Happy New Year!

Happy 2013!!

This week marked the end of my "blackout year," the full year that I'll be a missionary. I found a pocket calendar of the Madrid temple at the beginning of last year and marked off my last day this week. Crazy!!

On Monday we went out to San Pedro de Alcántara, a pueblo a little past Marbella, to eat with a family from the ward. We were able to stay out until 12 and eat the grapes and then head home. Here in Spain at midnight, as the bell tolls for 12:00, they eat 12 grapes, 1 for each chime of the bell. It is definitely way harder than it sounds. I got all 12 in my mouth in time, but it took me another 20 seconds to chew and swallow them all. Elder Berrett was a bit quicker on the draw and ate them all. What a champ. Tons of fireworks...which here mostly means lots of really really loud bombs people set off everywhere. Driving home felt like driving through a war zone. Definitely different from Huércal-Overa last year. We got home and everyone was just going out to party, so the streets were pretty loud. When we woke up, everyone was just starting to go home from the clubs. Good ol' Spain.

So this week we've been getting everything switched over for the new year, especially Elder Berrett. New forms, getting rid of old documents, etc. Fun office stuff. Luckily not much else has been going on, so we were able to be out and teach quite a bit. Hopefully that will continue this week - besides Concilio on Monday, things look pretty calm.

We've got to wrap up, so sorry this is kind of short. I know that we are blessed as we keep the commandments and as we strive to be like Christ. He will lift us up when we fall. I am so grateful to be a missionary - it is the most rewarding work there is.

Have a great week! Love you!

Elder Mockler