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