Week Forty

Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 1:07 PM

Hi Mom!

It was awesome talking to you too, and Happy Mother´s day! Everything I´m learning on the mission I know will serve me for the rest of my life, and I´m trying to take advantage of every minute.

I went to the temple today for the first time since São Paulo! It was so good, and the temple´s amazing! Nobody on the mission knows me though, it´s super funny. And they all think I´m Brasilian too! But I´ll get to know a few people tomorrow, we´ve got Zone Conference and it should be great. I´m super happy and everything´s going great, so don´t worry about me. The next time you see me on Skype, I should be just as happy if not happier than I was! I love you Mom!!!!

Love, Eric

Week Thirty Nine

Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 10:55 AM

Hi Mom!
This week´s been pretty interesting; I´m still getting used to being in the big city, but it´s going really well so far. We´ve already found some great people and I know that we´ll be able to find more. There really is a lot of potential, and even though I miss where I was a lot, it´s good to be able to work in Curitiba and see how it works up here. I hope I get to go back to the interior one day, but I´ll worry about that later.

We´ve got a place to use Skype! I just need to know if you guys have an account or not. I know Nick does, so you can ask him, and then send it to me. I´ll call at around 3 o´clock your time, which would be 6 here or so. It´s going to be crazy to be able to actually see you guys!

I love you, and I´m doing great, really! Let me know if you need anything!

Love, Eric




Hi Dad!

I heard about Bin Laden! I can´t believe they actually caught him! It´s crazy to be so disconnected to the world and to see how crazy everything´s getting. But at the same time it´s nice to know that things at home are going better.

I´m super excited to talk to you, and I already told mom we can talk on Skype! I´ll be on at like 6 or so, and all I need´s the account info. Nick´s got one already, so that´ll be easy. It´s 6 pm my time, 3 pm yours.

It´s interesting having an American companion; we speak a lot more English, which makes it fun to talk and build a relationship, but I´m a little worried my Portuguese will suffer. We´ll see, but it´s been interesting and fun so far. Not anyone that I´ve spoken to yet speaks English, but I´m not worried about it; tons of people have thought that I´m from another part of Brasil, which makes me happy! It´s really been fun.

I´m at 9 months already! Time´s really going fast. I think this transfer´s going to fly by too, and with a bunch more missionaries leaving and coming, I think we´re in for some more changes. But I´m liking the city, it´s a definite change. People here are a lot more rude and cold, but we´ve managed to find some good people and we´re working in new areas, so it´s going to be great.

Love you!!!!!
Love, Eric

Week Thirty Eight - New Area, New Companion

Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 1:29 PM

Hi mom! I´m finally in Curitiba! I´m in an area called Jardim Mercúrio, which is actually in a Barrio called Caruju. And it´s only half of the bairro, so things are going to be a lot different, I think.

My companion´s an American who was part of my first zone, Elder McLaughlin. He´s from Phoenix, and he´s got six months left on the mission. It´s going to be fun, I think. Lots of pictures to send this week so I´ll get them going now.

Love you!!!! Love, Eric

Hey Dad!

I was transferred to Curitiba! I´m doing well here in Jardim Mercúrio, and I´m super excited to finally be able to go to the temple! My companion´s an American too, Elder McLaughlin; he was part of my first zone in Prudentópolis. It is a little weird to be with an American, but we don´t speak a lot of English. At least, not yet. I can´t believe I´m actually here! I think it´s going to be way different too, but we´ll see.

I´m glad you guys were able to feed the missionaries, and that Nick was there too. I've only been to like the afterparty of a funeral, but it´s way different here. Weddings are less formal and people aren't really too excited unless it´s at a church. But I´m excited to see what´s going to happen this transfer, and excited to talk to you guys, too! I love you and I´m sending some pictures! Hope you´re on! Love you!!!!!


Love, Eric

Week Thirty Seven

Sent: Wed 4/20/2011 9:18 AM

Hey Mom!

Transfer´s are next week; this is actually the last P-day of the transfer. We won´t have P-day until Friday of next week, so don´t worry if you don´t get an email until then, OK?

