15 November 2011


Mom and Dad,

Thank you so much for the emails! They make me so happy to get and to read. This morning the printer wasn't working, so I wasn't sure if I could read your letters with enough time to write you. But don't worry. It worked this afternoon :) Not a lot has been going on here. It’s the normal day to day excitement of the MTC. Another Elder got his visa last week. So he left this morning again. We are now down to 3 sisters and yes, our one lonely solo elder. We tease him a lot, but he knows we care about him. We are very lucky to have had such as good group. We were all really close to each other. I know some districts aren't like that at all and the sisters aren't treated very well by the elders. I guess their mom's didn't teach them right. tut tut. So I still don't have word on my visa yet. But Sister Patton said that 2 elders got their visas in her district, but since they have only a week left here, they are just staying here. Can you believe that Sister Patton only has a week or so left? And I’m only 2 weeks behind her. I’m going to be out in the field before you know it. I’m not sure if I’m ready. There are some days that I’m like "please let me out of here to teach real people!" and other days I’m freaking out because my grammar is so awful and come out like "Jesus Christ Redeemer world." no joke. My teacher with just cock his head and say "huh?" well while he's an investigator anyways. when he's my teacher he's really nice and will slow down for me or repeat it 3 times, or if it's after 8:30 (which is the time that my brain shuts down) he'll just tell me in English.

So this last week we had our two normal investigators. One is very difficult, but I’ll tell you about him later, and another is some hard. He was having a hard time wanting to get baptized (these "investigators" are people that our teachers are acting out that they taught out on their missions). So this one's name is Geraldo. And we had a hard time committing him to baptism. And one lesson he told us that he would like to, but that his wife's parents weren't happy with the idea. And out of nowhere I start telling him about you, dad. And about how you got baptized because of mom and that your family wasn't the best support group for you. I was amazed that I was even telling him this, let alone all of it in Portuguese! Well it really struck him and he decided that he would get baptized. It was really cool. It’s really interesting how we plan out our lessons in depth, but then we go in and say nothing that we had planned, but it all works out great because it's the Spirit that's talking and guiding us. We’ve been told that before, right when we got here, but I didn't really take it into consideration until it actually happened. I think that can happen at home with giving talks and teaching lessons. When we think that we didn't get through what we wanted to say, or that the topic moves in a different direction, that it's ok, because if we had prepared enough, the Spirit will take over and move it in the way that the people present need it the most.

About the other investigator, his name is Jose. And he is a stick in the mud! We had an awesome spiritual experience planning our lesson for him yesterday. We were talking about Christ suffering on the cross, and how when he asked to not have the trial anymore, he still had to go through it, and how that is exactly like us. Our trials might not be taken away, but they will become lighter when two people are carrying them. But of course, the spirit wasn't near as strong in the lesson. We know what he needs, but he's just too stubborn to feel it. So we have no idea how to fix that. But now we will be teaching with 4 people. So it might get even tougher to work with each other and get a lesson that is really good.

I'm glad that you are doing well. I’ve wanted to write to Chris, but I don't have his address or even an email. So I can't get in touch with him. But I think I’m going to write to him each p-day and set the letter aside so that when I can send it, he'll have tons of letters! I’m excited to get a package! Those are always fun to get here. It’s just fun to get letters actually. I’m really used to not getting letters (Ryan and Sam are the ones that write me the most!) so when the mail comes, I don’t' even notice. So when elder Shumate left our district last week he said he would write to me. And he did! It was an easy hey how's it going letter. But he wrote me! It was sweet of him. I think I liked him the most cuz he's more like a brother to me than the others. I would love to get a letter from Aaron and Anita! Is there boy cute? I think dear elder is easiest just because I don't ever have time on here to email back.

Well, I’m glad that you are both doing well. And I’m sorry that this week wasn't very eventful. It’s just the normal day to day MTC. Tell everyone that I love them and give hugs all around for me.

I love you tons!
Love,
Your missionary

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