Man, it passes right by me, it's behind me, now it's gone

March 14, 2011

Oi família, tudo bem! How are you guys doing today?

This week was pretty great, I think. Our work here in Américo has been improving a lot. It helps that the rain has stopped -- I had never seen so much water in my life! And it stopped at just the right time, because the umbrella that I bought about two weeks ago is already destroyed. Bummer. Anyway, it has been much easier for us to get around and teach people, and we actually have some investigators that are progressing.

Dadal is the mother of two young girls who are members of the Church, and she is also related to a few other members of the branch. The branch president challenged her to be baptized, so we have been teaching her like crazy. And she accepted baptism for this Sunday! Woo! She's going to be interviewed on Thursday! Woo!

Cristiane and Fernando are a thirtysomething couple who have been taught a few times by multiple missionaries over the course of the last few years. They have a sixteen-year-old son who is a member and currently living in UTAH. I guess he managed to get a six-month visa and has been there since November. He loves os States so much that he wants to study at BYU after he graduates. Fernando and Cristiane are about the nicest people I've ever met -- I have still have never been to their house without being offered dinner. We're trying to help them progress and gain testimonies and get baptized and all that other important stuff. It's hard to teach them because they are already the missionaries' permanent friends, but we'll see what happens.

So yeah, I'm still the branch organist. I want to start giving piano lessons to people, but it's hard to find the time for that kind of thing. I have been getting Mococa flashbacks (that was my first area) because the organ here is the same piece of junk that they had there. It's not even a full keyboard; it's kind of split in the middle and stacked crookedly one half on top of the other. And it sounds like an old Nintendo. But the members of the branch here sing nice and loud, so you can hardly notice that the accompaniment sounds like an old Megaman soundtrack.

All is well comigo. We're working hard and getting stuff done. Don't tell anyone, but in two days I will hit the year and a half mark on my mission. Does that just blow your mind into a million pieces?! I'm trying not to think about time, because I don't want to go home. Also, when do I need to register for BYU? Tell me if you want, or don't.

I love you! The Church is true!

luv

booga