Batismo! E Muitos Peixes (Baptism! And Many Fish)

Selfie at the Lan House (where we go to email each week)

Missionaries serving in our district (Distrito Jardim America)

Mais uma semana chei de bênsãos, apredndizagem, e experiências maravilhosas! We baptized and confirmed Pedro! Every day this week we taught him and helped him prepare. We had a funny moment while teaching the ten commandments. Reading from Exodus, we said “Não matarás.” (Thou shalt not kill.) Then he said, “Já matei” The room got quiet. ‘Ja matei’ means ‘I’ve already killed.’ Elder Zanuttini and I started getting nervous and thinking ‘who are we teaching?!’ Then Pedro said “Muitos peixes!” Hahahahaha-lots of fish! We breathed again hahaha. He was really excited for his baptism and to begin a new life.

Dusilene wasn’t baptized because she didn’t stop drinking coffee in time :/ . BUT, she’s stopped now and is ready for her baptism this Saturday! We’ve been teaching her almost every day and her son most days too, and every time we visit she makes a ton of food for us. Haha, it’s great! Also we hardly found Helin and Nilva, the parents of the less-active family, at home this week, but we’ll try to keep working with them so their kids can be baptized soon too.

Wednesday was cool. All the missionaries in Goiãnia got together to watch a broadcast from Salt Lake to all the missions in the world. It was focused on Teaching Repentance and Baptizing converts. Hearing from apostles and leaders of the missionary department was instructive and edifying and I learned a lot. It was great seeing some old friends and companions also!

Tuesday, all the secretaries, Elder Xauttini, and I went to Outback Steakhouse with President and Sister Kuceki to celebrate Presidente’s birthday. IT WAS SO GOOD To HAVE AMERICAN FOOD! Oh man, it was the best steak, potato, chicken, and fried onions I’ve had in 6 months. A huge blessing haha!

Oh yeah, a few weeks ago I got bit by a dog. It was a little tiny dog that bit my thumb and it was funny haha.

We didn’t get robbed this week! Many prayers of gratitude reached os céus from Elder Anderson.

Also, I think I forgot to say this a while ago, but—I met my goal of 1000 contacts before Christmas! (Dec.1-24) It was tough, but I worked hard and made it. When we set difficult goals and do everything we can to achieve them, the Lord helps us, we achieve them, and we are blessed with spiritual and temporal growth.

Something really cool—we ate almoso (lunch) with a sister in the ward who lived in Atlanta for 3 years! She was in the Glenridge Ward and went to the Atlanta temple a bunch. It was fun talking to her about it! When Brazilians go to the USA, the city they most commonly go to is Atlanta. I’ve talked to a few who have lived in Marietta, Sandy Springs, and other areas. I never knew before my mission, but Atlanta has a huge Brazilian population. When I get back I’m going to drive up there, find an area of Brazilians, and speak Portuguese all day haha.

In two days we go to Rio Verde to go on exchanges with the zone leaders and be there for the organization and first stake conference of the Rio Verde Stake! It’s been a district for almost 30 years and will become a stake this weekend. I’m excited to be there! It’ll be a good week. Até mais América! Tchau!

Elder Anderson