5 meses ya?! Esa es una mano!

Familiaaaaaa!!!

You wouldn´t guess what I did this week which has scarrrred me for life. Supposedly we were told that we were going to feed ducks for a service projects, but no.....we killed ducks and a few chickens, then we plucked the feathers off and took out its guts........I was scarrrred for life. It made me so sad because it was so much like the Holocaust....especially when I went with the Elders to choose the fat and big ducks to be taken to their death....then we would herd them out to a room and grab each one out one by one and hang them by their feet, slice them at their throats and let them die....after they die from there, we put them in boiling water. Luego, we pluck off their feathers off of their dead sad bodies. Me dio pena....me puso triste. Then at the same time, they were offering refreshments...ya...I couldn´t eat anything. I had to call in to cancel lunch. My stomach couldn´t handle it. So...every time I see or hear a duck or a chicken, I cringe....eating chicken....that´s worse. I will pick at the fried chicken wing, imagining plucking off its feathers at every detail.....It was terrible. I think I couldn´t eat for 3 days. My companion was concerned, but she is always concerned about me...sometimes too much....like one day we woke up..well I was already wake and I told her that I couldn´t sleep all night because I was sick in my stomach. Then the first thing she tells me is that I need to go to the hospital... -____- she does a lot of things I don´t quite understand to be honest. Jaja. For example one night she wakes me up like at 2 in the morning saying my name. "Hermana Santeco?" and I would respond, "hmm?" and she told me...."Nada". Nada?????!!! I woke up for nada.....jajaja...but back to the ducks...yeah...I don´t know how I´ll go back to eating those poor things. I can remember hearing them cry and scream. It was brutal. I almost refused to eat any meat for the rest of my life..

I received the packages!!! Both of them! Thank you so much! Estaba tan feliz! I was soooo happy. Then I found that you have brought home in a box to my mouth. Popcorn with mochi crunch and furikaki???? ahhhh!! I already ate it twice. My companion loves it. Hawaiian Popcorn...hurricane popcorn. And maui onions?! Thank you! I was able to eat it in 3 days, trying to preserve it and make it last as long as possible. Thank you Marvy for the rings. I gave one away to Fernando because he kept asking me for my CTR ring and because he always helps us find more people to teach. Thank you for the goodies! One of the Elders told me to ask you mom to send me more Maui Onions. Hahahaha. I figured the its better if you add your letters in my packages! Because well the packages come quicker and surer much than the letters itself does. The packages came in, in 3 weeks. Pretty sweet! The Zone Leaders were holding on to it and they knew it had food in it. They wouldn´t give it to me until I did what they told me..they gave us the goal to teach a certain amount of lessons. Luckily we made it. 

I can´t believe I have been away from home for 5 months now. It really goes by so fast. I swear I just made 4 months and now...5??? As for the pareo, don´t worry about it. President gave me permission to teach, but it won´t be so often that I will be doing it. I have skirts and such. I will manage. But send me some more food! haha. That I want for sure. 

There were 3 different ward activities this week and so none of the members were home......and we wanted to teach with them. So...it was rough, but we were able to see how a few of our investigators are really progressing. The only gold investigator that we have is a young girl who is 15 years old. She is amazing when we teach her. The only thing is that we still need permission for her to be baptized from her father...who is never home. So please pray for her. She really wants to be baptized, but she needs help. We need help. We pray all the time, but at the same time we try to understand the will of the Father. It was funny yesterday because she told us that she is afraid of water and yesterday we went to a baptismal service with her and the girl who got baptized was Carla. The little girl, the daughter of our lunch pensionista. Carla is also scared of water...she just turned 8 yesterday too. Well...it so happens that when she entered into the water, she was crying....and she screamed just before she was dipped down under. Then receiving the holy ghost...it was the same. She was crying. Poor thing...I talked to her after and I asked her, are you sad? She told me, a little. I told her, ah don´t cry, its your birthday! She is such a sweetheart, every time we leave from lunch she gives me long hugs and makes it hard to leave her house. jaja. We have 2 weeks left of this cambio. It goes by so fast. To think of it, I feel that I will be staying here in my area for another cambio...until september. But I don´t know. I might have to finish training my companion first before I leave this area. It makes me sad to think of leaving the people and the members here. We were able to have ward conference. My companion and I organized a ward choir. I lead and my companion played the piano. It was pretty good I thought. I have learned a lot in church yesterday and I have never felt the spirit so strong in the ward until yesterday, maybe because I can actually understand what they are saying now. 

