My Dear Family,

It sounds like everyone is enjoying the holiday season, and that there are lots of preparations going into Christmas! We´re also really busy here because we´ll have our big Christmas party this next Tuesday and Wednesday. It should be a great time, and I hope that all the zones enjoy the service activities. We are planning on going caroling and also doing hospital visits here in Guayaquil. It sounds like it will be a lot of great opportunities to lend a hand this Christmas. 

Mom, I´m so happy to hear that the Messiah went well. Singing is such a powerful way to invite the spirit. Also that´s so great that you get to go to the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Concert! I know that you´ll enjoy yourself and how fun to get to do something with Holley! 

I´m also happy that the family could enjoy the new Star Wars movie! Isaac looked so happy in that picture that you sent! Right next to our house there´s a giant billboard promoting the new movie, and I admit that I think about Isaac when I see it hahaha =)

I have grown to have a powerful testimony that the world is extremely small in the gospel. I can´t believe that Elder Zaballos came and spoke at stake conference! His daughter is the missionary that taught my old companion, Elder Alucema, from Copiapo, Chile. This truly is a gospel that unites us with the entire world.

This week we have been working really hard in the office doing all the last minute plans for Christmas and the decorations for the big dinner as a mission, but we´ve also been working really hard in our sector. Tonight we´re going to have a baptismal service! We´re so excited, and the members are also really happy and supportive which is great. His name is Ismael Saenz. He works in construction, and has such a big heart for helping others. I´ll definitely send you pictures of the baptism. =) 

Other than that we´ve just been busy working on Christmas, I´ve personally been working on all the December baptismal records as well so I´ve been staying busy. =)

I hope you have the best week! I´ll be thinking about you all and I can´t wait to talk to you this next week! 

Elder Hales =)