Email - 9/20/10

Sent: Monday, September 20, 2010 8:03 AM
Subject: Re: Mid September

Man, what a crazy week it´s been. Monday we had a baptism in Independencia. Tuesday I grabbed my stuff and we took off for Goiania, where we had training until late afternoon, when I met my final companion. Elder Botão. Like E. Vitorino, he´s from Pernambuco, in the north of Brasil. We spent the evening wandering downtown in Goiania, and Wednesday we spent 7 hours on the bus to Uberaba (at least there was a movie about a hockey playing monkey who learned to skateboard in Seattle) Thursday on out we worked in the area.

Or at least, we tried to. When I say we´re opening the area it´s because me and E. Button (his name in english) have arrived here together, without knowing anything, and sadly, the missionaries who were here before us didn´t leave much. Though I can´t blame them too much, since one was ending his mission last transfer, and honestly this isn´t the most exciting place on the mission. But I maintain a positive attitude. After all, I´ve already passed some of the most hard areas on the mission, so I´m sure I´ll survive here.

It´s okay if YOU get trunky, mom. Moms have the right to be trunky. It´s more or less the typical way a Mom is. I mean, you DID send a letter to me at the end of my first month marked "Only 23 more payments and you´re all mine." I´m the one who can´t be trunky. And I´m sure I´ll survive. All my mission Pres. Tobias was preparing me for such days as these. I´m very grateful that the men who have lead me on my mission have always prepared me so well for the future that what would shake others to pieces comes as a natural change of course to me.

I´m not saying it´s all smooth sailing, but I´m calm and peaceful. As E. Owen always told me, "Come what may, enjoy it." Or something like that in english.

My flight plans are Oct. 27th. So on the 25th I´ll be leaving Uberaba for Goiania. If I´m lucky, Pres. will let me explore just abit the area and say good-bye to some of the people I´ve met on my mission. On the 27th I´ll get on a plane from Goiania to Brasilia. From Brasilia to São Paulo. From São Paulo I´ll pull an overnighter to Dallas Texas, and when I get to Texas, it´s non-stop until I get home. According to the info, I should be arriving on the 28th, around 11:30 in the afternoon. At least, that´s what the papers are saying. I´d send you the flight plans, but I dunno if it´d help, since it´s all in portuguese.
Well, as of the 20th it still hasn´t rained a single drop in the area of the mission. It´s cooler here in Uberaba than in Aparecida, but still not rain and snow and all that jazz. I´m pretty sure the difference in weather when I get home will kill me. Good thing I´ll be traveling in my suit, huh?

Wow, I´ve really come to miss home-made jelly. You know that if you made a bunch of loaves of bread, put out jelly, honey, and peanutbutter, I wouldn´t have any problem accepting that as my welcome home feast? Though thinking a second time, I also wouldn´t mind them thai noodles you make so well.

I just worry that whatever I eat will kill me. I remember that I had to adjust to food here, I wonder if I´ll have to adjust to food there?

Oh, and I want there to be milk. Lots and lots of good old american milk.

Silly me, huh, worry about these things? But that´s how it all rolls, right?

All goes well down here. Send my love to Matt and Megan. Send my love to Katie and her family. Send my love and gratitude to Grampa and the many others who are contributing to my mission (I hope I´ve served in such a way as to deserve your sacrifices). Send Colin on a mission, and send my thanks to my friends for the pictures.

Love,

Bryan