Speaking of language capabilities. It improves more and more each day. We will eat at members homes the weekends and they will tell me that I am speaking more than I have before. Mostly because well...they have seen me when I had just arrived here. Its getting better. Its not perfect, but I have grown so much in the language and the gift of tongues. I hate thinking about going home and not being able to speak the language so often...and so I´m telling all my spanish speaking friends to help me. lol I can´t lose this language. I already planned it out that I am going to teach my children, English, Spanish, and sign language. 

Last night the sisters and I had a family home evening in our house. Because we live together, and we have to be home by 8 on sundays. We had a trunky FHE, we learned and talked about eternal marriage...mostly because of the sisters in our house only has 4 months left before she goes home. It was so funny, but it was really good. 

Every week just keeps going by quicker more and more. I have learned so much and realized that if I weren´t here, I wouldn´t have met such amazing people or made amazing friends who have supported me in my trials and helped me see the blessings of the gospel. Its the best feeling really...

I am so grateful for each of you. I really am. I hope all is well. Good luck with your new endevors with school, work, and all. Luckily I will be going to the temple next week! Hope you are all attending the temple much as often. Thank you for the pictures you sent me! I love it. It makes me so happy and really motivates me to keep going...I love you. Les amo bastante. 

Hermana Santeco

Donde aprendiste ingles???

Alohaaaaaa!!!

How wonderful to hear all about your anniversary. I can´t imagine either being home next year eating in our house with you all....but really I do miss the food. I always think of what I want to eat first when I do get home. It has to be pandas or laie chop suey or just any of mom´s cooking. I ate chuño yesterday again...and I think I am just going to burst. Its a type of potato that is black and prepared under the ground. Something like that. If I understood correctly.

So this week my companion was in the hospital for 2 nights and 2 days. I slept the first night with her and the second night we have intercambios or how do you say in english, companion exchanges? She was hurting bad in her body that we went to the hospital and had her get checked. It turns out that she has a tumor in her uterus..and a throat infection. They told her that she has to wait a month to come back to see if the tumor grows or not.....but as of now they gave her pain meds and antibiotics. I feel so bad for her. She has so much fear of the hospital but she was willing to stick out and be so positive the whole time. Every time I go to the hospital, I swear I go every month, I think of grandma and grandpa...but mostly of grandma when she was in Hawaii and how we would eat poke at night with Uncle PJ. Oh good times. I miss poke so much. We were lucky to get out and back to work. But because she has been having pain from her tumor, she has been having a hard time sleeping too. Sometimes she doesn´t sleep at all...she couldn´t sleep for 3 days before we knew what she had. And last night she woke me up at 4 in the morning to tell me that she couldn´t sleep...and asked me if she could take a shower.....I didn´t really understand why she asked me if she could take a shower....but I was like...uhh if you want to....then I kinda knocked out back to sleep. She was up the whole time. She got up and turned on the light....and I was like...uhhh...........I know you can´t sleep...but I need to sleep too... -_____- hahaha...the life of training. At times I feel so inadequate to help her. You know me, I am not an affectionate person and that I can get uptight. I get uptight at times...like really. When you are with someone for so long and you just don´t naturally get a long with them, its a challenge. But you got to do it. I had an interview with President Hansen this week and he was checking on how we were doing. We are really improving in our companionship and other days, I am just pooped out tired. Mom....I have never felt so much like a mother to her...I never had to take care of someone in a foreign country and as well as myself and the people in this area. Its a lot of pressure, but I am learning to deal with it. I always receive revelation or I just learn things of how the mission can prepare you for your future. Every week I will share what I have learned. This week I have learned that there is a huge importance in having an eternal companion that you can completely be yourself with, because if you aren´t with someone like that....its depressing...you aren´t completely happy with yourself or enjoying yourself. There is no spirit. I am learning that....I need to casarme con un hombre digno y con aguien que yo puedo ser mi misma....The secretaries talk with my past companion and always tell her how they just know that I will really grow so quickly in regards of levels of autority? I don´t know how to explain it in english...to be honest. But the secretaries know a lot...when it comes to cambios and all the things which will happen in the mission. I just don´t know...more responsibilities? What a priviledge, but so tan rapido.

