Drawing a tree...

Congrats on the Angel Tree. (I told Elder Lundy that I had an adventure trying to find all the pieces to our wards angel tree...I finally just put up one of our family trees for the angel tree) We'll have decorations because Elder Alves really likes them. I was just planning on drawing another tree this year but we might have a real (fake) one!

My week was alright aside from the hammer that fell on my head Wednesday. I was sweeping the stairs in our house, and the hammer that was on top of the half wall by the stairs got bumped and fell on my head. I only got a little bump and a head ache so we went to lunch then returned to our house to rest for the rest of the day. (Yes I put ice on it).

Not much other than that happened this week. Oh! I've got a bed now after 7 weeks on the couch. The hammer was because the guys were putting together the bunk bed finally.

My companion is doing fine. He's a bit nervous about returning home so soon.

The lessons are going slow with those we are teaching.

And I don't think I'll be able to get pictures to you for a bit

I haven't really been eating better but I've been eating more during lunch at least.

I've got a lot of respect for recent converts who choose to serve missions. We've got a bunch in our mission and they do the work very well.

No offense, but that thanksgiving sounds really abnormal ha ha. I personally won't have a thanksgiving day until next year. But I'm glad you ate enough :3

I love you

The week of Thanksgiving! in the USA

We're going to visit some referrals, past investigators, and less actives this week. We visited one family of less actives a few days ago and they attended church this Sunday! We've got a girl that we're teaching that really wants to learn more but still hasn't gone to church Sunday.

Lately I've been kinda sick. I'm alright. I got caught in the rain (not badly) and it's been getting ridiculously cold randomly. I don't really have much time to rest because we've always got visits that we have to do. Don't think that Elder Alves is forcing me to work instead of rest. It's my choice. And no I'm not eating correctly. I'll buy more food today.

Alves and I have been participating in the choir. He plays the piano and I support the very low numbers of men singing. We do some warm ups that are kinda funny, one being hissing for as long as you can on one breath. I'm almost the winner. There's one brother that can keep up with me. And the other is moving the Adam's apple up and down to change pitch. I'm able to move mine around at will. The members found these two things funny.

We're returning to some people we kind of left on the side because we were focusing on F..., but we have gotten some new referrals. She showed up late at church but she was finally interviewed by the bishopric! Her sister/mom (older sister that raised her and she views as mom) isn't being supportive at all.

The weather here is being dumb too! It's been getting pretty cold at night! And it's hot when you're in the sun but cold while out of it. And it was raining a lot here too. :(

That's pretty awesome about the movie! (Dad and I went to see "Fantastic Beasts and where to find them" it was a fun movie)

Oh... a funny development. I'm not the only one in the casa who watched iCarly... 

Spencer's "WOOOO" belly rub has become a common occurrence in our casa haha

Love ya! 

More willing to go to the temple here...

I'm doing alright. 

Elder Alves baptized F... last week. This Sunday she didn't go because her youngest boy is sick :(

One thing I noticed about Brazil versus the U.S. is that they're more willing to go to the temple here than there.

Oh and Brazil verses U.S. again: everyone here is appalled that Trump won. They all wanted Clinton. (So you understand a bit more... they all love Obama)

So transfers are this week. I'm going to stay where I am with Elder Alves! :)

He only has two more transfers left in the mission and I might be his companion until the end. Oh and I finally get a bed! But that means the newbie (Elder Freire's new comp) who'll come to our house will be sleeping on the couch possibly (unless Alves decides to give up his bed)

This week brought us a lot of rain which is really annoying. Oh and my last pair of fancy black church shoes were destroyed this week so I've started using the shoes Ron and Bridget got me.

That's pretty much all I got too...

I love you!

Election Day at home

Hi Mom

I asked Elder Lundy a few questions I was curious about.

We will be teaching our next person tomorrow hopefully.

The most asked question is...

 "Why do I have to be baptized again? - I was already baptized in the ... church."

