Week 26 in Volta Redonda

Braden has been in his second area in Brazil for quite some time.  He writes,
It´s crazy how much more I love Conference on the mission!! I learn to appreciate it so much more out here, it´s incredible.


I feel like I need to be more grateful for what I have and thank all of you for everything that you have done in my life for me. I know that I wouldn´t be out here without you guys. I am so grateful for our family and have absolutely no idea what I would do without you all. Thank you so much for everything and sorry that I haven´t always been deserving of everything. I am trying to be better. I am trying to use my time more wisely here in the mission field and not to waste any minute that I have out here.

It was cool to see Elder Godoy give the closing prayer in the Sunday morning session. He came and visited us in our Zone Conference in June and it was funny to see him speak in English this time; he is an awesome apostle as well!! Elder Costa and Elder Mazzagardi are also Brasilians and their talks were some of my favorites as well.

One of the funniest things that I have ever seen in my entire life happened this week. I was studying for language study one of these days last week, and Elder Young was sitting there thinking about our area or something. He has been really stressed out with this area because we haven´t had a baptism here for a long time. Anyway, he ended up falling asleep as he was sitting in his chair, leaning against the wall and the window. I´m still studying there and I hear him start to moan in his sleep a little, ``uhhhhh. uhhhhhh.`` so I look over and it was normal, just sleeping with his mouth open and I´m used to it by now because he snores everynight anyway haha. Anyway, he stops moaning, and I go back to studying. All of the sudden he starts up again, and I look over at him and say, ``Elder``. He starts moaning a little louder, then I yell out, ``ELDER!!`` trying to wake him up. He keeps moaning louder and by now I´m freaking out, wondering what is going on. I look at him and he´s trying to open his eyes but he opens one only half way and all I see is white. I´m sitting there like, oh man, Is he having a seizure?! What is going on?! ``Elder, Elder! Wake Up!`` He finally shakes his head and wakes up and just yells out! I ask him, what happened? He starts telling me that he was hearing me call his name and everything and he was seeing me sitting there studying, but he couldn´t wake up. He said that he was a prisoner in his own body. I just started laughing hysterically because it was too hilarious!!

Anyway, we almost had a baptism that we found Friday night. We found him on the street, went to his house, taught him, he accepted to be baptized, brought him to one of the sessions of conference with us, got interviewed, and everthing was set. But we went to pick him up yesterday and he wasn´t at home. I think he went to go vote which was pretty frustrating, but it ended up that we didn´t baptize him. But, we are going to visit him today so hopefully he will be baptized this Sunday still :)

It has been pretty sad without the Sisters here for sure though, they always brought the Spirit more strongly and were amazing missionaries. We got two more American Elders in their place and they are also awesome as well, Elder Campbell who is training Elder Isom. They are awesome missionaries. It was cool to talk to Elder Isom and talk about everything that is going on in the states there since he´s fresh out of there haha. It is cool to see someone new because I see how much I have grown and I remember exactly how he feels right now; he will be an awesome missionary.

I love you so much and am realizing how much I am blessed to have you guys. I hope that you all have an amazing week!! I will talk to you next week!

Love, Elder McDonald

Week 17 in Volta Redonda

Hey Everyone,


We will have Zone Conference this Friday in Petrópolis or Teresópolis; I´m really excited for that. This transfer really flew by, I can´t believe it. And Mom, yes, I'm still in Usina. And Dad, no we didn't baptize Suely´s brother, he got scared and he doesn't want to be baptized now. Pretty sad for sure. We have been working a lot with Vanessa and her family. I´m really going to miss them when I have to leave. I will take a picture with them this week and send it to you next week if I get the chance. I gave her that Arizona shirt that you sent me Dad, because it was too small, I hope you don´t mind haha. She loves it and so does her husband, Gustava. He always steals it and wears it and she gets mad, it´s hilarious. They are such an awesome family. So humble but so happy. I also gave our address and my email to a bunch of people in the ward. I want to keep in touch with a ton of these people here. I am going to be really sad when I have to leave. It´s going to be really tough. I was talking to Marcio and his family yesterday cause we were eating lunch at their house and they said they were going to start sending letters home for me so that when I get there I will have a big old stack of them haha.

Elder Glade will be coming home next week I think. Thursday or Friday. He has to take like three or four airplanes to get home hahaha poor guy. He´ll be pretty exhausted for sure. J.J. will also be going home really quick as well huh? Ridiculous! Also Matt! Can´t believe this. Tell Sam hi for me alright? I love you all. Talk to you next week!

Love, Elder McDonald