Word of the Week: Papa Noel (Santa Claus)

.....I would have used Feliz Navidad as my word of the week...but...EVERYBODY knows that one.... :) Hermana Sollis and I spent Tuesday and Wednesday in the mission offices helping organize the stockings and baked goodies for the mission Christmas party we are having this week. We stuffed stockings, made chocolate chip cookies, went on an adventure to find rice krispies and cream of tarter, ate McDonalds McFlurries (amazing!!!!), and ate Oreo's with peanut butter (thanks Wal-Mart for having peanut butter almost as good as the states!) Wednesday night I arrived in my new area, about 30 minutes outside the capital of Mendoza. I'm now in Mayor Drummond where all the wineries are. It is really hot here and the mosquitoes are alive and well...my REI deet bug repellent isn't doing much for me here....thankfully my sunscreen helps a lot! Here is Mayor Drummond, we are teaching some great people and Hermana Whitmore and I set about 4 or 5 baptismal dates this weekend for the middle of January. We are really excited and eager to help these people make covenants with their Father in Heaven. We are teaching Martín (and his VERY catholic, stubborn mother--about 80 years old). Martín is eagerly listening and learning. He's been to church once, but unfortunately has to work on Sunday during this holiday time. He's already on board for going to church in January and is taking this whole process very seriously. During one lesson this week, as we were talking about a baptismal date with him, his mother just looked at him (he's probably 35 years old or so) and told him that he had no idea what he would be committing to do if he were to get baptized in our church, that he'd been baptized already as a baby, etc..etc...Martín just looked at here and in all soberness said, "This is my decision, it's my life." We were so happy for him and that he recognizes the importance of his personal conversion before he is baptized. We taught him about the Word of Wisdom this week and he was excited and very willing to follow that commandment. He told us that about 7 months ago he stopped smoking and has been trying to do more exercises....He's progressing really well! We also taught Laura and Marcos. They are a young couple who recently got married and who have a one year old daughter. Laura is a very inactive member, but went to seminary and was very active in her youth. Marcos is open and very receptive. Laura was teaching him how to pray this week, but he's still a little timid about baptism. We set a date as a goal with him, but we're not sure what will happen because they are looking to move into a house outside our area. We will help him progress so he can get baptized wherever they end up moving. Wednesday night as we were knocking doors, we contacted a woman named Carina who invited us to come back later in the week. Friday night we went back to her home and taught her and her 12 year old daughter, Carla. They are Catholics, but Carina was very receptive and had lots of questions about our beliefs. They gratefully accepted a Book of Mormon and committed to read what we left them. The lesson was wonderful! Hermana Whitmore and I teach really well together and compliment each others strengths...it's really refreshing! The spirit was really strong in our lesson as we taught about the importance of prophets in helping us guide our families through this rough time in the history of the world. I felt really great teaching and felt like my Spanish wasn't as much of a stumbling block as it has been in the past. I've been studying the first lesson in Preach My Gospel for the past few days/week and I really saw that study time help me during this lesson in particular. It is so true, we have to have the information in our minds first for the spirit to inspire us and bring all things to our remembrance. I really understand that now! In other news, Santiago got baptized on Saturday! I was SO SO SO SO sad that I was transferred 3 days before his baptism so I couldn't be there to see it and congratulate him, but happy to hear that it all worked out well. I love Monica and her son Santiago! I feel so lucky to have taught them and felt a part of their family, if only for 6 weeks. They will be and are now a great asset to the ward in San Rafael and it makes me excited to think about Santiago with the Priesthood and the blessing he will be to his mother and the example he will be to his older brother. Today, we went and bought some COOL Argentine nativities from an artisan shop and then spent the afternoon window shopping in a mall (the first mall I've seen in 8 months!)---we felt like we walked into California--complete with a movie theater, McDonald's, and American style (ie clean) bathrooms! it was heavenly! I bought some cool things...sorry I can't send them home! All in all, we had a fun week waiting for buses, missing buses, eating ice cream, looking at the first Christmas lights that there are here, and discovering "California" in the middle of Argentina. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and enjoys this time together as family as we all turn our thoughts to the Savior of the world. Love to you all! Merry Merry Christmas! -Hermana Pelton