October 20, 2014

H!!!

So, I'm in a city called Diadema. It's just a little bit outside of actual São Paulo.  It's definitely the poorest city of the mission, which is a big change coming from the office and an area in the center of São Paulo which is pretty rich!  But it is really awesome because the people are really receptive, I'm really excited to be able to work a ton and have a success!  My comp is awesome, his name is elder Assis, he is going home in just 3 weeks, he has to go home a couple weeks early so he can start school on time.  He is an amazing missionary and really knows how to work well, I'm really happy to be able to be comps with him, because I'm learning a ton!  We live and share the ward with the zone leaders which is really cool too. They are Elder Huxford and Elder Guimarães.  We even had a baptism this week!  I hardly know the guy but it was really cool to see his desire to be baptized and how everything fell in place for him to be baptized this week, because originally the plans were for him to be baptized next week.  

Everyone here in my new area has been calling me an "old missionary" and that I'm going to be going home soon when they find out I have more than 13 months as a missionary.  That and the fact that my companion is going home next month, Elder Guimarães is going home next transfer and Elder Huxford is going home the transfer after that has really made me realize just how short my time here is.  I realized that I am probably in my second to last area... and I feel like I'm just now figuring out how to be a good missionary!  At first I was sad to leave the office but now I am really grateful. I think I am able to learn and develop more out here in the field teaching, (in the great favelas of Diadema, haha) than if I had spent more time in the office.  I really want to do everything possible to take advantage of this precious time I have to serve the Lord here on my mission.

I love you so much!