I Love this City!

So I basically love Coimbra, I don’t know what it is, it’s not like this area is more special than any other, could it be the fact that I get along with my companion, or maybe it’s the fact that yes I have investigators, good Elders and the Lord on my side, I think it’s finally me that’s changing, and I want to let you all know how wonderful that feels, yeah basically I wouldn’t give this experience up for the life of me and I’m so gald that I’ve been going through it and still have 6 months to go through it. I can finally say I love the mission—yay! I’m still a long way from being fluent in the language and some days I feel like I’m getting worse, but the thing I do know is who’s side I’m on, and who’s instrument I am, I know who I am and I know why I am here (both on earth and in Portugal).

We Got Peanut Butter!

Okay I think it’s about time I let you know what’s going on in my area, since it’s been a while. Okay so Monday I went to the center of Portugal and took pictures with old ruins, I think I already said this but oh well. On Tuesday it was great we had members, missionaries and two investigators at the church to watch The Lamb of God and then we all bore testimony of the Savior afterwards. Oh how blessed I am, how blessed we all are. Anywho that was a grand experience, the next day we had District Meeting and President and Sister Henry were there, so I had my interview and they brought Peanut Butter, which was great.

The Lord's Work

After District Meeting, we kept getting cancelled on but the Lord was aware and had a different path for us, when we do His work and try it’s amazing where He takes us so we can find those prepared. We had the Elders with us and I felt bad because we got turned down for the third time, we also had a member with us, anywho we were walking away after being told our investigator wasn’t home, and this man pops out of a door and in broken English is like Americans, er something then he started going on about how good and important our church is, it was funny to be having a conversation in English, but he just kept going on how he has a Book of Mormon and he wants help from God he wants our help, but he can’t stop smoking and then we switched back in to speaking in Portuguese, it was pretty funny. Anywho it was awesome for our member with us that she saw that even though things don’t turn out the way you plan the Lord does provide a way if we’re obedient. After that we went to Paulo’s he was someone my comp and her other comp contacted 2 months ago and every time they tried him he wasn’t home. This time though he was and we had a really good first lesson with him, the spirit was really strong and he’s and intelligent man from Africa, studying to be a doctor, we have an appt. with him today so we’ll see how that goes. This week was good though, we also had Zone meeting where I need to work on some areas but all and all it was good.

Saturday was Fun!

Saturday was so much fun, we played futebol- so enjoyable it’s been a long time since I’ve played a game of anything, I love sports and I love to run around and oh boy am I suffering now because of it, I’m getting OLD. It was fun because it’s been awhile since I’ve played soccer but I held my own with the Elders ect. They do that every Saturday so I’m all excited about that because oh my goodness I eat so terrible here, that will have to be something I work on when I get back home-heh.

I Went to Jail! :)

Okay so on Sunday I went to jail, yep, we have an investigator name Pedro Miguel, when I first met him I’m like what are you doing in here, he definitely doesn’t look like some one who would be in jail. Anywho his mom is a recent convert and that’s how that all got started us going to jail and visiting him. He’s a good guy just made wrong choices with his life (drugs) as for everyone in there. There was a prisoner with his little girl next to him and his wife holding his hand, it was so sad, but yeah we all make choices in this life, oh I love agency. Anywho we have Jessica a 15 year old Brazilian that doesn’t like Portugal and her mom, that we teach and eat with, it’s always fun to go over there, the Brazilians are so different than the Portuguese people, it’s amazing, that’s why Brazil is boming and well Portugal will get there, this really is a great mission I am in, I am really blessed to be here. That’s about it; it’s been really cold here. I miss and love you all so much, but I’m so happy with where I am at. I wish all of you the best, you’re always in my prayers, I’m so grateful for the Gospel in my life and in the lives of the people I love thank you for your examples, this church is true, when all is said and done this Church is true, Christ is the Savior of all mankind and we have a Father in Heaven who loves us. Again thanks for your support and love. Beijinhos!

I'm Learning A Lot :) !

Right back at you the mamma--oh TWILIGHT, 6 more months-bah Carrie doesn't have time, going out to partys and movies, yeah that's hard, estou a brincar, anywho sounds like times are good, that's great to hear. Wow sound like you all had a fun time, next year next year, but no life is good, I'm just learning a whole bunch of things, I like who I'm with and where I'm at. I have been a bit under the weather this week and I do believe everyones new years goal was to cancel on the Irmãs so that's always great, no actually we had a great week numbers wise, we had 5 investigators at church. So much different than Guimarães where it was a miracle if we could get one. The language is coming better now that I have a Brazilian comp, she's a doll um what else, yeah I am generally happy right now--Yay touch down score, I'm still trying to work on not being so worldly and still missing you all and my country like non the other but life is good. I am really glad that I decided to serve a mission, I will forever be blessed because of it, is it the hardest thing I've ever done in my life--darn tootin it is. Well I don't have much time so here is Carrie's letter. Oh that makes me sad that Stephanie Meyers didn't finish it--sigh--one person goes and ruins it for all.

