17 Dec 2019

Christmas in Brazil is HOT!

Well first off, it looks like I'll be calling the 24th sooo hopefully everyone gets in when I call.  But if needs be, I might be able to arrange a way to call everyone on the 25th, but don't count on it.  In other news, I have ripped three different pairs of pants and have had them fixed up.  But I don't think that they'll be able to live for much longer...  So if possible, please send more or some money to buy some here.  They don't really have the quality that they have in the US but you know, I'm a missionary.  But if you do buy some please buy some 34 instead of 32.  Because, apparently all this walking is making my legs, as they say in cool streets, super swole.  So yeah, the gray pants have gotten pretty tight.

Christmas Eve with members

Now about the mission!  I stayed in Nova Granada and these past couple weeks have been pretty rough.  I'm seeing all my hard work with my other companion slipping through my fingers and that made me pretty upset.  But we are getting better workwise.  Maybe we'll have a baptism this week.  Speaking of which, the investigator's name is Fernanda.  We already taught everything but she didn't want to get baptized yet so because she said that she didn't receive an answer to her prayers about baptism.  She continued along like this for a  few weeks and I was getting frustrated.  Until FINALLY, The spirit told me what she needed to hear.  Which was that she has already received so many answers to her prayers and that now was her time to act.  Later she gave the closing prayer and said that that's exactly what she needed to hear and she started changing a lot and progressing again.  So, in short, there are times when we need to depend on the Lord and times when he tells us to act.  Oh yeah, my old companion went to Macedonia in the Stake Campo LImpo.  It's on the other side of the mission.

Being district leader is also an adventure.  Especially for 4 sisters.  But it could be worse.  I get a little annoyed at the lack of organization amongst my zone and how I was I left with my district.  I asked the sisters how the old district leader did things so that I could just grab the same structure and run with it but alas there was none.  So I'm going to have to figure out some kind of schedule for them to expect calls and whatnot.  I was thinking lately, why does president trust me so much with 4 sisters that are not obedient and an Elder that needs a reboot on his entire misssion. Like what? I would be the last person I would've chosen to do this.  But you know, time to grow and learn.

So, why did I email on Wednesday?  Because we had our mission christmas party!  I played basketball and volleyball and unfortunately had to tune everything down due to the lack of experience of others.  But it was still fun.  It was also REALLY HOTTT. When I was done playing my clothes were completely drenched.  It has also been really hot here.  There is noone on the streets to talk to.  So yeah the Christmas season is also pretty slow for us.

Anyway, I hope all goes well with the family gathering.  I realized recently that I'll be spending 3 Christmases on the mission.  Not everyone can say that, nor would they really want to...

Love you guys!

Elder Keliiliki