Feliz ano nuevo

Wow, what a crazy week it has been. I have been getting to know my new ward little by little. This ward is amazing. There is a unity that screams ZION! and I love it. I know that part of that has to do with the fact that there are four missionaries in the field from this ward right now. The missionary blessings aren't just for the family. They are for the entire ward. I hope my home ward is receiving these same blessings of unity too. I sure am grateful for all that my ward at home does to support us out here in the field. Thank you all so much!

When I changed wards right before Christmas I didn't really know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I have felt such a great love from all the members and investigators here, and like always they are showing their love in food. haha. I'm sure you all are realizing from my fotos that my cheeks are getting fuller and fuller. haha. good thing I only have one more year or my clothes might stop fitting! (I can laugh but no one else should be laughing! :) and no one should be forwarding pictures to Caleb so he can laugh too!)

Christmas Eve was wonderful. We had mission conference that started at 8 am and lasted until 5 pm. It's a good thing Hermana Argueta and I practiced all the Christmas hymns in the bus ride to the church because when I got there I was asked to lead all the music for the entire day and then later I was asked to sing a solo in the conference! I think the Lord is trying to tell me something about my future in music...I may be returning to a previously thought about major directing music. I absolutely love doing it. Well, we will see in one year how I feel. When the conference ended we worked and then went to the house of the family Osorio, a young couple with a little baby. They are both return missionaries and we had so much fun listening to them talk about their missions. We even had permission to be out until 11PM! WooHOo! haha.

The next day, Christmas day, our zone got together, all 20 elders and me and my companion, to cook breakfast, watch a movie, and play dodgeball. The dodgeball part was super interesting. haha. Then we went to sing Christmas carols in a nearby hospital. It was a beautiful experience. We all had Christmas hats(Hermana Arguetta and I wore ours all Christmas Eve evening and all Christmas day!) Then Christmas night I got to talk to my family! Yay! It was so great. Hard to talk in English...but still great. It's weird to think that I have been away from them for 6 months already and that in 1 more year I will see them all. I got an email from my companion, Hermana Barre, that is now in her house in Ecuador and that was even stranger...to think about my companion at home. Really though, I was a bit scared to talk to my family. I thought it might distract me, but it was all the opposite. They gave me the energy and strength that I needed to push on and do what the Lord has called me to do, to teach the people of Chile about Jesus Christ and His restored church in the earth with a baptism that is authorized by God. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to share such a wonderful message during this beautiful Christmas season and every day of my life! I love my mission! I love every minute of it. Its not always easy, but I am learning and growing to love my Savior Jesus Christ in a way I never thought possible. Thank you all so much for your love and support. It means the world to me.

Just so you all know, this Christmas I celebrated Halloween with a package from Janay, Thanksgiving with a package from my memaw and Christmas with a package from the Duncan family. haha. I guess the mail between the states and Chile isn't the greatest, but that's ok. It was super fun and I loved it ALL. Thank you so much! If you sent packages and I did not get them yet, don't worry, maybe I will get them for my birthday in March!

love
hermana Canal