Padrao

Ugly, tasty fruit

A sweet park in downtown Araxá

Almoço com Davi and Mateus!

Centro comercial

Brasilian-American

The best two missionaries in Araxá!

The centro!

A Igreja Matriz no centro

Ensinando Mateus! (x2)

Hard work, happiness, tiredness, trials, hard work, happiness, tiredness, trials, hard work…That’s the pattern! After 9 months of these letters, you probably all know this. This week followed the pattern as well as the other 40 or so!

I’m so tired. But that’s part of the mission. I’ll keep working my hardest for a year and a little bit and after that I can rest all I want. For now, It’s just work and man it’s great!

I talked to an older middle-aged couple on the road this week, and the lady said they had ‘studied’ about the Mormons. Hmmmm. After hearing (many lies) that the Book of Mormon disagreed with the Bible, that it was just a story made up by Joseph Smith, and being called children because of our relative age, I defended the truth. Looking right at her I said “I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.’ She didn’t have much with which to respond and just said “if that’s what you believe then follow it.’ That I will do! She and her husband left with half-smiles, and thought that we were brain-washed and deceived. I’m grateful to know with certainty that we weren’t the blind ones in that encounter. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and inspired by God and also that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. The Holy Ghost confirms this, and this testimony I will carry forever!

Woohoo! Quite a few people this week thought I was from the southern part of Brazil! People there are whiter and have a different accent. I’m glad I’ve reached a certain point with Portuguese that, to some degree, I seem almost half-way Brasilian. I keep working on my accent every day, and one day I hope to speak exactly like they do here!

Rapaz, there’s a lot of Jehovah’s Witnesses here. There’s like none in the US but a few in every corner of Araxa. It’s funny every Sunday morning because we pass a lot of them on the road as we’re both knocking doors and visiting people.

We worked like crazy this week and had a big group progressing and we got to Domingo (Sunday) and only had two investigators at church L. I was sad/stressed/disappointed/frustrated. BUT, Mateus came and he’s super ready for his baptism at the end of this week! I don’t think I’ve ever found anyone as ready as he was! He understands and believes in everything, is good friends with the members, and will be a big help to the group. Even feeling down a little bit, I’m counting my blessings and am always grateful to my Heavenly Father! We won’t have a ton of baptisms in these first weeks in Araxa, but we will have a few!

Mother’s Day is coming up!!!! I can’t wait to skype again! My English will be really bad, but it’ll still be great! Hahaha.

Espero que tudo esteja bem nos Estados Unidos! Keep me updated and thanks so much for the thoughts and prayers! While you guys are enjoying the greatest country in the world, I’ll be working as hard as I can here! Vida e boa!

Elder Anderson