Email - 2/16/10

Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 7:39 AM
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine's Day

A week past Valentine´s Day? I don´t even know what day V-Day is any more. I just know that, as of Thursday last week, it´s Carnaval, and, well, yeah, there´s no one around. Almost every shop is closed. Rio de Janeiro, on the other hand, is one crazy party. I saw for about a minute on the TV how the holiday is going there and, yeah, you can bet that, if any missionary works during the day, he sure as heck doesn´t work at night.

MMM, snow . . . oh how I miss the snow. I´ll have to remember to grab a popsicle or something and chuck it at my companion, just to remember snowball fights.

Wow, the Culture party sounds like a lot of fun. I didn´t realize our ward was so full of people from around the world. Samoa, Australia, Liberia, Phillippines and Japan. Why didn´t Bro. Webster represent Brazil? Haha. You and dad should have danced, you have to do the things I´m not aloud to, didn´t you know?

At the moment, I miss milk so much I don´t care that they put these evil new jugs. Not that I´m not drinking milk, it´s just that milk here happens to be rather different. Brazil has millions of fruits, but just about 3 types of cheese, haha.

And now, for the interesting part.

One lovely Thursday Morning, that is, this very Thursday, I woke up, started getting ready, ironed my shirt and noted the telefone ringing. I thought to myself, "Gee, it must be the Zone Leaders." And grabbed the phone. I looked at the number and felt my blood freeze. Nope, I recognize this number, and it´s not the Zone Leaders.

"Good Morning Pres. Tobias!"

"Good Morning, Elder Barney. How are you, Elder?"

"I´m excellent."

"How´s the Garden (Jardim)? More Garden, or Desert?"

"Aaah, Let´s just say we´re still planting here."

"Elder, news for you. You´ve been transferred. Pack your bags, and head over to Jundiaí. Are you ready to be a Zone Leader, Elder?"

"Uh, sure?"

"Perfect. Let me talk to Elder Barbosa."

And well, since Thursday of last week I´ve been working here in Jundiaí, Anápolis, as a Zone Leader. My companion is Elder Dutra, who was Secretary Executive for 8 months here in the mission. So, I don´t really know if I´ll be leaving Anápolis or not this next Tuesday, but I also don´t mind much if I´m taken out of the city or not. Jundiaí is an excellent ward, and our new chapel will be dedicated this Sunday.

So, all´s well down here for me, burning in the sun, cooking and roasting, and loving every minute of it. Take care, stay happy, and take lots of fotos!

Love,

Bryan