I was so excited to get this suitcase full of stuff that my kids brought when they came for Christmas!  Malorie and Karter came first, then a couple days later Davis and Morgan joined them.  Karter went home the day before Chistmas Eve to spend Christmas Day with his family because he hadn´t for the last 2 years because of his mission.  And 2 days after Christmas Driggs came.  He was in the same boat, spend Christmas Day with his family because it had been 2 years due to his mission service.

This was in Gramado.  It is a Swedish City that is famous for being all decked out with Chistmas decor during the holiday season.

We had a special day in the Porto Alegre Temple with Malorie.  We are so grateful to have a temple in our mission.  Dee will have to miss her wedding but it was awesome that he could participate in her endowment session.  Pretty awesome that she speaks fluent portugues too because that orientation was done by the temple matron.......all in portugues, (she wore headphones in the session).  

Super special to have Karter there!  He actually taught at 2 of our Zone Conferences.  He spoke in Spanish and so all the Latin missionaries understood, all the Brasilian understood.  I think some of the Americans suffered a little, especially the new missionaries that are still struggling with portugues.  But the spirit speaks every language and it was so good!

Cute engaged couple, with some beautiful scenery on our way to Torres.  The only place in our mission with a beach.

These Hydrangeas are spectatular they are in a lot of the areas of our mission boundaries but most beautiful in Gramado.  They line the streets with bushes and bushes of them.  When they are all in bloom, it´s a gorgeous site!

The beach in Torres.  It was a little cold the day we visited.  Mal and Karter took a dip but quickly dried off to have some açaí!

It´s as good as it looks!  If you liki açaí.

Dee and Karter braved it and went parachuting over the ocean!  They were a little nervous that the instructions weren´t a little clearer before they shoved off, Ha!

Whoo whee!  Please President Jones, come safely back down to earth in one piece........Yikes!!

Those rows and rows of hydrangeas that I mentioned!  Add a group of good looking kids and you´ve got a great pic and awesome memories!!  (not sure how knew to wear his periwinkle shirt to match :) 

Honestly they are hard to get over!!  So beautiful!  And Morgy´s new mother-in-law´s favorite flower/1

Cascada de Caracol.  The Caracol waterfall near Gramado.  Such a beautiful sight!

Another view of the waterfall.........at the top!

more Cascada de Caracol

It´s our new tradition to have all the kids have a caricature drawn in Gramado.

It´s super fun to watch it be done!

A famous churrascaria in Gramado.  Elder Bassett and his wife took us thier when Matt and Drew visited. 

A sampling, before the meat arrives!

We all shared the dessert.  There wasn´t much room in anyones belly!

Beauties!

Waiting for the light show to begin in Gramado.  Natal Luz!  Christmas Light!

Our office staff + 1 (former office staff)  Assistants:  Elders Martinelli and Walters, Elders Menezes and Paxton and Sisters Borcherts, Milhomen and Hoover!  Love these missionaries!!

Christmas dinner with Elder Nobre who was diagnosed with Tuberculosis and had to be quarintined.  We can to love him even more than before having him stay with us during that time.

Davis with Elder Tarbet, a missionary that was transferred to our mission from São Paulo South Mission.  Christmas was his 2nd day in our mission.

This street in Porto Alegre is considered one of the top 5 most beautiful cities in the world and just a few minutes drive from the neighborhood where the mission office is.  The pretty girls in the center doesn´t hurt!!

This is a pretty good message.  "Here we don´t have WiFi, have conversation between yourselves, just kidding, we have it."  Elder Norbre liked it too