Week 50 - São José dos Campos, Brazil

I got transferred to São José dos Campos.  My companion is Elder Helemã.  He has been in this area for three transfers so this is his fourth. He is from the same group of missionaries that the rest of my companions have come from.  Teaching with him has been really good. We had an investigator come to church this week and she is excited to be baptized in two weeks!

We live right in front of a mall.

My companion had to buy lunch everyday the week before I came.  I hope this isn't normal.

Rainbow in last area.

There is a family here that is super cool.  We stayed at their house all day yesterday and they made us breakfast today. There was protesting throughout Brazil.  We stayed with the family the entire day but the protesting wasn’t anything bad. It was just a bunch of noise making really.

I don’t know the members in my new area well yet – and am just getting to know my companion.  So I haven’t had as much to talk about and am feeling a little lonely.  I’m really missing the branch and Elder Farias right now.

For p-day, the plan is to play soccer as a zone. But my mission brother is also here (Elder Faustino trained Elder Peterson and me.  They call your trainer your mission father, so Elder Peterson is my mission brother).  If he shows up we will probably talk.

I only have access to the Internet through a LAN café, so I’m back to paying to email.

Week 49 - I'm being transferred.

Elder Farias and I are both being transferred   We will both be getting new companions.  President Andrew called and told us we were going to be transferred and invited both of us to the transfer meeting.   He never tells us where we are going or who our new companion will be.   He just tells us we are being transferred and to show up Tuesday at 1:00 at the mission home.   When we get there President Andrews reads out the companionships and tells you what area you will be serving in so I have no idea where I’m going or who my new companion will be.

Elder Farias being served a birthday cake. 

Elder Farias and I LOVE the members in Mogi das Cruzes.  We are both really sad because the people here are truly like family to us.  It is super hard to say goodbye.   I feel like I have been here my entire mission.  

Yum!

Elder Farias and I were talking about how weird it’s going to be having a different area with a different companion.   We are just so use to one another.   It feels like we are starting the mission over from scratch.

Some crazy stuff is happening down here.  President Costa sent us an email that we might not be able to leave our apartments in a few days.   The people are talking about impeaching the president.  I’m not sure what will happen.  I don’t know how impeachment legally works or how crazy it might get.

Week 48 - Snow in Georgia?

I can’t believe that it snowed in Georgia!!! I’m so jealous.  It is all nice and cold there!  I’m going to come home someday and it won't snow again.  Being a missionary in Brazil, I’ve learned it is much easier to warm up than cool down.

Next week are transfers.   Elder Farias and I think there is a 98% chance both of us will be transferred.   We think the mission will probably put sisters here instead since it’s a nice area.  That is the rumor we’ve heard anyway.  It will be interesting to see what happens.

We didn’t do much today for our p-day.   We didn’t want to spend any money so that ruled out many things.   The other missionaries in our district played some soccer, but Elder Faris’s feet are bad so we didn’t go.