I Love Coimbra!

I love Coimbra, I love it, sure every city and place has its problems but I’m finally at a point in my mission where I’m loving it. I loved Guimarães and Braga, but I don’t know it just really helps when you have a companion that you click with. I still have a ways to go, but what I’ve learned already is wow, amazing I wouldn’t trade this knowledge and experience for anything. I understand all those testimonies now of trials and growth, it’s sad that we have to go through such trying times to learn to rely and go to our Father in Heaven. For comfort, I am really learning what this gospel is all about, what the Book of Mormon is all about and just about people in general and that knowledge is priceless.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND A HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MEGAN AND MARCUSI'm so excited for Elder Bednar to come!!

Where are the Letters?

Oh frarrie dog don't fret, I appreciate that you write me, that's more than some brothers, and the brother that I do have writes crap--lol no I understand that every single one of you is very busy, so I appreciate that you even take the time to write to me.

Busy Week

It was a crazy day (Christmas) though, I took a bus to get home, we got permission to stay at a member’s house because for the Portuguese Pai Natal comes at midnight and that’s when they open their presents and is the big time of Christmas, I like our way much better. Anywho so we took a bus to get back home then, we had to catch a train to get to a members house and there we watched Mr. Kruger’s Christmas and some musician with bad hair but was very good on the violin and his orchestra was pretty spiffy too. It really wasn’t that fun being at some one’s house where it’s like I don’t know you, but the food was good and they were kind. Like I said though, it was really good to ponder on what Christmas is about this year, and focus on trying to serve people and the Lord really comforted me. Not being able to sufficiently talk to every member of my family was the only depressing thing, oh well its part of the rules and I do want to be obedient. It was sooo good to hear from everyone though. So sheesh I really didn’t get to tell you about my week, it was one for the records. First off it started out by us locking ourselves out of our house, it cost me thirty euros for not listening to the spirit, so let that be a lesson to you. So that ate up our P-day I think I told you that. Then travelling to zone conference it was in Maia and I’ve only been there by car, anywho we watched our train leave, so we had a get a later one which made us late anyway and then when we got there we had no idea where to go and no one was answering there phone. Well I finally got a hold of my zone leader and he said that we needed to catch the 205 bus after we got off at the last stop of the metro(and then we’d see the chapel)-well we caught it, just caught it going the wrong way) so it took us an hour, we ended up being 2 hours late to zone conference >_> I was so tired and befuzzeled and of course everyone has to mention that you got lost SIGH oh well that’s life. So I. Svedin wasn’t the warmest to me that was sad because I was excited to see her, same with the other people in my old district, which was kind of a let down, oh well. It was good though, I had fun and like always it’s nice to be with the other missionaries. We ended up getting home when we should have gone to sleep >_> Then district meeting the next day was really good the spirit was strong and all and later that night we found a couple through carolling door to door, they were the only ones who would listen to us, they live next door to a member so this could be good. Then we celebrated Christmas with Brazilians which was great because even though I don’t know them they’re Brazilians and very open and friendly and loving and they sure do love to party. So that was good we watched the work and the G –you know how much I adore that. So all and all it was a really good, crazy, tiring, stressful week, but I’m happy and I still love my comp even though it’s not the easiest to communicate, it’s good, I’m glad for this situation now, oh what a difference 8 months makes. Oh man though mom there were so many things I wanted to talk to you about like Sister Merrill, some one needs to give Molly a hug for me. Also to tell Trevor Feliz Natal for me. I totally wouldn’t have cried but I didn’t have time enough to talk to you. It was just so good to hear everyone and talk to them—I was so sleep deprived though. I do love you mamma and I was glad I was able to say that even though the call didn’t go the way that I wanted. Oh yeah we also had a baptism and it ran smoothly I am so grateful to the Lord for that, we were blessed and that sweet sweet spirit was present when he got baptized I love it, that’s why need to baptize more people-yes-oh it’s crazy to do a baptism for someone you just met, it will be great though, and good for that family, they were less active so he didn’t get baptized at age 8 and then they became reactivated and my comp brought up baptism with him and he got really excited but that family will now be able to have the priesthood in there home, when he receives it. It’s a poor little Cabo Verdian family a mom 2 girls and him Tiago. They wonderful though. So yeah that’s about it for my week.

This and That

I hope you had a wonderful Chirstmas and a better time talking with Trevor. I love you and can’t wait to talk to you again. Have a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY and Irmã Polito wishes you a happy birthday too. Oh tell Liam happy birthday for me too on Wednesday wow another 2 year old in the family. Why would I not like my presents I love all of them I'm so grateful that I even got them, and both my comps too, I gave Irmã Becketts stocking stuff to Irmã Polito because she only got a card from her family. Oh and my toothpaste I have my crest again I'm so happy! You rock mom you did a great job^!~