Pictures and letters from Rio Branco

"All the missionaries in mission conference the same day I left for Rio Branco."

"Just a little boat thing. I've heard that there are boat houses here, so maybe that's one! In the back, is a way giant flag. It's way huge." 

"A street. I admired how well they take care of it here, especially after seeing my last area so trashed."

"A big fancy show house that I think we might enter and look around today on the way home."

" Great beautiful bridge. It lights up at night too, and it's very beautiful."

"Great shot of the river and some of the greenery."

"The boardwalks that I was talking about. If you look carefully, i got the nose of a dog when he was just about to pass the corner." *This is the wooden walkway to Andrew's Apartment

"Me and the son of the woman that was baptized last Sunday."

"The person we baptized, her family, me, and my companion." 

Hey mom!
that's cool about the stake conference. It's always way cool to see some authorities and how big the church is getting. That's cool aboutTiffany's marriage. where are they living now? haha ya there's still a bunch of spiders in my house. All the dishes are cleaned now which is cool... maybe i'll do some extra cleaning today. It's difficult, because i want to read and study everything, because there's SO MUCH to know, and understand. I was reading some talks by Joseph Smith. Man, that guy knew alot more than i thought he did. He even knew Hebrew, and explained some parts that were misunderstood because of the poor english translation.... yah, i think you should just read "History of the Church" because it explains it a lot better and there's a bunch of profound doctrine that just opens your eyes. This week was cool, we ran into an awesome man that's married (LEGALLY) and is way excited about being taught. We gave him the pamphlet of the restoration, he went home and read it, wanted us to pass by, but we couldn't find his house, so he stopped us in the street the next week, and was like (in Portuguese of course) "Dude!! Why didn't you guys pass by my house?? I was waiting and everything!!" So he's really liking what he's hearing, he said that he still needs to be baptized... it's going really well with him and we haven't even taught him yet. But, we're going to teach him today so it's all. We baptized 2 families this week. According to the church anyways we baptized two families. We really just baptized one woman, but because she completes a family in the church, and also she has a son under the age of six, she counts as two families for us. Yay! So things are going well for us here still. Of course, the test of our faith will come, but so far so good! 
     It was pretty sweet the past two days. It actually got cold! it's already gotten hot, but it was so cool to walk in the street and not sweat so much! I didn't even have to use sunscreen! That's cool that you read a good book. It sounds like Ender's Shadow or something. Is it something close? Maybe i'll read it in another year and some. The moral is way true huh. It's a way bad thing to justify any sin.  So to play around with what we believe is a "petty sin" is just dangerous. Besides, justifying a little sin here and there leads to worse things. That's crazy about Elijah... amazing that he didn't die eh? I never had anything so big and dangerous happen in a campout of mine. We always got cuts and scratches, and played around with danger a little bit, but nobody ever got hurt to a life threatening point.
You said that you saw Uncle Nathan this week. How he's doing?  

Well, i hope everything goes good, that everyone had a happy b-day, and that the Stake Conference goes good. Let me know how it goes! Talk to you later mom, Love you a bunch! bye
-Andrew 

To Dad:

That's great that the family research is going so well. Have you ever read "History of the Church?"  I've only read a few parts that my companion had from it, but it sounds like a GREAT book. That's cool that Tiffany is officially married. How'd you like the groom? Where are they planning on living now? Well the cousins, nieces, nephews are starting to get married now. Man we're here for a short time.
This week was good, we baptized one woman, but because she completed one family in the church and also because she has only 1 child under the age of 8, it counted as 2 families for us in our goals. So, that was cool for us, and it's much better for them, because they'll support one another in the church. The weather went opposite this week. Instead of being really really hot, it got really really cold. It was the first time that i actually shook from the coldness since 6 months ago in São Paulo. It felt great. Are you all better from your sickness? Always stinks to get a cold and stuff. And the next day still having to work. The new area here is great. the public areas and the streets are very clean, but when you get into the forest alley ways, they get a lot muddier with trash and stuff. Usually they put down boards, and little boardwalks so noone walks in the mud. We found a really excited newly wed couple this week. We still haven't taught them, because we couldn't find their house, but we ran into the husband at his work, and he was like "Dude!! Why didn't you guys pass my house! I was waiting and everything!! He already read the first lesson pamphlet we left with him and he wanted us to pass really bad. He also said he still needs to be baptized... So it's looking pretty good for him, even before teaching one lesson! So things are really looking up here. It's great to be in this area. This area is known pretty well in the mission, because it's the area that always has the most baptisms and is one of the most beautiful. I'll send some pictures soon.
Well, i hope that the family research continues going good for ya and that you get completely better. Have a good week dad! Love you!
-Andrew