But the thing they're most concerned about would be family I think.

Which is good.

I've learned that F...'s phobia of water is really bad. She almost didn't get baptized because of her phobia. Luckily one brother in the branch is studying psychology and he helped out a lot. He even had to enter the water to support her as she was baptized.

Diana told me she got a house! Yay!

With all of these missionaries leaving President Silcox will be forced to close some areas... ours will probably be closed eventually.

V..., the young man that's been helping us a lot got his calling this week!

He'll got the Fortaleza East mission (home of two of my former companions!)

He's going to the MTC December 14th! Yay!

I don't really have much else for now... 

Anyway, I love you!

2 Leaving home for their Mission

Tell Bay congrats for me!! 

and Michael too! (They are leaving on their missions)

I'm doing better now. I only lost 2 kilos but I probably already gained it back.  We've got a few families of inactive parents with non-baptized children we're teaching Elder Alves and I get along very well. I'm starting to get the hang of the branch I think.  The community is still a bit difficult. So I've got one awesome piece of news about this week!  We've got a baptism this Wednesday!! President met with F... and afterward told us all that she can be baptized!!!!! V...'s friends didn't go to church this week. :(  He's been looking really upset lately and I'm pretty sure it's more than a lack of progress with his friends. I think he's in a similar situation as M...  His family is all in the church but he's the only one active. Oh so President Silcox said that within the next two transfers we'll only get about 15  new missionaries and about 30 will go home so that will make our mission shrink a little for the time being. There might be the issue of some wards not even having  missionaries for a while too... As for my testimony: I know our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us.  He wants us to come back to him and he's provided us with many things that will help  with that. The most important being our Elder Brother Jesus Christ. He showed us the only path and asks that we simply follow in his footsteps.  It's easier than people make it out to be, and it's only hard when you want it to be. Anyways, I love you!

I'm doing better

I did manage to get better quicker this time.

I'm doing better. I'm a bit healthier and I'm working better with Elder Alves.

So my week... a few minutes after emailing you and leaving, I ended up throwing up in the street... Then we just stayed in our house for the rest of the day. 

Tuesday, we did a division with the other elders in our house because we had important things scheduled and they didn't have anything scheduled. I rested in the house with Elder A. Souza, and Elders Freire and Alves went out to work. 

Afterwards we were still taking it slow so we only visited people nearby, but we had some great visits with F... We think she's ready to be baptized but she has to be interviewed by President Silcox because of some things she did many years ago. 

I feel kinda sad for V... (the young man that's been helping us and will soon go on his mission) because this Sunday none of the young men he was helping us with came to church this Sunday and he was visibly upset. But I already know that he's gonna be a great missionary. 

Oh! This Sunday F... decided to participate in the choir practice!!

The Stake conference sounds like it was cool! I already know it's not about who baptizes the person. It kinda seems like my purpose in all of my latest areas is to work out the kinks in the ward's mission work. In Jardim Tietê I helped get the LMA and ward missionaries working. In Brás Cubas I helped them get their ward registry under control (and we got a new LMA and ward missionaries that worked in their calling), and now it looks like that sort of stuff might be needed again here.

I love you! 

Stomach virus again

First things first. 

I think I got a stomach virus again and I've been throwing up a bit this morning. 

And I started throwing up at 6 am, then again at 8 and 9... 

I'm only doing the minimum today.

Second, my connection is terrible. 

Third this is gonna be short because I'll return to our house soon.

Oh, Elder Alves says hello!

So  I got to go to the temple and afterwards I went to the Deseret store and bought 

root beer!!!! But it was super expensive. 2 cans were about 14 reais. But boy was it good.

We're going to have to have President Silcox interview one of our investigators but I think she might pass. If she does she can be baptized whenever. 

You can add the requests on to Facebook please and thanks. 

The majority of the people are from my last zone. 

Even Mauro Leal (my last bishop) searched me out on Facebook. 

I find that cool :)

I love you too, Eric