March 5, 2012

Months have officially come and passed con you believe it? On Wednesday the exact 3 month mark we were able to visit Boituva again, my first area, and Elder Williams did a couple baptism interviews there. I was also able to fulfull the 6 month missionary tradition and burn a tie. I sent a couple pictures of the before and after. It was a battle that is for sure, there was a ton of wind and the matches did not want to stay on fire. After a while we had the brilliant idea to just make an actual fire with paper and cook the tie like a hot dog. It worked out well and now I have a small piece left to keep as a souvenir. Now just gotta wait til the year mark when I will burn one of my shirts.

Well transfers are this week but we have yet to find out about them, I am hoping and we are both thinking that I will be transferred and who knows I might find out by the end of email time. Guess we'll find out. But it has been a great time with Elder Williams, we've had our ups and downs but we have become good friends. The only big reason I'd like a transfer is to get a Brasilian so I can improve my language quicker. Even though everybody and their dog in our ward likes to tell me that my Portuguese is really good. Its all the little stuff that a Brasilian would help with.

Also today we got to go to the pizzaria again. So good. I think I ate way too much though. My stomach feels like a rock from all the food haha.

Last thing before I download some photos is about our baptismal date again. It has been an amazing experience to teach him about the gospel. We have watched his life change before our eyes. In December when we first got here we tried to teach him and after 2 times he asked us not to come back that he was getting confused. About 4 weeks ago he asked us to come and teach him again. And just yesterday he said the closing prayer after the baptism of his step grandson and asked for help that we all could stay on the right path. After the baptism was over he came up to us and said "I believe that you are bringing me salvation, and I want to thank you for that." I almost died on the spot. The rest of the day I sat there thinking, wow, I was able to help this man recognize the spirit and the truth of the gospel. It was amazing. The gospel changes lives if we let it, I have no doubt about it.

Eu Te Amo!

Elder Gleason

P.S. D&C 20:17 and Mat 5:14-16