It's almost Christmas!

These are the packages Eric received that contain his Christmas presents. Although they are fairly small boxes, a lot of fun things were squeezed into them!

Hey family, what's up?! I'm glad to hear that everyone is doing great. I'm doing good here, too.

Christmas is coming up pretty quick, but I hardly even realize it, it just doesn't feel like Christmas here. I admit I miss having a good Christmas in Utah, snowy, with decorations and the family all together. It's funny to think that last year at Christmas I was in the MTC! It's very hot here now, and the biggest decoration I've seen here is a Christmas tree about two feet tall, the type that you put on a table. I guess their houses are so small that they couldn't have bigger decorations anyway. I've yet to see any big lights, or a big tree, or a big anything. Above all, it just doesn't feel too much like Christmas in 100 degree weather to me.

Either way, I'm still excited for Christmas, it's just going to be a little different this year. I'm definitely excited for the call home I get to make! We have to plan the call with the other elders, because we are all going to use the same phone in the church. Elder Petersen and Rallison have set up to call in the morning and early afternoon, so I will get the latest time I can. I'll try to sign up for around 4:30 my time, but I'll let you know for sure next week if I can have that time. I think it will be okay.

The area is going good and Jose is doing good, getting prepared to receive the priesthood in the next few weeks. We had a good week. We made our goals and so we helped the hermanas out in their area on Sunday, and did really good there, so that helped them and it was pretty fun. Plus we found a really cool family for them to teach! Also, Elder Larson had his birthday this week, so we ate pizza and cookies, so he had a good birthday.

It has rained and rained here this past week, which means everything shuts down and nobody leaves their houses. It is hard to get people to show up to church or do anything in the rain. There were also some awesome lightning and thunder storms.

I still have the Christmas gifts you sent me, still all wrapped and put away. The other elders have already opened their Christmas gifts, (although some are expecting some more packages, too, but they have already opened what they have received.) But I'll have an awesome Christmas day.

Regarding packages, in the future you'll be able to send them directly to the pench or to the local post office! So far I have not received any of the things you are asking me about that you and Dad sent long ago. But I will still be able to receive any packages and letters that might be waiting at the mission home because we are having a special conference a few days before Christmas.

Well, thanks to everyone for all that you do!

I love you all,
Eric

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