But we´re doing really great, working hard as always and have some great families that we´re visiting. This transfer, 22 or 23 missionaries are arriving, including 4 more Americans! It´s going to be super exciting to see what areas will open and where everyone will go. One of the areas in this zone, the stake center actually, will definitely open, and Irati, a branch in my old zone will probably open too. Plus a bunch in Curitiba, and maybe some in Paranaguá, too, so the mission could completely change in a matter of days. We´ll see though.

I have no idea what´s going to happen this transfer, nobody does really. It´s possible that I could leave, because I´ve been here two and Elder de Jesus only one, so I could leave to let him train one of the new missionaries. But we really have no way of knowing. I´ve learned that if you guess, you just set yourself up to be surprised or disappointed. I´ll enjoy it either way, it´d be cool to get to know another area, and this ward is super great. It should be interesting, that´s for sure.

I ate Pinhão a couple days ago, it´s like a fruit that some pine trees give. I guess everyone here thinks that it´d survive up there, so I might bring some seeds up when I head home. We´ll see, they say it does well in the cold but Brasilian cold is a little different. Although I think I´ll be a little shocked when I go through my first winter, 50 degrees is super cold for me now. But it´s a long ways off, so I´m not worried.

There are only two weeks until the phone call! Can you believe it? I can´t believe it´s already here.

I love you and have a great week!!!!!!!!!
Love, Eric




Hi Dad!

I hope you´re doing well all by yourself, and I´m glad work´s going well. Transfers are coming up next week, and we´re getting 22 or 23 more missionaries, so it should be really interesting to see. The time is starting to pass faster and faster, and I´ll be calling in two Sundays! Crazy huh? I´ve already learned so much, and I´m really excited to see how these next months shape me, too.

It´s crazy how stuff you learns comes back to you. On the mission, everything´s about attitude; if you´re a sad missionary, it doesn´t matter how great your area is, it´s going to be a crappy area for you. On the same note, if you´re excited, any area´s awesome. It´s all the psychology we learn in sports, applied. All of the great missionaries in the Book of Mormon were the same: ready to follow the Lord and willing to do anything. I´m positive they were excited to be out there serving the Lord, and that´s what I´m working on right now.

It´s impossible not to be happy when you think about how great the Gospel is. It may take some getting used to, but in the end it´s great. It makes the day go faster if you´re happy. And on the mission, that really helps, because there are days that feel like months when you´re walking in the sun with nobody wanting to talk to you. But it really is all up to you.

Try it with everything; we´re alive! We´re doing what we love, and if not, start doing it! We don´t have time to waste in life, and we have to make room for the things that are important. I´m doing great here, and hope you guys are too.

Love you dad!!!! Love you!!!!!
Love, Eric

Week Thirty Six

Sent: Wed 4/13/2011 8:41 AM


Hi Mom!

I´m doing great! Bought my camera and I´ll get the pictures up as soon as I can. It´s super nice too! Thanks so much!

Our mission president´s dad passed away this week, so his wife and kids went back for the funeral. He stayed here with us, and he´s just as excited as ever. It really is an example of the faith he has and how great this Gospel really is. The fact that our families can be together forever is one of the reasons I left for a mission.

The Lord has the greatest blessings in store for those who put their whole heart into serving him. Love you!!!!!!!!!

Love, Eric




Hi Dad!

Do I really look skinny? I haven´t weighed myself in a while. That other girl ended up stopping with us, but we´re praying that she´ll get back on track. We have some other people who are super great! It´s really been going well here. I didn´t know baseball was popular here either; I just knew there were a ton of Japanese people here. Where I´m at, not so much, but close to São Paulo there´s a ton. There´s lots of sports here that are popular: volleyball, soccer, indoor soccer (futsal), capoeira, and lots of others. It´s interesting to see that really we aren´t that different, everyone in the world. We just focus on the differences really.

I got my camera, and it´s really nice.

Love you dad! Love you!!!!!!
Love, Eric

Week Thirty Five

Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2011 12:27 PM

Hi Mom!

I know that everything happens for a reason, and I´m grateful for the opportunity we all have to change at any time in our lives. The Atonement makes all of that possible. I really enjoyed the talk by the apostle whose name I can´t remember now about the Atonement, and think it applies here a lot, because it´s easy to think that we don´t have a way out or anything to do a lot of the time. But the Lord always has a plan for us. The work´s going great here, and I´m really excited to keep going. 9 American missionaries arrived yesterday! 170 missionaries made it to Brasil too! And we´re getting 17 more missionaries this transfer, which means a ton of areas will be opening again, and that we can really do the Lord´s work the way it was meant to be done!

