A White Christmas in Mexico!

   Holaaaaa! 

This week was SO GOOD so I'm just going to get right to it! This week basically felt like a pday week bc turns out literally everyone leaves Querétaro for christmas and doesn't really want to talk to missionaries during christmas jaja but we had so many great things going on this week it didn't phase me! 

First off we had a MISSION WIDE christmas party and it was SO FUN! I got to hangout with all my friends and a ton of people I've never met and party hard! We had a giant mission wide competition with 6 teams (go red team) and it was basically like a giant spirit bowl type thing with tons of competitions! If you know me you know I love that type of stuff and I'm just a little competitive and I'll do anything to win lol. Well after some cuts and bruises (literally look at the pics lol) we got 2nd overall which isn't bad taking in consideration some missionaries were not very athletic and wanting to participate. It was a blast and my tumbles and bruises were worth it (but rip in the chat I ripped my fav pants :'). Also I killed my mission president, both the APs, and their whole team by myself in the balloon tied around the ankle game where you pop peoples balloons and it was raddd!  

All the games were super fun and my team was going crazy the whole time yelling chants (which chanting and roasting people in spanish is more fun btw) and we got the respect (or the hatred lol) of the other teams bc we were the coolest team by far, anyways it was a blast!

After that we all went to a restaurant called Pampas (which is basically like Tuchanos but way better) and we stuffed ourselves and had a good time! From there we went back to the church and just talked to a bunch of people and had toasts, sang christmas songs, ate cake, announced the winning teams, and just took pics and talked with everyone some more! People all left to travel back to their houses and we were on the cleaning crew bc we live the closest but it was super fun cleaning up w all my district, the APs and Pres because we're all friends! One of the funnest days I've had! 

Christmas Eve wasn't anything special but Christmas was rad! It was definitely a weird dynamic bc literally in the morning my comp was washing her clothes and the other hermanas were sleeping so i sat alone and ate a muffin watching the christ child video and then opened a couple presents from my fam. That sounds pretty awful but it was really peaceful and it made me really think about the savior and the love I have for him and my family! After everyone got ready for the day we went to the center for some last minute stuff and then we had our district white elephant and secret santa and played soccer! It was super fun! First off I loved the white elephant (that's not a thing in mexico so everyone thought it was fun- also my gift is the only one that got stolen 3x so i take that as a compliment) and the secret santa was great and everyone gave and got really great stuff (im genuinely impressed w the sincerity) and we played some soccer (which can i say isn't the best idea right before a baptism- which is the next highlight!!) But it was all great!

DIEGO GOT BAPTIZED! YES ON CHRISTMAS!! It was the most perfect white Christmas ever and yes I cried like a baby when I saw him get baptized and I knew without a doubt in my mind that this is the place im supposed to be right now! I've been teaching Diego since almost the first week of living here- with literally no spanish abilities when i met him- and it was so special i think w him to see him grow and have him see me grow! Diego is my fav person I've taught and he really reminded me of why I'm here! He talked about wanting to go to the temple now and to prepare for the temple coming here and it made my heart SO HAPPY AHHH! SUCH A GOOD EXPERIENCE!!

To finish off christmas I talked w my family and got to still be a part of some family traditions and then finished the night with some games w the district. Such a good christmas!!

I hope you're all doing fantastic and know that I love you all!! Go freeze for me bc Im sweating over here in mexico!! 

-hna stone