27 May 2009

Yes, I have survived. The battle was harsh, the casualties were many, but I have managed to stay here in Guarapuava with Elder Cacio for the next six weeks. Transfers are more worrisome than I thought.

I did get some photos developed at Koris, a photo-developing store here. Lyn seemed pretty angry at me on the phone that I hadn't used the debit card, so I thought I'd give it a try. I did not, however, get a picture CD made. I am still trying to accumulate enough photos to send to you of the apartment, area, etc. Please understand that this takes time because Preparation Day time is precious to both me and Elder Cacio, and I cannot always do all the things I want to.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIZZIE! I hope you had a great 3-day celebration. Speaking of birthdays, I never received the recipes that Lyn said she sent, neither through email nor MissionTies. I was hoping to make the chocolate cake for Elder Cacio on his birthday this Saturday, but I guess cookies will have to do. I know it's not your fault, but do you think you could send this one recipe again through MissionTies? Maybe, through the grace of our Creator, it will arrive before the 30th. For your information, I have been receiving your MissionTies letters in 3-8 days. I did, however, enjoy many of the letters I received at our Zone Conference last Thursday. I know that I am loved.

We have another two baptisms today: Cezar and Paulo. They are great guys. I'm sure that they will lead the rest of their family to the waters of baptism as well.

And on that spiritual note I want to close with my testimony, which I realize I have not shared with you explicitly in quite some time. I have a testimony of this Gospel: that is true, and that through the mercies of Jesus Christ we will live again and we can live forever with God and our families. I know that prayer works. I know it with all my heart. This has been manifested to me many, many times already on my mission, and I know the Lord blesses those who ask for His blessings. I know that the message of the Gospel will bless every last person who embraces it. I know that we have a very important job to do as members of the Church of Jesus Christ to share the Gospel with others. If we want the Second Coming, we need to stop waiting and start working. All of God's commandments are important, and He gives them to us because He loves us and knows how we can live good lives. Thank you so much for supporting me here in a foreign land. Thank you for bringing me up in the light of knowledge about God and His Beloved Son. I know that we have the actual Church of Jesus Christ here on the earth today, and it is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This Church existed before the foundations of the world, and it will continue to exist forever. This is my prayer, my thanksgiving, and my tesimony, and I leave it with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Sincerely yours,
Elder Daniel Floyd

P.S. I wanted to title this email "The Morning After", but since that term has undergone some radical changes in recent years, I decided to add "the War".

20 May 2006

Elder Daniel Floyd with President and Sister Araujo. The photo was taken on his first day in the mission field, May 4, 2009.

20 May 2009

I hope you all know it is difficult to start off writing emails here in the mission field because I never know what to say. I know what I want to include when I begin, but I never know how to start. I will do my best. . . .

First off, I got all three copies of your letter, Dad: the email and the two letters. Regardless of what address you typed in at MissionTies.com, both the letters arrived with the same address printed on the front. I will share that with you now:

Elder Daniel Wells Floyd
Av. Sebastião Camargo Ribas #906 AP:1
Guarapuava-PR
85055-000 BRAZIL

Also, I should be getting all the letters you sent to the mission office during our Zone Conference tomorrow. I look forward to reading them!

Well, we had TWO baptisms this last Saturday: Fernando and Daniele. Also we have TWO tonight, and TWO firm baptisms planned for next Wednesday. Missionary Work is more exciting than I thought it would be. Fernando, Daniele, Rosane, Andressa, Cezar, and Paulo are really great people. I will send photos when I can.

Speaking of photos, I have not yet made a picture CD, but we found a shop where I can get one made. I'm using a lot of time today to snap photos of the apartment, city, missionaries, and other things, so hopefully next week I will get a picture CD sent off. I will also try to buy a USB cable for my camera so that I can send some low-quality stuff.

As I said, we are having a Zone Conference tomorrow, and I am really excited. It takes up a whole day and it's two hours away, so it should be a lot of fun.

Elder Cacio and I are getting along great and are having a good time here in Guarapuava. Now that all the members know that I can make cookies, they all want to invite me over to make some. I have to remind them that I'm a missionary! But next week we'll be making cookies with a sister and her husband in the branch. Speaking of which, I was hoping you could ask the Bishop a question for me. I've got this little recipe down that makes fatastic cookies, but I want his permission before I share it with anybody. You know me: render unto Casaer that which is Casaer's.

I hope all is well at home. I look forward to reading all of your "old" letters. Please know that whatever you are feeding the missionaries there is working. We almost never have a lunch fall through, and our fridge is stocked to the brim with food from the members here. I pray that the Lord is blessing you all in Santa Maria and that the "Gripe Porco" hasn't got you down!

Until next week,
Elder Daniel Floyd

13 May 2009

I want to bear my testimony about prayer. It works. Try it sometime  :)  . If you talk to God, He will talk back. It may not be in a way that youy expect, but He will. Also, look to be inspired in your prayers. If you listen carefully, sometimes the Holy Ghost will guide you in what to say and ask for.

6 May 2009

Hello All,

I have recently discovered that the Mission Office here does not forward letters through the mail, only through other missionaries. I have also discovered that the "email with non-family" rule is a little different than I thought. I can receive email from anybody, but I can only respond (through email) to family.

Now some really good news: Mother's Day is here! Any I totally forgot! This coming Sunday I get to call home! We don't have the number yet for the telephone in the chapel that we will be using, so I will have to call collect. Anywho, I'm glad to hear that you're all alive and none of you have died of this Pig Flu yet. I'm also glad to hear that the economy hasn't got you down. Also...Lyn, making bread? Times are changing...

It sounds like Vinnie is really living it up. I swear that everybody here owns a dog. Even the people with cats own dogs. And if you don't see any dogs in people's yards, there's bound to be a stray walking down the street. I've also discovered why people here clap at houses instead of knocking at the door: you can't get to the door. Everybody has a front gate to their property, so you have to clap as you stand on the sidewalk.

Our golden contact family really wasn't as we thought. On our return visit, the wife met us at the gate and informed us they didn't want to have us back again. She blamed the unwilling-to-change-from-Catholicism husband, but I'm not sure. Anyhow, we now have two new families that are doing pretty well with the lessons: Andressa & family and Ulga & family. We only found Andressa because one of her relatives called the number on a pass-along card, and we only found Ulga because we taught her son. Also, Daniele and Fernando are preparing really well for their baptisms this Saturday. I can't wait!

Also, the TAHN-GUEE here is really good. If you don't get it, ask Jay  :)  .

I'm afraid my time is soon up,so I will try to type as much as I can.I'm sorry if my letters have been short. I also have to read an email from President Araujo, write an email to him, and read other emails.

Brazil is really an amazing place. I still don't think Lyn would like it,but it really is cool. The people are poorer on average than Americans, but they are nice. I found out that Brazilians only need to pay R$10.000 to serve a mission.

This email really isn't as long as I had hoped, but I hope it will suffice until next week. I look forward to writing you next week and reading all your letters on the 21st. I miss you and think of you always.

Love,
Elder Daniel Floyd