I hope you´re on Mom, because I have a surprise to show you!! Love you!!!!!!
Love, Eric

Week Thirty Four

Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 10:06 AM

How are things going? Here´s great! We have two baptisms for this weekend, and they´re super excited! I can´t wait to enter the water with them and help them make a covenant with the Lord. To see people so willing to do what it takes to be baptized is so gratifying! I really love being a missionary.

And I can´t wait for conference! This week is flying, though; already Wednesday and we have so much to do. But it´s good to get some rest, as well. I´ve been practicing English with Elder de Jesus, and he says I speak faster than anyone he´s ever heard. I can´t remember if I´m fast or not, but it´s funny because I remember how I was with Portuguese in the beginning. But all´s well, and I´m learning more and more about how I can use my talents to serve our Heavenly Father.

How are the missionaries doing there? Have you guys fed them or anything yet? I had lunch at the primary president´s house monday. She´s hilarious, but most of the members here are really great. It´s pretty interesting to see how all members of the church are the same, no matter where you live. I´m glad the missionaries have work. I just know how nice it is here, because we have lunch every day of the week, even P-day! It´s a really interesting experience seeing the ward from the missionary´s point of view, and I think it´ll help me when I get back to help the missionaries in my ward.

We have a correlation meeting today, and I have no idea where it is.I need to call the bishop. It´s tough here because we can´t call on our cell phones, we have to use payphones and phone cards. And almost all of them in the city are broken. Cell phones are really complicated here: you put credit on your sim card and when it runs out you can´t call anymore. It´s really strange.

I love you mom!
Love, Eric





Hi Dad!

I hope you guys are doing well. The work here is going really well, and we´re getting some really great families ready for baptism! This conference should really help them get excited for their chance to be a part of the church. We´ll be watching it at another chapel in Ponta Grossa; ours doesn´t broadcast it. And it´s all live-even the priesthood session, which is from 9 to 11 at night, I think. But it should be super fun either way. I´m so excited!!!

It´s starting to cool down here and getting wetter, but it won´t get close to what it´s like up there. I´m looking forward to the cold; less people on the street but easier to walk at least. And I´ll never have to worry about snow!

We´re studying a lot about teaching people, not lessons, and I´m learning every day that these people are children of God, and they need our help in more ways than one. We found out yesterday that the father of one of our investigators died when he was young, and he really needs that kind of support in his home. Now, we know what we can do and where to focus to really help him, not just baptize him for the baptism´s sake. I´m grateful for the chance to be a part of this work, and every day I´m progressing.

I hope you guys are doing well and that you enjoy the conference. I´m thinking something super big´s coming! I love you guys, and have a great week!!!!!

Love, Eric

Week Thirty Three

Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 11:17 AM


Hi Mom!

We´re doing really great here, and it seems like things are completely turning around! We´ve been trying really hard to follow the Spirit and not just working for our own interests, and it seems to be working! We met a really great family yesterday who was worried because their marriage was falling apart, but the daughter called today and her father is letting us teach him, too! And they´re coming to church on Sunday! We´ve got so many people coming to church with us it´s insane! Not sure how we´re going to do it, but we will, and I´m excited to see how it goes.

I´ve realized that we have to take each day one at a time, in the mission and in life. We can´t sit here worried about how tomorrow´s going to be, we have to do something today so that tomorrow´s not up in the air. I´ve decided to live every day of the mission for that day, and to keep going until I feel that I´ve done everything possible in that day to help these people. It won´t be easy ( I keep falling into the habit of thinking like that again) but I know it´s what the Lord wants for us. Every day is a gift, and we should treat it as such. I´m learning so much here, and can´t wait to share it with you guys!

I hope all´s well, love you and have a great week!!!!!!
Love, Eric



Hi Dad!