This week was hilarious. I was with the elders and two other sisters last week on PDay and one of the elders cooked peruvian food again. I love peruvian food...I am going to bring some recipes home. One of the north american elders asked me where I learned english in front of everyone...and the other elder said to him, dude...shes from the states too...she speaks english. He was so embarassed...and everything. It was sooooo funny. And now every time he sees me, he makes sure to speak english. When he asked me, I was like, I learned english in my house??? Then the next day Presidente Hansen came to visit us in the hospital and he asked me the same. Where did you learn english? and in the interview the day after with presidente...the same. Where did you learn english????? I was cracking uppppp. Its really a blessing to be who I am...thank you mom and dad for bringing me into this world. Thank you Heavenly Father for the gift of tongues.

This morning we went to Punata which is 2 horas away from our zone. It was far but it was nice to get to know different parts of Cochabamba. We honestly just went there to buy bread because there is actually not a lot to do here..........we are searching hard for something to do. There´s volleyball...there was bowling but that closed down. They want me to teach them how to dance hula as a zone activity...but we´ll see. I had asked president Hansen if I could teach hula here to our ward maybe but he hasn´t gotten back to me yet....so as far as my pareo...I will let you know. 

We have 3 weeks left in this cambio. The time goes by so fast. Hermana Donoso is in Cochabamba again. I was able to spend some time with her. We are close to having a baptism. Really close. And so we are working hard. 

Hey Gabriel can you send me the recipe to the onion rings? I wanna make some here. And Marvy can you send maybe two or three of my best photos I took before the mish..maybe of zynfia and dallin. There is an elder that wants to see my work. Email it to me please :). 

Hey mom and dad, I miss you. I always think of you and have you as my motivation. I constantly pray for our grandparents who are on the other side of the veil to accept the gospel in the spirit world....I can´t imagine life without being with our family forever.

I really hope all is well. Enjoy each day in Hawaii. Oh Jesse you are going to middle school! Enjoy your week. Oh and one of the past days we woke up to snow in the mountains! Its beautiful....it was raining hard all night that day. And now there is snow! 

I love you all so much. Know that les amo mucho y siempre van a estar en mi corazon para siempre. 

Hermana Santeco

PS: 5 months in the mish this saturday!!!! whooooohoooo!!

I forgot to add that my intercambio was with a north american. It was the first time I was companions with a north american. It was actually really nice but the thing was that we didnt plan to have intercambios...but it was necessary because our companions were sick and my companion was in the hospital and so I went to her area without any of my stuff...I was dying to brush my teeth... We luckily found one for me to use....oh and I didnt buy it...we disinfected it...it was an emergency....i needed to brush my teeth. I had to call the elders to figure out when we could go to our area to get my things and I told them "All i want to do is brush my teeth!!!!" lol.....

Its a Sick in bed kind of Week

Hello Familyyyyyy!!!!

