The Longest Letter to date!

Baptism of Ranoldo and Gorge

Thursday we had zone conference and it was amazing. President has kind of a different approach to missionary work. He wants us to relate to the people. He wants us to have activities and to play soccer with the kids. He wants us to bless their houses with the first visit and have them feel the spirit then set appointment to teach them and it works. The mission has gone from baptizing around 40 people a month to over a hundred... So now we ask people to try our two alcohol gels and tell us which one they like better or which soda has the best taste and as they do this we teach them and set up appointments. We kinda trick the people into the kingdom of God or at least to give it a chance. It’s awesome! It kinda reminds me of some of the things Dad said they did. We teach with a ton of visual aids....

So Thursday after zone conference we were a little bummed out cuz one of our investigators wasn't progressing the way we wanted her to (or at all for that matter) and we were going to have to cut her which is really sad cuz Corina is great and she had felt the spirit a lot. She just decided that she didn't want to change or something. We were on our way to talk to her when we walked by this guy on his bike. My comp and I walked by and I said "Opa" (its kinda a catch all, so far as I can tell it means - Hi, Crap, slang for "I forgot something," or "opa - eu nao tanny meo livro" or - Wow, the body fell on her head - "opa." So pretty much you can use it for anything you want, haha) and Ranoldo said opa and they stopped and asked me something. I looked at Elder Miquelli (Elder Miquelli is my comp. He is from Recife and Miquelli is actually Italian for Michael. It’s his first name. His last name is “De Silva” just like the other 90% of Brazil. His is about 5'7' and he goes home this next transfer. He doesn't speak English, like very little, but he can read in English pretty good.) So my comp told him something about the church and that we could give him a blessing and teach him (or that's what I understood) really he asked us if we know where some other church was and my comp said that he didn't know but we’re missionaries and we could take him to our church and bless him.) We took him to our church and gave him a blessing. The spirit was really strong... we taught him the first lesson with a restoration pamphlet because we didn't have our flip book with us. He was very accepting and he wanted us to come and teach him at his home. The next day we walked with him to his house and talked with his Uncle Gorge. (Hey, I have one of those)

Anyway, his Uncle was interested too! We thought them the next day and my comp put them on date for that Sunday. The next day they got interviewed by the Zone leaders. They were good. They had let us throw out all the coffee the night before and neither of them had any other issues. I guess cuz the zone leader told us that they were good. (I don't really understand every thing that every one says -- actually I don't understand very much unless they talk really slow and directly to me and use small words.)

Anyway, The next night we went over there to get them for an activity and they were both a little iffy on the baptism thing. But Ronoldo came to the activity and it was really good. The kids from two stakes did some dance skit things. Ranoldo and my comp talked on the way back and turns out we missed the bus to take us all the way home. You have to go through 2 bus stations to get from our house to "central" (downtown). We had to walk really far but it was good cuz Ronaldo understood how important baptism is by the end and wanted to get baptized again and he was really excited about it.

Sunday we walked out there and Gorge was ready to go. He was all dressed and everything. This was awesome because most of the time they're still asleep when we go to pick them up like Ranoldo was. We finally got Ranoldo up and dressed and then we went to church. The lesson in gospel principles was really good and Sacrament meeting was amazing, too. Afterwards, we baptized them. It was cool because alot of the ward stayed for the baptism. It was really neat to see them ready so fast and we comfirmed them this Sunday.

Janyge

We baptized Janyge this last Saturday. We have been working with her this whole transfer. The missionaries before us baptized her kids. They're really cool, Julice and Jennither. I thought for like the first two weeks that they were all members. She has been like a member one for a while but there was some reason that the baptism got put off. She has a strong testimony of the Atonement and the gospel. She is awesome!

Cookies!!!

K so I kinda explained how President wants us to have activities so of course I wanted to make american cookies and do the first vision movie. I made a test batch on Tuesday and we took them to Janyge and her kids (the cookies were a little weird but they were pretty much cookies). Then Thursday we had to make like 70 so the recipe got quadrupled (4x) and we make a bunch of cookies. But they really didn't turn out very good. They were weird like kinda gooey on top and more like cake in the middle. I don't really know what I did wrong. It was either the recipe I got off of some cheap site or the ingredients or maybe it could have been the tools like I kinda had to guess at how much everything was. The stove doesn't have directions and its gas and I pretty much had a cup for the big measurements and no teaspoon...or and this is highly unlikely... it was me. But I don't think that was the case because I am pretty amazing! I think it was the recipe so when I email you I'll ask for a better one.

My nickname is:

ELDER BRAVE N FEARLESS - and when they say it they say it all in caps just like that!

Just Kidding, Its Jacob, as in the son of Abraham... My comp and I were walking to lunch like the first week and it was super far so I told him the story of Abraham and Isaac, but I said Jacob so now my nick name is Jacob. It was pretty funny.

MY COMP... My comp is Elder Maquelli. I thought I told you guys about him already but some one asked me so... He is Brazilian. He doesn't really speak English but he can read it pretty good. He is from Recifi which is in the north and there is a lot of Coco (coconut) in Recife.

That is about it. I don't know what else I want to tell you so I love you.

Elder Millyard

Oh one more thing: Euquero matar todos os cachorros do brasil.  (insert drawing of dog)

P.P.S. Last week, I was at 170 lbs. That's almost 30 lbs I've put on here in Brasil. K, well more like 20 lbs. But still that's a lot. Pretty much I'm fat now, haha. But they tell me that the summer will steam that out of me so that's kinda good... well pretty much Brasil Rocks. The people are very friendly, not always receptive to the gospel, but they say no very politely before they walk away. I hope you can read this letter... I think this should count for a bunch of blocks on my blanket. I hope its is huge like so big there is not bed that fits it and thick that would be amazing... it's getting hot here but its still cold enough that I am wearing my sweater right now but when we leave I will be in a short sleeve shirt.