Dearest Family --

It is great to get any and all news that I can. I am sorry about Aunt Becky, and I will continue to pray for her, Uncle Kelly, Mic, and the rest of Tribe 5. How great it is to have a knowledge of the Atonement and the Plan of Salvation! Please pass on my love to all of Tribe 5. I look forward to the day when I can get to know Aunt Becky, along with Grandma and Grandpa Ellis, and Grandpa Lion, in the ways I could not/have not during this life.

Thanks Rob and Christa for the package you sent - I got it this morning and am very pleased! Sorry to hear about the miscarriage, but as you said all things are under God´s control and He will lead us aright.

Well this has been quite the week! God has truly been blessing Elder Sagebin and me in our efforts, and we can see His Hand in Carregado! Nilzete, the Brazilian member we´ve been reactivating, has been on a role and took us to teach a lesson to her friends who live a good half hour walk from her house. Besides that she really wants to help the work move forward and is inviting her friends and neighbors to church as well. With Nilzete on the right track, we want to give some more attention to reactivating another member - a nice Portuguese man named Vítor Martinho. Through small and simple things are great things like reactivations brought to pass, and we will try to have weekly visits with him renewing the Restoration and the good friendly and happy feelings that the Gospel brings.

Sunday we brought a street contact to church, and he was able to stay for the first hour (which was sacrament meeting). A big family in the ward finally got back from vacationing in Venezuela and we´re excited to work with them more. Their oldest son is 17 and we can work with him, and their 16 year old daughter, along with Brenda, came to me after Church saying how they want to help and visit everyone they possibly can - members, inactives, and investigators. Oh, if only EVERYONE could have that vision and zeal! Brenda helped us out Sunday night with another visit to Ivan and Sorene. We taught about fasting, which went well, and when we were leaving the elevator got stuck! Quite the humorous adventure. Luckily they only live on the 3rd floor, and we got stuck just above the first floor, and we were out in 8 minutes. Not too shabby!

Yesterday was a complete finding day until dinner, and God blessed us with success! We made a lot of return appointments, and we were let in by a brazilian man and taught him and his friend, left them with copies of the Book of Mormon, and invited them to read and pray before our appointment on Friday afternoon. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! And last night we had a Family Night with Adriana (Brenda´s mom) and family, including Leandro who is Adriana´s inactive semi-ex-husband. He participated and seemed to enjoy it!

Well that´s it for this week. I love you all and am praying for you. Keep filling me in on what´s going on with each of you. And Mom -- another sweep down of my missionary email account would be splendid. Love all of you!

--Elder Ellis V