Dec 8th

Week of surprises! Oh goodness gracious this past week has been so many changes. I think my email might run a little long this week, but I know you all are anxious to hear about it so I'll cut to the chase! ;) Haha

For starters...Im out of the mountains?!?!?! Hahaha. I cant believe it, but I guess my time finally came. Im back in the capital! 9 months in Santiago, sealed and done. Its so weird! But...I LOVE THIS PLACEEEEE. Ok I dont know how much I can express this to you, or have expressed before. The people of the capital are AMAZING. (If you dont believe me, ask Sis. Aldridge because she is one of them, and also wonderful. :) Today I find myself in an suburb called Loma Blanca. The area is called Cerro Grande, which means Big Hill in Spanish, and the stake is called Nimajuyu, which means Big Hill in Mayan :P.

Surprise number 1...I have been here before! I dont know if you guys remember but one year and something ago we had divisions in the CCM, and I came here with Elder Pande. And, a few months ago we had a training meeting in the cap, and I came here with Elder Davis! And now its my area. But its been way cool. I had met a lot of the members already and they are simply incredible. And the people are so wonderful. Im stoked!

Surprise number 2...me and my companion...are leading the zone! Definitely a huge surprise for me. I feel a little over my head, but at the same time am way excited--the zone is an awesome group of missionaries and we are way excited to be working with them. And my companion is way awesome--his name is Elder Cifuentes, from West Guatemala, and he is hysterical, and an awesome worker. Cant wait! Ok more surprises.

3. I had Pizza Hut this week. THREE TIMES. The capital is amazing.

4. We have a grocery store in our area. And I eat yogurt for breakfast now. Every day!!!!

5. The people here speak Spanish here like Miguel de Cervantes. Everyone has been making fun of my crazy mountain accent. :)

6. We decided to go contacting this week where I had been contacting before with Elder Pande. We contacted a house that we contacted a year and something ago, and found a new family! They are wonderful. And...they are related to Elder Cifuentes! Crazy coincidences!!! :)

Basically, I am WAY stoked about the new area. The mountains was incredible, and I was lucky to be there, but my heart has really always been attached to the people of the capital. They are SO humble, and SO prepared for our message. It is our turn to share it with them. We are teaching a beautiful family right now, the Mendez-Tobar family. They are coming to church consistently, and we hope they can get baptized soon. We watched the Restoration dvd last night with them and the lesson was so powerful. Please pray for them!

Anyways! Those are the detes from this week, I know, the most exciting email Ive had in a long while :) Really I am way excited to be here and hope I can stay here for a while. I dont think Ill end my mission here, but I think Ill be pretty close!

Sounds like everything at home is going awesome. Dad--HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! In Spanish, the word fifty is cincuenta, which can also mean without count. So Im guessing infinite candles for a cake is pretty hard to find! Haha, just kidding :) For reals, I hope you had an awesome birthday and I love you lots.

If you want to try, I think the best way to look up Cerro Grande on Google Maps would be to look for Zona 21 of Guatemala City. If there is a neighborhood called Loma Blanca, CG, or Nimajuyu, thats us!

Ive heard rumors that the new narnia movie is coming out soon. Is it true???

Love you tons. Feast up on this delicious Christmas spirit! :) (Did everyone watch the devotional? SO good.)

Tyler