Letter #18

Dearest Family & Friends,

You should know first what a support you are to me :- ) Letters, it would seem, are a missionary´s vitamin and this week I received four particularly wonderful doses.

But, it was a long week, and very, very challenging. For starters, I think the fatigue of the last 2 months or so finally caught me and my body shut down for a day to repair itself. And it hasn't quite started back at full strength yet. But, as it always does, the work goes on!! Aside from the physical trials, there was some spiritual stress when seemingly, impossibly out of nowhere both of our candidates for baptism fell.

One obviously missed or forgot the part about not drinking "Cerveja" or beer, and so it was that the day before his baptism we passed by to his house in the car of a member only to see, on the way, the entire family enjoying a nice afternoon at the bar. Oops. We parked around the corner and walked around to talk with him, but alerted by his younger cousin and apparently feeling guilt (as he well should) he "fugiu", ran away. More unfortunate was the straight faced lie from his family that he had ever been there at all. It was certainly a sad day, but I count it a blessing as I would never want to present someone to the Lord, to enter in at the straight and narrow way, when they would not benefit from it at all. We will give him another shot this week and see if the fruits of repentance are likely to come forth. . .

On a more positive note, we had an investigator was baptized!! She is a fantastic girl and such a light, who cares deeply about the gospel and shows it in her exactness obeying and learning about the gospel. I haven´t received such an in depth and understood analysis over 3 Nephi 11 from anyone, man, women or child.

The path to her baptism on Sunday was not easy either. Her mom was put in the hospital for some kind of sickness and so we went to their house Saturday morning to clean the house and take a little burden off her back. We also gave her (and her pleading roommate) a blessing on Thursday night. Well, to sum it up, we had a very direct conversation late Friday night in the rain, and prayed that they would concede to going to church the next day, which they did, to much warming of our hearts. She was the key to helping this family as now they are beginning to see the blessings of the gospel work in their lives, and we expect both to be baptized before December ends.

I did get both of the packages for my birthday and they were and are wonderful. The missionary shirts from 3x5 note cards are a big hit when we use them to say thanks for lunch :-) And Nutella in large quantities pretty much speaks for itself several times a day, as needed. The cake lingers in the cupboard but will be delicious, I know, because the cake here is different and its one of the differences that I´m not so fond of ;-) Carrot cake should be fantastic on an upcoming rainy p-day. P-Day with the "Presidente" continues to be delayed because, well.... Tupã´s kind of a lot out of the way, so it´ll be a while before our efforts are rewarded. 

I do play the piano, every week, usually for one whole Sacrament meeting or for half of one and half of the other as Elder Anderson, our new district leader, plays as well. 

This week I ate several things not rice and beans but they were usually accompanied by rice and beans; ) But every now and then when lunch isn't provided I´ll pick up some sandwiches from the grocery store or make some delicious kettle corn. That is the gift that keeps on giving. 

Barely anyone here knows what baseball is except the contingencies of Japanese that gather together in some parts of different cities. Alas, no such interest here. Occasionally I see ads for American movies and laugh because the title´s been changed to something funny and not very suave ;-)

I confess in having forgotten any sections of the letter I might have added last week to my letters my maybe I´ll add an Alma 26 portion this week. My Glorying, not in my own strength, but in the Lord, section. How I love the scriptures! This morning I read several chapters in Isaiah and Jeremiah and want to share a portion from Isaiah 55:

1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Come, buy and eat. Great is the feast of the Lord and all is "without money and without price." I pray that we may spend our efforts ("our money") on that which has eternal value: the Eternal work of our Eternal God, even our Father in Heaven. I promise, from my own sureness of knowledge, that nothing but these "waters" will satisfy the "thirst" in our lives. He waits, ready to bless us. But, just as a side note, be careful about letting your soul delight in fatness ;-)

With All My Love Your Son,

Tanner

p.s.- This week I beg off on using my post-script(ural) privilege, haha--pun way intended.