Letter #89

Dearest Family,

It is a joy to write to you this Monday morning. I admit that conference has reawakened some visions of home and family, and memories of what was and is to come. I am so glad to be a part of an eternal family.

Well, you got quite a few photos. I have only a couple more but I suspect that this computer is not virus free due to its slow performance. Hopefully I'll get them to you soon : ) I'm lucky to have a companion who is designated as mission photographer and thus helps me appear more often in the photos : ) More this week from leadership counsel.

Our journeys this week carried us to foz do Iguaçu. We left 10 o'clock Monday morning with President and Sister Genaro in the Toyota HiLux, and drove seven hours to get there. We stopped just to grab a bite of lunch at a rustic buffet in the middle of nowhere. There we discovered that one of the waitresses was a member but unfortunately there is no church within the region for her, not yet anyway : )

When we got there we checked into the hotel and we got to send emails, then had some time to roam the city and make contacts. We didn't roam too much because we weren't familiar with the cityscape. Then the next day we had our conference, which was enjoyable and instructive, and with plenty of food : ) It was good to see Elder Alves.

The next day we left for Londrina, but not before the President treated us to a continental breakfast in the hotel. More food, I know, but we burn a lot of fuel walking : ) We did the trip back in four hours or so, as there wasn't any rain. We then got ready for the next day's meeting.

This is all pretty boring news. What was exciting this week. . .conference of course! We had to watch in the stake center, on the other side of the city, and with weekend buses spent some quiet commuting time getting there. We managed even with the distance to bring six people to watch, three couples. The older couple, after watching Sunday morning and listening to President Monson's message, left almost in tears. They FELT that it was true and could not deny it. I am sure they will soon be baptized. Another younger couple also left touched, declaring that they knew they needed to marry and during the sessions had decided that on May 8th they would do exactly that. I await anxiously the progress of this couple as well.

We were able to watch conference in English and we all came away edified, fortified, lifted and at peace. I loved Elder Anderson's and Bishop Stevenson's talks directed to the youth. Elder Scott's talk on sharing the gospel was nothing less than masterful and my heart was full as Elder Christofferson closed with his eloquent talk on Christ's resurrection. Elder Aidukaitis, a Brasilian, had us laughing with his forceful delivery.

We also welcomed two new missionaries to the field, one from Uruguay and the other who has served in the United States for five months, both excellent additions to our force here in Londrina.

Don't take me wrong here, I am focused on the work and my mission, but I am EXCITED to come home and see you again. Perhaps I am emerging just a bit from the mission's cocoon. What prompted this? Listening to all the ways I will be able to live the gospel outside, back there, like paying tithing, having a calling, home teaching, temple worship, sharing the gospel in disguise as a member, and doing family history work: )

Biggest disappointment this week was not remembering to work in an April fool's joke in the conference that took place on April 1st : )

If you are planning on sending any other packages I could use some floss and deodorant to get me all the way home : )

Some favorite quotes from conference: " The Book of Mormon is the most powerful written testimony we have of Jesus Christ" by Elder Anderson. "When we obey, we accept His sacrifice" by Elder Hales.
"Family History Centers are now in our home" by Elder Cook.

Well, it's not much, but writing here to you was, as Elder Perry said, "A little like heaven." It will be a lot more like heaven soon. That you may be "rich towards God" as together we bear testimony of Him and "lift the human family to a more excellent way." That you are all healing and helping, and hoping; that you are happy, is my prayer : )

Love,

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