Week Fifty One

Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2011 10:41 AM

Hi Mom!

I can´t believe it either, honestly. Next Thursday is officially one year since the date on my call, and it seems like yesterday that I was in the CTM, in Prudentópolis, Ponta Grossa, and everywhere else. I´ve met so many people, learned so much, and now have the opportunity to learn even more. This Friday, we have a Seventy coming to speak to us, and I´m positive that it´s going to completely change my mission. I´m so dedicated to making every moment count, especially because I only have until the 24th of July of next year to be a missionary! That seems like so little time now, and it´s like sand slipping through my fingers. I tell Elder Serrano all the time that you have to take advantage of every minute, because you won´t get it back. I´m totally dedicated to making this mission acceptable to the Lord, and I´m doing all I can to help others come unto Christ.

We had a baptism and confirmation this weekend, but I didn´t bring my camera to the LAN house today! It was so cool; we´d been teaching him for about three weeks and he felt like he might not be ready, but he came up to us on Thursday and said that he wanted to be baptized! It was awesome, until we got to his house on Friday to do the interview. His mom said she wouldn´t let him get baptized, but I said a prayer and the Lord put the words in my mouth to help her see how important it was that her son be baptized. And she let him! I have a stronger testimony than ever, because I know that those weren´t my words coming out of my mouth, and it wasn´t what I did that convinced her. It was all the Spirit, and that´s real. I love being a missionary, and am happy and sad at the same time that I´m almost halfway done. But this side of the mission´s going to be all miracles!

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


Date: July 27, 2011 11:07:13 AM PDT

Hey Dad!

It´s crazy huh? I can´t believe that we´re already at the one year mark! I was at lunch yesterday and looked at a calendar and it totally freaked me out. Now I have less than 365 days until my mission´s over! I´ll be headed back on the 24th of July of 2012, which was last Sunday.

Now, it really hit me how precious this time is. Every moment we have to talk to people on the street, in their houses, on the bus, I´ll take. This work´s gotta get going somehow, and I´m going to be the one to do it. Our area has a lot of potential, and my companion´s got a lot of desire, so we´re going to make miracles happen. Some of the goals he´s set are slightly less than realistic, but we´ll work on it. Other than that, though, things are going great. We baptized last weekend! It was awesome, because his brother´s a recent convert, and he got to baptize him. It was so special to be a part of bringing someone to Christ, and we´re working with the rest of his family to see what we can do. His sister comes to church every Sunday, but her mom doesn´t think that she´s ready yet. I´m going to talk to her soon and see what we can do.

Being a leader is really strange, because you have to worry about areas that aren´t your own along with yours, but I´m doing my best. My district was originally the zone leaders and an area in another city, but now it´s the only Sisters in our zone and another companionship about 45 minutes away by bus. And they´re all Brasilian. But it´ll be super interesting, because I have my first baptismal interviews this weekend! It´s going to be a little nerve racking, but I know I can do it. If not, the Spirit will bail me out.

I´m glad Papa´s service went well and that all´s well at home, and hope the vacation gives mom the rest she needs. I know that it´s hard, but I also know that the Lord is mindful of each of us. We can´t ever think He´s forgotten, because we´re failing to see the big picture. I know that God loves us and that this is His Church. And I´ll tell that to whoever wants to hear.

Love you Dad, and have a great week!Love you!!!!!

Love, Eric