Transfers

We are both being transferred out of the only Portuguese area in the mission. This transfer was probably the hardest transfer so far.

I’m all packed up so I’m just waiting it out. Tired out.

Elder Willard

Christmas is coming

Pretty weird week. I finally got in a pretty horrendous bike crash so i have been limping around for a few days. No worries though, just some bruising.

The compliments about my Portuguese just keep coming, "super bem!" But oh my goodness, the days go by fast when we do the same thing over and over. Not much to report on. Should be fun to Skype though. I will be able to make it happen around 3 o'clock pacific time.

That is all for now,

Elder Willard

I forgot about one thing; it was just announced that we can go to the temple twice a year. I know that's not much, but the missionaries were super excited because it used to be that the only time that you could was two days before you left. A bunch of the sisters were crying during the meeting. Pretty great.

Elder Willard

Working hard in December

We found some more investigators which was the first time that that has happened in 4 months. We have been teaching quite a lot of people this week and we might could have a baptism in the works. Our usual output for this area is one a year, so maybe we'll surprise someone and get two.

Things are going OK with my companion now, but I am so poor so who knows if I'll survive the month.

I shouldn't have any problem with getting a reliable internet connection on Christmas Day so that will be great. I was told that i have not yet received any Christmas presents so i'll keep my fingers crossed. Another thing one of our baptisms turned out to be the equivalent of a supreme court justice in Venezuela before he opposed the government and had to flee the country.

Thanks a lot,

Elder Willard

New Companion

We had our first transfer and my companion left me. My new companion is a little Mexican missionary finishing his years in 2 months.

Super cool news though, one of our less active members said that I talk like a "caipira" or a redneck/hillbilly/hick. Apparently I have a very funny northern accent.

All of the Portuguese missionaries will be going home in the next 6 months so I will be the only one to train the new ones, or they could end Portuguese work here entirely.

If I haven't already mentioned it our ward meets in the chapel directly across the street from the Orlando temple. We go there a lot, but only to do yard work, our mission president won't let us attend the temple unless we have an investigator that we baptized and taught going through the temple for the first time.

Everything else is working out ok, don't be alarmed if I start changing things on Facebook. I’ll be allowed to use it along with the other missionaries in January probably but no promises.

Elder Willard

Transfers

Transfers are tomorrow and my companion is leaving. I am very worried because I hardly know the area and I still have trouble with listening to people on the phone.

The cold weather is nice and we got to bike this week. I’m hoping things spice up a little because usually we just knock on doors. I’m not worried about getting discouraged or anything but mostly missionary work is a little boring. We are going to get ipads for internet proselyting in January so maybe I’ll chat with my friends and invite them to be baptized.

Oh well everything is good and normal here,

Elder Willard

Cooling down

It’s even getting cold here!

The last few days reminded me of Washington’s weather.

There is nothing too terribly important to add though I have added some things to the strange list:

There is a legitimate lake called Lake Butt.

We were told to find people that have the "missionary sparkle" by our ward mission leader.

We met a woman named Peaches.

Other than that, all is well and sane here in Florida.

Elder Willard

Various and Sundry

I feel like this might be a kind of repetitious mission because mostly we go out and knock on doors, but that's okay. It already seems to be going by really fast. I have a few interesting things that i write down from day to day though.

Nobody has a front license plate.

My companion spent the night of his grandfathers funeral on the morgue floor next to his coffin.

The first rain I've seen was on the day of the our first baptism here.

There is a member here who married his sister-in-law's sister.

Chick-fil-a isn't that great. I tried it and I don't get why everyone is so obsessed with it.

Brazilian barbecue is fantastic.

My companion also speaks mandarin.

The 2013 Ford Fusion is like a jet fighter cockpit inside.

Our sister training leader looks like the evil queen from snow white.

I've had a persistent blister for the last week, maybe i need some new socks.

There is an elder here who is a professional con man kind of like the Mentalist, though he doesn't fight crime.

We found a snake on the sidewalk that my companion assured me was dead until I walked over it and it snapped at me.

Other than that it's all happy good times here having fun and meeting weird people.

Elder Willard

Veteran's Day

There’s a lot of tracting that occurs here in the Florida mission as it turns out so I don't have a lot of success stories, but I get to meet some strange people: a lot of Jamaicans and Haitians, but few Brazilians. As it turns out there are a fair amount of millionaires here and man; do they spend money or what!

We’re getting everyone whipped in to missionary shape here; it's not so bad, but in Brazil you can get 10 referrals a week and here you're lucky to get one.

Not much to report unfortunately.

Elder Willard

First baptism in Orlando

We had a baptism! (which is a much bigger deal here than in Brazil) a Brazilian that the missionaries had been teaching for two months was baptized Saturday and confirmed the next day. There was an incredible party afterward with all the RMs from Brazil. First time with Brazilian barbeque and it was so good. It turns out there IS guarana here because of so many Brazilians as well as massive supplies of chicken hearts. That was the highlight of the week but the rest was mostly tracting and speaking strange languages.

Hope everyone is well,

Elder Willard

First week in Orlando

I arrived and was immediately paired with a Brazilian who speaks English with no accent and he speaks fluent Spanish. While I was in the airport I heard a British kid say "Oh mommy, Florida is MUCH better than England." And it seems like everybody thinks that way. There are so many people here; I met some Danish kids the other day. And every person I’ve met so far is bilingual.

As far as the local talent goes, we have almost exclusively elders from Utah and Idaho here. We have 6 older missionary couples that work in the office. The mission plan is to knock on doors and offer "Peace 'n' Blessings" which works sometimes. We are restricted to teaching Portuguese-speaking people only so there are still a lot of Brazilians around. They are the most receptive people.

 I was told by a Brazilian family that I still talk like a native so that was encouraging. It seems that the Portuguese part of this mission might be dissolved soon because there's not even a branch to support them and they just go to the Spanish ward because it's really close.

 We've taught a few people that have potential and we have a baptism for sure within the week. Everybody follows the rules all the time here, but we at least have a car.

 Having a good time here and no problems.

Elder Willard

First letter from Orlando

Alright I just got here and it's nice and warm. I’m at the mission office right now. No problems with the flight though I still haven't eaten anything since yesterday, because I slept through snack time on the plane. My companion and the Elder responsible for the cars in the mission came to get me at the airport. It looks like I’ll be driving around a lot and the weather here is very nice right now.

I’ll write you on Monday, but for now everything is good.

Elder Willard