2 Jan 2012 - Palmeiras Area (Mom)

So people are telling me that you went paintballing and others are saying that you went laser tagging, so I'm just going to assume you shot people. That is good that you are enjoying it. I have been working out here, but it not easy and sometimes I just don't feel like it. We went running in the morning the other day so that was cool. I do my usual pushups and pullups. Hopefully when I get back home I can get on a better routine. I too struggle with the task of eating right. It's not my fault all of the good food in this world is greasy and heart attack causing. I'm a southern boy, it's no fair.

I have been working hard, knowing that my time is ending. It's good to train at the end because you work harder and your companion always has that fire. I'm trying to do all that I can and I think I am giving my best effort. I'm happy and we are teaching great people. One thing that I'm trying to work on is prayer because it has never been a strong point and it is sometimes hard for me. I figure it will help me a lot after the mission too :) Just trying to do what I can. I love you!

2 Jan 2012 - Palmeiras Area (Dad)

It is going well. We have found a lot of great people this past week. New Years was a bummer but things should start picking up again. We have awesome people, so we are thinking about them a lot and how we can help them. We are praying and trying to do everything possible to have success with these people. I want it to be their fault if they don't get baptized, not my lack of skills/faith/teaching/etc. So we are trying to be perfect so that the Lord can use us and so that the people can be convinced as it says in the Book of Mormon to believe our words. We all know that the Holy Ghost is the one that 'convinces'. I have some more good news. I can held up again! Yay robbery! They didn't take anything this time but I got a few chuckles because my companion had no idea what was going on. The guy told us to stop or he would shoot. Everyone and their brother has a gun here apparently. Then he just shoved his hands into my companion's pockets. We didn't have anything though, we were coming home from Sunday lunch. Well I did have my camera in my bag but he didn't take my bag luckily :) The only two times I walk around with my camera I get held up....at least he didn't take it this time. Then he apologized and I told him no problem and said thanks and gave him a thumbs up and we walked away. I think I am getting the hang to this whole robbery thing. I'm just going to print off pass along cards saying "I don't have anything, please don't kill me, don't take our bus money. If you need money, my companion is Amercan/Brazilian and he is rich! " It might work. Well things are good here. By some freak of nature I got up and went running the other day. My body didn't like it and punished me with terribly painful knees. Lets see if I do something crazy like that again. I prefer exercising my brain in a chair, it's less painful.