So....this week I caught a cold. I lost my voice and everything. And so that meant that I couldn´t teach lessons or go out of the house because the weather is crazy here at night. Wind and everything with dust in the air. It first started out with a scratchy throat, not a sore throat. It was itchy eversince I had to sing at that baptism and then...I would wake up without a voice for 3 days. I had a fever that was climbing and lowering for a day. My companion was freaking out the whole time calling other missionaries and asking what I should do. I would do one thing and next thing I know, I´m in the shower taking a hot shower for 20 minutes. Then I´ll be checking my temperature every 15 minutes to see if there were any changes. Yeah...it was rough. I couldn´t even talk much, but only whisper or talk through a raspy voice. It was ugly. I was sad because we couldn´t go to our appointments because I can´t talk....but I am better. I am just glad that I didn´t go to the doctors again. I will do anything to not go there. AH.

Can you believe it? Next week I will make 5 months in the mission. I am freaking out how fast time goes by. Oh mom and dad, your anniversary is this Sunday. Yes mom and dad I remember. I am still your favorite daughter, I know (sorry bout it marvy hahaha jokes). sooooooo in regards of your anniversary, FELIZ ANIVERSARSIO! Can you believe you are going to have 23 years together??? Almost quarter of a hundred!

So we finally got to meet our new president and his wife. They are beyond amazing. They have such powerful testimonies and tremendous amounts of love for our Savior. This week was honestly a little hard for me. It was a mountain worth climbing though. In the zone conference that we had, I had learned that I really lack the attribute of Christ, Charity. I wanted to strengthen our companionship really bad because it was hard for me to be happy. I wasn´t completely happy because constantly I was picking out reasons why not to be happy. It was bad. We also learned in conference that we needed to really make use of our personal studies in the mornings. The Lord gave us a specific time of the day to study because He really knows that it is the right time to receive revelation. The following day after conference, in the morning, I took the challenge to really study in such a manner that I would feel ready to work for the rest of the day. I was studying the attribute of Charity. I have studied it many times before but this time I studied it with the intent to really change my ways..my faults and to become better. I have learned that besides that Charity is the pure love of Christ, is that we are commanded to have charity in our hearts. I thought hard about this and came with a conclusion of several things. In 1 Cor. it talks about charity and how we are nothing without it. We can have everything in the world, work, a house, a family, opportunities to serve others, power, authority, but without charity we are nothing. So if charity is the pure love of Christ, it means that we are nothing without the pure love of Christ. And how does He demostrate His love for us? The atonement. If we don´t have the atonement we are nothing. What is the atonement for us? It is our hope. Without hope we are nothing. In bigger forms, without Christ we are nothing...without love we are nothing. I have felt His love when I studied so hard about these things and I have grew a greater appreciation for the gospel.

One night...well one of the nights of staying in bed sick, I was writing a letter to Elder Wheeler because I finally got his letter which was sent in March. Many times when I write, I receive revelation of the things which I have learned in the mission. What I have learned was something really profounding to me. As missionaries, we always teach our investigators the importance of keeping the commandments. We always express that we keep the commandments and have the promise to receive blessings. Right there I realized that its more than that. Its like in John 14:15. If ye love me, keep my commandments. The greatest commandment is to love God. Second is to love your neighbor as yourself. I love God more than I have ever loved Him. I have never felt so motivated to keep His commandments. And I realized that I wasn´t just doing His will because I want the blessings, but really because I love Him. Before I came here to serve a mission, I have always done the right things because I just knew it was right. Plus if I didn´t do what was right, I knew there are consequences of feelings of regret and such. I did it for the blessings. But now......my perspective has changed. When I realized this...I also realized that I wouldn´t have learned this for myself if I wasn´t here in Bolivia. I have never loved God so much that I have such a strong desire to serve Him and to be so obedient. Its important to express to others of the importance of obedience because of course you will receive blessings, but also its because He is our Heavenly Father and if we truly love Him and trust in Him, we should be willing to do what He asks of us. This really touched my heart...and I continue to remember what I have learned and use it to motivate me to work with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. Love is my motivation and that is something I have always known and said before I came here.

