Sorry I've slacked--Catch Up!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 

I like my new area a lot! We don’t know where the members live because we don’t eat lunch with them every day. Sometimes we have lunch with them but most of the time we don’t.  A member owns a restaurant and we eat there. When the members forget that they were supposed to feed us they just tell us to go to the restaurant. So I don’t know hardly any of the members. =(
My companion is amazing! He is so funny and we talk all the time! He is from Houston. I like him a lot! He will be going home in October and he is really excited to go home! He still wants to work but he is ready to go home. The only bad thing is that we speak a lot of English because we are both native English speakers. I have learned some Portuguese with him because he understands what it is like to have to learn Portuguese and he can explain it to me very well. So I am really excited and think that I will learn a lot from him.

 Another good thing is that I am now close to Elder Melendez. He is not in the same zone as me but he is close. We played football, I know shocker right I actually played, and he was there. So I talked to him for a while and caught up on a lot of things that have happened. He is really happy in Brazil right now.

The house that I live in is really small and I just live with Elder Taylor. But it is a lot nicer than my last house and it is much cleaner! The best part..... Drum roll please........... I have an AC in the bedroom!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s so nice! I was even a little cold because I do not have a blanket anymore.  I sleep really good and it’s nice!
Elder Dillman is in my district again so I see him every week. He is struggling a lot with Portuguese. I hope that he learns quickly because he is having a really hard time with it.
Today should be fun we are going to walk around the center of the city for a while with two other missionaries: Elder Laws, and Elder Soleburg.

Thanks for your prayers. I love you guys and hope you have a great camp trip! 

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

I got transferred! I am now in a different zone. Before I was in East Zone and now I am in central zone. My new companion is an American and his name is Elder Taylor. He is from Texas. I like him a lot he is really funny and talks a lot. My new house is very clean and there is not dishes piled in the sink all the time! I am very excited! I am in the center of the city now so there a lot more people! There are a lot of people walking in the streets shopping and doing other things. Elder Taylor says that we can’t do street contacts; because, most of the people don’t live here. They are just here to buy things and be in the city to hang out!
Saying goodbye to the members and Elder Leao and Elder Calaza was a little hard but I am fine now and am very happy to be here in my new area!
Junior’s baptism was amazing! His dad baptized him and when he walked in the door Junior walked up to him and handed him a set of white clothes and then the dad just stared at him for a while and then they hugged and cried for like five minutes. It was so cool! I wanted to take pictures like I have with all the others but he did not want to take pictures with his teary face. So, I did not get pictures but the hug will be in my memory for ever!
 I love you and hope all is well! 

Wednesday, June 8, 2011 

Transfers are on Tuesday and we find out if we get transferred on Saturday.  We are pretty sure that Elder Calaza or I will get transferred.  I don’t think that I will be the one to kill Elder Calaza, that means that I am his companion when he goes home. He only has one transfer left. But, whatever happens, happens.

This week has been good we have a baptism on Friday. The kids name is Junior and his dad is a member and will baptize him. But the cool thing is that he does not know yet. Junior wants it to be a surprise for his father.  We are going to have the young men’s president say that they will have a presidency meeting on Friday (he is the second counselor). Then when he gets to the church Junior will be in baptism clothes and will say “Will you baptize me right now?” I am really excited for this! Junior came up with this plan all by himself!  It should be really cool.

Everything is great here! I am glad to hear all is well at home. I love ya and hope you all have a great week!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

This week has been good. I spent my second day at home because I was sick. =( I ate something that my body did not agree with and I was really sick. I threw up twice. =( Tuesday morning I felt much better!

Some days I get back to the house and all I want to do is sleep because I am so tired! I like what you said about the Lord always having your back! That is very true!  The great thing about it is God has big enough hands to have everyone’s back at the same time. He has your back in SLC and He has my back here in Brazil. I feel so much comfort by that simple little truth because I know that I am not alone in this work. I know that on the days that I feel so tired that the Lord will carry me so that this work can get done. I have felt it and know that it is true!

I love the fact that I have a Heavenly Father that loves me and loves the people that I am teaching! It’s so simple but its amazing!

I love you and hope all is well with you.