Eleanor Mae Ratelle's Blessing Day!

Eleanor was blessed by her Dad last Sunday, January 2nd. We enjoyed the most wonderful Christmas break with our great children and beautiful granddaughter!! What a priceless time to just hold and enjoy our sweet Eleanor! Michael gave her a beautiful blessing. He blessed her that she would seek for light and truth and gain strength from her family and her Heavenly Father. Eleanor is going to be a great leader and quietly speak up for what is right. She is definitely surrounded by family and friends who love her!! Her Grandma adores her and always will!!

HEY AGAIN FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow so itz wild that we got to talk on Saturday! Its so weird to be so disconnected in that form for so long and then just BANG talk with my beautiful family for a while! Thank you so much for that call! I also realized how incredibly easy it is to call my family! NOOOOO Satan is not going to get me to be doing any of that shenanigans! Well mom thanks for sending all those gifts too it made Christmas so fun also to get fun things and open them like good times but talking with my beautiful familia is what its all about! Well i guess I will fill in whoever hasn't heard yet. l Elder Ratelle Left Zaragoza 2 days before christmas. yeah come on FOR REAL! Well I was just about to leave and go to the tienda and make some baked goods for the season when one of the assistants called telling me I needed to hurry and pack because I was going to be involved in the wonderful E Changes or EMERGENCY CHANGES. Not only was I going to leave this place 2 days before Christmas but i was going to one of the neatest places in the mission...SANTIAGO ATITLAN!!!!!!!!!! This town is right on the Shores of lake atitlan or supposedly the waters of Mormon and they speak a language called Tzutujil! YEAH I NEED TO LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE! Its an old mayan language and it sounds really rad but gosh its going to be crazy to learn it but I am grateful for this unique and special experience that I get to have here that few elders have. Also in the past the elders wore these pants called scoff or something like that which i am wearing in those pictures but now we dont. However everyone else pretty much does and they kinda look like pirates! Its pretty tight! Also the people here are very kind and I think I am going to really enjoy them! I have a feeling that there will be a lot of stories in the future.

Well my first Sunday here was pretty good! The building is actually 2 levels and there were about 119 people there or something like that so its a pretty big branch. It could be a ward i think but we are in a district not a stake so that's impossible. We had one family there at church; Carmen her husband Jose and little LUPE! We had a lesson the other day with Carmen and little lupe and we extended the baptism question. Its not for sure but our goal is in 2 weeks. She needs to get married to Jose and all that jazz first and they are just living here with a member family and we are not sure when they will leave and all that so we are hoping they won't leave permanently for a little bit. Also in church most of the talks and lessons were a mix of Spanish and tzutujil so that was kinda rad slash in priesthood I kinda tuned out! I need to get on with this language. Well line upon line.

Well I love you guys so much and pray for me that I can have help from heaven with this new language! I hope you guys have a fantastic New year and know that I love you all sooooooooooooooo freaking much! BYE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

Matt's Mission Call