25 July 2011

Hey Guys,

This week flew by for me as well. This whole month actually. The time just keeps going faster. I can´t believe that I`m going on my fifth week in this area already, it is insane. Sounds like a lot of cool stuff is going on. Sounds like trek was really cool for Makensie. That is really cool that she is going to get her Patriarchal Blessing this week.  He is a really amazing guy. If I would have known that you were going to visit President Jaussi, I would have told you to tell him hi for me as well. I really hope that he is still Stake President when I come home to report on my mission, but he should be, right? Speaking of Patriarchs, we are going to eat lunch at the Seventy´s house this week, Brother Athos, who is the Patriarch of this stake as well, that will be awesome

This week we are going to have interviews with President Lima, that will be really cool, I`m excited. The best news that I have though is that we baptized yesterday! It was really awesome, we had a lot of members there helping us, mostly the returned missionaries haha. It turned out really cool. Her name is Janaína- her parents also were at the baptism and stayed for the rest of church as well and they loved all of it. Janaína was baptized in the morning and then confirmed during Sacrament Meeting. Poor girl, it was really cold yesterday and the water was even colder, but it all turned out great. We are working with her parents and her brother to get the whole family baptized. The dad, Paulo, is really excited, but her mom still doesn´t think she is ready, but we are preparing a good lesson to share with them all tonight. This area is amazing, have I mentioned that already, heh heh. I love the people here. Yesterday was awesome, we had Churrasco again for lunch! Everyday that have baptized here, we have had Churrasco for lunch. We had another family night over at their house as well and we made American cookies for them all again, they loved them.

Danilo, a returned missionary in the ward, took a picture of us with him and put it on Facebook and he´s had a few people from my old Ward, Usina, in the same Stake that have commented on it and have asked how I am and said that they miss me, that made me happy haha. I feel loved. I am going to die when I have to come home, it´s going to be so hard. People always ask me if I get homesick. I always tell them no way, and that I am going to be homesick only when I actually go home and leave my mission. I need to get as much as I can out of this time that I can. It´s going way too fast

Well, I hope that you guys enjoy the rest of your summer and that everything goes well for you all this week. I´m still here working hard and loving my mission. I love you all. Have a great week!

Love, Elder McDonald