really makes you work and stretch your ability. You know what I mean? It’s how we grow and also how we realize that we really are capable of more. So I’m excited to learn. :) Hermana Bourne has almost two Cambios in the mission now but her Spanish is great so that will be good. Hermana Bourne is awesome! I love that girl. She’s always happy and always complimenting. She reminds me a lot of Hayley in that way. Hayley is ALWAYS smiling and really knows how to deliver a compliment. And she always means it too. You’re awesome Hayster!
What else? Oh, this is important. :) Thursday (the 24th) will be p-day this week instead of Saturday (the 26th).
Oh! Also, Mom, when you canceled my card did you also cancel my pin? Or do I just not remember it? That’s sad. :) If you could let me know what my pin number is that would be great.
Cambios are on the 30th. Who knows what’s going to happen. All I know is that it came way too fast. This cambio just flew by! My mission is just flying by… “Richard, what’s happening?” ha ha.
Side note: I don’t know why, but here you rarely see Santa on his sleigh with his reindeer… In Chile, Santa has to use a ladder to get to your chimney… who knows what that’s all about… maybe he really is a drunk burglar climbing up your ladder to go slide down your chimney and rob you of all your toys… What? Ha ha. Chileans…
That’s so cute that Kade misses me! I miss you too Kade! I am SO excited to talk to you! I’m excited to talk to all of you! :) I will have to make a list of the things I want to say so I don’t forget anything. That’s awesome that you got the fireplace fixed! Ha ha. That’s great that it actually works now without shutting off. It’s so weird to think of you guys with all that snow and I’m here in the sun. :) It really doesn’t feel like Christmas. That’s probably a blessing. It keeps me from getting home sick. :)
Well, that’s all for now. I love you guys so much! Dad, thanks for the email. I loved it! I think the tape sounds like a great idea! You guys are awesome! I’m so excited to hear from all of you!

Have a fabulous week and I’ll talk to you SO soon! :) Merry Christmas!!

Con mucho mucho mucho amor,

Madi

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO