Uberlandia!

​Pizza! Made by Elder Gerson

​Last day with Bishop Serpa

​On top of the world in Jardim Curitiba!

​What a vista!

My First Son, Elder Baltazar! (Son is what they call the Elders they train...Scott is now a trainer...!)

It’s been a big week! I’ll go in order today.

Monday- Last P-Day in Jardim Curitiba. Elder Gerson made pizza which was awesome and I packed my bags.

Tuesday- Finished packing up, visited o bispo, started working. Right when we were going to start visiting people, we got a call about a meeting for trainers at the mission office which no one had told us about haha. We hurried back to the apartment and jumped on the bus. At the office all the new missionaries were there, and I met my new companion, Elder Baltazar. I asked him if he was ready to work and he said something like “Yes, I’ve been resting for 18 years!” I loved hearing that and was grateful he was ready to start working! His career plan is just like mine—chemistry and medicine—which is way cool haha. I remembered being in the same office three months ago as a novinho, and it was crazy going back to prepare to train. I felt, and still feel sometimes, a little unprepared, but with the Lord’s help I can do anything! We were able to take a taxi home which was sweet.

       

Wednesday- Transfer day! Left the area early in the morning and arrived at the Rodoviara—a big transportation/shopping center where we meet for transfers. We were the first group to arrive, and the second was Elder Meireles and his companion. It was fun to talk to him for a bit. I said to him “I speak Portuguese now!” He was like “Wow! You do!”  Hahaha! The bus ride to Uberlandia was about 6 hours, but it wasn’t bad at all. It was nice to get some rest and see the countryside of Brazil—nothing but grass, trees, and hills for hours. We arrived, the Bishop brought us to our house, and Elder Baltazar and I went on a short division with Elder Oldsen and Elder Sanchez, the other missionaries in our area and the zone leaders here. Elder Olsen, an American—woohoo! Got to speak some English hahaha—showed me around Bairro Tibery, which would be our area. Every day we walk about 30 minutes to get there, work all day, and walk back to the house at night. It’s a nice area, cleaner, nicer, and safer than Jardim Curitia, which now I realize was pretty much the hood of Goiania haha. Great day!

Thursday- Now—We’ve been working hard these last few days to find people to teach, since before the elders had hardly any investigators here. We’ve talked to a ton of people on the road and knocked a ton of doors and have a few people to teach now. Our teaching group will continue to grow in the following weeks. Being senior companion and trainer is a whole new feel! I like it and it’s going well so far. Elder Baltazar is adjusting well and is willing to work and talk to people. The area and the ward are great, and we will be able to do a lot of work here. I want to work closely with the Bishop to reactivate lots of less-actives, find new people, and grow the ward. Hopefully after a few weeks of diligent effort and faith we will have some baptisms!

I don’t have much time today to write, but I hope tudo o bom em America!

Love you all tons!

Elder Anderson