Week Eighty - Festa Junina and A Good Week!

First lunch in Perola - looks good!

First baptism in Perola!

Elder Robertson as The Book of Morman and Festa Junina!

Kids dancing at Festa Junina!

Hello, one more time, to my family and yalls lá.

     I want to start off saying that my week went very well and I´m a happy camper right now. We found a lot of peeps  to teach, some are cool some not so much. We´re talking to lots of peeps on the streets, some accept, some reject. I´m liking the members a lot here. It seems like this next month, the ward might divide and it will probably be difficult for many of the members and the missionaries (that´s me!) working there, but we´ll see how it goes. On Friday, we had the Festa Junina which is like a party that has something to do with June, but I´m not sure what it is exactly, but it was very cool. I lot of the youth dressed up and danced for like 30 minutes straight, it seems like. Nossa! I think they were all dying of exhaustion after that one. But I got a little of it on video, and a few pictures, just that I got it on my companion´s camera and I´m trying to open his camera on the computer but I´m not getting it to open.... Opa it´s working now, one minute please..... I will continue on while it´s downloading. The festa was bacana demais! The broadcast thingy yesterday was cool. I thought I was David there. I saw someone with similar hair but it descended a little more and I saw that he had glasses, so I don´t think it was him, and seeing the photo, I know it wasn´t but whatev. It seems like there is a greater preocupation(?) for the missionary work. Nossa! The second coming must be just around the corner! David´s gonna work hard with the member in Texas. We had a few people go to church. A family went that has been investigating the church for a while, já. They don´t have a testimony yet but like church a lot. They´re going to marry soon and we´ll be working hard for their baptism after. Another girl/woman ( Carla, she´s 23 years old but seems like a girl to me) went, she said she liked the church, and that it was very different (just about every single church here has one room, a bunch of benches, and generally one person talks for a few hours, sometimes he talks with music in the background, sometimes he screams, sometimes everyone bate palmas (claps their hands) and it´s pretty much like that in every church here, so the church of Jesus Christ must be very different. We taught her after church and she accepted being baptized 2 weeks from now, if she gains a testimony, but we arrived there and before saying anything about church in the next week she had already said that she´d go and will take her sisters (or at least one) with her. GOSTOU! (SHE LIKED!) But yeah that´s my week.

Pics!

1. My first lunch in Pérola 2

2. My first baptism in Pérola 2 (Marcos)

3.Elder Robertson as the Book of Mormon at the Festa Junina

4. The costumes of the youth for their dance!

Q&A

Did you get to see the missionary broadcast?yes

If you did, what did you think of it?it was cool but as usual I have difficulty paying attentin when it´s just in portuguese, but it was cool, like I said

Do you still eat at member's houses, everyday? only on p-day we don´t eat at a members.

How are your hands...any warts? I still have some warts, very small, not even worrying about it right now.

Are your shirts and pants holding up OK?  Need anything new? Nope I´m good

Did you get my last package with the beef jerky, yet? nope, the LZ still need to go to Belém and they only go in the beginning of the month.

Any packages or letters from anyone - if so, who? nope, read above.

But that´s all, I´m out of time. I love you all have a great week!

Elder R. williams

Call From David on June 24, 2013!

David is on his way to Dallas!

Well, we talked to David on the phone for the last time until Christmas.  It was so good to hear his voice! He sounded very happy and very excited to get to Dallas, finally!  He had Cafe Rio for breakfast at the airport, which he said tasted amazing after all of those meals in the MTC.  He also told us a David story (he always has crazy things happen to him, so this was very typical!)  They were supposed to be in bed with the lights out by 10:30pm.  They had an additional missionary in their room for the last night because his roommate wasn't leaving for another day.  They stayed up talking until after midnight, but one of them set their alarm for like 3:15am so they would be sure to have time to get ready and finish packing.  David said he woke up and it was already 4:50am - twenty minutes past the time they were supposed to be at the travel desk!  He said someone went next door and the other missionaries were still asleep, too.  Out of four alarms being set for 3:15am, none of them went off! So, they got ready and finished packing in about fifteen minutes and the bus had to wait for them - what a nightmare!  He said he thinks they were being punished for not being obedient and going to bed when they were supposed to - too funny!  But, they made it to the airport, had time to eat and call home, so it all turned out OK.  David is really excited about his mission president, Devin Durrant, who played basketball for BYU and even played in the NBA for a couple of years.  Everyone says he is awesome and I am so excited for David to get to meet him and to have him as his president.  He said the devotional was amazing to have eleven of the twelve Apostles right there on the stage in front of them, talking and interacting with each other and with the missionaries.  David and Spencer were on the front row, right behind the podium! Some of them even turned around, making eye contact with them and giving them the thumbs up sign!   What an experience for a new missionary - David is so lucky to be in the MTC at this time.  Well, he is on the plane and probably taxiing down the runway, right now.  I can't wait to get to hear from him next and to hear of the adventures, trials, tribulations and crazy stories that he'll send home each week.  It's going to be a wild ride, I have a feeling!

