Hola!

Well here´s some news........ I got transferred. I will tell you that I was hoping for Montevideo or somewhere more south of Salto for the heat but I got a great Christmas gift this year! haha Estoy en Rivera. There is only one department that is hotter than Rivera. I am up by Brazil. Literally. I am going to go shopping today in Brazil. Apparently it is cheaper to go there because as foreigners we get better prices. I dont really understand but yeah... It is going to be my first time in Brazil! How exciting no?

So I am in Rivera, Uruguay. I moved on Sunday night and hung out in a bus terminal for 4 hours in Paysandu and then took a 5 hour ride to Rivera. Man was I beautiful that morning! My companion's name is Hermana Valverde and she is from Ecuador. I actually know her from before. When my first companion and I went to Montevideo to go to the doctor we spent the rest of the time with Hermana Valverde and her companion when they were working in Montevideo. We had lunch with them and it was fun! So when I found out she was my companion I was pretty happy. The only real problem is that she speaks english as well. Every single one of my companions have been english speakers. No wonder my spanish is not very good. No that is just an excuse, my spanish is getting better though. Oh and we have a house instead of an apartment. That is a little weird. 

So Christmas was interesting. Christmas Eve was a little boring. They dont really do much for parties here except eat and drink and chat. So we were invited to 2 houses for Christmas Eve and so we went to the first one and they werent really started yet so we said we would come back.We went next door to the other party. That wasnt awkward at all. We just sat there and ate some empanadas. And talked a little. My companion painted her fingernails and then we decided to go back to the first one. When we got back the party wasnt that much better. We helped make sandwiches and talked a bit. Hermana Fereira de De Sousa is a hout. She has so much personality and sass that just ebing around her is fun. She was my mother here. When I was sick one day she took care of me. I slept on her couch for the whole day. She brags that her food was what made me better.....I dont know about that. :)

We stayed up and make orange julius.Or we tried. Our blender wasnt very good so we tried to crush the ice but it pretty much just melted. So it was kind of a milk orange drink.:) Then we sat out on our balcony and wached the fireworks. Then went to bed. In the morning we had PRESENTS!

I was so blessed this week to get 2 boxes from my family. ALL intact. I opened them with my companion Hermana Christensen and took pictures. I have so osososooso many pictures. I loved all of them. They are so sweet. I LOVE MY FAMILY. Me amo mi familia! Then after our special morning we went to lunch. Our missionary mom here. Hermana Silvia made us Christmas Lunch. Then I got to skype my family at around 2 my time. It was so great to see them all. We talked for about an hour and then we had to say goodbye. Not going to lie. I cried a little bit to see them go. But I know that what I am doing is good and right and my family is going to be blessed. Hermana Silvia wanted to sing Families can be together forever for our families. It was sweet and I know that my family is sealed together forever. What a blessing!

Well I was kind of sad to leave Salto Cerro. We had some good times there. The last two changes I was ready to leave but in this last one I didnt want to go. I dont know how much good I did there but I hope I touched someones heart and made their life a little brighter. 

I also got to do something kind of cool. My aunt Heather served her mission here 30 years ago , I think. She gave me some names of people that she worked with that she wanted me to look up and report on. So my last week in salto there was one of the people that was on the border of my area. Really not in my area but it was acrross the street so we went and visited her. She is so strong in the church. She didnt understand us very well but I could see from her house and her eyes that she loved the Lord and was doing her best. I took pictures and I am going to send them to my aunt. It is great how the gospel can change someones life forever. 

Today is the 31st and the last day of the year. Which means Resolutions! What resolutions have you made this year? I am going to be more obedient and happy. Maybe these go hand in hand? hahaha

Well I have much to learn about Rivera Chico 1 (nuestra area) so wish me luck!

Peace and Blessings,

Hermana Krista Beatie

pictures

Christmas morning with my FREAKING SQUIRREL NECKLACE!