Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

It's been a good year, hasn't it? Lots of progress, lots of new lessons learned, lots of challenges, lots of victories, lots of tears, lots of smiles, lots of misunderstanding, and lots of love. Yep, we have now reached that nostalgic part of the year...the end. That time when everyone thinks of what they've achieved and where they're going. Personally, I think I'm going well, still have a lot to go and all, but all said, I am happy with the progress that I have made and am making. That said, I still have a lot to go. So, in that spirit....Happy New Year!

This past week was pretty good. We had an awesome FHE with Jason and Carol along with a bunch of their neighbors. It was epic; there were about 15 people there. We taught about being obedient and obeying God's commands. We then played a game in which everyone had to follow the commands of "God". Each picked a piece of paper and had to do as written. Well, I had to bark and howl like a dog....and wouldn't you know it, I did it so good that the dog next door started barking back at me!

Christmas was fun. Here, Christmas is celebrated more like New Years, as in everyone stays up till midnight on Christmas Eve and then they shoot off fireworks! Also, the majority get way drunk and dance in the street. Yeah, not really my sort of Christmas. Though we did have a lot of fun stuff. On the 24th, we ate dinner with the Familia Cacua (tamales- a Colombian tradition) and we also went and grilled meat out on the balcony of our apartment (about ten pounds between six elders). I was so full when I went to bed. And on the 25th I got to call my family. I loved that. It was cool being able to see all you guys and talk to you face to face after so long. You are all so big now! And you all seem to have changed a lot.

Well, I am at a loss for words....as in I don't have anything more to say. So I'll just leave it at this.
Love you,
Elder (Gabe) Rallison