16 September 2009

I don’t think I mentioned it last week, but what we did last Monday was not a service project. We marched in a parade. Turns out, September 7 is Brazilian Independence Day, and the missionaries and members in this area marched wearing Mormon Helping Hands shirts.

A Photo CD has been made. I will try to get it sent out with my other mail tomorrow. If not, it probably won’t be sent until next week.

Also, thanks for the thoughts about sending more boots. I still have the other two pairs that we bought before I left, and I plan on using those as long as I am tracting on comfortable pavement. As for the old pair, somewhere in the confusion of transferring to Curitiba I forgot them in Guarapuava. As you could tell, the one sole was pretty messed up, but they were still usable.

As for things here in Novo Mundo, not much has changed. The work goes on. We have three firm baptism dates right now for the 26th of this month, and I’ll let you know what happens with that.

I’ve also noticed that I make some mistakes every now and then in my emails. Please forgive me for that. Also, who’s excited for General Conference? I don’t know why, but I’ve never really looked forward to it as much as I do right now.

That’s about it for now. Hopefully next week will bring with it some good stuff I can share with you. I’ll let you know what we learn at tomorrow’s zone conference.

Until next week,
Elder Daniel Floyd

10 September 2009

Wow, MissionTies must be getting behind. I figured you had sent photos or something because it took so long, but in the end it did arrive. Also, you’re probably wondering why I didn’t send an email yesterday like usual. Put simply, MyLDSMail.net had some troubles. We have been authorized to send our emails today.

It was kind of strange to hear about Grandma’s passing two weeks after it happened, but I’m glad that I did get the message. Thank you, Amanda, for reading it to her for me. Also, congratulations on the callings. Looks like you’ll be pretty involved in missionary work there in Santa Maria. If there’s one piece of advice I can give as a full-time missionary to a ward missionary, it’s this: make yourself available as much as possible to teach with the full-time missionaries. Ward missionaries in invaluable tools in the conversion process.

Thanks for the pictures of Vinnie. I still hope he remembers me when I return. I’ve included some pictures of the work boots we bought before I left. After two months in the MTC and four months in Guarapuava, you can clearly see that they’ve just about had it.

How did I include them, you say? My companion just bought a camera that has a cable that works with my camera, which means that I should be sending a photo CD home in no time. Also, you never mentioned it, but I’m sure Dad noticed that I spent about $6.50 about a month ago. That was to buy a thermometer. I hope it’s okay, I was pretty sick. My temperature never jumped over about 101 degrees.

Things here in Novo Mundo are going great. Not much to report, though I think I make take up a job translating LDS Hymns. What? A job like that won’t pay the bills? Don’t be ridiculous. . . .

Also, give my congratulations to Bishop Perrett.

Sorry that my letter last week was so short; I spent quite a bit of time writing to President Araujo. No, nothing’s wrong! I have to give another sorry, too because I don’t have a spiritual thought for this email. Please know that you’re all still in my prayers. Please, if it be possible, make sure that nobody else passes through the veil before I get home. I’m keeping a list, you know. I think that makes Bro. Jensen, Bro. Bendixen, Michael Jackson, Billy Mays, and now Grandma. The last, of course, being closest to my heart.

Until next week,
Elder Daniel Floyd

3 September 2009

This week was a good week. I am continuing to use the wonderful belt that was sent, and the M&Ms are now long gone. Also, I continue to read the conference reports Lyn sent; thanks again!

Things here in Novo Mundo are going great. We never have a shortage of lessons to teach, and we are preparing many worthy individuals for baptism, including Chauan, Luana, Adevanha, Ane, and Isaide.

Where’s Lyn? She seems to have dropped off the face of the planet. I miss her sarcastic humor (that’s a compliment)! I was reading some of the first letters you all sent me during my first weeks on the mission, and I just had to smile. You guys are the greatest.

This week, people are being chosen to sing in the mission’s Christmas choir. Elder Gonçalves and I already let the zone leaders that we want in, but we’ve been informed that only four missionaries from every zone will be allowed in, so we’ll see what happens. I think I should know by tomorrow what’s going to happen.

Also, all the missionaries in Curitiba will be helping with a “Mormon Helping Hands” project this coming Monday. I’m not sure exactly what we’ll be doing, but we’ve been told just to we’re regular missionary attire, so I don’t picture pulling weeds. Also, I haven’t heard about Grandma yet, but I guess I’ll find out in the MissionTies letter tomorrow.

And . . . it's heating up around here! I don't think we've had a cold day for a week. That is not to say that it is unbareably hot, but just to say tah's it's really pretty comfortable.

My spiritual thought this week is centered around the theme “count you blessings” and is simply this: be thankful for your clothes drier.

Until next week,
Elder Daniel Floyd