Week 3 training!‏

Hey family!! Thanks so much for your emails and the pictures!

I loved hearing about Caroline and can´t believe how big she´s getting. And Finn looks like the sweetest cat ever! I can´t wait to meet him. It´s so good to hear how well everything´s going back home.

As for here, things are also going great! This week we finally got into a good rhythm working together. It was just like Sister Raphaela said when I saw her at the transfer (she´s made several prophecies that have come true...) She said it might take me a bit to recover from the last transfer and get used to training, but by the third week I´d have it all under control. And it´s pretty much true! Not that I have it all under control, we still have tons to work on, but this week we worked really well, met almost all of our goals, met amazing people....and magically met someone who wants to be baptized! Let me tell you about the week!

So Monday, after P-day, we went out to work but stopped by Daniel and Elizangela´s house (members) to work out some details of things for the week. They´re some of my favorite people in the ward - a couple in their late 20´s, Katie and Alex´s age, but so funny - Daniel is so nerdy and hilarious, talks so fast I always have to make him repeat himself, always, always joking about something. Then Elizangela is gorgeous and refined...they´re hard to explain! But they help us SO much. Elizangela served a mission in Salvador, and Daniel "waited for her". So they´re hard to describe, but amazing.

But we went in and sat down, and Daniel said what he always does (super fast as always): "Sit, children! What do you need? Do you need referrals? Let me see..." (He always gives us the names of people he knows who he thinks would be interested in our message). But this time he surprised us - he continued "I want you to teach my brother Aldrey. I think he´s ready to be baptized now." I had never even met his brother! Aldrey is his way younger brother, 11, who lives in the house right in front of Daniel. So he went and called him, we talked to Aldrey, and...he´s so amazing!

Let me explain the story a bit. So Daniel´s mom is a member and has been for years, but she hasn´t been to church in about 8 years. She converted shortly after getting married and raised all her kids in the church, but her husband is Lutheran and not interested. So he started getting miffed at her going to church or something, so she stopped going, but always sent the kids. So the kids are all faithful members, and so is she, she just....hasn´t been in almost 10 years. Crazy story.

So Aldrey already knows lots about the church, has been wanting to be baptized...and the dad is cool with it now. He was almost baptized before but the Dad changed his mind. But it seems like now he´s fine with it! So we scheduled his baptism for Saturday the 30! (This was last Monday). So...he´s getting baptized! He´s amazing, I´ve only known him a week but I already love him. He´s a really really sweet person, holding his mom´s hand, just really....innocent and pure. I love teaching him because of his reactions, widening his eyes at interesting parts, smiling, reacting the whole time. I´m so excited for him to be baptized. So that was a great thing about this week! We met lots of other interesting people - next week I´ll tell you about Rosalino.

But this week has been great, we´re really getting into the work. It´s great working with Sister Draut - we relate so well, both being American (it doesn´t seem like it would make much difference but it does) and she has a great desire to work and all the fire of a new missionary. I´m really excited about this transfer, and the next, as I assume we´ll be together two. Oh yeah, and Sister Raphaela comes this week on Thursday to stay with us for 10 days! To teach me how to train. It´s funny, i kind of feel like she´s coming right as I feel like I don´t need it anymore:P But it will be great anyway!

I love you all so much and I´m so grateful for you. Thanks so much for your letters and emails and pictures and all your love and support. I love you all and pray for you all the time. I always pray that you guys will be able to notice the blessings in your lives you receive because of my missionary service. I hope you do! I´m so glad to be here, I know I´m exactly where I need to be. Thank you for supporting me and making it possible for me to be here. You´re the greatest family I could ask for.

Til next week!!

Heather