Week Seven - Counting Down to Belem!

Tom says he's already been out for 49 days and I immediately thought "Is that all?!"  This is a great, long e-mail and it sounds like they are really getting anxious to get out in the mission field.  Very exciting for all of them!

Ola! Minha Familia e Amigos!

    I hope eveyone is doing good, and not worrying about me or missing me too much! Things are starting to get a little exciting here. Everyone in my district is anxious to leave the MTC and head to the field. They all say they are ready, but I still don't think I am. Some say they feel like they have been in the MTC for half their mission already and are just dying to get out.

    We have about two weeks left until we leave and next week we are actually going to go proselyting, which makes me nervous but a little excited. One of the counselors to the branch president tolds about a fear he had when he was on his mission, being rejected when asking the golden question `Will you read the Book of Mormon?` or something like that. He told the mission president about this and he asked him `who was the greatest missionary of all time?` and he told him Jesus Christ. He then asked `was he rejected?` and he answered back, yes. Then the mission president told him `now go get rejected.` A few of the other districts that have been here a little longer than we have went out proselyting the other day and said that they were rejected a lot and it was kind of like a wake up call. They also said they were very nervous about speaking to people in busy areas where people are constantly moving, heading off to work, until one of the instructors of the MTC that went with them showed them how to do it by just stepping right in front of someone and asking to talk for a minute. I think after hearing these I am a little less nervous about it, but I am probably going to have to experience it for myself to gain some confidence.

     Last week two apostles came to speak to us, Elder Anderson and Elder Ballard, which was really cool, and I also got to shake their hands, which was also really cool. They both gave really good talks and it was definitely a priviledge to be able to listen to them.

     Also, after having rain everyday for almost two weeks straight, we got a pretty big leak in our ceiling. We came up to our room after gym and noticed a big puddle in the middle of our room. So we were moved to the opposite side of the building with a new and much better view. It is not a good view of Sao Paulo, but I think it is more of what I pictured Brazil, in general, to look like.

     A bunch of missionaries left for the field today and the MTC seems a lot emptier, now. Some of them had flights out at 3 or 4 in the morning. Ugh! that sounds rough, and I thought waking up at 5.30 in the morning to go to the temple was bad. Hopefully the flight to Belem isnt that early. Anyways, there were a lot of missionaries that were complete characters that really made the MTC feel... more alive and a little bit more fun, that left this morning. One of them, Elder Goodrich, always had something to say or a story to tell, and they always got us laughing, but he has done so much before leaving for his mission, it kind of made me feel a little under-accomplished, so I decided to get some ideas down of what I want to do when I return. I won't tell you now, but maybe a little bit before my mission ends so you can start preparing for it. There was another one, Elder Ganoe, who would always act like a grandfather, with really bad memory and knees shaking all the time. Some people called him Grandpa Ganoe, but the stories he made up, on the spot, were always so funny! He had me crackin' up every time.

   My companion got an instructor to put a bunch of music on his ipod, and she put some Pirates of the Caribbean music on it, and we have been listening to it a ton. Im going to miss music so much out in the field, it might be the hardest thing I have to give up.

    Questions to answer! yes they celebrate valentines day. Yes I think I need more vitamins, I haven't looked for them very hard, I might check today though. I did receive letters from Joan and the young woman, thank you very much for those, I appreciate it a lot. They didnt give me a reason as to why I cant take pictures in front of the temple but I still have some so dont worry, youll get some eventually. Keep up the hard work Em and David! yucandoeee! Toby! youre such a naughty dog! I do have soap and shampoo, dont have to worry about that. I havent tried using american money but I really doubt you can. I think you can exchange money at the front desk though so its okay. I am writing in my journal everyday. I think this is day 49 of the MTC. they dont take a whole page
anymore but I still write. I did get a hair cut here, yessiree, and it looked okay. I think he cut me up a little with the straight razor but Im okay. I think I should go back before I leave the MTC but I dont want to!

    Thats all I have to say for today. Tell Gary Hatch that I will have a scripture picked out next week. Im out of time now so I have to go. I love you and miss you all muito muito! and cant wait to email home again! TchauTchau!

Love Elder Williams