Dear Family and Friends,

So many things have been going thrugh my head these past weeks… i have no idea where to start or what to say. The weather gets hotter every day. I swear yesterday my shoes were melting to the sidewalk haha. Luckily brazillians have come up with two LIFESAVERS in this heat. They are known as “chup-chup” and “caldo de cana”. Chup-Chups are like homemade otterpops (popsicles). They are made with natural fruit and milk, and com in about every imaginable flavor, and the best part, they are dirt cheap! Caldo de cana is a delicious juice drawn from sugar cane, they run the sugar cane through a machine which squeezes out all the juice then they mix a little lime or pinapple to give it extra flavor. Needless to say I am loving brasil

The holidays were HARD especially here in the “litoral” (beach region) and our zones numbers were way low. BUT we are all pumped and working very hard and the results are already showing. We are doing a competition in the zone and some of the companionships are really kicking butt! Yesterday was a bonus day to see who could get the most lessons with member. I had THREE divisions marked and they all worked out but unfortuately hardly anyone was home or let us in.

One of the districts in the zone is having some problems keeping the rules, especially when it comes to managing our time wisely. For example one day they left the house at 1:30! So this past pday me and Elder Tenorio did a surprise visit AFTER pday was over and lets just say things were pretty ugly at their house (they all live together). So we had a VERY good talk and the spirit was really strong. For some reason most of them had lost their focus and forgotten why they were really here. We helped them to get pumped and to get back on track and they have really done a good job of improving. It was a very cool experience because sometimes the leader just lets it go or he just calls them and says dont do it again. That was something I learned with President… when someone is doing something wrong you NEED to correct them otherwise they wont respect you.

One thing i have been praying and fasting about is my testimony. No need to worry, I have a strong one!! But i realized how much more strong it needs to be. I guess i was satisfied with what I had and just didnt do much about it. One thing President taught us a few zone conferences ago was that the mission is the best place to build your testimony. Now is the BEST time I have to really develop christlike attributes. So in these next 6 months (HOLY COW) I am really working on always building my testimony and developíng my christlike attributes so that when I depart from this wonderful place, i will be prepared and ready to do my best in the real world.

It is so incredibly AMAZING as to how the gospel just makes sense! This HAS to be the true church, and I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that it IS. We truly are doing the Lords work and for that we will be blessed. It is by far the most difficult (fisically AND emotionally) thing I have ever done in my life and I am so grateful for this opportunity. I know Jesus Christ is our Savior and that He lives. He loves us so much we cant even understand it!

Today is my Moms birthday and I would like to publicly (i think thats how you spell it haha) express my love to her. I couldn´t have gotten to where I am without her. She is a huge example in my life and I am SO grateful she gets to live MANY more years here on this earth with us. I love you Mom and hope you have a very happy birthday! You will get your present in 6 months haha!!

Well I wish you all a Happy New Year and hope you have a great week! This year i challenge you to make at least ONE goal that relates to missionary work and I promise that it will bring you happiniess and peace in your life if you work hard at it all year. I love you all!!

Elder Boyack
Brasil Curitiba Mission