Within that same day my companion had really bad pains in her body. She didn´t tell me until it was really bad...I was a little concerned that she didn´t tell me because well.....we were in an appointment and we were helping someone wash their dishes. Here in many cases, we wash dishes in buckets of water outside the house. There is no sink in many houses here. And so....we were washing and washing. My companion was squating on the ground and then she tells me that she can´t get up..........the pain increased and she couldn´t walk. We were in our area Chilimarca....up on the hill, far away from our house. I called our leaders and told them what happened. Called a member to pick us up and take us to our house. Oh and we live on the third floor.....she hopped herself up there...in 15 minutes. Poor thing. She continues to have pain...and because of that she hasn´t slept for 3 days. We are going to give her something to help her sleep and if she still is in pain, we will have to take her to the clinic. So with me being sick and my companion being unwell....we couldn´t work that much this week. But know this, I have grown to love my companion. After studying about charity and praying for help to develop this attribute with opportunities to strengthen our companionship...my prayers have been answered.

Getting to know Bolivia can be hard. Especially with references that we have. Addresses here aren´t labeled on the houses. All of the references are said in this manner: 2 blocks up, 5 blocks left, curve left, a store is in the corner, next door is our house, black door. Its rough....but we gotta do it!

After being so sad for so many days, I have learned to work with this sadness and find opportunities and ways for me to enjoy myself and really just be happy because I need to be happy. What a waste to be sad in the mission. This is really such a beautiful adventure really. I keep saying it because I mean it. Its everything to me right now and probably will be for the rest of my life.

Last week I said how the mission prepares you for marriage and such, but also I´ve learned that it prepares you for motherhood. Sometimes you literally will become the mother of your companion. Marvy, my companion reminds me of you. She is 21 but acts younger than she really is....hahaha. I have never felt so responsible of a person besides myself. But really, you learn how to be a mother from the experiences you have in the mission. They always say that you have a huge chance of having a daughter or a kid that is exactly like one of your companions. With the problems and trials that you have with your companion, you will learn how to deal with them and that will prepare you to know how to deal with certain situations with your children. You will know what to do in such a way of relying on the spirit, speaking with love, and dealing with patience and longsuffering. The mission teaches you a lot. It prepares you for your future and helps you to really see what matters most to you and most importantly to our Heavenly Father.

I really love each and every one of you. I am truly humbled to be a representative of Jesus Christ and to preach the gospel to the Bolivians. I have grown so much spiritually and hopefully not physically...only if its like muscles then its okay with me haha.

Thank you for all of your support, your testimonies, and love and prayers. I am so happy to always see have each of your lives have been blessed through the gospel. Know that I love you all and that I miss you. Have a wonderful week and enjoy every day of your life :). El Evangelio es todo para mi. Nunca he sentido mucho gozo de servir nuestro Salvador. Saben que estoy aca para ayudar a las personas a recibir el mismo gozo que tenemos. No tenga meido o temor a compartir este gozo con las personas que lo necesiten. El Evangelio es por todos....todos de sus hijos. Les amo mucho mi familia y amigos. Nunca se olviden de que estoy aca todavia....jajaja. Les amo..tenga una buena semana.

con mucho amor,

Hna Santeco

PS: I made a lei for one of the Elders birthdays! It was so hard to find the materials to make it....oh bolivia. hahaha. He loved it!

the mountains are so pretty in the morning.....

We arrive at the chapel early sometimes. Members come a little late because the trufis are always full.

El Día de Independencia sin mi?!

It was my first 4th of July without being with ya´ll...and most of all with Aunty Beth. Happy BELATED sweet 16th birthday, Aunty Beth ;)!!! Te quiero mucho! This week.....wow this week. I am learning a lot everyday. I guess I should announce this officially...I am dreaming in Spanish. Well from what I can remember when it comes to dreaming. Because I remember thinking of every line in my dream and how it is said in Spanish. Usually I remember absolutely nothing because I am constantly waking up to know what time it is. But last night, I KNOW I WAS DREAMING IN SPANISH. 

