Week Fifty - New Companion

Sent: Wed 7/20/2011 10:16 AM

Hi Mom!

Yeah, sorry I didn´t tell you that I was actually training; I decided I wouldn´t say anything if I got a calling because that´s not why I´m here. But funny you should mention that Elder, I saw him yesterday when I went to pick up the second companion I´m training. He´s from Cuba but he grew up in Florida, so he speaks English and Spanish fluently. Crazy huh? So I´m not sure which Elder they´re talking about as far as that training letter goes, but yeah, pretty nuts, huh? Never thought I´d train, much less twice, and much much much less twice one right after the other! But I´m still here in Curitiba, in Jardim Mercúrio and everything.

We´ve got a few people we´re working with to get ready for baptism, and we´ll be finding a bunch of new people, too; it´s going to be really great.

I got called to be district leader this transfer, too. I´m just a little overwhelmed with everything, but hopefully it doesn´t end up being too much to handle. I´m gonna have to pray a lot. Yeah so now I can interview people for baptism and all that kind of stuff, which kinda terrifies me, but we´ll see how it goes.

Don´t worry about me either, Mom; I know that Papa´s in a place where he can learn what he needs to know. I was more worried about how you guys are, and hope that all´s well. If I can do anything from over here, let me know. President Cordon is awesome, he really loves and cares about each one of us. Even though he wasn´t able to come and tell me in person, he let me know in his phone call that he was praying for me, and I know that is a big part of what helped.

I love you mom, and I´m glad that all´s well. Have a great week! Love you!!!!
Love, Eric


Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 10:25 AM

Hey Dad!

I decided at the beginning of the mission that I wouldn´t tell you guys if I got called to be anything because I didn´t feel that it was important what calling I have on the mission. All missionaries have an important work to do, and we all are equally important, so I figured it wouldn´t make a difference. It´s funny, though, because I´m actually training again: and my new companion, is my second trainee. I´m not sure what was going through his head when President Cordon gave me another greenie to train, but I´ll do everything I can to make his experience the best one I can. I hope I did that for the first Elder, too.

But I´m not too upset by Papa´s passing, because I know that now he can accept the gospel and receive his own salvation.

I make one year this transfer, and my trainer goes home at the end of this one, too. I can´t believe that! I saw him this morning when we dropped an Elder off at transfers, and it was crazy to think about how long it´s been since we were companions. I feel so old as a missionary! But it´s great, because I can see how I´ve grown. And now, training again, I know that I`ll grow even more and grow even closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Things are going to be great!

I love you Dad, and hope work doesn´t get too crazy. Let me know what I can do to help, Ok? Love you!!!

Love, Eric