"Sometimes I wonder how I would have accepted the gospel if two strangers in white shirts and ties came and Bataram meu porta…."

Dear Family,

1 more week down, boy, are they going fast! Each one seems to speed up. Right now I'm sitting in a different internet café then we usually spend the majority of our p-day in, and its driving me nuts. I am not used to this keyboard so typing is lots slower, there's cartoons playing in the background and a dumb ´system error´ warning sign keeps popping up on the screen, but all is well, since it is almost thanksgiving I will say I'm thankful to even have a computer and be able to write home... and thankful I have people to read and respond back to my letters.

Attached is a video and summery of this last weeks highlights, but since were in a different internet café they don't have the right program to open it, so I hope it will work, if it doesn't here's what to do, you can at least listen to the summery. Download, click ´choose a program´, and then choose windows media player this should work.
The little girls name is cammille. She is our next door neighbor and every day, when we are eating breakfast, or at night when planning she will come and set up camp next to our door, bring a chair (becuase she cant enter our apartment) stuffed animals, table, etc and talk to us (or mostly to my companion) Her personality is hilarious! the first day i met her she said You have a ugly sounding voice... brother. I would give anything though to be able to speak like her. I would have her voice, and trade!
I think I will start doing this if it works this week because I am really getting tired of writing…. And at the end of P-day each week I forget my Portuguese from thinking and writing in English.

Every day this week it has rained, rain, rain, rain. I´ll tell you, I am gaining a testimony in the Flood during Noah´s time. I appreciate his sacrifice for us, 40 days of constant rain; it must have been dumping buckets constantly! I guess it could always be worse…or better. I´ve pictured what would happen if it was 30 degrees cooler… yummy!

As I said in my video card this week I gave my first talk in Portuguese. It was actually pretty good, at least it sounded good in my mind, and the thoughts I had were good, I don't know what percentage of it the people received. But I was pleased. I just had faith and tried my hardest, and asked the spirit to help me communicate to them. It was on this earth life. How to make the most out of it, basically the country song if your going through hell keep on going sums it up, of course I didn't use this song in my talk, but I probably could have, no kidding, the people here know American songs, artists, etc better then I do. It's actually pretty frustrating, I never thought any of this information would be of any value so; to tell you the truth I never tried to learn names of artists and songs.

The food is good, because there's usually lots of it. Always beans, rice a side of carne, sausage or chicken, and then noodles. As long as there's a lot, I really don't care what it is. For snacks during the day I either eat jerky and dried apples (thank you mom, Rhett, etc) but I try to conserve them, or cookies. Cookies are a big thing down here; they sell them in one roll, anywhere from $.50- $2.00. I get the ones for .50 (which is actually .20 American dollars, they are yummy! Just about like Oreos. I haven't experienced much of any new food (that I know of) who knows, I could have eaten dog or something, but I don't think so. Mostly people just stick to the life sustaining foods…beans and rice. Which I am stumped why rice? Do they even grow rice in Brazil? They have two kinds of milk here, one kind in a box, like powdered milk already mixed on the shelves yuuuck! And another, like we buy, but lots better (I think its whole milk) the hamburger here is delicious as well; they literally grind up pure steak, $7 a kilo, 3.50 American dollars. Other then that, it thinks, like the United States Brazil is a melting pot and doesn't have any food it is known for (like Italy, noodles, Mexico, tacos)

One investigator family I didn't mention in my video card are the ancients, Mara is the wife. They are farmers, about 10 miles out of town, so we have to ride a bus to teach them. We received a media referral (she called and asked for a finding faith in Christ video) we took it to her. Her Daughter had just died 1 month prayer, so she was looking for some comfort. We taught her the second lesson (plan of salvation) that lesson, by far is the hardest because it has past tense, future tense, and present tense. (By the way, Portuguese has 20 different ways (that I know of) to say `do´ how many does English have?) Anyway, she really liked it, and throughout the lesson people just kept coming and coming. Come to find out, 5 families live within 400 yards of each other, they all grow patánga trees. It is a real testimony builder to see people listening with all there might, asking questions and really being interested in our lesson. Sometimes I wonder how I would have accepted the gospel if two strangers in white shirts and ties came and Bataram meu porta….

I also mentioned in my video card an investigator by then name of Edson and him mom Celá. This is my first contact that we are actually teaching and who are actually accepting the gospel. Out of the 3 different families we invited to family home evening (every week we have it, either at the couple missionaries apartment, or a members house) Edson, the 16 year old son was the only one to show up. He will be a GOOD missionary! Anyway, we had strawberry shortcake and broccoli casserole. Two of my favorite foods!!! The tender mercies of the lord…

Spiritual Thought: As also was mentioned in my video card, our branch is tiny! 20 people max, it has been shut down 6 times in the last 20 years, so needless to say it is struggling. I think the branch has 2 problems, but really one, because the second problem evolved out of the first. The members view the gospel as an obligation! They feel obligated to attend church, do service, etc, etc. We have a Saturday clean up this week at the church. When we invited on recent convert named Margarida, she said I already did my part. Don't be like this. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ! How blessed we are to have the restored gospel, have the knowledge, have the health, have the means, rights and freedom, recourses, etc, etc, to return to our Heavenly Father. Don't take it for GRANTED. Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ; it is an opportunity and a blessing, not an obligation.

Second problem is us! The Americans, we are being imperialists! Enforcing our ideals, opinion, etc. We are on the same continent, but a different country with a different people. Elder Baird, Sister Baird (of Provo) and I all feel obligated to teach them how to do sacrament. I think if we only teach them the things necessary, doctrine, etc, then step back and teach them how to fish rather then constantly fish for them then the whole problem will be fixed. I already talked to the senior couple (me and my big mouth) and I think we are going to take a step back. Maybe they will view the gospel as an opportunity more when they have an opportunity to stretch their wings and exercise their faith a little….but on the other hand, does it mean when a talk is assigned and we don't have anyone to fill in we speak? There's a fine line. any ideas would be appreciated.



Anyway, my wrists are tired, because of the weird position; Love you all, may the lord bless you for another 7 days… More specifically bless you with some SNOW! You poor suckers….

Elder Thatcher