Good Week

Life is still good in the field. The church moved to another building that is a lot nicer and yesterday was our first meetings there. Our friend that vomited on my shoes last week wasnt home when we swung by to pick him up for church and a boy told us that he left for the bar. He then took us past a couple bars and we looked for him but couldnt find him. Life as a missionary is interesting.

We taught a whole bunch this last week. I am really glad about that because I felt like we werent teaching enough. We have a lot of appointments fall through and some days we just walk from appointment to appointment and hardly teach because of dropped appointments. Im glad when we teach a lot because I feel like we are not wasting time.

We were really low on teaching with members this last week though. We like to bring a member so people can feel more comfortable and maybe gain a friend in the church. Everybody was busy, and on days we had somebody with us, our appointments fell. So yesterday I asked Leonardo to come out with us during the afternoon and Carol and Yasmin in the evening. Leo ended up sticking with all during the evening also and Suelen came also so we had a small army of youth with us last night. The members here are awesome and help us out a lot.

Other than that, nothing too eventful happened this last week. No vomit. Thats always good.

Elder Siemers

Crazy Week

Life was crazy but good this last week. We walked a whole bunch. There is a neighborhood that we hardly ever go to because its so far away, but we went there almost everyday this last week. We made a contact with a young couple who live there so we went there on tuesday. They couldnt meet with us until saturday, but we made another contact while we were there. We came back the next day and got another contact. Same thing happened all week.

We have been trying to teach this man who drinks everyday. Its hard to meet with him because he starts drinking early in the day. Yesterday on the way to church, he was sitting on the curb a block away from the church. We said hi and he asked if he could come with us. He was hung over from the night before and still a little drunk. During the second hour, right before sunday school started, we were sitting in the classroom and he said something. I didnt hear what he said so I turned to him. He didnt look very good and didnt reply when I asked him if he felt alright. He started looking like he was going to throw up so I said 'vem pra ca!" (come this way!) I ran into the hallway. The bathroom was being used so I ran through the kitchen(we meet in a house) and outside. I grabbed a bucket and ran back towards the door. I got there the same time he did... He threw up as soon as me made it to the door. It splattered all over the ground and all over my shoes and the bottom edge of my pants. He then continued to throw up a little over the balcony in the backyard as I cleaned it up. After it was all cleaned up I asked if he was feeling better. He was, so I said 'vamos voltar"(lets return) There was no way I was going to let him miss Sunday School. The lesson was on the Word of Wisdom. Something he definitely needs to hear. So we went back(I kept the bucket with me just in case) and finished out sunday school. He even stuck around for Sacrament meeting. He wants us to swing by today or tomorrow. He told us he wants to start helping us out. I hope we can help him. Cross your fingers.

Other than that the week was pretty uneventful. My new companion is a tiny bit timid so I need to take the lead in lessons, so I have taught a whole lot more this last week than ever before. My language skills are definitely improving. Well, I am out of time, but I will write again next week.

Elder Siemers

New Companion Again

Elder Sprada was having problems breathing in Pocos de Caldas so he was transferred today. We got up at four (after going to bed at midnight waiting to find out what was going to happen today) and got the 645 bus to Ribeirao Preto. My new companion is Elder Sousa. We were also in the CTM together. Im going to be Senior companion this transfer, so I guess we´ll figure it out together. =) President Prieto interviewed me for a little bit and I understood everything he said! Things are good, except I still dont have a new planner. I have been using my old one for the last 2 weeks. I dont have a single page left that doesnt have something written down. I dont have much time to email today because we have to catch a bus back to Pocos in a little bit.

We went to the baptism of Marco this last saturday. He is the man who was smoking four packs a day about a month ago. He made us lunch last week on pday and it was super good. It was an american meal. He is really awesome. He appreciates everything that has happened the last few weeks and loves the missionaries. There isnt a single person here that doesnt think that Elder Anderson was sent here to find him. The baptism was really really special and there was the best, sweetest feeling there the entire time. Elder Anderson barely got through the baptism prayer because he was on the verge of crying. After Marco came out of the water he gave Elder Anderson a huge long hug. It was definitely one of the highlights of my mission so far. I only know Marco through the other missionaries, but I am really glad I got to see this and to know him.

Im almost out of time, but I hope everyone is doing well. Talk to you later.

Elder Siemers

New Companion

Well, Elder Sprada(not Estrada) arrived last Monday. He is from
Curitiba. We got to the bus station to pick him up and when I saw him
I recognized him. I dont know too many Elders and I havent met too
many out in the field. I knew him from the CTM in São Paulo! We were
there at the same time in different districts. So, I have longer time
on the mission as him because I was in the MTC before him, but he came
to the mission field a week before I did. Crazy. We basically have the
same time on the mission. I wonder if we are the newest companionship
on the mission. My language abilities are already improving so much
because I am forced to speak portuguese all the time. We did a lot of
walking this last week because NOBODY was in their homes. We would go
to a house, knock, get no answer, then go visit another person, and do
it all over again. I was so tired. It was a good week. I had a lot of
good personal study time and learned a lot. Well, my keyboard really
really stinks, so it takes too long to type anything. I hope everyone
is doing well. Até mais.