Hello Family Dearest!
This Week was all improvement! We were able to meet a number of goals this week. Lessons taught, new investigators, lessons with members and visiting less active members. All of our numbers are improving and my companion and I are super excited to start this week.
Tuesday we had a Zone meeting and President and Sister Gonzaga showed up! I love hearing them, haha, they are super intelligent and know how to give fire to the Missionaries to make them want to work hard and follow all the rules. Every time we meet with them they tighten up the rules. Clarifying gray areas and cutting out loop holes. I love it when they do that, when they draw the line tighter and tighter. Because we always have more success when we follow the rules or even exceed the rules. One bonus to having a meeting with the President is that he brought the letters and packages to all the missionaries in SERGIPE. So..... I GOT YOUR PACKAGE! Thanks a bunch you guys, I loved the phase 10 and all the yummies :) ( who's the guy on the shirt?) Samuel can respond to that question I bet. hahaha Oh and I got Sarah's letter if you could let her know that that would be awesome:)
One thing that I'm starting to notice about myself is that the things that I used to like back at home I really don't like on the mission. A few examples for ya´ll. Dogs.... I hate dogs. I used to love dogs but now....can't stand them. Just because they bark at us, haha, it just starts with one then all the dogs in the whole street start barking and people come out of their houses, see us and then quickly run back inside, close all the windows and doors and pretend that no one is home.... Motorcycles... I used to love motorcycles but now whenever I see one I get home sick until it's out of sight and they are really dangerous. I've almost been hit many time by motorcycles. And rain... I used to love rain but now.... it's awful walking in the rain with a shirt and tie and scriptures.... Cause everything gets soaked, your pen will stain your shirt, pages in your planner are all stuck together... It's just the pits, haha, but once your completely soaked everything goes back to normal and you just accept that your drenched. This past week even till today it's rained every day. But at times it's a blessing cause people feel sorry for us and let us into their houses or garages and we get to converse about the gospel and the work that we do as missionaries.
This week I had an eyes infection so my eye was all puffed up and reddish-purple and hurt every time I had to blink but it's all better now, more or less, haha. Love ya mom!
One thing that I've been able to see this past week in the members is that they are so much more willing to help me and my companion that they were to help me and my last companion. They have been giving us references, helping us teach less active people and asking if they can tract with us. It's SO cool! and they have been asking us to teach family home evening lessons! IF you have any ideas, I would gladly accept them :)
One lady that we have been teaching this past week really stood out to me. After the lessons that we taught her, we gave her a pamphlet that she could read and study. On the back of the pamphlet there are about ten questions that ask about what is in the pamphlet. This lady, about 35 years old, has so much fire and really wants to learn about our church. She studies and answered all but two of the questions.... (I've never seen someone do that since I've been on my mission. She answered about Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, EVERYTHING. The questions that she didn't answer tied in perfectly to the lesson that we were about to teach. It was awesome and we're super excited for her. And she has a rebellious 12 year old daughter that we're trying to whip into shape, haha.
I'm loving my mission. Loving my companion, the members, the investigators, Everything.
Love you guys so much!
ELDER RALPH
Maceio Brazil Mission Assignment
Serving in God's Army
