December 16, 2010

Familia!
Ecuador is fantastic! We landed on Tueday and it is so green and
beautiful. We then went to the temple in Guayaquil with Pres. Montalti
and he is a great man. I am really going to like him. He is funny and
keeps telling me how we are going to be great friends. It was a great
day. That night I slept at the apartment of one of the nurse´s and her
companion and Hna Garlock and her new comp. Then yesterday morning, I
boarded a bus with two other Elders from my district in the CCM in
Peru and drove 10 hours to a beautiful city in the mountains called La
Loja (like Aloha). And then we had pizza with the members and they
seem so wonderful! It is SO pretty here and its clean and very safe.
All the streets are kinda steep so I´m expecting a good work out!
Sheesh! My companion is wonderful and I am her last companion before
she goes home. She is from peru and her name is Hermana Rivas. She is
27 and I already love her. We live alone and have a great view of the
city. It´s nice and cool here and even cold at night and there is no
more english to be had anywhere around. So this is going to be
interesting, but great! I love it here! I am so happy. And I asked
president if I could be one of the first sisters in the Galapagos and
he said that we will see...I´m guessing its a no, but a girl has to
try! I´m sorry I can´t write long. Today is not my p-day but my comp
told me to write and tell you I got here safely. My p-day is monday. I
love you all and I´m so happy you are all doing so well. And give Max
a big kiss for me! He sounds so cute and when you said you named him
max, I thought immediately of the Grinch! I´m so pleased. Oh, and dad
there is an Elder Griswold here and I wanted to ask him if he was
related to Clark but I had to refrain. I will let you know on Monday
the plans for calling on Christmas. Let me know your plans and we can
see what we can work out. I can´t wait to talk to you all! This gospel
is so true and I feel the blessings of it everyday. I feel so blessed
to be a missionary for the Lord and to know he sent me here. I can´t
wait to see what awaits the work here. My comp likes to work hard and
I am super happy about that. I sure love you. Find Christ this week
and Pres Monson in the christmas devotional asked us to turn our lives
back to Him as a gift to Him. I love him. I know He lives. Talk to you
soon! I love you so much! Thank you for all the support. It means the
whole world. And enjoy cookie day! Tell Grandma I´m sad I couldn´t be
there to make a cookie with a mountain of frosting on it. Got to
go...our mamita is making us lunch!
-Hermana salmon