Christmas and Jan. 24, 20111

We had a great 1-hour phone call from Brett on Christmas Eve. It was nice to finally hear some of the details he hasn't had time to share with us like his transportation, the culture and area. Also, the food and weather, etc. Boring, but interesting for us. He got all of our Christmas packages except grandma and grandpa Graham's. He just got that a few days ago. Have to send it priority mail or it may take 2 months apparently. Ha ha. Oh well. He sure is enjoying grandma's delicious treats. He had a sinus infection, and we reminded him we sent him with anitbiotics. He thought they were just for tummy issues. So, I am sure he is all better now that he took his antibiotics. Sounds like he is pretty healthy and happy. He's getting skinny from not being able to pump the iron though he says. He seems pretty comfortable with the language and is getting into the swing of things. I am sure there is a learning curve. The discipline and sacrifice will be a priceless experience. We noticed he sort of had an accent and used sort of words in english that meant something different in spanish.

Brett wrote on Jan. 24 to mom: Sorry I didn`t write last week. I had some issues with the Internet. Happy Birthday MOMMY! I`m so glad you reminded me. Hihi. Transfers were today. I remain in Tlaxcala for another 6 weeks but I got a new companion, Elder Nuncio. He has about 3 months in the mission, he has only had one other companion. That means I`m now the senior companion. I really hope I can handle to new responsibility. Until now, my companions have pretty much been the ones to decide what to do but now it`s up to me. I`m kind of glad because I was a little bit sick of my old companion bossing me around, but at the same time I`m really not sure I`m ready to be entrusted with the responsibility. I still feel like I`m lacking so much, but my new companion seems really cool and at least I don`t have to teach him spanish.

On sunday I baptized an 8 year old boy named Diego. My companion, Elder Hurtado, baptized his Mom, Patricia. It was great. Patricia is super awesome. She is a single mom who has comitted some major mistakes in her life but she is determined to follow the Savior and obey all the commandments. She is going to be a solid member and a great mom for her three sons. I was super sad yesterday when the sacrament was being passed because she still hadn`t arrived to church and her baptism was to occur immediately following the services. I was worried she wasn`t going to come. Fortunately, she arrived right before the first speaker went up. And to add to my joy and hope for her she told us that she had walked all the way to church (like 45 minutes away walking) from her house because the highway that leads to the church was closed. So she crossed a freeway to try to catch a combi there but one never passed. So, she finally decided to just walk with her 8, 5, and 2 year old. That`s why she arrived late. She and her son were the only baptisms we had this trandsfer but they were more than worth it.

Mom, could you tell me how you have been blessed by keeping the commandments specifically as you have kept the sabbath day holy, paid tithing, read the scriptures, prayed, attended church, attended the temple regularly, listened to the counsel of modern day prophets, kept the law of chastity, and kept the word of wisdom. I like to promise people specific blessings for keeping the commandments but sometimes I can`t think of really specific ones, maybe you can help me.

I hope and pray you get better soon. I love you.

Brett