DECEMBER 31, 2009 HANDWRITTEN

Hey Familia,

Hows everything going home. How was Christmas.
Ill probably talk to you a few times through email before you even get this.. (*note: It took more than a month) but it's all good. It's New Years Eve, so we had to be back to our apartment by 4:00 because it's way too dangerous to go out past then. Christmas is like nothing here and NYE is huge. It's just like 1 big fiesta. It's pretty intense they get these dummies and fill them with newspaper, gas, fireworks, basically anything that will light on fire and light them on fire. It's pretty awesome though. I will try to send some pictures hopefully of them if we can go out. (*this is the picture of Michael Jackson dummy, it was the least vulger)
So I should have my packages from QUito hopefully tomorrow that you guys sent. I gave almost everything to this family that lives near where we are teaching. They are so awesome and they are always giving me and my companion little things so I took them almost everything in the box besides the drink mix. They needed it more than me. The dad in the family, his name is Hermano Antes, he's so cool. He's probably 4 ft, 4 " tall, he's the coolest, kindest, old man that I know. He walks us out of the Plan de Vivienda, everynight because it is so dangerous. His wife died and he is supporting the 2 girls by himself. He works all day yet he is the most active helpful guy in the world. He always pays tithing even though he has nothing. He helps us teach when he gets home from work. He is seriously one of my heroes. I love the guy. There are so many awesome people here. They crack me up. They are so small and poor, old and uneducated, yet they are still so happy because they have the curch in their lives. It is awesome. The best is when a family or people that you areaching show up to church. It is like all the work that you went through that week was workth it. It is so cool.
How is everything at home? Tanner at basketball, Willie and Chase still working? I hear we are getting alot of snow. .............
Anyways, I have got to go. I won't write many letters because we have email and it cost 2 bucks to send these. I just know handwritten letters are the best.
I love you guys!
Love Elder Hamblin