Hola peeps!

So, here in Rivas this week was a little disappointing since our baptism fell through. The elders are helping us with him still and hopefully we can get him baptized soon. Then we had a lady come up to us in the street and asked if we baptized and we said yes. We visited her and then on Saturday we went and got her to come to the elders’ baptism.  She had been visiting the church in Costa Rica with her member son.  It was an up and down week, but whatever. We keep working and eventually we will have some success with some baptisms. I had a real good interview with the president on Friday. We were first at 6:45 a.m. Interviews were in Jinotepe which is an hour or so by bus. But the earliest bus wouldn´t get us there in time so we went on the last bus on Thursday and worked and slept at the sisters’ house there. We put the two mattresses together on the floor and it was fine. I worked with the new sister there and I sort of had a wake up call that I am not new anymore and that I should stop waiting around, until I don´t know when, and get going. She was looking at me for direction and I was like I don´t know, but it was really good with her even though it was only an hour or so. Also the President gave me quite nice compliments at the end of my interview which I was glad to hear since I wasn´t sure what he thought. He was really nice and I felt like my Spanish didn´t hold me back too much. Elena, I told my president that you were training and quite nervous but it will be great. Have lots of fun and that is cool. Anyway, life is good here. We are working to do some baptizing soon, but it will come eventually. Have confidence with your Spanish. And I bet you’ve realized you have learned a lot, now that you see where you came from with your newbie comp. Seeing the new sister in the zone has helped me realize I have learned lots, but I do tell her often that I don´t understand it all, so she doesn´t worry. I am glad you are doing well. I got lots of mail on Friday too - DearElders from you, Joyce, Brennan, and the Gehrings, and cards from you and Amy Allen, and my twelve days of Christmas package.  I liked Tanner and Tucker’s excerpts from the blog that you sent. I think the same things sometimes about working efficiently that Tanner said. I like to do my things logically but sometimes I just go with the flow and if we walk more than we need to, oh well. Also, I asked the president in the interview about calling home at Christmas and to Lenny. He said we can only make one call but if we arrange to call at the same time that would be how we could do it.  Christmas will be here so soon. We sang a Christmas hymn in Relief Society yesterday which was fun. Also, this is week 46 for the year. So I am excited to hear how the training is going Lenny. I will be writing on Monday next week. We are going on Tuesday to Managua to hear Elder Amado of the Seventy. We will probably be in Jinotepe again on Monday and stay the night there since we have to be in Managua at 7. Anyway, life is going well. It has been hot here this last week, but yesterday and today it has been cloudy. Anyway, I am doing fantastico and I had a real good time talking to the president.  He made me feel real good. He said I am always ready to do what I am asked to and things like that. So that was nice. Well, I love you so much. Have a fantastic anniversary. Can´t wait until you hit your 46th anniversary. Also thanks for sending copies of wedding announcements. I like that. Well, the gospel is true.  LOVE YOU TONS.  Happy 5 months this week Lenny and that means 8 for me.  We are just about done here and I am glad it is all going well. I will look forward to more of your emails next week. I got the picture you sent of Elena and her comp. She is quite tall. I love you all soooooooooooo much and you are the best. You are the bestest family in the universe. Las familias son eternas. Love, alc