I´m doing really well! Our area is HUGE, so there´ve been a few troubles, but I´m doing pretty good; we haven´t gotten lost for a lunch appointment at least. We´re teaching some really great people, too! Yesterday we marked appointments with 12 people! This week´s been pretty relaxed so far, but we´re working really hard and seeing some great results. I´m learning more and more about planning effectively and working smart, not just hard. We have to plan our days really carefully, otherwise we end up walking a ton or wasting money on bus fare. But really it has been a great few days, and this Sunday we´re going to have so many investigators at church! Lots of which are being prepared for baptism conference weekend! it´s going to be so great to enter the water with them and to see the changes in their lives.

As far as the healthcare, here´s not fantastic, but I haven´t needed it, so it´s no big deal. Everything´s been going well; it got kinda chilly a few days ago but nothing compared to up there. I kept thinking that all the people there would probably be using shorts and stuff if the weather was like it was, which was funny because everyone was bundled up! I´m really liking it here and learning more and more everyday about how to be a better missionary and a better person, stuff that will help me a lot for my whole life. Every day is a testament to the value of a mission, and each day I´m grateful to serve.

Not a sign of wear and tear on almost anything I brought; my backpack broke but I bought a new one super cheap here that´s been doing well so far. Rotating really makes a difference. And I´m losing weight still, or inches at least; I´ve had to cut my belts twice!

I hope all is going well, and if not, let me know what I can do. I love you dad, and hope your week goes great!!!!!!
Love, Eric

Week Thirty Two - New Companion

Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 11:31 AM

My companion got transferred and I have another Brasileiro, Elder De Jesus. He´s really cool too, and I think it´ll be great to work with him.

I heard about the tsunami, but I didn´t know it made it that far! I hope everyone´s OK. We´re good here so far, but in Paranaguá, one of the areas of the mission by the beach, the city was closed down because of lack of water! It was crazy, because some Americans were headed home, but got caught up for a while ,which could´ve meant jail if they didn´t get home in time. But now they´re all good.

Here´s still really warm, but I think it´ll get colder soon. The work´s so different now, not sure why, but I´m doing the best I can and I know it´s going to be great.

I´ve actually completed the qualifications to be a senior companion twice, which is funny because it doesn´t seem like it´s been that long, but this is my third transfer as Senior. Not that it matters. I´m doing great though, and I feel good.

Love, Eric




Hey Dad!

I got a new companion again, and it´s another Brasilian (shocker). I don´t think I´ll ever get an American companion, but all the better. I should be fluent at this rate. His name is Elder De Jesus, and he´s from Bahia, in the state of Salvador. That makes 3 companions from the northern part of Brasil, where they speak the fastest. It´s a challenge sometimes, but it´s been good so far. I think this will be a good transfer too, the whole zone changed and we´re all really excited.

As far as day-to-day, I´m good I think. I´m in a district full of Brasilians again, so if you want (and only if you want) you can send some goodies or something if you´re itching to send a package. Oreos, peanut butter, other stuff you guys like. Basically if they have it there, we don´t have it here. But seriously, only if you want. Don´t feel obligated.

I honestly can´t remember anything from up there that I liked as far as snack food. How sad is that? I´ll have to be trained all over again! It´s crazy how all that works, huh? I´m doing well and having fun, which I realized is just as important as being serious sometimes. I´m really learning a lot that I should have learned earlier, but that´s the way the mission works, right?

Have a great week!!!! Love you!!!!
Love, Eric

Week Thirty One

Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2011 10:51 AM

Hi Mom!
So no baptism again, but I´m learning more and more about what I need to do to be successful on the mission and in life. I never really was the type of person who smiled a lot or showed that he was happy, but here, I have to be that way. We´re representing Christ, and if we´re not smiling, they won´t see Him in us, so I´m really working on that. The members are starting to notice, too!

I´m also working on following the Spirit. It really is essential to qualify ourselves to feel the Spirit and then listen to its promptings. I´ve noticed that I get nervous sometimes and I don´t listen when I´m teaching, and I need to do better. In my normal life, I receive promptings about a lot of things, and I´m really trying to get better about it. When we pray, we need to take some time to listen for the Spirit, because it´s in that moment that it speaks to us. I´m trying really hard to adapt that to myself and I hope that I can develop that soon.

