Moving back to Manaus

My last week we didn't hardly work at all because my companion who went home today wanted to visit all his friends and families he knew. He cried a lot.

Nonetheless, we baptized two people. The one RM that got back last week already proposed and they are getting married in February. She was baptized along with a young man I have a lot of respect for. An assistant called and sent me to Manaus to an area very close to the mission office. My new companion is a joker, but he likes to work and we are going to baptize WEEKLY.

It was tough to say goodbye to all the cool people I met though. I tried to give blood while I was in Manacapuru, but I hadn't eaten all day and I blacked out.

Very cool week and successful too.

boa sorte em todas suas obras

Elder Willard

Last week with Trainer

It was a very successful week for our little group of missionaries; we had 3 baptisms and a lot of promising progressing investigators.

An RM came home to our little area and we were in his house having açai when he came through the door so that was a little awkward. We got to know him really quick and he set up an appointment with his girlfriend for the next day. She’s very timid, but it's easy to feel the spirit because she's humble and unobtrusive. He served in Sao Paulo and he's having trouble getting used to the heat and the food.

We had some thirty people more than usual at church yesterday and I blessed the bread for the first time in Portuguese.

I also witnessed another RM propose to one of our members at lunch after church. Interesting string of events, right? RM gets home and six days later RM proposes. There seems to be a wedding coming soon.

Working along well, but my companion is 7 days from going home so I don't know how this week will go.

Elder Willard

Hospital tests

So, the week started with a surprise, we went back to Manaus to do an exam, but no one told me or my companion that they would be attaching several wires to my body and that I could not sweat or shower for 24 hours. Incidentally I used too much of my money on a battery they said I needed and then did not use insomuch that I was left with insufficient funds to return to our area. As a result I did not eat, we walked in the sun instead of using the bus system. We had to borrow 5 reals from our zone leader because my companion spent over 250 reals in less than a week, and I had to pay his fare.

But it's all good now. So they found a small rock somewhere near my diaphragm and they are going to pulverize it with lasers sometime in August.

We've got a really promising family in our area. Moderately wealthy, public servant, has his own car, wants to learn English, and the craziest thing, HE'S ALREADY MARRIED!! His name is Wilker and we taught him with our bishop which is very special and we gave a blessing to his little 8-year-old. Incredible experience, he asked all the right questions and I’m confident I’ll see his baptism.

Everything is just right. I can easily converse with the Brazilians without thinking about it and we have no trouble baptizing. Had three more this week.

Hope everyone is doing as good as me right now,

Elder Willard

Happy Birthday

I was really hoping you had already sent my birthday package and I might get it tomorrow when we go to Manaus, but thank you for waiting for my input.

I collected some ideas over the week to write. The three principle things that I would like are a Frisbee, a camera, and some contact solution. Through some strange circumstances I ended up partly responsible for the loss of elder Ashby’s contact solution and I kind of owe him for that.

If you have room in the package after that here are some things I might need:

arctic zone old spice deodorant

mike and ikes

body powder

sweet baby rays

socks

a smaller belt

blueberry poptarts

my golden tie for special occasions

more medication for diarrhea and sore throat

peanut butter m&ms

jelly bellys

If the grandparents send any money for me, could you send that along to my card?

If there's anything else you should ask dad, he knows the things that I want that I don't know that I want yet. And you can use your motherly intuition.

Thanks a lot!

Elder Willard

Still Sick

I can't say that very much has happened recently except that the illness I contracted turned out to be much more antagonistic than I first thought. The baptism of our mission leader's children was Tuesday but I missed it.

We finally got a functioning washing machine so everyone has been clamoring to use it. Really nothing has been happening for the past week, I’m sorry I can't tell too many stories right now.

Hope everyone is well,

Elder Willard