No Energy

12 January 2011

Hello my friends!

How is everyone on this fine day?

So first off I was transferred from Passe to Santo Antonio de Jesus it is a city, in the middle of nowhere, about three hours away from Salvador.  I’m really excited to be here with my new companion Elder Corriea, he is from San Paulo and everyone just says really good things about him!  That’s always good right?  So lets talk a little bit about why I love transfers, especially this one.  Remember the first transfer I had when I got to the home and it didn’t have any toilet paper but I really had to use the bathroom?  I think this transfer might be better.  We got here at 7 at night and  it was already REALLY dark at 7 and well…. we didn’t have any energy.  Wait you ask, Elder Mender, why didn’t you have any energy?   GOOD QUESTION!!!  The answer is because the secretaries forgot to pay the bill!!!  Oh alright, the secretaries are busy guys….that can happen, but here in Brazil they don’t shut off your energy until you don’t pay THREE BILLS, which means the secretaries forgot to pay since last OCTOBER!!  So I got to spend all morning running around a city I didn’t know.  Trying to get the bills paid so that I can have light and water to shower and OH YEAH…..to SEE with!  It was definitely an interesting night unpacking in the candle light.   Let’s hope we don’t have to do that again!

Other than this life is really good and we are excited to start off this transfer strong.   Last week some fun things happened, I got to speak in church and it actually went really well (last week was my first time giving a talk here in Brazil).  I guess that means my Portuguese is getting a little better!  It was interesting because I remember as a youth getting asked to talk for 5 minutes and only taking two!   Sunday I was asked to speak for 20 but with how things went I ended up having 30 mintues and I’m pretty sure I could have kept going for another 30!   I don’t know why when I was younger I thought it was so hard to speak.   There is just so much to share and say!  I love it!  I found out I get to share another talk this week.  Two Sundays in a row!  Woot! Woot!

Well I guess that is about it.  Sorry I don’t write an email every week but life has been really, really hectic lately and sometimes I forget or don’t know what to say.  I hope you all know I love you.  Sorry if you haven’t gotten a letter from me in a while….I blame the mail service here in Brazil because, I promise, I really am writing! 

Have a great week and remember, if it is not already a habit, you have to read the Book for Mormon everyday!!!  Just like Nike says “Just do it”!

Love to you all,

Elder Mender