ALRIGHTY GANG

 Welp, time's limited...there's a LOT of stuff that the ZL-A does that I had no idea about. The transfer came and went...and now I'm orienting a new American ZL named E. RALPH:

 Yup. There's speculation that THIS GUY will be my last companion. Cool, huh? He's interested in talking about scriptures, he's a lighthearted fellow who's got a lot of social intelligence. It's kind of strange to have a companion like that, since I've been taking a lot of serious ones lately - but hey, it's a welcome change. He's a easy guy to trust, and he's doing well as a new LZ. I'm excited for the training we'll be giving people next month, because we're gonna have to rock the zone with something awesome, and I bet with E. Ralph it's gonna be a blast.

 This last week I'm learning about the "armor" principle of obedience and humility. We have an investigator named Laís that's gonna be baptized this week (amongst others!!!) who's got a ton of relatives threatening her if she gets baptized. She REALLY wants to be baptized, and so we're going and encouraging her every day. As Dad says, she's got a case of Old Scratch working on her sometimes - but she knows what the Lord wants her to do. It's pretty darn cool to be her missionary, because she progresses very rapidly. In two weeks her life got completely turned around, and though everybody else in her family is falling out of the teaching group she clings to the Church and the friends she's made there. She's a determined girl. 

 SO. This week we're planning on getting three in the water. Fabiano and Adriana, our special couple that have been going to church for months, are finally getting married on the guy's birthday, and they just want to get baptized right after. I'm hoping a lot for the turnout, because all three of the people we'll baptize know plenty of people.

 Hmm....there's other things too. Zone challenges and time management are other fun things we've had to deal with. I'm learning to be a more organized adult, and to not try to do everything. I'm learning about how to help others recognize their strengths and positive points, which can only be discerned with love. This last week, I remember feeling a great love while we taught Laís's family, and thinking, "Well...if this is how I feel about this family, this is at least what Christ feels for me." I have a renewed joy in doing this holy work, and I'm really grateful that God still has so much to teach me even in my penultimate transfer.

Besides all that...just know that I love y'all. There's many things that I'm learning, but I'd have to spend a lifetime reviewing it all. I shall thoroughly enjoy rehashing it all. Be excited! Shawn, you'll be learning a ton on your mission too! Start preparing now! And that goes for all you friends that I have that still haven't gone. Really the blessings of a mission are excellent, and from my point of view I see how long-lasting they are. Go fill out them papers! You won't regret it! But for now...don't forget to write too.

 -Erich