I got your package too, and I would assume the rest got sent to everyone, but I don´t really have any way of knowing. Thank you so much for everything, I really do appreciate it. I don´t know if I said that enough to you guys. Transfers are coming next Monday, but I´m fairly certain I´ll stick around, seeing as I just got here. Who knows, though; 4 more areas will probably close this transfer. But 17 missionaries are coming in April! It´s going to be so great!

I´ll let you know what happens with the transfer and everything. I hope everything goes great this week, and I love you guys soooo Much!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you mom!!!!!!
Love, Eric





Hi Dad!
I´m doing well, getting ready for transfers next week. Don´t really know what´s going to happen, because my companion´s been here for 3 months and I just got here, but I have the feeling that I´ll be staying. I´m not sure about my companion. We were only together for 5 weeks this transfer, to give time for the Americans that are leaving to have some cushion, that way they don´t get arrested for an expired visa. I´m just wondering what´ll happen, because 17 missionaries are leaving and 7 are coming. We´ll be closing more areas, but the work will go on.

The weather´s not as much of a problem now, I just go with it. We´ve been working really hard and found some really great families, but almost all of them have to get married, and in Brasil it takes at least 20 days to get your marriage license, which is almost half a transfer. In Curitiba, it takes 60 something, which is almost a transfer and a half! But we´re grateful for the people who have been put in our path, they really are being prepared by the Lord. Just a little more work and prayer and I know we´ll find them.

I´m working hard on being more confident and happy, so you guys´ll definitely be in for a shock when I get back! I´m excited to continue progressing.

I love you dad!!!! Love you!!!!!
Love, Eric

Week Thirty

Sent: Wed 3/2/2011 10:00 AM

Hi mom!
I´m here, not sure if you´ll be or not. No baptisms this week, but I know we did all we could, and the Lord will bless us for that.

Things are going well, and fast, too; only one more P-day this transfer! This one´s short, but it still flew by. I think we´ll have a baptism for sure this week, too. Leticia´s great, she´s a 10 year old girl but she´s really smart. She reads the Book of Mormon every day and prays too! I´ve never seen anyone so ready to be baptized really, but I´ll keep praying so that we can help her.

I love you!!!! Have a great day in Portland!!!



Hi Dad!

No baptisms this week, but we did all we can. I know that some of them will be baptized soon, and that we need to remember the Lord´s timing, even if we don´t like it. I´m doing really good, and working on being more excited with people. I´m not really that type of guy, but this is the time to change, so I´m doing what I can.

I´m really enjoying where I´m at, and excited to see what happens. There´s only one more P-day before this transfer´s over, can you believe it? It´s gone by so fast! But I´m glad we´re making a difference here.

I hope you guys are proud of me, because this is one of the toughest things I´ve ever done. It´s rewarding and everything, but it really is refiner´s fire. I´m glad I´m here, and it really is a life changing experience. Thanks for supporting me in all this, and I´ll make sure to send you pictures of this week´s baptism.

I love you dad!! Love you!!!!
Love, Eric

Week Twenty Nine

Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 9:09 AM

Hey Mom!

I´m here! The hours changed in Brasil on Sunday, so not only did I get to sleep in, but there´s only a five hour difference now, I think. It sounds like you´re doing great!

I really like my area, and I´m getting really excited about the work. I learned over the past few days that this is truly the Church of Christ, and that miracles are real. I can´t remember if I told you or not, but we get to go to the temple next week if we can baptize 45 people as a zone this month. Until now, we have 10, so we´re putting all our faith in this weekend to make it happen. But the Lord truly is on our side! We´ve been seeing miracles every day; one family we taught came to church on Sunday, and are preparing for baptism this week! The sisters in our district had nobody to bring to sacrament meeting, but they fasted, said a prayer, and 7 PEOPLE came ON THEIR OWN! Three of them asked to be baptized! I now have a testimony of the power of fasting and prayer and of the reality of miracles. God wouldn´t let something like that happen if this wasn´t his work, and if we weren´t doing our part. We have 8 people we can baptize this week, and if we manage these 35 baptisms, it´ll be the largest number in the history of the Brasil Curitiba Mission! It isn´t about the numbers, it´s the fact that the Lord is pushing us to do this. He waited until these last minutes to test our faith, so that He can show us His hand and His mercy toward all these people. This church is true. God lives. Miracles are real. I know without a doubt all of these things. Ether 12:12 is exactly true, and it goes to show that we have to show God we´re willing to give our all to receive blessings.

