Dec. 10, 2008

Hey! how is it going? how have the holidays been without me? i hope that all is well and that you guys are enjoying it. because brazil doesnt really celebrate anything until christmas when everyone just get smashing drunk. but things are going well here except for the mail system. i am starting to get a little frustrated with that. one because i am not receiving anything, but that wasnt that big of a deal. but now since you have said that matt hasnt gotten my letters. i wrote two huge letters and sent them together. but it sounds like he isnt getting them which is ridiculous because i sent them at the beginning of last month. i havent received anything but a couple of letters since then either. i did receive the card that you sent me in the mail with the letter from Big Sam and it was good to get a letter from him. Thanks Sam and thanks for everything that your family does for me. i hope that you have received the letters that i have written to you all. it sounds like things are going well there in alaska. i cant believe that Jeremiah is going to have a kid. but it sure does sound like he has changed since i left. i guess the wife kinda sticks a leash on the man after the ring is slipped on the finger. but it sounds like things are going well for you guys and your family and really hope that it is. things are going good here. we started out this week with some difficulties, on monday we had our entire day stuffed full of appointments. but every single one of them fell through, it was absolutely terrible. so we decided to try a knock some doors, but nothing came out of that either. it was just a terrible day, both my companion and i felt like crap after our day. because our numbers were low and so was the spirit of the day. i never want another day like that on the mission. TERRIBLE!!!! but yesterday got better. we had a really good day, with another awesome experience with the same young man that we baptized. we were at his house teaching him about the priesthood and the importance of it because he has received it on sunday. and he was just telling us all these great stroies that happened before his baptism of things that just pointed to the fact the he is a Elect child of God. he attended many different churches but never felt good in any of them, one time he told us that he felt really bad one time when he was in a church and tons of people were falling down and rolling on the floor and many other things. but also how he prayed to let God show him if this was of Him or not. and also how he prayed to know that the church was true and the feelings that he felt. it was just awesome. and we also had another awesome experience with another family that we are teaching where the father prayed to know if the church was true and he said that he felt that it is so strong that he had goosebumps all over his body. so they are going to get married and baptized on the 17th of january. they are such an awesome family. after he told us about this experience he asked for us to return the next day and we asked him to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. so he did and he felt the exact same answer and it has just been an awesome experience with this family as well. so we have a few people that we are teaching that are progressing and doing well and we are looking forward to having a few baptism coming up here pretty soon. but the mission has its ups and its downs. it was kinda cool something that my president here said about the fact of a mission beeing hard. because tons of missionaries have been complaining about it. i will try to translate it. because he said it in portuguese..........Honestly, i give thanks to our Father in Heaven that this work(missionary work) is difficult, because if it was easy it wouldnt be such an amazing learning experience for the future leaders of the church. Our tests, difficulties, personal challenges, and sicknesses all are part of the purifying fire that will take our imperfections and leave us worthy and prepared to do greater works in this life and in the eternities........well that is what he said...i think. but it was the best i could do to try and translate it. i hope that it makes sense to you. i really like the whole talk that he gave on the subject. but things are going pretty well here. i love the mission and i am learing so many things everyday. the other day we had interviews with the president and he helped me out so much. i knew that some of the things that he told i wasnt doing totally the best and that i could do better. but i wasnt exactly sure what else i could do. but he help me see what i need to do and he chastised me on a few things and it was good. like he made me do a contact with him as the person and it was difficult i had no idea what to say to a man that knows so much more that i. but i did and he gave me a few pointers on what i can do better. he said i did good but could do better and he helped me understand how. but i love you and i got to get going because i am getting a little frustrated with this keyboard because it sucks. but i love you and hope all is well and mother i am doing fine no need to worry about me. i dont have allergies here. i am fine. but i love you all and mom give everyone hugs for me. especially kaya and tell he she can write me. but i love you and will talk to you next week. P.S. still dont know what cream of tarter is. i need a description
Com Amor Elder Jory B. Spotts.