Brasil, Week 22

Oi everybody!

Heavens, time is always so short and I always have so much to write, but I shall start with the most important and go from there.

I was transferred to an area called Guarapiranga (these names, I know) and it's a pretty awesome place. My companion is Sister Angulo, from Santa Fe, Argentina. We like with two other sisters but they work in the other ward. Our area is really big (although we divide it with the elders) and has all types of places, from weathly highrises to favela (but more favela than anything else. Actually, we live in the favela, more or less, but it's pretty safe. My companion has only been robbed once in five months). But seriously, don't worry about anything, because we're working this area like crazy.

We have two baptismal dates on for this week, Eliete and Juliana, who are both 14. They're also super intelligent and even better, totally elect. We're also working a lot with Eliete's mom, Ana, who could get baptized this week too and is also really great. (Seriously, not only did she give us the reference of her neighbor, she also invited him to church yesterday. And he came! His name is Edvan and we'll start teaching him tonight.

The sisters dropped all of their old investigators who weren't progressing the other week and now (once again) we're doing a lot of finding. But finding is fabulous in this area. Tons of contacts in the road, tons of referencers, and (when we feel especially pumped) knocking doors.

The World Cup is going on in full force, though we don't really know that much about it. We stayed in all day last Thursday for the opening game and today, actually, is not p-day, because we'll have that during the game tomorrow. We're just writing emails today because we won't be able to leave the house tomorrow. Just a heads up, next Monday is also a Brasil game, so my p-day is going to be Tuesday. I didn't die or anything. We still know more or less what goes on every game, because every time Brasil scores a goal, the whole city explodes. Literally. People honking car horns, dancing in the road, firing off illegal rockets, tooting every sort of plastic horn you can imagine... it's pretty great.

Question for all you folks who aren't currently in the mission field: do you have a copy of Preach My Gospel in your home? If not, you should probably get on that, because this book should be revered the same as scripture. Read it, study it, and apply it in your life. The scripures tell us to "despise not the things of God" and I can testify that this is one of those things. There is nothing that will bless your life more than active missionary service in your efforts to build Zion wherever you are.

Anyway, a wonderful week for you all, and love you!

Sister Anna Nielsen

President and Sister Pinho are leaving very soon; haven't had much time with them but their influence will be huge