18 November 2009

Thank you for keeping me updated on all that’s going on around there. Before I forget, I want to add something to that Christmas wish-list I sent along: a can-opener. Not something electric, but the kind where I can crank a knob or something. Also, how long do I need to cook a turkey in the oven before it’s okay to eat?

To answer Lyn’s questions:

I do miss my naps, but I don’t feel the need to take them as much as I did when I was at home.

I do not cook breakfast every morning. I’ve gotten to the point where eating cereal takes up too much time.

I have been using those microfiber towels since day 1 in Provo. They are a blessing because they dry really fast, even when it’s cold.

I have been tweezing my unibrow, but it looks like it’s about time to do it again.

The one thing outside of church books that I’m glad I brought with me? Hmm . . . let me get back to you on that one.

Also, thanks for the pictures. What’s up with the one with Lizzie? You cannot imagine how envious I am of the washer and dryer. My sheets are at home right now drying on the line after a quick run through the “tanquinho” (it’s basically just a tank with a spinning knob that makes the clothes go round).

The work here in Novo Mundo is progressing nicely. Elder Reis and I are working great together, and I still feel very blessed to have received really good companions up to this point. We are still preparing Giovane and Andrea for baptism. They have been prepared for a long time to accept our message. We might even be moving their baptism up to this weekend. As for other investigators, we have found two of the Lord’s elect in Alexandro and Eryka (two different households).

As always, I continue to pray for your safety. I especially hope that all is well with Jennifer and the boys in Texas. Any news about what’s going on there? Please remind me next week to recount the story of the Antichrist tossing one of our investigators through a hole in the second floor of his house.

Until next week,
Elder Daniel Floyd

11 November 2009

Transfers have come. Transfers have passed. I am still here in Novo Mundo. That is not to say, however, that I am with the same companion. Elder Gonçalves has been transferred to another area (sorry, can’t remember the name), and I have received a new companion: Elder Reis (pronounced “Hays”). He entered the mission field five months ago, and I think we are going to work great together.

I want pictures of the new washer and dryer. Email will do. As far as a giant blackout goes, I don’t know anything about that. We had a power failure in our neighborhood for about an hour last week, but I don’t know if it was part of anything bigger.

We’re still working hard here, too. I’ll keep you posted on the progress of our investigators who are preparing to be baptized. The bishop gave us for a referral the most prepared family in the ward. Also, Lucas was baptized this last Sunday. He’ll be confirmed next Sunday in sacrament meeting.

Outside of that, I had totally forgotten that Vinnie's saliva was holy water! I needed some of that when my eye almost swelled shut last week! That’s a long story, but I just got a cat hair or something caught in my eye. It took a while to get it out, and afterward my eye swelled up as if Elder Gonçalves had punched me in the face. Sister Araújo told me to buy some medicine, and so I did (with the debit card, I should say). Everything’s okay now.

Things have cooled down a bit here. I’m anxiously awaiting those photos that you said you sent. I hope that everything’s well with the whole family. How are things going up at Gram’s house?

Until next week,
Elder Daniel Floyd

4 November 2009

It’s been hot *there* everyday?! Remember when I wrote about how cold it was here? It’s not even summer yet and it’s been about 95°F here every day for the last week! I never thought that I would be living in weather like this! It does cool down at night, but inside our house it stays hot until the morning. The only air conditioning that I have enjoyed here is right now in the “lan house” (cyber café without the café?). And yet as much as I complain, I know that I can live through it. There exists no climate too hot or too cold that I wouldn’t confront for the Lord. I was thinking of talking to you guys about visiting Brazil for a few days at the end of my mission, but I’m afraid that Lyn and Elizabeth would get off the plane, feel the heat and humidity, and buy another ticket back to America without even saying hello.

Other than that, it was really good to hear about the chili cook-off and the Halloween party. It sounds like it was a blast and made a good impression on any visitors. It’s good to hear that Amanda is well. It’s also good to hear that Josh Lopez is doing well. He made a sneaky yet brilliant move: date the sister while the brother’s on a mission.

Congrats on your GPA, Lizzie. Just imagine us going and buying ice-cream randomly as a reward.

As far as Christmas goes, “Tell us something or else we'll send you something stupid,” has scared me enough to come up with some ideas. Not much, but if possible, I’m still feeling the absence of INSTITUTE manuals for the standard works. Also, anything by James E. Talmage outside of “Jesus the Christ” would be appreciated. President Araújo is really into study. If you’re wanting to send food, all I ask is chocolate. Those peanut and peanut butter M&M’s were a welcome treat. My shoes are still fine; I have enough clothes to last me for two missions. Maybe some good SPF 50 sunscreen would be nice.

You may have noticed that I took out the money to pay to fix the broken camera. You should only see a withdrawal of R$165.

Things here in Novo Mundo are also great. We have transfers again next Wednesday. It’s practically guaranteed that I’ll stay. With my luck, I’ll be transferred to São José dos Pinhais, where I here it is hotter than here and has absolutely NO wind.

Know that every time I feel hot I think of our wonderful air conditioning there at home. I hope that everything’s going great for dad at work.

Until next week,
Elder Daniel Floyd

P.S. Is someone still planning on traveling to Brazil?

28 October 2009

First off, please accept my apology for not sending an email last week. I’m glad to hear that you did get my MissionTies letter, but I realize now that it probably would have been better to at last write a short email to warn you all.

It has been good to hear about everything that’s been going on at home. Thank you for the note about Sister Brock. I haven’t received anything from Lyn as of yet, but knowing her, she might have sent a letter through MissionTies to get back at me. I enjoyed the pictures from the pumpkin-carving contest. I didn’t know we had so much talent in that area of expertise.

Ever since last asked me to write about my latest miracle, I have begun to notice a bunch of little miracles that happen every day in the mission field. The latest that I’d like to relate is that the son of an “ancient” investigator that we had stopped teaching started going to church by himself. His name is Lucas and he’s 12 years old. As I commented long ago in an email from Guarapuava, the Lord always seems to provide us with His elect to teach. He has done that again with Lucas. We’ve been working for baptisms for a long time, and He has just seemed to place Lucas in our lap. He was not prepared while we were teaching him, but the Lord has continued to work with him during the time that we did not pass by.

I want to know more about this awesome Halloween party. Pictures and a feature-length film should be sufficient. To answer some of Lyn’s questions:

My favorite Brazilian meal? I have to study that one for another week. The food here isn’t that different from what you’d find at home.

I have met a family I will definitely come back to visit: Eliseu and his family, who we baptized back in Guarapuava.

I am not playing the piano or organ at church services here. I am, however, continuing to practice.

I am getting my haircuts from a barber. Just 5 reais.

My toenails are fine. You can take a look at them we I get back home.

I did get my tooth fixed.

I have worn Elder Jacobsen’s shirts already. Speaking of him, who are the elders in our ward now?

I have not yet made the spaghetti sauce.

As far as what I want for Christmas, the last time you told me it had to be smaller than a breadbox it came in a USPS flat-rate shipping container. I haven’t given much thought to it because it’s not something you really have to do. It seems like I just got my birthday box.

Outside of all that, I hope that all is well with everybody there. The work will continue here, and I hope it is progressing there.

Until next week,
Elder Daniel Floyd