Another note from Brazil...We're counting down to the phone call on Mother's Day!

Andrew has been out 7 months today!

To Dad:

This week we baptized Mauricio, who was a reference of a member and is 17 years old. It almost didn't happen because the member that showed the church to him didn't come, and he wanted her to be there when he was baptized. So, we had the baptism later and the bishop picked up the member with someone's car and we had the baptism. All went well. Today we cleaned up the house a bunch. The zone leaders are living with us now, because the other couple of missionaries were transfered. we're planning about 4-5 baptisms this sunday, all are references of members. The members are amazing! I love them a bunch, even if they can't say my last name correctly. Everyone's getting excited about calling. My companion said that we'll call you and you'll call us back... which is a little different then last time. I talk to the other American missionaries who know a little bit more about international calling and see what they'll do. If the plans change i'll let you know. The rain here is stopping. It rained hard yesterday which was the first time i think in a week or so. It's starting to get a little bit more dry, which is soooo much better. Still sweating but it's all good. I bought new shoes this week. My other gained holes and stuff, and water was starting to enter, so i bought some way inexpensive contruction shoes that a bunch of missionaries in our mission are using because they're cheap and will last several months, maybe until the end of my mission.

So i hope everything's good there, and that the family's happy. Love you dad! Have a good rest of the week, i'll talk to you sunday!
-Andrew!

To Mom:

This week was pretty good. We had our baptism of Mauricio this week. It almost didn't happen because he wanted the member that presented the church to him there to see. We just had the baptism later, and picked up the member with a car. I wish more than 3 members out of 150 in our ward had cars... it'd help a bunch. But only poor humble people are ready for the gospel. There's a saying around the mission that goes something like "There's baptisms in wooden houses" (because they're usually just a little shack thing), but if you read in Alma about how Alma stopped talking to the normal Zoramite crowd and turned to the poor humble Zoramite crowd when they came to him, it looks like a gospel truth. I finished the book of mormon this week! I've started the New Testament now. I want to study everything quickly because there's a bunch... well and they're big. Have you ever read Jesus The Christ? i think it's about the size of the bible. There's so much to read and learn, and i feel like i'll be ending my mission by the time i read it all. 

We're all pretty excited this week to call. The journal from the President was pretty clear to be between 30-40minutes. The deal is, we'll call you and you call us back :) i think i'll talk with the other American missionaries to be certain and if something changes i'll let ya know.
So today we did a big cleaning house party, because we're living with the zone leaders now. It got pretty bad, but the messiest missionary was transfered so i think we'll keep it all pretty clean. To answer what you should make for a dessert, something that i make, that's WAY easy is called Brigadeira, and it only has three ingredients and you mix it up while heating it, and after it turns a little darker color, and it doesn't stick to the pan, you take it off and put it in the refrigerator to cool. The ingredients are 2 cups of condensed milk, 2 big spoons of chocolate powder (just normal chocolate powder that you can use to make chocolate milk) and 1 spoon of butter. There isn't a specific amount of each, i received the recipe from a member, but it's way good. I used to make it once every week. That's cool that you got jury duty. I know you don't like it, but it's got to be interesting to watch and be apart of something like that. Stake conference went well. Nothing too crazy was said, but it was cool to see all the members in our ward. Our investigators liked it. We had about 4-5 investigators there and received a reference from our ward. Man the members are getting excited to help! We're planning for this week 4-5 or baptisms. We already marked 4, but we can get about 2-3 more. I want to fill the baptism room with white. We'll see how it all goes, while praying for their protection. In the end it's their choice, and we know 1 of the baptisms Conceição, was marked 2 weeks ago but she got way scared. After reading the other missionaries letters and looking at myself, everyone thinks that their mission and the mission president is the best. But... Elder Cook of the quorum of the 12 said that in his opinion our mission president is one of the top 3 if not the best... maybe he said that because we've got tons, and tons of rules. Like... no backpacks only handbags. Only music made directly by the church can be listened to. The house will be perfect, (in accordance with the scripture "you will establish a house of order, house of prayer, a house unto the Lord"). It's hard to beat the opinion of an apostle ;)

So pray a bunch for the protection of the Lord against... well Satan, and i hope everything goes good for you guys there. Dad's going to take his trip soon huh? Love you a bunch mom, talk to you this Sunday!
-andrew