To: Allred, Kevin
Subject: 1123581321345589...Test: does anyone recognize this number sequence?
Hi!
Well, I was going to send some pictures, but I left the cord at the house. Hopefully next week.
Next Tuesday is transfers, so I don´t know where I´ll be next P-day. Our English class that we taught last night was really sad that it "could" be the last time they see us. We always start and end English class with a prayer, and Sidi prepared a prayer in English for the end of class that was very special. In her prayer she thanked her "Dad" for the missionaries and asked Him to let us stay at least for Christmas. Then she asked that even if we needed to go that He would bless us throughout our missions.
After class, she gave us both our Christmas presents and told us to open them when we got home. We each got a Brazilian flag, a tie, and a pair of socks! But the most special present we received was her testimony. She told us of how the Lord had prepared her for baptism. When we invited her to be baptized, she was very surpised at herself when she said yes. Then she told us of a few very special experiences that helped her know she was making the right decision.
Guess what! Now Cris is giving out pass-along cards to his friends! Did I tell you guys that a few years ago he ran for what would be the equivalent of City Councilman under the Communist Party of Brazil? He´s since converted from communism. He´s such a new person than what he used to be. He was showing me some pictures of him before I met him. In each picture, he had a pipe or cigar in his mouth. Now, looking at him, I can see that his countenance has changed. He might even go teaching with us sometime this week!
In church everyone was asking us where Cris is from because he has a slight accent. The funny thing is that he´s actually Brazilian. Well, both his parents were. They were traveling, and he was born in Greece. Then, they moved back to Brazil, but while he was still young they moved some more times. He´s lived in Cuba, Columbia, and some other places I can´t remember. Anyway, Portuguese is actually his second language. He grew up using Spanish. He´s only lived in Brazil for 7 years now. He always helps us with our Portuguese. I think he knows more about the language that other people around here do because he had to learn all the rules himself. If there´s one language that isn´t used correctly by it´s own people, it´s Brazilian Portuguese, probably because there are so many grammer rules. Portuguese is supposed to be the hardest of the Latin-based languages to learn.
This last Friday we had "Nova Força" (New Force/Strength). It was a training for all the new missionaries from this transfer. I had three specific questions to which I was working on finding the answers. President Teixeira answered two of them in his presentation and Sister Teixeira answered the other one in hers. It´s just more evidence that our leaders can receive revelation for us.
Besides those three things, one really neat thing I learned is that you don´t plan your goals. You set your goals and then plan to reach them. He used the analogy of a travel plan. It´s not setting a goal if you can see the destination. Most of the time you pick a destination before you even now how you´re going to get there. Then you plan the trip.
During the training he talked a lot about preparation. The thought came to my mind that sometimes appointments fall through because the Lord won´t let you teach if you´re not prepared to teach.
Love,
Elder Allred (and love everyone else too, because that´s what the scriptures say)
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