Well we had a very rainy first of the week this year. We had put off a couple of times of going to Malaga to see the Christmas lights and we finally did it for Family Home Evening with the branch members who could go. We went inbetween the rain storms. We were afraid that there would be lightening storms that were predicted. The Meyers, the German couple really wanted to go and we were willing to also go, the Tyndale-Biscoes said that they would go, but there were hestiate about going in the storm. But we went in one vehicle and we were very lucky because it would rain for about 5 minutes and then let up.

We picked up Aaron Jacobsen on the way so that he could see the lights with us. He is the single guy from Alaska over here working on his doctors' degree in history. He has been in Berlin and wanted to come to Spain and enjoy the sunshine, but ha, ha, it has been raining for most of the time that he has been here. But he has been a welcome member of our branch and all the members have enjoyed his company, he hasn't lacked for dinner invites. He will be leaving our branch at the end of January to go Vienna to finish writhing his disertation, etc.

They keep the streets lit up until after 3 Kings Day, January 6th. So we had to go to see them before that and we decided it was worth it. We saw the nativity scene in one of the public buildings. There were also other Nativity scence put up around the city. They had several trees all decorated with lights, and many of the main streets had different light above the streets. Some of us got out and walked around the streets and we were went to return to the vehicle it started raining on us. You can see part of the group around the tree in one of big market plazas. On the right are the Meyers, from Germany, and on the left are the Tyndale-Biscoes from England with one of their sons, Seth.

There was another tree lit up also. They also had the tree wisemen made up of flowers in one of the round-abouts, but my picture didn't turn out. They celebrate Three Kings Day, like we do for Christmas, they have a parade, exchange gifts, etc.

We didn't stay at the office and watch the parade, but the elders told us that they throw out candy from the floats like they do during Peach Days. And they say that the last King, Baltazar, the black king, has the best treats.

I have been tutoring Holly Tyndale-Biscoe with her math, she missed about 3 weeks of school right before Christmas because of the flu and needed to get caught back up. I glad I have been able to help and that I haven't forgotten all my math. She is taking a pre-calculus class and later wants to take the SAT so that she can go to BYU when she finishes over here. She is going to an English school here, but has to travel by train and bus to get there every morning and night with her younger brother. She has one more year left after this one and then the family wants to move back to England.
We had a very enjoyable district meeting today. We are very impressed with the missionaries and the lesson that they give. Those that we have worked with are excellent leaders and will be a benefit to the church wherever they will serve in the future. They even have a Spanish lesson each week.

We hope you will all have an enjoyable week and may the missionary effort fill the earth. We do have a testimony of the importance of the message of Jesus Christ for the whole world.