Week Fifty Two - One Year Mark

Sent: Wed 8/3/2011 9:20 AM

Hi Mom!

I can´t believe I´m at a year! Isn´t it incredible? I´m having trouble believing it, to be honest, but I can´t waste time worrying about that. There´s so much work to do! Since Friday, my companion's been sick with a throat infection, and we haven´t actually worked since then. He´s good now; he took some injections yesterday and today and it´s getting cleared up.

I had my first baptismal interviews, too, and even though I was freaking out a little, it all worked out. They were baptized! And our district has a bunch of people that are working towards baptism, also! It´s pretty crazy being a district leader, but I´m doing all that I can. So far, so good!

The lady that lives in front of our house is about the most gourmet that we get, and she´s really good, but I do miss all of the nice restaurants in the US. There´s a neighborhood in Curitiba called Batel, and there´s supposed to be really great places there. I think it´s a Sister´s area, though, so I doubt I´ll be headed there anytime soon.

But I was thinking, what are your plans for when I come back? Were you planning to come down and get me, or what were you thinking? I guess now might be a little early, but I´d been thinking about it because a lot of people´s parents do that. What were your plans? Maybe we could head over there! Today will be our first day of work this week, and I´m so excited! I just want to get back out there!

I love you mom, and just think: in less than 12 months, I´ll be back! I don´t want to think about it yet, but I guess that´s the way it goes.
Love you!!!!!!!
Love, Eric


Sent: Wednesday, August 3, 2011 9:27 AM

Hey Dad!

We´re at a year! Can you believe it? I definitely can´t! It isn´t that exciting, but it´s so weird to think that in so little time my mission will be over. Every second that passes is one that I´ve given to the Lord, and I´m trying to make sure that every one is acceptable to Him. With all of my responsiblities, it´s been a little crazy, especially because my companion´s been sick since Friday, but I´m going all out for the rest of my time here. We only get one mission, so I´ve gotta use it! I think he had a bacterial infection, but if I was going to get it, I would have already I think. Either way, I´d have to be dead to stay at home; if my legs were broken, I´d find a wheelchair and head on out!


This cold´s crazy! One day it´s super hot, one day it´s rainy, the other´s got ridiculously cold wind. The weather´s just like home, really; it´s kinda strange. I´m kinda hoping I get sent back out to the interior, though; I really miss it. It takes longer for packages to get there, but that´s OK.

I´ve learned so much about patience in the last year, and most of what I learned is that you can never have enough. Whether it´s with companions, investigators, members, the more patience you have, the more time you have to love them. I´ve developed so much love for people in general, and especially for the Brasilian people, that I don´t even want to imagine the day that I leave here. It´s a long ways off, but hitting a milestone like this gets you thinking. No matter what, though, I´m going to give it my all. I can sleep later, now there´s so much to do!

That´s what´s really changed about being district leader: less sleep. I have to call every night for my district and the Zone Leaders, so that takes some time, but so far it´s going well. I had my first interviews this weekend; I was freaking out inside, but it was really fun! And they all passed! Things are going super great here, and I´m glad they´re going so well there, too. Keep me posted!
I love you Dad! Have a great week!!!! Love you!!!!!

Love, Eric