One more P-day as a Missionary!

Whoa. Only two more weeks of mission updates from E. Gubler? Awfetch.

Yeah. I'm feeling love from my family! It's good to see y'all're anxious to have me back. I'm honestly trying my best not to think about it. Mom, can I ask you spare the nitty gritty details about home until I see you at the airport? I agree we need to talk about things like flights, college, family matters, but...I'm sure there will be plenty of time to catch up on the things that aren't time-sensitive once the missionary badge has come off. I promise to converse with you about anything you wish...once I finally see you in the Maceió airport. ;) (–-In Mom’s self-defense, I was updating Erich on small things like a new 7-11 on the corner… Oh well.)

To quote President Gonzaga's response to my last email: "O seu Pai pode ficar trunky... voce não." - "Your Dad can get trunky...not you." I laughed.

This last week was a gigantic, work-loaded rush. We've been going after everybody who was in our teaching group this last week...and we juggled splits and interviews, including a last-minute one in Tobias Barreto. It was hectic, but everything got done in order. We almost completed all of our goals! I feel like I'm finally getting it. We'll see how that works this next week. I am very happy, very satisfied, but also a little pensive, because our constant, firm followup with everybody resulted in a very polarized teaching group...with everybody either getting baptized, or everybody literally running away. 

Is this normal in the US? I don't remember seeing anybody belting it in the other direction because they didn't want to talk to the missionaries. But it happens rather frequently here on this mission, it's not just with us. It's a heart sinker, but on the bright side there's no lack of cheer from the members we've been working with. We just gotta use our head to make our time efficient, and get more people in the water. Right now, there's two discouraged investigators that still have the potential to be baptized...but they didn't even go to church this last week. It's gonna be a strange week. We've got more splits, another Zone Conference, training by President on the weekend for the local leadership, aaaaaaaaaaand...well, I'll remember the other stuff as it comes along.

Oh hey. Backing up a bit...That's right, ladies and gentlemen, the Lagarto branch has another family within its fold! We got Viviane, Dafne, and Eric in the water, and all confirmed! They're super happy to finally be disciples of Christ, and now they're working to get a gospel man into the family!

-insert photo here-

....yeaaaaaaaaaaaaah, I didn't get the photo yet. But we took one! I just got to get it from the members, I had completely forgotten my camera the day of the baptism.

Anyway. That's all, folks! Not much else to say for now, though my studies were very enjoyable. I hope to send something of spiritual worth to those of you to whom I still owe letters. I hope that you're above all managing to overcome the many challenges God trusts you with. Stay firm, stay strong, and stay hopeful!

I love y'all,

-Erich