Greetings from SC

Here's the email Mom & Ruben sent on Christmas Eve:

Hi Family,

We want to wish everybody MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The last couple of days have been as action packed as the first two. But today is our p-day and we are taking it easy and getting some chores done.

Right now we have purchased two hours of internet at a McDonalds near our house. We notice that with the season being so busy and all there are very few updates on any of the blogs. Remember the missionaries please. We know many of you talk to us frequently but we especially NEED pictures of Christmas festivities and childhood merriment also decorations. In our house we have a tiny chrech scene and two cards. I sound like Kru in the nursery "Whaa,
Whaa!

Monday it took all day to get a place to live,
But is nice and new, one story with nice neighbors so far. One knows wer're Mormons and is still very friendly! Monday night we went to a family named the Satterfields for dinner, they have 5 children under 7 with no twins. FUN, FROLIC AND PANDEMONIUM! We felt right at home. After dinner we went with them to take neighbor gifts and carol.
Tuesday we drove to Columbia to meet the mission president. We visited in his office for an hour and then traveled to his home for lunch with he and his wife and one son who is home for Christmas. Then we hurried back to Greenwood for dinner at another member family the Whites. They have 3 sons, one 2 so Papa told his best stories to 2 yr. old Ethan and we had dinner and visited. We were supposed to go teach a partmember family (our speciality) but they canceled til next week. Our usual bedtime has become 8:30 so we really didn't mind the cancelation. We're tired
Wens. morning we picked up the four elders in our district and went 60 mi. to Greenville for a Zone meeting. Very interesting and informative. 2 Zones were there so we met lots of elders. The President and his wife (who live in Manhattan Beach for 10 years) were there. This was a unschedualed zone conf. and the elders were on edge. They all have GREAT RESPECT!!!!!!!!!! for the Pres. He delivered their presents from home and then got down to business of calling them to account for 3 elders who were sent home last week. Elder Garnica and I will work very hard and try to stay on his good side. A very nice man!
After the conference we took the elders to lunch and went to Costco. On the way I got them all talking about their favorite breakfast cereals and when I went in and they were distracted bought them all big Costco boxes of cereal for their Christmas presents. It was fun! They were surprised. I also purchase a gps and that thing is awesome!

We are on a fast learning curve with the tech. devices now!

We love you, Pray for and and we will for you HONEY AND PAPA