July 28, 2010

welll sorry i dont have to much time to write today. i was in vinhedo
yesterday and when we finished the exchnge in itatiba we all decided
to play basketball. it was pretty fun. 3 on 3! but i really am out of
shape haha. i am pretty tired now. i hope it doesnt affect the work to
much. it was a pretty fun day even though we just played with a flat
ball ha. we didnt have a pump or R$40 to buy a pump! elder cook,
sorensen, pereira, hunt, pedroso and i played! it was fun. we played
for about 3 hours. it has been forever since i played and i was pretty
embarrassed with myself haha. but oh well! i will learn how to play
again after the mish. this week was pretty good. last week we had
interviews with president tanner. it was a good experience. i thought
it was weird that he just wanted to get to know us and it wasnt like a
normal interview is. but i think he resolved some problems in our zone
or at least helped! unfortunately, elder leary was transfered right as
i was getting to know him good and getting to be good friends with
him. but now elder cook is here. he is really funny and we are getting
along really well already! he is a twin to the cooks from
bonneville(will and mike cook). he doesnt know anyone from idaho
though. this week was pretty intense. elder ribeiro has gotten pretty
lazy and decided that he wont leave the area of atibaia anymore. so
whatever exchange that we do, the elders have to come to atibaia and
then i go to the area with them. then to finish up, we have to go to
atibaia again. he has been pretty upset about something. he is a very
emotional person. he is a great guy but it seems like he hasnt learned
a lot of things in the mission that i learned very early in the
mission(if i didnt learn as a kid). he doesnt want the best thing for
the zone but the best for him. but i wont complain. i think i have
complained a lot about him. and i dont think there is any reason worth
complaining in the mission. at least in the exchanges i have been able
to help the new missionaries. they seem to look up to me...dont ask me
why. i felt like i helped them but i dont think i am a better
missionary than their trainers. but i still like helping them. i guess
maybe i have a different point of view and other things to teach. i
dont know.
i went on an exchange in my old area, itatiba. i have never walked so
much in itatiba in one day. and i served there for 4 1/2 months!!!! we
went to every side of the city for baptismal interviews. when i was
serving in itatiba, i was still in good shape. so i never understood
why everyone complained about the hills. but now i know!!!! wow!!!
itatiba is made of just hills!!!! there is no level ground!!! i need
to go running in the mornings or something. (that probably wont ever
happen ha).
this week was a lot better. we found some great families. and i was
very surprised when none of them went to church! we will have a
marriage tomorrow and he will be baptized on sunday. his name is
emerson. he is the only member of the family that isnt a member. so it
will be great! he is pretty happy. oh and about these three families.
none of them are married either...so we will do a little bit more
marrying here in atibaia! since sunday, it has been an alright
week...but tuesday was hard on all of our areas. we have more
missionaries this transfer so it is alot harder to get to the district
meeting on time. we have to wait and then a lot of the areas cant
arive on time because of the buses. so everyone ends up getting home
really late.we will have to find a solution to that! but i am doing
alright. i am feeling more confident as a zone leader. it would be
easier if my companion was confident in me or at least in himself. so
that will move here in a couple weeks. he is just counting down the
days ha. dang...i started complaining again.
but really i am doing great. i am excited to start baptizing again!!
it has been a while. i think it has been over a month. i hope that
gives us some more of the spirit and more energy to find more of the
elect!
well love you guys. thanks for everything!
love,
elder long