24 June 2009

First off, thank you for sending the documents in “.doc” format; I was able to read everything. As far as the letters go, I didn’t receive any of them previously by MissionTies, but I did receive two from Dad with photos.

The baptisms of Felipe and Ana went off without a hitch. I didn’t slip or almost drown Ana, but this may be due to the fact that she is only eight years old.

We had another zone conference yesterday. No letters, but that is good because it means that nobody is sending letters to the mission office anymore. As far as packages go, there is a specific address for that, and I will send it by email next week. Also concerning a “certain” package, the only Ensign I really want is the conference edition. I have received English editions of all of the Liahonas except the conference edition. Institute manuals in English for the standard works would be greatly appreciated. Also, Lyn asked about measuring cups. We have them here in this apartment, but I hear they are not that common in other missionary dwelling-places. I have made due with all of the recipes I have because we have tablespoons and teaspoons (marked with both metric and American measurements), and the Brazilians use the cup, only it is called the “xícara”.

My email time is already up, but I will be sending a letter through MissionTies today with more information about the work here. I don’t know where the time went. Sorry, but such is the life of a Latter-day Saint missionary.

Until next week,
Elder Daniel Floyd

17 June 2009

Please, please, please send Word attachments with the attachment ".doc", not ".docx". Docx is the Microsoft Office 2007 format, and there is no guarantee that I will be able to read these because most of the computers here have Office 2003. I think all you have to do is use "Save as..." and select "Office 2003 Format" or something similar to that. But many thanks for all the emails you sent. Hopefully I can read them next week.

Tonight we have another baptism! Two, in fact: Ana and Felipe. I will have the opportunity to baptize Ana. Hopefully, I won't almost drown her like I did with Paulo.

Eleseu and his family are doing great. Almost definitely, Adriana will be baptized next week. Eleseu and Jose will be married soon.

Also, I said that I would include some spiritual experiences in this email. I am currently in the process of compiling everything I want to say so that I can present it in the best way possible. I will not wait any longer than next Wednesday.

I had my first run-in with a Bible-basher yesterday. I won't name the denomination or the arguments he wanted to make, but suffice it to say that we maintained our cool and demonstrated Christlike patience. I know for a fact that we learn line-upon-line, precept-upon-precept. We can in no-wise understand deep doctrine if we do not understand that this Church is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I am thankful, now, that we review this stuff every week at Church.

I also gave my first talk. It was great, and you can bet I used the story about the bread rising on the third day. The problem is that in Portuguese, they use the word "grow" instead of the word "rise" for bread, but with a brief explanation of the English language before the punchline, it was a hit.

This Church is true. It is Christ's. He lives and He loves us. It is only through Him we live and breathe.

Until next week,
Élder Daniel Floyd

10 June 2009

I am proud to report that it has indeed heated up a little since I last wrote. I think I have noticed a pattern with the cold weather: It is really only very cold the days after the weather clears up after the rain. Probably evaporation or something. I don't know; I'm not a meteorologist. I probably forgot to mention that we have a little space heater that we use at night in our room, so we don't freeze in our beds.

I did make the cake. Two times now: Once for Elder Cacio and me, and another time for a zone meeting we had. Everyone liked it, but amid cries of "you need to make this for me," I had to remind them that if they wanted it, they would have to pay for it themselves. That got them all quiet pretty quick.

I did not write a letter for MissionTies for you like I thought I would. It is more difficult than I thought to take some time and write a letter to you, probably because we can only write on our Preparation Day.

Ana and Felipe, siblings of Cezar and Paulo, are preparing for their baptisms next Wednesday. They are really great. Hopefully their brother Michael and their mother Holga will follow suit.

Also, we are preparing a great family for baptism on the 27th of this month: Eleseu (Elishah in Portuguese), the father; Jose, the mother; and Daniel and Adriana the children. Eleseu is very knowledgeable about the Bible (for this reason, he says, he is no longer Catholic), and I he has accepted everything we have taught. They attended church this last Sunday and loved it.

I made the comment to Elder Cacio this morning that I don't know how the Lord works to prepare these people for us, but He does. We teach and we teach and we teach; we find new investigators and dump old non-progressing ones, and in the end, the Lord provides us with prepared, polished, soon-to-be members. I know He is in this work.

We are also still working with Fernando, Daniele, Andresa, and Rosane. They are all still active in the Church (thank goodness).

It rained yesterday and is raining today. Thank goodness for water-proof clothing and an excellent umbrella. Please let the family know that I'm well. By the way, could I have Jennifer's and Amanda's email addresses? Thanks. I hope the Lord is blessing you all in sunny California. I will talk a little more about miracles in the mission field the next chance I get to write.

Until next week,
Elder Daniel Floyd

3 June 2009

I thought of many ways to start this letters, but all of them have to do with the number of times to write the word "cold".

COLD. If you use it one time, it seems much more profound and solid. Also, it doesn't sound like it escaped the mouth of a raving lunatic. However, it is very short.

Cold . . . COLD! This brings shivers to the bones of the readers, but unlike the previous attempt sounds like Old Man Jenkins escaped the loony bin.

Cold, cold, cold. This sounds like I'm really not having a good time doing missionary work. You would probably picture me shaking my head back and forth in a  depressive mood.

Cold, cold, cold, cold. Now my mind is thinking of nothing but the temperature. Better get me reading or teaching, and fast!

Cold, cold, cold, cold, cold. He is the last, and the one I choose to use. I don't know what Jay was thinking when he said it wasn't that cold. I've never been so cold for so long in my life. Not that I'm complaining or anything, just expressing the fact. The cold here is more profound, I think, because of the humidity. I believe it was -4°C this morning, probably 0°C in our house. There is no internal heating, and none of the windows and doors seal all the way, so there's nothing you can do about it. However, everything is nice and toasty under the covers in bed.

Okay, enough about the temperature. I must admit that I like it better than the heat, which I'm sure I will come to know in the summer.  I'm really am having a great time here.

The baptisms of Cezar and Paulo went pretty well, except for the fact that I slipped while baptizing Paulo and almost baptized us both at the same time. Also, we're teaching two great families who both have the potential to be members of the Church. I'll give you updates on them next week.

Please tell Sister Betz that everything is great with me, and I'll be happy to sit down with her and her granddaughter in one year and eight months when I have the time . . . and I'm in the country.

Lyn, planning the hoedown? I can't wait to here about how it goes. To me the words Lyn and Hoedown just don't go together.  I know you can make a great hoedown, Lyn.

If you send me a box for my birthday, what I really want is Church material. Institute manuals, Ensigns, you know. I can only read stuff published by the Church. Also, I may be needing a new belt. I'm down to 165 pounds.

I heard about both Prop 8 and the Swine Flu situation in the MTC. Last time we talked, you said that the Flu was nothing big, but it seems like the Church is taking a lot of precautions. What's up?

Well, that's all for now. I will try to reply more next week. I will probably send a MissionTies letters. I pray for you and hope that all is well.

Until next week,
Elder Daniel Floyd