Week 9

Well it´s been another great week! Two more intersting things about Brazil is you can´t find automatic cars. Every car, bus, and semi truck is a manual (stick shift). And the exhaust smells strongly of sulfur. Also, all businesses close and all restuarants open from 12-2 in the afternoon for lunch. Can be a poin when you´re trying to buy stuff for the week on P-day, but at the same time it brings more poep.e out into the streets where we can contact them!

My trainer, Elder Nielson from Virginia, is way awesome. I´ve learned so much from him. Little by little I´m taking over teaching more parts of the lessons that we give. It´s tough because I´m still super new with the language, but I´m catching on. I also just got a call today to give a 7 minute talk in next sacrament meeting, we´ll see how that goes! I hope my companion and I are not transferred away in 2 weeks because I´m enjoying learning the language and teaching techinques from him. He´s a genius.

One of our progressing investigators is making leaps and bounds in learning and giving up addictions to keep the commandments. We´re super excited for her and hope to baptize her soon. The only struggle she has is getting to church. The adversary always gets us in some way. Church attendance is so vital to our progression in the gospel. That´s where we renew our baptismal covenants and learn from inspired leaders and teachers. I know this church is true without a doubt.

Today is my birthday! I´m officially 19 now. Ice cream here is super expensive, and considered quite a treat to have it for dessert. The first time I had it here on a hot humid day (just the regular, cheap neopolitian stuff we have everywhere in the states), it tasted like heaven. I´ll probably get some today as a present to myself. The members have also been super awesome. I don´t know how they found out that it was my birthday, but they made some great food and made it really special.

This is the true church! Through prayer and study of the gospel all people everywhere can know too of this glorious truth. I love sharing it with all those who have open hearts and who receive us wanting to know more. I testify that Jesus Christ lives and that he restored His church through Joseph Smith. Because of what him and many other people went through, we now enjoy the blessing of the restored gospel. Share it with your family. Share it with your friends. Not just a select few need the happiness that the gospel brings, everyone needs it.

Good luck in all your endeavors and thank you for all the love and support. Até a semana que vem!

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Elder Joseph Andrew

Porto Alegre North Mission

Caixa Postal 13008

CEP 91010-971

Porto Alegre-RS

Brazil

Read my blog at elderandrewinbrazil.blogspot.com