My companion and I had a few....okay maybe many rough patches. To all you future missionaries, know this. You will have a companion that you will be tested patience...okay I lie, every companion that you will get will test your patience. But get this...sometimes you will find a lot of things that they do will bug you. Sometimes they snore...LOUD. But remember this.....you have the responsibility to maintain your companionship in the best condition possible to have the spirit. You want success with your investigators and how can you have that? Its obedience and the relationship of your companionship. This work also lies upon your relationship with your companion. Its a huge deal. Because this work is not easy. There is so much pressure and souls at stake here. But when you realized that you have both chosen to serve a mission for the same reason (perhaps, in most cases its the same reason when it comes to sisters), and that you love God enough to do what it may be according to His will...you will do it together. My companion is learning a lot right now and well as I. A few days we were teaching lessons, and at a point she wasn´t letting me talk in the lessons. I would leave every lesson feeling terrible because 1. I didn´t say anything and 2. My companion doesn´t realize that I need to talk.....I felt horrible because I wasn´t fulfilling my responsibility also to tell her when we needed to change something....because well I´m training her and I am not telling her anything...and that´s because you know me...I´m shy and kind of a pushover. But......I talked to her. More like cried my eyes out talking to her because I expressed to her that she needed to allow me to grow when it comes to the language. I needed to speak in the lessons or I am not going to improve when it comes to teaching or speaking and understanding. I told her that she shouldn´t feel that I can´t speak because I know I can do it. I was given this opportunity to grow and to really learn quickly...then she starts crying telling me that she felt frustrated that she was teaching alone...she didn´t let me teach though -____-.....but know this...I have never seen someone so loving when someone teaches...when I watch her teach. She told me she needed my help. I was told her I will help her. We are helping each other. At times I really lose my patience, but then I find ways to just let it go and lose myself in the work. She was crying yesterday and I gave her the best solution. I told her, "Lets get to work then". After a few lessons she told me thank you because she have seen how when we do serve others, it gets easier. Now I am teaching more, talking more in the lessons. I am improving rapidly! One day I talked in every lesson and I understood what they said! I was so surprised because I would sit and listen and be like....oh my goodness I know what you are saying. Even one night I was laying in bed and I realized that my thoughts were in Spanish and I wasn´t even making an effort. Ahhh I feel so blessed.

Hermana Donoso visited me this past week too because she has meetings for all the sister trainers who do intercambios in Cochabamba every first week of the month. I was so happy to see her. She made me so happy because I missed her so much. She and her companion stayed at our house. We had 6 sisters in the house. We ordered pizza one night and ate Hawaiian Pizza. When she left, I missed her again. Its such a terrible feeling to miss people, so what did I do? I went to work. 

Last Pday the elders did something so special for the sisters. There are 12 sisters and 8 elders in our zone. We probably have the most sisters in our zone in comparion to the others zone. The elders cooked us lunch and had us eat while they were refilling our drinks and serving us more food. They had a little talk too of how much they love and appreciate us sisters because the sisters are the ones who usually have the highest number of lessons taught. It was so sweet. I felt like a princess who was the only one eating two plates of everything. It was soooo delicious. I have grown to love Peruvian food. Oh and did I tell you that in our zone conference, they announced that I and my companion are the youngest companionship in the mission (According to how much time we have in the mission) and also our zone announced that our companionships is one of the best ones in the zone. It made me so happy because really, we are working so hard. Remember how scared I was about having to know my area and knowing which trufi I will have to take to certain places? Well.....God has certainly blessed me with the confidence and knowledge in knowing my area. I exactly know where to go, what car to take, who to call, what to say when I call people...I am improving. :) 

