¡Bon Nadal!

Catalan for Merry Christmas.haha  Connor likes to say this. It was AMAZING to see and talk to everyone for Christmas-quite possibly the best Christmas so far. It felt so good to see and just know that life goes on without me there. That sounds weird, but it is very comforting.haha  There is always so much that I want to say or tell all of you, but I never have time.haha  I try to email family and write letters to everyone else when I feel like I really need to tell you something, so hopefully it is often enough and what you need to hear.
It was sunny today so we did some sightseeing and I will attach a bunch of pictures so hold onto your hats ladies and gents because it is B-E-A-UTIFUL here!!!!!!
 But first things first--I must tell you about last night. We had to take the "topo" train to a pueblo...missed our stop and had to run from the next one back to find the family´s teenage son and daughter who were waiting for us. Hna Fuentes was very stressed out, but I thought it was funny and laughed the whole time.ahahaha It was freezing, too! Colder than Zaragoza. I just kept thinking..."at least the next stop was only like a mile instead of the next pueblo...at least we are together and I´m not trying to figure this out alone...at least it´s not raining." I finally got her to laugh, too. The family is from Chile and they asked us last week if there is anything we don´t like...Hna Fuentes isn´t super crazy about fish and seafood...so naturally the ENTIRE first course was boiled shrimp (the kind you have to rip the head off, de-shell and then de-leg), not one but two different kinds of anchovies, mackerel and my personal favorite...a kind of jellied deer spread stuff for crackers.ahahaha  But course two was not to be outdone by course one. It included...garganta--throat. Throat of something. I thought he said calves, but Hna Fuentes heard some kind of sea creature. But throats. It was very...different. Texture, taste, everything. I hope we never cross paths again, but I downed 2 of them and complimented the chef heavily. I have learned to just get to the postre--which is usually fruit, nuts and turron-chocolate. They also had this drink, I didn´t catch the name, but is was sweetened condensed milk, I think,  with nata (cream) and coffee flavoring and spices...basically coffee for members.haha  It was interesting. Turron will be the death of me, though. It is SOOOOO delicious. Bricks of different kinds of chocolates and chocolates with other things that put you into a sugar coma.
 I do want to share with you something I learned from Pres Brown at Temple Square. The 5 Motivations for why we do what we do as missionaries and members of the Church:
1-The Virgin Birth
2-The Agony of Gethsemani
3-The Cruel Cross
4-The Empty Tomb
5-The Spring of 1820
IT´S ALL TRUE!!!!!!!

I have never had those 5 events put together in that way before and it is a lesson I will always remember. May we all always remember our true divine natures, our true purpose here on earth and the true reason for Christmas. I love you all!

-Hermana Dalton

OH! Mom-my package arrived today! The office Elders sent in on up to me with some other mail and it came this morning! THANK YOU FOR THE GRANOLA!!!!!!!!!!! I don´t know how you knew, but I have been craving it for WEEKS and never thought to ask for it!haha Everything else looked amazing! I am so excited!haha  You are the best family EVER! MUAH!

These pictures are of the La Playa de La Concha-San Sebastian´s beach, and La Castilla de La Mota-the castle/fortress with the Statue of Christ overlooking the city and ocean on the other side...and no, I haven´t lost any of my personality-no worries!

SHOUT OUTS:
Rahmderson´s- Thank you for the updates! A letter is on it´s way!

Jury´s-you two crack me up. Thanks for making me smile halfway around the world. A letter´s coming!

Knudsen´s - Thank you so much for the Christmas card. It touched my heart and I wish you both the best holidays!

Aunt Marla-thank you for the family picture! It is so good to see everyone and everyone looks so good! Merry Christmas and I love you!