I'll Make This One Worthwhile!

Well my next email I don't plan on writing much so I’ll try and make this one worth while for you all.

So yeah the whole seminary thing actually came before you pushing me to do it, to tell you the truth the Lord told me in my patriarchal blessing to do good in seminary so that my mission would be a good success. I was amazed at how it all worked out and have learned and grown and have had a good successful mission in my eyes. I know without doubt it was here where the Lord needed me and that I needed to prepare for it before going and you helped with it too. When I chose to move in with you guys, I made that decision because I knew it was where I could prepare better for my mission.

So this last week was funny. I don’t remember what night it was, but the guy told me that at like midnight or late at night I started talking in my sleep and that I said in English “good night mom” and some other weird things and then my comp looked at me and talked to me and I responded to him in Portuguese and then went back to sleep. So I guess I was communicating to you huh? Funny

I’ve been making brownies like crazy and will be excited to show you that I actually learned to make something on my own here in the mission, hehe.

Elder Morais is doing awesome and it’s actually been fun to have him here with me and also because I’ve got someone that can help me a lot more in the work and keep me alive. We also did the impossible and baptized Alexandre, this 17 year old punk that just refused to be baptized and I was able to baptize him. It was just him in his whole family that wasn’t baptized yet.

I was a little sad yesterday because our two other impossible baptisms fell through. We did everything we could for them, but one of them ended up getting a divorce with his wife and said he doesn’t want to be baptized and then the other lady that we were teaching started lying to us and was just sad because she has known the church forever and always goes and wants to be baptized and I was so close to baptizing her, but she suffers some kind of depression and her husband isn’t helping her and think that he is against her being baptized and her parents too. Yeah I was upset with her and her parents last night for lying to us, but it’s alright because we know I did all I could for her and hope she one day gets into the water.

So today we walked a long ways to a soccer field in another area and played soccer all day and only have one more p-day. So next p-day I think I’ll either go paintballing with the other elders or I’ll take my suit to get cleaned and develop some pictures, but that will be my last p-day. My mind is going crazy just knowing that I’ll email you just one more time! It’s sooooo crazy!!!!!

So about the trip: You only need to bring 3 pictures and I still haven’t been able to find out about the temple. Also the couple from Sergipe won’t be able to go and Simone and Germano said that they might instead of stay at the hotel with us, stay with some family they have there. So we might just need 2 rooms for us and the Lobo family. So however you want to do it. I think going to Sergipe by bus will be better and if you want to keep our room in Maceio to keep all our luggage in while we go to Sergipe that is fine by me, but depends on you. So yeah my next week will be all preparing our week here and organizing where we will eat and who I want to see etc...

So all is well and have been teaching lots of people and marking baptisms and am trying my best to try and arrange so that I can maybe baptize someone at my last district meeting, to surprise everyone there. I think it would be funny and a good way to end my last district meeting. I just need to find someone, we have people that can be baptized, but depends on them etc...So we’ll see how it all goes.

I love you all soo much and hope all goes well and until next week!

Brian

Elder Morais is Back!

I was talking today to another elder that said his parents are going to stay at a Radisson hotel here in Maceio and in Sergipe and for Recife they said the best western hotel. I haven’t gotten info on the temple yet and am trying to get that as soon as possible.

Yeah I got the driver thing for the most part, still working on details and negotiating, but don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll be there to pick you both up, if not he will be there.

Did you look for the internal hard drive?

So how will the hotel thing work? When we go to Sergipe will we take all our luggage with us or leave it at the hotel in Maceio? If we take it with us I’m not sure if it all fits in one taxi. Maybe we go by bus there and back.

I need to start contacting the people where we will lunch and dinner and get things organized.

So this last week I had diarrhea and my comp too and he was sick with the flu or something. At one of our lunch appointments that is way far away from our house, we ate an awesome lasagna and then right after I just looked at my comp and both of our stomachs ached and we almost didn’t make it home in time....hehe. I just told myself if I had to go through that experience again I would quit my mission hehe

So on another subject I got a call from President Beynon wanting a favor and took my only American comp away and sent me another...funny thing is I’ve already been his companion. It’s Elder Morais again!

So it’s not what I expected to happen, but I figured only 3 more weeks, so no problem, just like babysitting and being his friend.

So our man we are teaching is doing great and I think we will try and baptize him this week because he has no problems and is reading and praying and going to church and ready for baptism and will see if we can get some others in the water this week while we are at it.

So I need to go and if I get info on Recife I’ll email you.
Love you all tons and have a good week!

PS: my first time making brownies last night and they turned out perfect!

My Last Conference Here

Ok Well mom yesterday was our conference so today is our p-day. I know you want me to write a lot, but I need to be going soon.

We might baptize this lady we are working with, but it won’t be easy. We had 4 people go to church last week and have been working good with the members here.
Yesterday was my last conference and got to say good bye to everyone and also got my itinerary and am going crazy wanting to do many things and planning many things etc...

So I guess we can make that work.......you get here Monday, Tuesday morning we go to Sergipe and stay the night there, Wednesday we come back to Maceio and spend that whole day there and then Thursday we go to Arapiraca for lunch and then from there to Palmeiras for dinner and return to Maceio that same night, then Friday we leave for Recife......sound good?

So hotels in Maceio, you want to find in Jatiuca or Pajuçara

For Sergipe you want to look for one in Atalia

So if that schedule seems good to you then try and figure out what hotel and where and days etc....

The temple rooms I have yet to find that one out but will get that one squared away this week.

So I love you all and hope you have a great week.
Love Brian

P-Day Was Not What it was Supposed to Be!

So I don’t have much time to write today, but I'll try to answer everything

I live in the same house as the assistants and I already know them and am good friends with them. Yes it’s also fun being comps with an American and brings back memories of the beginning of my mission. And I can understand why the baptism wasn’t baptized the other transfer and will try to get him baptized before I go home. We also marked 4 other baptisms this last week and will actually leave with the stake president to visit some of the people. One lady her name is Delane and her sister is the bishop’s wife and she has been going to church for a long time and I don’t understand why she never baptized. But I gained her trust and friendship and she’s reading the Book of Mormon and accepted to be baptized and I told her that now she needs to get her husband to church and I gave her a Book of Mormon to write her testimony and give it to him to read. I called her earlier today and she said that he is reading it and will find out more tomorrow when I see them. I still haven’t met her husband.

So things are going good and p-day today was kinda horrible. I had it all planned out and got nothing done that I wanted to.....we left home to go to my old area to visit Christiani and it started to rain and of course without umbrella and then waiting for the bus and had two buses pass by and then we had to wait over an hour for another one which was very irritating and then we finally got there and was awesome to see them and how much her kids have grown and then she made us lunch. We went to the new shopping mall they finished building there close by in hopes to develop pictures and of course we couldn’t get them developed. I also had to get my picture taken to be able tomorrow to go to the police station to get my way over expired visa renewed. Now I’m not sure what I’m going to do, but w/e all is well and somehow I’ll get it worked out. Tonight we will eat pizza at a recent convert’s house from Elder Lasley.

So Mother’s Day, I almost forgot about calling home, but I don’t intend on talking for a long time and will be to say happy Mother’s Day and discuss all the questions and stuff on the trip.

I know a member here who drives a taxi and we can pay him to drive us around. I believe he will only drive here in Maceio, but maybe I’ll see if he can go to Arapiraca and Palmeira dos Indios too.

Happy anniversary and congratulations and good luck with the surgery and I’ll see if I can get some photos sent to you right now

Love Brian