It´s going to be awesome. I´m so excited to go to Curitiba again, and to the temple. I can´t believe the priviledge I had there with so many temples so close. I´m going to go as often as I can when I get back, it´s really the best place in the world.

I love you Mom!!!!
Love, Eric




Hi Dad!

I haven´t gotten the package yet, but I only get mail once a month, so that slows things down. It´ll come soon though, because we´re going to the temple next week! All we have to do is baptize 35 people this weekend as a zone. I know it´s possible, even if it is a lot, and I have no doubts that the Lord´s going to give us what we want, because we´re showing Him we´ll do what it takes to get it. It´s something I know I can apply for the rest of my life, and I´m so excited to do so.

You guys work best when you´re busy, and I learned that from you, so we´ll all be putting our shoulders to the wheel these next few weeks. It´s interesting, that hymn in Portuguese is ´Nossa lei é trabalhar´, or Our law is to work. And that´s what we´ve been doing, proving our desire to God. And He´s listening. So many great things are going on, and we´re going to baptize this weekend for sure! I´m so excited! I´ll be entering the water for the first time to help someone obtain their salvation. It´s so great! I love this work, and I´m ready to help everyone here.

I love you Dad!!! Have a good week!! Love you!!!
Love, Eric

Week Twenty Eight

Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Hi Mom!

This week did fly by, and transfers are coming a week early this time, so we´re really gonna see the time pass. We had a zone conference yesterday and it really was awesome. I love hearing our mission president speak; you really can feel that he´s been called of God.

The area´s great; the ward is huge! On a good day, 170 people are there! I can´t believe how big of a change it is. But we´re still working to bring more people in, and we have some really great people we´re teaching. The work is moving forward, and it makes me realize how much this Gospel has helped me in my life.I don´t know if I told you, but I´m the only American in my district, which is weird, but I´m having fun. Everyone here´s really excited, because, if we get 45 baptisms this month, we get to go to the temple! So everyone´s really working hard now. Only three more Sundays! I think I´m starting to catch some of the excitement, but we´ll see. I´m not really the type to get excited.

They did close 6 or 7 areas this last transfer because of lack of missionaries, including Irati, which now only has 1 Melchizidek Priesthood holder in the branch. It´s tough, but we´re all praying and doing our best.

I forgot to tell you that I´m just in a few Bairros right on the edge of the city. It´s a lot of space, though; I didn´t believe Elder Rocha the first time he told me! I really do like it, though; today we´re going to visit some of our investigators with dates for baptism with the bishop, and it´ll be awesome! Bairro is a neighborhood, basically, so we have a few neighborhoods we´re working in. We´re definitely going to the temple, no doubt in my mind. All we have to do is our part, and God will bless us.

I´m forgetting English, by the way. Elder Rocha asked me to pray in English and I could hardly form the words, it was horrible.

Love you!!!!
Love, Eric



Hi Dad!

As far as Americans, it´s just missionaries from what I can see, but I don´t really know. There´s a lot of visa trouble between Brasil and the U.S. right now, so we probably won´t be seeing a lot of Americans for a while.My house is a lot smaller than the one I had before, but it´s way easier to clean. My companion´s legit; he´s really funny and he works really hard. He only has three transfers left, so he´s seen it all, and he doesn´t really take crap from anyone, which is funny because our district leader´s only got one more transfer than I do! He´s from Fortaleza, so he speaks really fast too (look Fortaleza up. We´re going there when we come back to Brasil). But I´m really having a good time, and we´re finding really great people to teach.

It rains a lot more here because of the elevation, so I guess you could say it´s cooling off, but it gets really hot still. Fall doesn´t start until March here, so we´ve got some time to wait. I´m doing well, and really liking the area.

Love you!!!!!
Love, Eric

Week Twenty Seven - New Area, New Companion

Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Hi mom!

