Segunda Transferência!!

Aquaduct and Rotunda in Damaia

IKEA ALFRAGIDE

Nossa Capela (Our Chapel)

Hey everybody!

Thanks so much for all your emails and good news!

First things first, before I forget:

Email me a family photo to show Miguel, se faz favor.

Ariana: Our good buddies Carlos and Lucélia (young couple with two kids 4 and 1) were listening to a Brazilian artist named Ivete. It was pretty good! You might like it.

MAE: If 1 Cor 13 doesn’t fit, put Mosiah 4:5-7. Sorry I forgot to send that last week. And if you can, put the picture of me with the gate and the statue in Lisbon, but if not, that headshot will suffice.

FAMILY: MOTHERS DAY IS COMING.
This is our number: 911159071. To actually reach this number with all the area codes and everything, you need to dial 011351911159071. Call at 8 pm Portugal time (which should be noon Portland time). Vai ser incrível!

OK. This week was crazy.

(By the way, think about this: Two years ago, I was also in a suit, but for a completely different reason - ISEF. THAT WASN’T THAT LONG AGO! I can’t believe I’m already a fifth into my mission! I could definitely do this four more times!)

Wednesday:

Elder Stott and I went to the big mall in our area: Alegro (Centro Comercial). It was pretty cool, but it’s so obvious that SO MUCH of the world is just distracting entertainment. Anyway, it was nice and relaxing. I got my first Portuguese haircut, and it was probably the best haircut I have ever had in my life. All the cabelereiros are either for men or women, so they’re really good.

We had dinner with the family Torrão – the father served a mission in Portugal and has awesome kids. It really reminded me of being what it was like to have the missionaries over.

Thursday: TRANSFER DAY

Elder Baldwin! He’s from Kaysville, UT, went to Davis High School, and thinks he may know a friend of mine who went there. Small world. We’re kind of pseudo-co-senior companions. He’s my “greenie breaker.” He’s definitely got a different style than Elder Stott, but he really rocks my socks. It’s cool to see how people show their faith differently and how people push themselves differently.

One thing though – he’s been having problems with his shoulder and it gives him really bad pain in his neck, shoulder, and arm. “Keep me focused on the work, Elder!” He’s got an appointment with the Europe West mission doctor right after zone conference next week. (He may have to have surgery or even go home)

Friday:

So we really, really like teaching the Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity with members. I had never taught them yet to a real person (as opposed to a wall), and we were going to go teach them to Miguel. I was kinda scared. I wore a tie Elder Stott gave to me for good luck, and it went really, really well. He’s incredible. He never drinks, he quit smoking over 10 years ago, he tries to eat well, etc. He said “It’s like this was written for me!” It was such a relief.

Then we had a massive weekly planning session because I barely know what’s going on, yet since I’ve been here longer, I end up having to make the plans. It’s tough, and it’s been really intimidating for me.

Saturday:

We went over to Miguel’s house again for him to choose who he wanted for the baptismal program and to teach Respeitar a Lei. Crazy news – he wants me to baptize him!!! It’s crazy. I can already barely believe I get to teach him – and now I get to baptize him??? MALUCO!

Then we taught Cleriston about the baptismal covenant – he is so incredible. He is so humble and really is a follower of Christ, even if so much of his time is dominated by working. I can’t wait til Saturday.

We had dinner that night with Carlos, Lucélia, and Miguel. It was so cool. It’s been cool to see Miguel really take the Gospel seriously and watch him loosen up as his testimony has been growing stronger. He’s really cool. Luckily, Elder Baldwin and him get a lot of rugby talk. I know nothing about rugby!

SUNDAY:

OH MY GOODNESS. Church was SO CRAZY on Sunday. CRAZY as in bad crazy.

Testimony meeting was pretty shaky, one kid shoved another into a chair while the sister was talking about how we need to be like children, Principios do Evangelho was a wonderfully false-doctrine version of the Fall, Elders Quorum was chastising by the bishop and the same Gospel Doctrine teacher ranting about how people who don’t accept the missionaries will never accept the Gospel in the next life. In the car with Irmão Abel on the way to his house to have lunch, he got out and yelled at a guy who was parked on the street corner, he made us watch a non-church-approved bible movie, and then kind of yelled at us for not knowing who we are eating lunch with next week. It was psycho.

MONDAY:

We taught a very spiritual lesson about fasting and I really know it is incredible. All the commandments are to help us stay faithful and strengthen us.

TUESDAY:

We went to teach tithing to Miguel, and we couldn’t get a member. I was so scared. He had said something about having some financial difficulties, and I was scared that without a member he might have some problems. I wore the Elder Stott tie, and when we started the lesson, we asked, “so what do you know about tithing?” “Well, it’s when the members pay a part to help the growth of the church, right?”

It’s been a long time since I had ever been so SCARED. But the lesson was really good. I have no idea why I was so scared before the lesson.

Portuguese is coming along well – moral of the story is that ever since Elder Stott left, I’ve really had to come to grips with being more independent – with planning, speaking, calling people, etc. But it’s all coming along pretty well and I am so glad the Lord makes life so so so so so much easier than it could be. Tender mercies.

Out of time – we’re going to Castelo São Jorge in Lisbon today.

I love you all! You’re incredible. Keep sending letters etc. because they really help a lot and I love hearing about what is going on.

Elder Lobo