Still in Porto Velho...

To Mom:

Aww thanks for the 6th month notice! it's way great here in the mission, i have learned and grown so much. Before the mission, i didn't really have much of a desire to study the gospel. I read the scriptures every day, but never really investigated things. And coming here, reading word for word, marking what stuck out, writing thoughts, seeing areas i can improve, and applying these things everyday... it really brings a faster growth. I received my new companion yesterday. I stayed here again in Porto Velho, which is cool, because i can see the man we baptized last sunday, be ordained. The name of my new companion is Elder P. Silva. the name of my last companion was Elder Silva, so i'm getting a bunch of Silva's here. but before my old companion left, we watched conference in the stake center and i think this is the first time i really watched and paid attention. This conference was very powerful, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland shed some powerful light on the life of Christ. They also spoke alot about the power of temples. It makes me want to make a goal like Elder Richard G. Scott and go to the temple every week. I was very excited to see a little clip of the ground dedication for the Gila Valley Temple, see the mountains there. Made me think a little about attending EAC and having the great opportunity to visit a very close temple!!! The apostles are soooo powerful and smart... to hear Elder Richard G. Scott, Elder Christopherson, and Elder Bednard just made me think, man these guys are way smart. i think 3-4 people spoke on Temples, and another 2-3 spoke about the financial crisis and how we need to hold the things of the world of less value. It was all way good. So we baptized a man last week, he's way firm in the church, and he paid attention completely during conference. He said he liked how they explained things so everyone could understand, with simple stories and things. We marked two baptisms for this Sunday. It's a family, and i'm sure the daughter we marked, will be baptized this sunday, but the father, who we already marked a few baptisms with, i'm not too sure. I really hope he'll overcome cigarettes.  That's cool that JD is going to São Paulo. The people there are way open and he'll baptize a bunch there if he concentrates on the mission. Well glad to hear everything is going good. Love you so much! Talk to you next week, tchau!
-Andrew

To Dad:

This week was transfers, and I stayed here in Porto Velho. My new companion is Elder P. Silva. the name of my last companion is Elder Silva, so it's kind of interesting that Elder P. Silva. They're not related, it's just a really really popular last name, like Smith or something in the United States.  Last week we baptized a man named Sergio. He paid attention during conference, and really liked hearing from the apostles and prophet. He said he liked how they explained things so everyone could understand. Things are getting a little more cooler here at night, but it feels the same during the day. We marked two baptisms yesterday for this sunday. Will make a family if they will be baptized this sunday. the father is having a very hard time quitting smoking, but his daughter i don't think has any problems. i think because his daughter will be baptized that'll give him the extra motivation to stop smoking...

Love you alot Dad! Talk to you next week!
-Andrew