Happy New Year!

The pizza does look tastey!

For New Year's Eve, all the elders from Pisco came to the house Justin is in ( there were about 10) and Sonia (their pension) made pizza. Justin said it tasted really good and pretty American. He said the lights were out for most of the night. " There is always no electricity or no water." He bought more fireworks and lit them with all the little kids. Justin said it is tradition there to make big human doll scarecrow things to put out in the streets and light on fire at midnight. I hear it is symbolic of burning the old habits you had so you can start fresh with the new year to become better. Justin said it looked pretty weird too see all the dolls burning in the streets, fires in every direction and fireworks everywhere. He said, "It looked like a war zone." He had fun though.

Here's one the dolls that was to be burned at midnight. They named it Hermana Manrique, after a missionary that went home couple of weeks ago.

The dolls burning.

Here's his zone on New Year's Eve. Fireworks extravaganza!

For p day today they plan on going fishing or playing volleyball. Today (New Years Day) everything is dead. He had a hard time finding an open Internet cafe to email us. He said they saw a huge group of gringos (white people) in the plaza in Pisco. He says most of the gringos they see there are from Europe on vacation. This group was a church group from Alabama on a two week mission. The missionaries told the group they too were on a mission but for two years. He said, "they talked funny."

Justin told us about his Christmas. For Christmas Eve, they did a ton of fireworks with the kids in the street. Then at midnight they went in and opened presents. He said, "The adults did a secret Santa type thing Most people bought chocolates or something. And each kid got a little toy, like an action figure, and they were so happy with just that. Different from the states. They just enjoy being together as a family the most." I like the sound of that! They then had dinner. "We had chicken, mashed potatoes with the gravy powder mom sent. They eat this cake with fruit in it (it's called fruit cake!) and chocolate milk stuff. Then we went to bed. I of course refused to conform to the opening all the presents Christmas Eve tradition and waited until the next morning to open all my packages. A ton of sweets and candy! And the best part was all the letters and tape from everyone. (I knew that would be his favorite thing!) After that we called home, hung out for a little while, then went out to visit members. It was a good day." Here are some Christmas photos Justin sent to us.

In Sonia's home. Looking festive!

Christmas Eve meal. Chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy.

The kids opening their gifts.

Reading all the Christmas letters on Christmas morning. His favorite gift! (I love this picture!)

Justin's bed filled with packages from home.

A Christmas gathering with the mission president and his wife (Santa).

Sister Tenorio ( mission president's wife) entertaining the missionaries.

President and Sister Tenorio.

Justin and President Tenorio, his second mission president. In June, 2009 Justin will get a new mission president...... his third in one year!

My Christmas lovin' boy!

Last Saturday the Huamani family got baptized (the family they found while lost in the hills), the two parents and their son Jair.

" 2008 is out the window and here I am in South America for all of 2009. Wish me luck. Maybe I'll wind up in Bolivia for 2010. Who knows. Anyways, love you all and happy new year."

Justin with his Bolivian flag.