Lots Happening!

Whoo!

Still haven't gotten Mom's update, so I'll just reply to this one.

Man. Tons of stuff has happened. I better get typing so I can get everything out on time!

First off: I dunno how many have heard (or if I already commented, lulz), but there's gonna be a leadership position for the Sisters! It's called a Sister Training Leader. Whoa!

Second is that we BAPTIZED LAST WEEK! My companion and I are running around like crazy in the rain so we can get the many references we're receiving out of the house and into the water (in the baptismal font, that is!). We've had a nice love-hate relationship with water this last week. Water reserves going low at home...so we go bathe in the chapel. Go back home from the chapel...and the rain drenches us. This week has been pretty dang wet! Actually....it's been the wettest week I've ever had on the mission. Every day we've been taking a pounding from the water, but luckily everybody here's got a towel we can sit on when we teach. I've been actually shivering from cold this week. Northeastern Brazil, and I'm shivering...who'da thought, huh? At least there's água in the baptismal font. That's all we really need!

The best part is that we've lined up the next few weeks with super firm people to get baptized. I'm really excited, because now we're gonna break some personal records of mine. AND one of the lunches we have in the area plays Ray Conniff the entire time...so life is just grand. After listening to so much reggae and forró (which is an interesting musical phenomenon I'll have to explain some other time), it was SO strange to hear big band music from y'alls time...but now's no time to be trunky! There's work to do! If you guys can, pray for Deriel, who we've got marked to be baptized this week - he's an interesting lad who just turned 18. He's a little lost but really likes the church, and has several friends here doing their best to help him along the way. I just hope we'll be able to work with his family too - we're still trying to meet them in the first place!

Mom, I've been thinking about you a lot lately. People here comment that you're beautiful in the pictures you sent me, and I wonder how the stress level has been since you're making the employment changes. Excited for Texas? Take lots of pictures, I want to see the South again! ;)

Dad, I thought you'd like a talk a friend of mine sent me. I think you and Mom will especially appreciate it, with the perspective of an adult and return missionary. It has cast a new light on my mission, reading and understanding principles of faith, forgiveness, and grace. I'm learning to incorporate this understanding in my teaching, and I'm feeling the Spirit more. It's wonderful. :)

Shawn, I didn't forget your birthday! I'll see if I can't make something for you to remember. You'll learn soon that the missionary who focuses is a missionary always pressed to find free time where nothing meaningful happens...Dad's lectures about priorities hit the nail on the head. I hope that next year I'll be able to take a more active part of your learning and brotherly support, and that for now you're enjoying the company of your friends. Those memories are what you're gonna keep from UCAS! Always remember that people are the most important thing. I love you, dude!

Them's the news for now. Looks like it'll be a P-Day in the rain today...but it'll be great. I love the sensations of the rain, and it'll be good for mixing things up a bit. I hope y'all are doing well, and that your travels are safe! Tell Rob and Craig I said hi, and that if they need a translator to work with Petrobras...they know where I live. ;)

Tchau!
-Erich