Most of the confusion is because I got transferred to Ponta Grossa, in an area called Nova Rússia. It´s right as you come into the city of Ponta Grossa (which is huge, by the way) and my companion´s name is Elder Rocha. Three Brasilians in a row, and that won´t change if more Americans don´t start showing up, which doesn´t look likely. I´m excited to get to work, even though I was kinda disappointed that I didn´t get to work much with the Couple missionary. They´re super great though, and I know I left the branch in good hands.

My zone went from 8 missionaries to 20 or so; this zone is the biggest on the mission. They also say that it´s the highest baptizing zone in the mission, so we´ll see what happens. I´m ready to do what the Lord wants from me.

I love you a lot. I´ll keep you posted on how everything goes, and I´ll be working hard! Love you!!!!!

Love, Eric


Hi Dad!

I hope you´re doing well, still busy at work and at church! I wasn´t on earlier today because I was transferred to Ponta Grossa, in a Bairro called Nova Rússia. It´s a huge area, but it has a chapel, a ward, a bishop and everything! After spending so long in a branch I was starting to forget what all that looked like. I hope I made a difference in my other area, though; I really did work with all I have. And now I´m here, waiting to see what´s going to happen in these next five weeks. My companion´s Brasilian, again, and his name is Elder Rocha. He´s only got two transfers left on his mission, but he´s still ready to work hard and find people to bring into the gospel.

My zone is much bigger now, and all of the missionaries seem really great. There are three sets of Sisters here; two of them arrived with me too. It´s really crazy because I left the Guarapuava Zone with the same missionaries that came with me, and one of them I sat by on the way there. I couldn´t understand a single word he said because he spoke so fast; this time, I was having a full blown conversation with him without thinking. In four months! It´s amazing what the Lord permits His servants to do when they´re worthy. I´m going to do my best here, and bring as many people the Gospel that I can. If they accept it, great, but I´ll be working either way.

I´m the only American in my district. I have a feeling it´ll stay that way, too. Not sure why, but I don´t think I´ll be serving in Curitiba anytime soon and I don´t think many more Americans are coming so it´s likely I´ll stay companions with Brasilians. But who knows? I have no idea what to expect, so I´ll just go with it.

I love you Dad!!!!!

Love, Eric

Week Twenty Six

Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Hi mom!

The waterfall was so amazing! I forgot my camera, but next week I´ll definitely send some pictures. It was a great experience, and it really made me realize how great we are as children of God. Of all his creations, He considers us the greatest, even when compared to something as beautiful as what I saw.

It´s been going well here; the casal finally made it, and we´re working on getting them settled in now. I hope you´re doing great and I´m sure you´re an awesome Primary President. One thing a member´s daughter said to me when she was visiting (she lives in Foz de Iguaçu, look it up) was that a calling in Primary requires love. So I guess I´d remember that love will make it all worthwhile.

Transfers are coming this next week actually, so the next time I´m on I could be somewhere else! I´m not hoping to leave, but I would enjoy getting to know a new area. It´s been a labor of love here in Prudentópolis, and I´ve really learned a lot, but I´m ready to see what I can do somewhere else, you know? We´ll see.

It´s amazing to see how the Spirit directs everything, especially when we´re doing what´s right. I already know that my life´s going to be so different when I come back, just because I´ll be doing everything exactly right and not complaining about it either. It´s all about the eternal perspective.

Love you!!!!!
Love, Eric


Hi Dad!

I´m so glad to hear that things are going ok. The weather hasn´t really changed, it´s just gotten hotter actually.

But transfers are next week, so who knows what´s going to happen. I´ve got a feeling I´m headed out, and if I´m going to Curitiba it won´t be so warm, but there´s a chance I could go to the beach, which would just be hotter, so who knows? We´ll see thought. I´m really happy you´ve still got work, and that everything is working out ok. Just remember that God knows so much better than we do what we need, and that he gives it to us when we´re doing what´s right. Even if it feels like a trial, somewhere in there is a blessing. You might just need some help to find it :)

I´ve been here almost four months, which Elder V. Almeida says is about the max for a missionary in their first area. I´m excited but nervous, and it makes it tough to focus on the work sometimes. Especially because Sister Carter, one of the Senior couple missionaries, says I´ll be leaving. I just want to know where I´ll go, who´s going to be my companion and all of that now! But this whole thing´s just an exercise in patience.

Love you Dad!!
Love, Eric