Querido Familia e Amigos,

Well this week was awesome. It started off pretty rough cuz my feet were KILLING me. It was soo much walking. Plus we never got in any houses to teach lessons.. but I started to feel a lot better, and I took some Tylenol and my feet stopped hurting. We started teaching more lessons and getting new investigators. We confirmed a 9 year old boy in church who was baptized the previous week. His parents can’t get baptized yet cuz they aren’t married. We have so many people lined up for baptism but NO ONE is married here so we have to get them all married haha. Plus it takes 40 days for everything to go through so that is pretty tough.

I was a little apprehensive at first doing contacts but on Sunday you have to do all the contacts you never did during the week (15 a day) So I did 50 contacts and it boosted my spirits. The people here are really nice and always listen. I got my first address! I was feeling really good about some guy I was talking with so I asked him for his address so we can stop by and teach him more. He was really nice.

My companion is Elder Boswell. He is from Chicago and is younger then me! So weird. He went to byu for just fall semester so we talk about byu a lot. We get along great and he is a good teacher. He REALLY wants to be an orthodontist which I think is pretty funny haha.

My area is HUGE. We have the city of campo magro plus the neighborhoods of curitiba: Santa Felicidade, Butiatuvinha, and some other ones I cant remember. We have one big ward called ala(ward) felicidade. Its cold in the morning and hot in the after noon then cold at night, but I am getting used to it. Today is was POURING and there was lightning everywhere.. pretty cool, except im soaking wet. So we went home dried off and ate some pizza for lunch.

I am living in a condo with 2 other missionaries. It is really big and we always have tons of food. My bed is great and I am sleeping ok. Just like the mtc it takes me about a week to get accustomed to everything and get comfortable.

For breakfast I usually have a banana and some granola, then we have lunch with members every day except pday. They feed you SO much and it’s always so good. I loooove rice haha. Then dinner we will do whatever we are feeling. Last night we got a pizza and it was so good. Some nights we have top ramen. This morning (some lady gave us a huge bag of oranges) me and my comp made a ton of orange juice. So good.

We have taught a lot of lessons. Mostly the 1st one. But usually we just leave a small message about the importance of prayer, scriptures, etc. people here work a LOT so we can’t just stop by we have to schedule everything. Usually we will plan out lessons for the whole day but half will fall through so we visit other people, go tracting at the bus terminal, or just go around asking people if we can teach them.

I really got thinking why I came out here. The first couple days were rough. But I started trying hard and just kept working and everything got better. I am really doing good and having fun. My comp is hilarious and we tell stories to each other but I try to do them in Portuguese to practice. Keep sending letters and send packages to the curitiba mission home address. Thanks for all your help and prayers. Keep up the good work and HELP YOUR MISSIONARIES. Go on splits and give them contacts! Man I was an idiot before I left and wish I knew then what I know now. A lesson with a member present is a million times better. Tchau Tchau!!

Love,
Elder Boyack