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

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

22 April 2009

Hello again! Can you ask Justin Lott how long it took him to learn to converse well in Portuguese?

This letter may be a bit short because the keyboard I am using has a lot of the letters worn off, and I have to keep back-spacing.

Guarapuava is an interesting city. There are two areas here, and Elder Cacio and I are assigned to the one that is not in the downtown city. It does get a little hot during the day, but not too much, and it has been cool every night. The way the area is laid out is pretty interesting. Because many (if not most) people here do not own cars, everything necessary has to be within walking distance (there are city buses to take you around, but they cost R$2.20 a pop). It's not like the United States where you have your residential area, and your industrial area, and your commercial area. The stores are mixed right in there with the houses. I admit, though, that the main street is mainly businesses.

Like I said, we walk everywhere. My feet have hurt every day since I arrived. They are finally starting to feel better, but they are not healed yet. I experienced my first Guarapuava rainy day yesterday. I cannot express how glad I was to have waterproof work boots because I didn't have an umbrella!

I was finally able to use my maple today. Pancakes! But we were a little short on baking powder and we aren't supposed to leave the apartment until 10:30, so they were a litle flat. Also, I've been putting my skills (though they may be few) to use. I thought I wouldn't make another cookie for two years, but I was wrong. I didn't have a recipe, so I just eyed the levels of ingredients and based it off  what I remembered from work (don't tell Jay  :)  ). They were a little cakelike, but still deliscious. At least, Elder Cacio liked them.

An interesting though before I continue: There is a old Church video about David Whitmer where he writes a letter testifying that he never denied the Golden Plates were real and he has some friend sign it. Dad should remember it. I have a lot of time to think, you see, because I sometimes zone out during long Portuguese conversations. Who played David Whitmer? I think it was none other than our famous Michael Balam.

There is a couple, Fernando and Daniele, who will be baptized on 9 May. We have been working with them may times a week. They live together and are unmarried, but they will be getting married on 8 May. They are some of the few people whose Portuguese I can understand.

There are also Lucione and her son Lucas. They are also preparing to be baptized 9 May. Good family with good faith.

I'd better go becayse I have a letter to write to President Araujo. Know that you are in my prayers and my heart daily. I feel so lucky to be here in Guarapuava. The people here are awesome. The Lord has a lot planned for this place. I hope all is well in the United States, and I look forward to writing you in a week.

I love you.