Hello

Hello people. It was a long week.. not sure why. But oh well, it happens. I hope everyone had a great time at the super bowl.. But not too great a time, because it couldn´t have been the same without me. I did miss Dad making remarks under his breath during the halftime show though... About how the boys look like girls, and the girls don't wear enough clothes...

This week was pretty good. I felt like we really made some progress with Michael. It actually was an entire discussion about the law of chastity.. And how we can keep it. But believe it or not, it really helped. He admitted at the end, you know i think if i would have been told this at 16, i can see myself having served a mission. Too bad his ridiculously intelligent mind has clouded that now, still wont accept a baptism date.

We spent a lot of time this week cleaning up lose ends. We are really trying to do better at cutting people that aren´t progressing, and finding new people that are willing to change their life and come closer to our savior. This unfortunately meant a few unpleasant visits.. Including the most frustrating of my entire mission, with a man that WILL NOT SHUT UP about faith.. I'm sure you ex-missionaries know the guy i am talking about. The guy that will literally agree with everything you say, nod his head about the Restoration... And then ignore everything i said and say Yeah, we have to have faith! I almost killed him when i re-explained the restoration, then listened to him teach ME for 5 minutes, tell me about what a saint he is, and then say, that's why no man has ever seen God!! Its like talking to a brick wall...

But we had good things happen this week. We finally got my AWESOME family Jack, Silvanna, and Douglas to church!! It was awesome.. What was not so awesome, Alex and Giselle didn't show up again. Still not confirmed.. I almost cried. We now have 7 people with baptism dates marked. Two this week- And old Lady named Iracema, who will talk for an hour straight if you don't cut her off.. And a 16 year old named Maicon. They are both sweet. We are really working our butts off. Hopefully we will see the fruits of our labors.

We had zone conference yesterday, and it was really good. President gave me a lot to think about. On Saturday we received the fun call that President and Sister were coming to OUR house to do interviews... Yikes. We spent a good 3 hours cleaning, and still got brutally chastised.. Interviews went well though.

Others things... Our cockroach infestation is SO bad we have received permission to go to some experts. I literally almost threw up when i went into my bathroom at 4 in the morning and saw probably 10. There is cockroach poop EVERYWHERE when we wake up in the morning. My 2nd favorite person in my ward will leave for his mission this week. It is sad, i will miss him. We went to his chá missionario (come give me stuff) last week, it was fun.

To finish, Yesterday night we were waiting for a bus to go home at about 840. I was in a corner DYING. I had to use the bathroom SO bad, i was in SO much pain. Unfortunately Brasil is not like the good old U.s. where you can just run into a gas station and use the bathroom.. I wish. But seriously, i was hurtin, bad. I tell you this not to emphasize how many times a day this happens to me, or that i´m in Brasil, but to tell you that prayer works. I started praying, just H.F, I´m hurtin. PLEASE send me an onibus... or help me out. Im REALLY dyin. No less than 30 seconds later i seriously felt like i could run a mile. 2 minutes later a bus comes around the corner. Isn´t it funny the little things in life that grow our faith...?

I love you all. Sorry this was long. I ramble... Have an awesome week. Missionary work rocks.

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Elder Alex Allred