Dear Family,
This week was good, we're seeing a lot of people coming out of the woodwork. Araujo and Graziele are doing well, they're excited to come to church and activities, and are reading and praying. They always comment on how good they feel, the peace and relief and joy that the gospel brings to their lives. It's such a blessing to teach them, i told them this week that we also feel joy and renewed energy every time we teach them. It turns out Araújo is married, but has been having a hard time with his wife recently. I didn't really know what to tell him, but i explained to him about the bishop and why he's there, and he's excited to talk to Macsuel on wednesday at the activity. It would be incredible to see not only Araújo get baptized, but his marriage saved because of the gospel. I just realized that here in a couple weeks, you're going to be able to meet these people. It's a shame you don't speak portuguese, you should look into that over the next few weeks. Francisco came to church again, all by himself. He's still struggling to quit smoking, but he's making some progress. We made him a little box of scriptures to read when he's tempted to drink cigarettes. Also Isabel came to church this week. She got there at the beginning of sacrament meeting and in the commotion right after church i didn't even get to talk to her, but she sat with Leolinda, who is being a friend, and sort of a mom to Isabel. We're hopeful for her, we've never actually taught her because her work schedule is tough, but she's come to a few activities and then came to church for the first time this week.
Speaking of activities, on wednesday, our integration night (this week, Jell-o) went crazy. Between Elder Mateer's last day, Elder Seraim passing buy (to pick up Elder Mateer) and the kids from EFY teaching us EFY dances and games, some which are just waiting for a perkes family reunion, it was sort of absurd. It was a lot of fun though, this ward is so great. It was a really special last day for Elder Mateer and probably a sort of shocking first day for Elder Rivera. Elder Rivera is doing well, it's his first time being zone leader, he's excited to serve. He brings some needed excitement to the area and the zone. We're still getting to know each other. The mission is weird, i had a dream last night that we got home and Elder Oram, and a bunch of other missionaries that have already gone home, were hiding in our house and jumped out and tried to scare us. It's just strange how these people you really only know for a few weeks or months become such an important part of your life.
We've been seeing some good results of member work. It's not very quick, but it's getting there. On monday we had a nice little family night with Leolinda's two daughters who aren't baptized yet. And Leolinda's going to invite them again today. Also, Neusa came to church on sunday, Neusa is Dora's sister. I don't know how much of this story i've told already, but Dora and her family were baptized a while ago, and when we first got here, we went to their house and talked to them about their friends and family, and at some point Dora called her sister and handed me the phone, i was sort of caught off guard, but she was very nice, and she accepted a lesson with the missionaries there on saturday. In the end her daughters, dora's neices, both got baptized and have been doing great. This was the first week Neusa came to church, and the first time i met her in person, so that was cool. I've also been noticing that we're teaching a lot of couples and a few families. I've been trying to focus on finding families, i'm now in the habit of checking for rings whenever we meet people to see if they're married, and we just keep running into people that are legitimately married, with kids and such. It's been great.
The mission got 20 greenies this week, one of them is serving in our ward, Elder Knuth. It was fun to talk to him, i realized that he has more years left than i have months. He's from Oregon. Elder Rivera, by the way, is from Kearns, Utah, i don't remember why that city means anything to me, but i recognized it and feel like i know someone from there or something.
Lets see, I can't think of much else that's going on. The Mission is just going. I'm excited for the people we're teaching, we have a lot of good people right now. Rude and Fábio finally are back from vacation, so we're excited to see what happens there. I say we, but Elder Rivera is sort of lost, he's doing is best, but he's having a hard time keeping track of everybody we know. Especially because, as i'm sure you guys have noticed, people here have the craziest names.
have a fantastic week,
abraços all around
Elder Ammon
