Week Thirty Two

This week went well. I had to go to the hospital on Tuesday. I had a wart removed. I called Sister asking what medicine I should buy like 4 weeks ago but she just made an appointment at the hospital. It was a pain and wasted an entire day but oh well. Also we had a mission tour this week on Friday. President Arnold from the 70 came and talked with us. He gave a lot of good advice and the focus was working with the members. It's something that me and Rui have been doing for a while now but it's difficult with the amount of members that are in the Branch. We are getting a few people animated to share the gospel with others. Sometimes when we ask about less actives the members will just sit and talk badly about why someone is less active. If there is one thing that I have learned here about the Church as a whole, it's that you can not in any situation talk badly about members of the church and you have to support your leaders no matter what you and other people think about them.

Also, there is a family that we and Wellington (quarter guy) were able to reactivate. This week they received callings. They actually have been going to church since the beginning of the new year and recently they asked for callings so that they can be more involved in the branch. It was really great to see. They show more attention during the classes and sacrament meeting than anyone else there.  They really are paying attention and are renewing their testimonies and being members active and involved.

This week Maria got sick with Dengue. It's kind of crazy but she should be getting better right now. So she and her family weren't at church this week. Also Celia has been working on getting married to Jose.  They are going through the papers and gathering the documents that they need which is great. sometimes me and Rui call her Celestial when we are planning in the night or preparing in the morning.

My accent is getting a lot better. I've been speaking more and more like a native every week. I'm very determined to speak really how a Brazilheiro speaks. But at the same time I've been pretty lazy for a while with studying language. I haven't been memorizing words or expanding my vocabulary. So I'm trying to be better with that.

I hope everything is going well. I love and miss you.
Elder Batten