Big Things Happening!!!
Well,
so, I got transferred.... To a place not even in the same state as Manaus. I am currently in
a town called Vilhena. And don´t ask me what state it is in because I have no
idea. All I know is that I am southwest of manaus, in the middle of nowhere. Find a city
called Porto Velho
and then go even more south. So here is my transfer story. Get the call Sunday afternoon at 2 o clock. They tell me I
will need to be at the office at 5. The same day. I got transfered on a Sunday.
Craziest thing ever. So, got a ride from a member to the office, got my
passport, and then headed off to the airport with 5 other missionaries. Got on
the plane at 8:30.
Landed at 9:30 and then went to the house of some
missionaries there in Porto Velho.
Stayed there until 2 AM. Then caught a bus to my area that I was on for 13
hours!!!!! We left at 2 in the morning and pulled in to my area at 3:40 or something like that! It was so
long! And here is the best part. So there were 2 other elders on the bus with
me, but they were going to another area. So they got off after 4 or 5 hours.
And they said, just chill on the bus till I get to my area. And if I miss my
area, here are some numbers to call. Good luck! So yea, I sat on a bus for 13
hours and most of the time I didn´t even know if I was heading towards my area.
Luckily I made a friend on the bus who lives in this area so he was able to
help me out. The bus ride is so long that we even stopped for a 30 minute lunch
break. And I ate with the guy that was helping me. It was pretty sweet cause it
was all Portuguese. And only after 3 months. So I´m feeling pretty good about
myself, even if I am exhausted.
And I´m sorry but I haven´t had time to take
pictures. I literally stepped off the bus, got my bags, dropped them off in an
apartment of some elders (which I´m gonna have to move again because it isn´t
even our apartment, so more travel. Yay!), then walked here because the other 3
elders have been waiting for me so they could email their families. So nothing
this week, but next week, I promise.
But so let me now do a recap of the rest
of the week. We had another baptism! A little 10 year old girl named Lilian.
She is the younger sister of a recent convert, so hopefully she will stay
strong. But so yea, then some teaching and some meetings and I´m super tired so
I´m gonna go ahead and end this email cause I
can´t stop thinking about sleep.
So my tip of the week is make sure you get enough sleep. There is a reason
there is a rule about going to bed at 10:30, and that is so your body is able to function during the
day and you are not drop dead tired, because you have a work to do and it
requires you to be at your best. So get some sleep, like I am going to here
shortly. Love you mom!!!!!
Oh
and I got my packages! And then rapidly packed them into my suitcase and
checked them into the airport not even 1 hour after opening. Perfect timing? I think so!!! Haha
(Mom) What an adventure
(Elder Link) Oh
trust me, I know!
(Mom) Really excited for you though.....how cool...and scary...and
cool. Ya doing o.k.?
(Elder Link) Yea, I'm fine.
(So we looked it up and it's kind of like an island....He is about 50-75 miles from the border of Bolivia. Vilhena is a city of about 70,000 people in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by jungle.)
So
here is my rigging. There was water leaking from our roof for some reason and no
way to stop it. So I just taped a bag to the ceiling to catch the water...Because
it was directly over my bed....Dripping on me. Totally lame. But my rigging saves
the day.
This is my new favorite fruit. The mango. Just rip it open and eat right off the
tree. Awesomeness.
And it has taken over 30 minutes to load these photos....
So
here is a member being crazy with his child. Pretty cool though and the kid
loves it.
But so here we have the girl who
was baptized, Lilian, and then me and some other missionaries waiting in the
airport on Sunday night
So this is all I got. More next week. Promise.
So, this week was super good as far as teaching
and finding goes. A huge amount. More than 75 lessons and more than 25 new
investigators. Pretty boss. So yea, we are doing really well.
But so there is an announcement I have to make. So next week is transfers and they are differente
here because of how big the mission is. So if I go to a far away área I will be
on a plane all of Monday. So I would probably be taking my pday Tuesday. I don't know how it works here, but
thats what I have been told. So I guess we will see what happens. Ive been in
the same área for 2 and a half transfers so I'll probably get transferred soon.
But who knows, could end up staying, don't really know.
But so, I bought new
shoes. When I got my money, there was 177 dollars, which is 300 reals, more or
less. And the shoes were 160 reals. So yea, kinda needed that money. Thanks
everyone who contributed.
But so if you guys get a dog, please get a big one. I
like big dogs, little ones are kinda annoying. But I guess you guys pick and I
don't really have a choice because I'm halfway across the world.
But so lets see,
lets finish telling about this week. So had another baptism, his name is Eric.
Didn't get a picture because I still didn't have battery. But I was finally able to
buy some today so I will have some pics next week. It'll be pretty sweet but you
will have to wait until next week. Sorry. But so lets talk about the baptism a
bit, it was super cool but kinda wierd. So we had him on date to be baptized
saturday with the baptisimal interview earlier on saturday. But on Friday was an activity and he was there and our zone leaders were there, and did the interview on Friday. Then they said why
not just do the baptism now, so we paused the activity and baptized him right
then and there. So yea,
that about sums up my week, super good but I feel like we rushed some things
but there is always next week.
Only problem, super tired, as Always haha. Love
you guys, have fun with the new dog. Stay cool everyone. Tip of the week is
going to have to be keep working no matter what. No matter if you are about to
drop, or you are dissapointed in something, or if you get ´dear johned´ you
have to keep working. Working will distract you from all your problems, so
literally lose yourself in the work. Don't lose your personality, just your
problems. Work with everything you are and all the strength you have so when
you come home and finish planning, you collapse. That's when you know you did
some good working that day.
Allright, so until next week. Love you Family. Love
you mom! Sorry this is a little short....
