Dear World,

Olá! Como vai? Se quiser eu posso escrever em portugues mas eu vou falar inglês para que vocês possam entender. Tá bom? Haha throw that in Google Translater and it should come out right.. For whoever has seen other side of heaven, remember the part when he reads the bible in tongan then when he finishes he practically forgot English? That’s how I am feeling! EVERYTHNG is Portuguese here so you start thinking and dreaming differently. Its funny though because when I wake up I am not completely mentally “with it” so I talk in English expecting a response from someone but no one understands! Pretty funny sometimes.

Things are going great here. It has been colllld all week. And its not even officially winter yet! But its all good, I don’t mind the cold. I dry cleaned my suit and some ties and they are just like new! Makes me so happy

Well as most of you know I was called as the executive secretary. I will let you all in on what exactly I do from 9 to 6 Monday though Friday. One of the main things I do I get people in and out of the mission. I schedule flights, vans, etc. for all the missionaries and President when he goes to the interior. I also deal with all the Baptism Forms, when someone baptizes a person they fill out a form and they all get sent to me. I enter them all into the church system, pretty time consuming but someone has to do it! I also deal with the governmental stuff, visas, and passports. So a couple times each transfer I take the greenies and missionaries passing 1 year and we have to do some paperwork fo their documents. I am pretty much the secretary for the president so any times he needs something he has me do it. There are lots of other things, im just not thinking of them right now! I am a pretty creative person so I have been giving a lot of new ideas to president, for example we are making a mission website! Its so sweet. Also we got cool temple recommend holders and I am making a design for a cool mission pin. Then once and a while there is the good ol training to all the missionaries.

THEN after 6 every day we get to work in the field until 9. The work is going pretty well here, its not the easiest area. We have 4 people marked for baptism, and almost all our investigators and FAMILIES!! There are lots of others that we are working with that are so close! What a blessing… so be ready for baptism announcements! Its funny because in the 3 areas I have passed through so far, EVERY time I came in the bishopbric changed. So I think my next area I will call the bishop and give him an early warning…

I have been dealing with a lot of contention lately. Contention in the office, in the companionship, with other missionaries, and I hate it! I have always hated contention. I don’t have much patience either so it’s a pretty funny mix. So the other day I began to study peace. It was really cool. I learned a lot about how we live in a world full of contention, strife, anger and hatred. But WE who took upon ourselves the name of Christ need to be peace makers. Instead of arguing, try to find solutions. SO many problems in this world could be solved if people forgot their differences and just tried to have peace. Some people are hardhearted and just like to be mean all the time. Its funny to see when one person is in a bad mood, EVERYONE around them gets in a bad mood!! So we need to be an example to everyone around us. People will see the light and peace and will WANT IT. They will ask why we are always happy, its happened to me already. So this week, I want YOU, yes you reading this letter, to make peace. At work, at home, with friends, whatever. Keep this in your mind and remember it so when the moments come you can be a peacemaker!! That’s just one small step to following the example of Christ. I love you all, peace out!!