Well.... im glad y'all had a great Christmas from what it looked like, and am glad y'all think my laugh is different. i've been trying hard to make it seem more "southern" like, you just got to get WAY more enthusiastic about stuff that is not that funny. most of the time you just have to start laughing really hard and everyone else does too. its great i love it haha. Thanks for all the pictures, looks like everyone still doing great. 

I'm SUPER EXCITED for Cosmas, its amazing what one persons idea can become when its a good idea. im very happy to see that my good ol town of Mapleton can come together and do something so great. as ive been in these small towns theres one thing that ive began to notice about all of them. 

first, your business is everyones business. if you like it or not, everyone knows everything about everyone. so no one is really SUPER rude. If you are, well everyone in town just doesnt want to talk with you. so everyone really tries to be a little nicer. even if they really dont like you they might just say. "im sorry we just wont get along, goodbye"

second, everyone looks out for each other. not only because everyone is kin, but because everyone is just nicer. anyone is really willing to do anything from just giving out some water to someone walking past. to inviting them in, sitting you down at there dinner table and just making you feel right at home. 

now not everyone is Super South-er Hospitality but every once in a while you get some really great people down in these small towns. the people that dont like you will just avoid you, and the people that are just super nice will do anything they can to help. they're not really interested in the Mormon religion, but if i learned anything in these small towns, there are some very very great Baptists, Methodist, Pentecostals, Church of Christ, 3rd Baptist church once Removed. 

Great Christian spirit down yonder. for the 30 people that wont even look you in the eye. one person is really and truly great. 

glad y'all are doing well, we're makin it. no tornadoes or floods really close to us yet, so just keep us in your prayers! :P

Love 

Landion Aldana

The last few days have been very good

its sounds like its getting a little bit colder over there, the weather down here is super great right now. its hot enough that we can still walk around in shorts and stuff but at night it gets COLD! and you have to get under the covers and such. It's nice i think, it's got ups and downs to changing like 20* everyday so if you dont like the weather one day just wait till tomorrow and most of the time it gets better or worse. 

The last few days have been very good, we have been able to teach a few people here in Clanton and are hoping to be able to see them later this week and follow up with them and everything. Its funny, so 2 of the people we are teaching are moving, But they are only moving like 5 miles down the road closer to us. The thing is no one really leaves Clanton when they move they just move to a new house somewhere in Clanton. 

yesterday we played a little bit of Street-ball at the first baptist church. all the courts around here are outside so its super weird now playing on like a gym court. i like dont really want to play becuase i dont want to mess up the court or something haha. we have a lot of fun with the people around town, you can always find someone playing basketball somewhere so every now and then we like to play with them. 

This week we have a Christmas party for the mission!! so were all going to be going down to Birmingham and were going to have a devotional, lunch, Talent show (going to do a magic trick), and then head on back. it should be a lot of fun and ill get to see a lot of missionary's ive served around going home. 

SO....  Christmas.... because the next trasfer date was on Christmas Eve, they have moved it to next week, so if y'all are going to send anything it would be best to wait untill next monday so i can let you know if im going to be staying in Clanton or not. as far as anything for Christmas, the only things i could really think of would be some Black socks, some pictures (with some snow), and some good ol candy, 

(I do love, Cadbury Eggs, Chocolate, and Gummy candy.) just some ideas. other then that im going to pick up a new blanket here, and some shoes so other then soaks and pictures i couldn't really ask for anything more :)

my Christmas is great, i wouldent want to be anywhere else. i cant wait to talk in a few more days!! hope y'all is well

Landon Aldanana

Transfers

well it sounds like a lot of fun over there for thanksgiving, we had a really good time over here also. On thanksgiving Elder Wilson and I ran over to the Methodist church for Thanksgiving Dinner, then later in the day we ended up having Thanksgiving supper over at a members house and we had a good time over there playing corn hole and the turkey bowl. We finished up the night talking with a few people down by the member where we ate at. 

That was in a nut shell most of our Thanksgiving, these last few days we have just been getting ready for Christmas and such. today we went and got a Tiny little 10$ tree and some lights were going to set up and make our house all set up for Christmas. theres a super fun vibe going around the south with Christmas coming. I would guess everyone around is starting to get a little into the mood of giving and helping one another. its an exciting time around. 

This week we are going to be going to the Temple so were all really excited about that. The Birmingham temple is TINY!! haha but its really nice, i love going there its very nice to be able to just get away from crazy ol Alabama and just think and feel a great sense of peace. I've really started to enjoy going a lot more these last few months and look forward a lot more then i did. its a great time. 

this week i was able to spend a day or two up in Pratville.... a huge city, but i was able to work up there a little bit with the zone leaders on an exchange. we had a really good time, we talked for a good bit about ways to work and diffrent ways to go at problems. coming back Elder Wilson and I have some really great ideas and new things we want to try coming in the next few weeks.

these last few days ive found a really good time in my studies of the Book of Mormon. I've just finished it a few days ago starting from Jacob, So i've been reading first and second Nephi for the first time ever and there not half bad :P its crazy right!! been out 11 months and still finding something new everyday haha. I really have enjoyed reading them, Reading from Jacob to the end ive done it 2 times now so i was thinking to myself i better read the start of the book or i cant say ive read it haha.

work is going well, were super excited for the season, cant really tell you anything i would want for Christmas. Ill have to be thinking this week and seeing what cloths of something i might need. 

I love y'all hope you dont freeze. {im in shorts and a t shirt right now}

Elder Landion aldana