Oh....so I had the wonderful opportunity to feel like our Savior Jesus Christ for 2 and a half hours. Know that the mission prepares you for many things. Just as I said before, it prepares you for marriage, family, work, your future, oh and also taking care of your parents. Mom and Dad, the mission has taught me a lot....I helped bathe a 74 old woman this week....who hasn´t bathed in 6 months because she can´t walk very well or do things on her own. I was honestly so scared because I have never bathed an old person. Grandma doesn´t count because mom did it in our kitchen only to wash her hair. But really I have never felt so much like Jesus when I was bathing her. I thought of Dad when he was always taking care of Lolo and of grandma when we were rushing in the kitchen to wash her hair because she couldn´t sit too long more than 5 minutes. I remember seeing the wet kitchen floor and hearing grandma complain that its been more than 5 minutes. Then with grandpa, I just remember dad bathing him i thailand and when he would be dressed and freshly clean, then dad would give him coke to drink. Mom and Dad, I am prepared to help you when you are old. jajaja. It was an interesting and humbling experience...but I don´t think I want to do it again in the mission...

We are going to meet our new presidente this Friday. I am so excited. This week...I am really trying to be like Jesus and studying the attributos de Cristo. I am not perfect and not Jesus but as a representative of Him, there is always something that I can improve. I was just reading my journal of when I just have started my mission papers. I have been in awe of how much has changed..my testimony, my faith, my home. Bolivia has become my home. I realized how much I really do want to be here. I have never felt so sure about being here until I began training. I want to be an answer to someone´s prayers here so that they have really get to know the church. 

I love being a missionary and of course its not easy but its one beautiful ride. You really grow up and learn how to rely on your Savior to help you. And I promise you that He will always help you. Les prometo que Dios les ayudará. 

Mom and Dad, its almost your anniversary. I didn´t forget. I know my parents! You better eat Laie Chop Suey for me. I miss your food at home. I miss you guys also of course, but really I miss the food. 

We will be going to the temple in a couple weeks. I think I am going to buy nice spanish scriptures because the ones I have are huge and the standard kine that are soft covered. They hurt my back to hold them...and also because its huge, I avoid bringing the bible. I want to bring it though..so I´ll buy a smaller kine. Please make sure I have money on my card por favor :) I love you! haha. 

Big shout out to Jasmine to her call to Russia! That´s a cold place for sure....enjoy receiving the gift of tongues. Its by far one of the best gifts that God can give His children. Speaking of cold...I did the math its 17 degrees celius aqui. Its about 60 degrees fahrenheit. Its COLD...well para mi.

I love you all so much. I envy that you are all going to have a family reunion without me this Christmas, but its all good. As long as you don´t eat in front of me while we skype. 

Thanks mom for reminding me that I have almost a year left in the mission....ahh I try not to count the days but everyone does it here. I can´t believe how fast time really goes by.

Family...try write me more about your lives. Gabriel.....are you working or doing something with your life? Jesse how are the movies? I heard Pitch Perfect 2 is coming out soon....theres a second one....dang...Marvy go to dance practice. Dad...I´ll pinch my nose just for you. Mom....don´t cook too much when I am not home! jokes. Oh gabe, send me the onion ring recipe please :) I wanna make onion rings! Marvy, one of my friends who was in the mish with me who returned to his house said that you respond to his message on my facebook...and that you wrote in spanish. He is persuaded that you speak spanish....did you use google translator? lol he always asks if I use google too because my writing in spanish is improving but I told him that google translator doesn´t translate very well either. 

I love you soooo mucho. So mucho hahaha. Nunca he sentido muy bendicida hasta yo llegue en la misión. Aprendo mucho cada día, cada momento. 

Disfruten su semana! y la playa...........I love you. Les amo mucho! 

Con muchoooo amor,

Hna Santeco

PS: Oh they made me sing a solo in a baptismal service for a musical number....NEVER AGAIN. Apparently here I can sing. I was soooo nervous.