Mom,
This week was a tough one. Started out fine. I went to a city called Tianguá to visit the missionaries there with their District Leader. It is the place that most reminded me of home that I have been to here... You'll see why in the pictures. But it is a city that is on top of a hill (almost 2,000 ft) and because of that is a fairly cool place to be at night. I realized when I was there just how much cold I am going to feel when I get home.... It's funny how a person can become completely unadapted to a certain climate after so short a time. I have noticed that I sweat a lot less recently and don't feel as hot during the day even though the weather doesn't change. So in other words, when I get to BYU-I, I'm probably going to get sick because of the cold..... But it'll all work out! Got back to my area on Wednesday morning and stayed here the rest of the week. It's been really tough since I got here. Never have I seen an area with so much difficulty to find or even teach investigators. We mark appointments and we get there on time but the person is doing something else or isn't home or something of the sort. The people that we contact on the streets or in their own homes don't want to hear us, and if they let us in, it's just to talk and not to hear our message. Not exactly sure why it's been that way thus far, but we are thinking a lot about how we can change the situation here to make things better. On the bright side, we received 4 references from a member and he said they are really good people and wants to visit them with us! So that got me pretty excited! Hopefully we can get some new investigators there. This week, FINALLY, worked out the baptism of a woman that was taught by Elder Xavier and his last comp here. She was supposed to be baptized the week that I got here, but for one reason or another it didn't work out until this last Saturday. She's dating a man from our ward and I think she got to know the gospel because of him. He baptized her on Saturday and I confirmed her on Sunday. So at least the week wasn't entirely unproductive. This week we will be going to Teresina for our usual monthly meeting. We go on Tuesday and come back through the night from Wednesday to Thursday. Excited to see what I can do better and learn in the meeting!
MY birthday wasn't anything too special. We just worked like we always do. The Dias family gave me that loaf of homemade bread afterwards and Brother Dias took those pictures. He isn't our new LMA. And his son served in Australia, so he knows english and translated your email. They are a really great example of how a family should be. One of the best families that I have gotten to know on the mission. I was able to get the cake made, but one day late. Because the 25th was the birthday of another missionary that lives in the same house as us. So we made the cake and ate it on the 25th. But it worked out well! Just burnt around the edges a bit because we put the temperature a bit high to bake. but it worked out!
Had to be Kannon. But he's only doing what he spent two years learning how to do! He's still contacting new people looking for new investigators with the hope that one will accept his invitations and progress! :) And that´s exactly what I'll be doing when I get home too!
Sei lá eu... I think there´ll be around 10 families or so. And about 15-20 little kids. and some youth as well.
RELIEVED TO HEAR THAT MESSIAS WILL HELP US OUT WITH TRANSPORT!!!!!!!! That was really worrying me. Because if every place we went was using taxi, would have been a lot more difficult and expensive. One of the missionaries that I know here asked if you could bring Maple EXTRACT for him. Also (IF you find them) mint M&Ms. If not, no worries. But most of the people like those cake mixes you sent me and maybe some blueberry muffin mix for a member there in Teresina.
On the 25th, if possible, Lord, I would Follow Thee and a sacramental hymn that I don't have a clue the name or number in English. But in Portuguese it´s called "Com Irmaõs, nós Reunidos" number 117. But if I don´t figure out the name or number in english, just the first on is good!
Don´t worry about the camping class! I will look for some club or something like that that I can do. Or I can work a bit more to save more money and work less during my actual semester. But don't worry about the camping class!
Have a good week and don´t get too stressed out! It´ll all work out!!
LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And thank you so much for everything you do and have done for me over the last 20 years! Wow. I´m getting old!
Elder Gunnoe
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