Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Meanwhile in the Hot Springs...

Hello everybody!!

Thanks Kit and Nat for those great pictures of your adorable children! Glad to hear everything is well with all ya´ll! Life is great here in Caldas! Transfers are coming and going, and I will be blessed with another six weeks serving here in Caldas with Elder Flint. Life is great! I just need to keep staying fired up and really utilize the wonderful opportunities and time that God has given me here. Holy cow, Abby Hogan is home already?! Yikes! Time is always flying by!!

Well yesterday I had the pleasant surprise of receiving a little Easter package from Mom and Dad and Em - my beloved Charge bars and Brazilian Easter egg! I was elated, to say the least, and shared the chocolate manna goodness with Elder Flint. Not all of it, just two of the 4 charge bars. THANK YOU MOM DAD AND EM!!

In other news, Saturday morning we went to a branch picnic activity, and that was pretty fun. One of Elder and Sister Parker´s daughters and sons-in-law came to visit and were here in Caldas from about Thursday to Monday, and I´m sure they had a fun time. So at the picnic we played a bit of the Parker´s coub set, and tossed the frisbee around and kicked the soccer ball around too, particularly with Alexandre (7), Neusa (9) and Diogo (~4), the kids that showed up. Then we had a big lunch, cleaned up and headed back to Caldas and work!

It´s funny that you mentioned SW Rachel, cuz for about two weeks or more now Elder Flint and I have been enjoying cold showers! The water heater stopped working, and the man we called up to fix it has taken his time. But Elder Flint and I have grown in our appreciation of hot water while we get fired up for the day with steaming hot ... cold... showers to get our blood pumping and heart rate going like no other! And ´that which does not kill me only makes me stronger,´ right? Amen Rachel, SW is the best mission prep!

Elder Flint and I have really been enoying working with Sebastião, Marcos, and Fábio & Andrea, the elect of our ´Brasilian bunch´. Sebastião and Marcos have separately expressed their desires to be baptized when they´re ready (they don´t have a set date yet), and Fábio and Andrea have enjoyed the two visits we´ve specifically had with them, teaching them the Restoration and watching the Restoration DVD. We are excited to talk to them about how families can be together for eternity, including theirs!

Well today was a fun Preparation day. We met with the other Elders of our district again and had lunch at the Parkers´, and then went to the town/castle of Óbidos, where the old castle wall envelopes most of the town. I saw a lot of souvenir stuff, aprons, wooden swords, tile drawings, even sling shots, that made me think of my wonderful family. Sadly, I make no promises of souvenir gifts due to lack of and limited mulah and space/weight.

Well I love all of you, and am so happy to hear good news from ya´ll when it comes! Stay strong!

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