Short email; 5 pictures

So we got to talk to Elder McGregor for an hour on Christmas, which was lots of fun. It was amazing to hear him speaking Portuguese. He was in good spirits and is really loving his mission. We learned that "magrelo" means "skinny" or "scrawny," which is why he said a few weeks ago that his companion is 6' 5" so he really gets called Elder Magrelo now. : )  

We also learned that he and his companion (who is from Sao Paulo, Brazil) flew kites on Christmas.  As he was telling us about it we realized that they were "kite running" - just like in Kite Runner - putting stuff on their kite string so they could cut others' kite strings, etc, and chasing the kites when they fell.  Very fun.  And something they do in Brazil!  I'm so glad he got to do something 'native'  - what a great memory!

The name of his new area is Caxias, but he still didn't send a mailing address. Sigh.

Here's his über short letter from today, and the pictures he sent as well:

Hey mom,
Sorry, don't have much time today, but there are some sweet pictures for you guys--

1. Elder Nogueira (new comp). It was a really steep hill, so I turned the camera to get a really cool photo =]

2. The family with whom we spent Christmas Eve.
3. Flooded bridge--it rained ridiculously hard the other day and the street totally flooded. I'll send the video when I get the chance, but apparently this happens pretty frequently.

4/5. Élderes de Natal numa moto (Christmas Elders on a motorcycle). Don't worry, it wasn't actually going. But they still make for some really funny pictures =]Love you guys, hope all is well.
Elder McGregor

Everything's fantastic ...

Family!
Hey guys! How're you all doing? Fantastic, I'm assuming--it's almost Christmas =] So, sorry about the late email, but we had Christmas Conference yesterday. Which was fantastic.

I received the two packages & promptly opened the first (which had my contacts [which I'm wearing], rubik's cube [which I've already taken advantage of], beef jerky, 3 Musketeers/Yorks [you guys rock], the colored RSVP pens [which are perfect] and that other stuff too). Thanks so much, it's fantastic to get packages =] However, I'm leaving the second one closed until Friday, which I'll open as a "Christmas Present" =]. But it's not as easy as it sounds, let me tell you... =]
Thanks for the 75 bucks--I'll be able to get a sweet official jersey of "meu time" (may-oo chee-mee -- my team).

So yeah, things are great here. We haven't had a baptism in this area yet, but I'm thinking we'll have one this week--we've been working with Jonatan, who's a fantastic kid.

So I hope all is well--love you guys, have a fantastic Christmas! Can't wait to talk to you guys!

Elder McGregor

A Transfer! Now serving just outside Rio...

Check out where E McGregor is now!
(pictures from Google Earth)

Green - new area, Caxias
Yellow - second area, Conselheiro Paulino
Purple - first area, Barra Mansa
Red - Rio de Janeiro

and, just to show his areas in relation to the Brazil MTC (CTM)
(the aqua marker, lower left):

Hey hey! Well, as you guys suspected, I was indeed transferred. I am now in the Caxias area, of the Rio de Janeiro zone.

We live here, but I don't know the number of the house. So send letters to the mission office for now, k?
Rua Valença
Bairro Prainha, Duque de Caxias--RJ
Brasil

Elder Nogueira (no gay ruh) is my companion--he's from São Paulo. He's 6 foot 5, so now I really am Elder Magrelo. Good stuff =]
But I'm liking the new area a lot. Sorry, no pictures this week--the LAN house we're in isn't all that great.

I didn't get to say goodbye to any of the members in the last area--both Elder Morris and I were transferred, and the area closed again. We were both surprised. But I suppose that's how it goes, huh? But I'm here working hard in a really stinking hot area. Conselheiro was pretty cool--high altitude. It's stinking hot here. But luckily, to make up for it, we have an air conditioned bedroom!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D Totally fantastic. I'll take a picture of it for next week. Anyway, I love you guys and hope that all is well with you. I'll try to get a pretty good sized snail mail written today, kk?

Love, Elder McGregor

PS--don't know anything about the packages yet, but I'll probably get them both on the 21--we're having the mission conference next Monday. So it's quite possible I won't have time to do emails next week either. But I'll probably get both packages there.

PPS--I'm still not entirely sure how calling on Christmas works. So I'm going to need the house number for next week to talk to you guys. I remember it ends in 4805, and starts with 916, but the rest is escaping me. Looking forward to Christmas!! Love!