Baptism

Dear Dad

Hey I am happy to hear you got a job, it was something that I have been
> praying for for a long time. Where do you work and when did you start? That
> is incredible that Kentucky did not lose a game. I will pick them to win.
> This week can you sent me a pdf of the brackets so I can print it out and
> fill out who I think will win? In news of my friends Max is trying to stay
> the summer in Milwaukee and film a short movie with the friends he has made
> there. He has always been very good at sending me emails. Oliver had plans
> to go to BYU and even put a down payment on an apartment I think and just
> learned he did not get in so I am sure he is bummed out about that.
>
> Not sure if you noticed but either the dollar is very strong or the Real is
> very weak because the ratio has plummeted this week and recently. When I
> got here in Brazil for 1 Real it was 42 cents. As of today, 1 Real is 32
> cents which is a huge change. When I buy things to go home I will be
> getting my money's worth.
>
> As for the work we helped baptize some kids of some families that are
> coming back to church. We also found a women who is 18 who has been going
> to church who I think will get baptized who just needs to get married. She
> told us that her husband asked her to marry her a month ago. I asked what
> she said and she told him Yes but nothing happened. So we are going to try
> to help them with that. We also found a cool family who have 5 girls as
> kids. The opposite of your family. But other than the constant rain not
> much has changed. It is a bummer when it rains on Sundays here because no
> one goes to church.
>
> Have fun on the trip and send me pictures. Here is a photo from the
> baptism.
>

March 9th 2014

Mom Asked:

Who wrote you today?

Oliver, Max, and a women who I really liked in Grays Harbor my last area in the states sent me an email with an update of her family. Her daughter is spending the summer in Nauvoo doing some kind  of musical mission that is short so it would be funny if you guys go and visit and see her there. She told me how their family has never been to Nauvoo and will make a trip this summer. 

Is your companion excited to go home in 2 weeks?

Yes my companion is excited. 

Do you have to go to the mission office today?

We do not have to go to the mission office which is good. No buses today.

Will you eat out today because it is Pday?

 We usually grab a cozinho which is hard to explain but is like fried bread with chicken inside which is good and cheap. Nothing fancy.

How are your socks holding up?

 My socks are good but a little tight so I plan to buy some new ones next week on Monday.

With all the rain you have been having, have you used the rain coat or umbrella?

 I have been using the umbrella which is very nice.Too hot for a rain jacket. Clothes dry faster than Washington but slower than Utah. 

Is your razor holding up?

Razor is great. 

Hope you can email next week because I love getting updates. 

I am guessing you rejected my attend school and go a week later idea so I will just stick with living there and doing the online classes. It would give me more flexibility with a job. Did that transcript from DMACC work out? 

We would love to live with Will Thomas.  Does he already have a place? In like 30 minutes Elder Robinson and I are going to choose a place but we probably need 4 people in total so it would be Elder Robinson, Will Thomas and I. Unless Will Thomas already has a place and wants people but the place we are looking at is like $260 a month. I would pay this year for the apartment and the classes for first semester because in total should be 4000$ dollars which I should have.  Haha it will be interesting. I will send you another email with a link to the place we choose. Also try to get Will Thomas email in the next hour if you can. 

Thanks

Will

March 2

Mom asked:

(Have you cleaned your suit lately?)

I will just clean my suit before I come home because you have to go downtown. I only wear it for sundays and that is it. I keep it pretty clean.

(Do you ever wear your retainer?)

 I wear my retainer every night. 

(Did you do the choir thing?)

The mission choir thing was on saterday and took all day but was really fun. It was just like the firesides my other mission did. Except our mission president stayed for 20 minutes and left.  

(Do you have a Sunday job in the ward?)

I do not do a job on Sundays.

(How are your shoes holding up?)

 I wear my black shoes every day and for special occasions I wear these cool red shoes I bought at Goodwill for 10$. My black eccos are too nice for the mud.

(Do you ever wear shorts?)

 I wear basketball shorts every night and our WML asked me if he could buy a pair of my shorts because shorts here in Brazil are way different and are not very comfy like American basketball shorts. I have 3 pairs so I might sell him one if he gives me a good deal.

(Do you ever wear your tennis shoes?)

 Do not wear tennis shoes much. 

(Do you use a blanket when you sleep?)

Sleep with just a sheet.

(Does your companion want to speak English with you?)

 He understands english but does not want to speak it with me. He does not speak hardly any. 

( Do you pray often in Portuguese?)

You are always saying prayers as a missionary. Honestly when I write these emails all the Portuguese words pop in my head instead of the English. It is kind of annoying.

( Have you bought more soccer jerseys?)

 I will buy more jerseys when I go home. 

( Do girls like you American guys?)

Women are more of a problem in missions here because yes they know any American is rich as compared to the standards here.

(Have you blessed the sacrament in Portuguese?)

 I blessed the sacrament once in Portuguese.

(Do they have YM/YW at your ward on Wednesday nights?)

 I do not think they have ym/yw at our church but maybe at the stake, I am not sure.

(Do you ever have ice cream)

 We do not have ice cream much because it is kind of expensive but when we do it is really good. 

Thanks for the picture of max. 

On another note I called president and asked him if he had done my thing for BYU and he said he got it last week and will do it. For some reason it took like 3 weeks to get to him. NEW idea for College. I talked to some elders here who already went to BYU Provo and they said if I missed the first week it would not be that big a deal and I could just make up the work. So yeah I am kind of thinking that is what I want to do. I would just stay at home the week I come home and drive out to school at the end of the week. It is a little rushed but it would work and I think I would be fine. Talk with Dad about it and let me know what you think. If I do this just make sure my first semester does not have tons of classes I need to take, maybe a little lighter load than normal. So keep me registered for Fall and let me know if that endorsement comes in. 

Love, 

W