Elder Williams: I Got My Birthday Package...Very Early!

Hey Mom and family, Sept. 7, 2011

Thanks for the email and package! It arrived already, it was crazy fast. Last package took about a month, but this about 2 weeks. So I celebrated my birthday early yesterday. Thanks for the razor and food. The backpack and shoes were good also. I’m sending some pictures also of a desert my companion made and my new hairstyle. É chique. Anyways, how’s the renovation coming? It seems like things get complicated each day, it's too bad I can’t help. Things here are good. I’m learning a ton as a Senior. There are some nights that I’m soo tired that I can't remember some things I’m doing very clearly. But that’s how I know that we had a good day. There's not a whole lot of walking here which is also good. I’m trying out different things and ways to work every week to see what’s effective and what is not. Last week was one of those weeks that were bad for numbers, but we found a lot of people that were ready to be taught. This week is proving to be good for numbers and is proving to give a lot more people that are ready to be taught. It's cool to be doing things in my own rhythm and to do things in the ways that I feel is more appropriate. The new president here is cool; he's got a lot of experience. But keep President and Sister Tanner in your prayers also so that they can become better in health and head back here soon. Every missionary in the mission is fasting yesterday and today.

It's cool that Sam is doing well in Air Force training; just like I taught him J!

The other day we had a history lesson about music here. There’s this sport/fight called capoieida here that’s like dance fighting. The music that is used to do this dance turned into a part of religion called macomba. Basically it is a form of black magic. Anyway, we met a guy here that creates black magic music. It's cool to learn about it, but at the same time we have to be careful to not make him made so that he doesn’t send an evil spirit to come and scare us (ha). I took a picture of a CD that he gave us that has some of his music in it. So anyways, we have something to listen to at home…

Thanks for the prayers! I should be going. Love you!

Elder Williams

Hey Dad! Sept 7, 2011

Pois é pãe... teu português é bom. Está praticando? Tem que praticar para que você pode me entender quando eu volto para casa. Tá?

Yeah, good luck understanding that one! You understanding this is about how well I understood what you said in you last email of sportuglish (Portuguese and Spanish). But yeah the language is good, I’m thinking only in Portuguese now. I still haven’t had any dreams in Portuguese though. But maybe it’s because I’m soo tired that I don’t remember any of my dreams.

Thanks for the email. The pictures you sent of us in Panama were good too. I’m not too sure what I was doing in some of the pictures; it looks like I was sleeping. But yeah, I got your other email about the rash. It's steadily spreading, so I’ll start adding a ton of cream. I used it once before on something that looking like some sort of a worm that was on my hand and it went away the day afterwards. The magic cream works wonders. Anyways, my health is good; I gave the cold I had to my companion so all is well. I got the package yesterday that mom sent me. I totally wasn’t expecting the package to arrive so quickly, but I have the vitamins so I should be good now. As far as energy goes, in this new area I’m totally fine. In Monte Mor where I was, we walked a lot, but here there is more of a condensed city so things are a lot closer, hence less walking.

It's cool that everyone was there to visit you guys the other day. It's going to be cool to return home and have everyone living close.

How’s the house coming? It sounds like you could really use my help. Too bad... I can't... I’m in Brazil=].

The new area here is great! I’m learning a ton. It's crazy how much more I can understand the spirit when I became the Senior. It's got to be your guys' increase in prayers. One thing I’m learning is that a lot of what we need to do to have success is to do what feels “right” and what makes logical sense. Right now I feel like the correct action to take is to do something completely different than what I was trained to do the past 5 months. But somehow we seem to achieve the numbers needed while helping others come unto Christ in a more efficient way.

I see what you mean about the world going downhill. I see it every day. It's a sign to me that every single member needs to not only reinforce their testimonies but they need to fight back as well. I’m learning about the importance of church callings and how we can use every single calling that we have—whether it’s being a bishop or a part of the church cleaning crew—to have missionary opportunities.

Anyway, all is well here. I got my package of food from mom and luckily nothing was eaten by rats, I just have to hide it all from my companion J!

Alright I love you dad! Keep up the good work!

Elder Williams

Peter reading scriptures