Christmas Crackers and Cow Tongue

Hey!

It was great talking to the family on Friday, though now I feel like there's not much left for me to say.

I tried to upload my pictures to photo bucket using a card reader, but my SD card is formated wrong, I'll have to try next week using a cable from the camera. If that doesn't work I'll have to attempt mailing them.

Soon after talking, Elder Robinson and I went to with the other missionaries in out flat to their Branch President's house. We ate christmas dinner with them! They knew that we normally eat turkey on Christmas so they cooked a small one especially for us. It wasn't the main dish though, apparently they don't eat turkey very often out here, it was the Branch President's second time cooking turkey. They had several other meats, the main one being cow tongue. They had tons! It was thinly sliced, but when she told us it was tongue we all saw the resemblance. It wasn't that bad though, it was hard to classify the taste. I'd say it tasted similar to bologna. Of course they served it with cool drink. They had Christmas Crackers too! I was surprised that none of the other three missionaries had seen them before. After we had been stuffed with food they got out a crate that had been filled to the brim with sweets. I was already feeling sick from all the cool drink. After passing around at least a dozen bags of sugar coated wine gums and banana flavored marshmallows they decided it was time for desert. They then proceeded to serve a delicious custard candy nut jello salad - I wish that I had been able to enjoy it, instead I was trying my hardest not to die. After I had taken a few bites the mother came around and scooped ice cream into my bowl... I'm pretty sure that I am diabetic now. I was so glad to get home, lay down and settle to the refreshing taste of water.

Oh, just two days ago I found out that Elder Robinson is being transfered to Botswana. I was still getting lost in New Jersey after living there for 6 years. I've been here six weeks and now I have to run the area. These next few weeks are going to be very long. Elder Robinson is excited though, he says he feels like a great burden had been lifted. So many people in this area come so close to baptism, but almost all trip over some obstacle and can't seem to pick themselves back up.

This sunday we had a baptism, there were supposed to be two. Ayesha Manyathella and Solomon Desonto, but a problem came up in Solomon's family and he's been out of town. Ayesha's baptism was sweet though! It went really well, she bore a her testimony and told about how she decided to move her baptism forward two weeks. She said that she knew the church was true and that she needed to be baptised, she thought about the savior and how he didn't shirk or delay his Atonement for us, and that she wasn't going to shirk or delay her opportunity to follow him.

I love you all, and wish you a happy new year!
Elder Halterman