Week Five - Last Week in the MTC - Anxious to Get to Texas!!

David at the big devotional, in the choir, the night before he leaves the MTC!

David and Spencer front row at the devotional!

Historic devotional for missionaries at the MTC!

Hola hola hola!

Sounds like everything is good at home!  After I finished emailing last week, I realized that I never really acknowledge anything you say.  Haha sorry about that!  I just panic about having time to tell you everything I want to tell you!  But I love hearing about everything that is going on at home, especially Toby!  It brings a smile to my face when I imagine you opening the basement door and seeing him jump around with excitement with his tail going crazy!  I miss my baby!  Also, that's funny about the missionaries coming over.  Only a great mom like you could think so quick on your feet like that!  I'm happy to hear that you are going to farewells and homecomings!  I know all is well at home, the Lord is looking out for all of us!  Also, grandma I got your cookies!  No one makes a snickerdoodle like you!  My fellow missionaries and I very much enjoyed all those treats!

I got a short email from Elder Baker today.  It was really neat to hear from him and know that he has been thinking about me.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY PADRE!!!!!!!  I'm glad you got my letter, and I hope you had a muy grande y emocionado dia!!!!!  Love ya!

Yesterday morning we moved to YView. Packing was indeed a hassle, but I guess it was good to have a practice pack for the real deal on Monday.  There are parts about the west campus I really like, and there are parts that I am not to happy about.  But overall I'm pretty happy about it.  Elder Powell have a room to ourselves, and the other room in the apartment is Elder Clingo and Mickle.  They are the zone leaders, so Elder Powell and I can't get away with any funny business!  Hehe but they are cool!  We have a kitchen and a COUCH!  When we first got there I just laid on the couch for like an hour!  It's funny how many things I already miss.  And I am working on a funny picture, but I'm having a hard time with it!  But I'll get it to you next week!  So the residence is awesome, at Y View.  Across the street is RainTree, and that is where the cafeteria and classes are.  The classes are small and dark and ghetto, probably my least favorite part about the move.  But it's okay, I only spend 10 hours a day in there.  The temporary cafeteria is in the pool house.  Really small, and hardly no variety here.  Pero lo es todo bien!  I don't even care!  The room across the hall from us has 6 elders, 3 from our district and 3 others in our zone.  There ac doesn't work and it is literally 90 degrees in there.  So they slept in our apartment on the floor last night haha.

We got our travel plans on Friday!!!!!!!!!!  We meet at the travel desk at 4:30 Monday morning, and our flight leaves at 8:50, according to Elder Powell.  Our travel group consists of 24 missionaries, so I'm worried it is going to be difficult to call in the airport, but I honestly have no idea how it works, or what time exactly I will be calling.  But it will be in the morning.  One thing you might want to look into is sending me a go phone.  I heard lots of missionaries do that.  It's just a really cheap cell phone and you pay to have it activated for like 2 days, and then you throw it away.  If it's not too difficult and you could get it to me by Saturday, it might not be a bad way to go.  Elder Adams is doing that.  Then I won't have to wait in line and I would have mucho mas tiempo to talk to you!  But if not, I'm sure I could squeeze in a phone call to you with the pay phone.  It' up to you!  Also, I found out that we can have two suitcases, a backpack, and a carry on.  After packing up yesterday, I think another bag might be nice.  I was thinking a small, simple, black duffle bag or shoulder bag or sompin like that would work well.  I hate to be a burden, and I'm sure I could make it work with what I have, but if you need something to do this weekend, you could get me a carry on.  Whatever you think! 

I feel like I have been spending lots of money.  Not sure how much exactly, but it seems like a lot!  and I apologize!  most of what I spend money on is books, bc I need everything in English and Spanish!  but i have also had to get my suits and a couple ties dry cleaned this week.  Sorry, let me know if i need to cut back, I try to spend as little as possible!  I keep getting these emails every week saying that my card is a DEBIT not a CREDIT card, or something like that.  Makes me feel like I am doing something wrong!? : /

This Sunday I was chosen to give a talk in sacrament meeting.... in Spanish.  I was already prepared with a talk, so I pretty much just read it, pero yo estaba muy nervioso!  But I did it and it went well. 

Elder Watkins and Elder Olsen got here last Wednesday.  I got pics with both of them!  I'll send home if I have time! 

I said goodbye to my bff Elder Lambert on Monday.  He gone!  I am proud and excited for him. 

This week we had two breakdowns in our district.  First tears I've seen since being here!  Elder Powell got frustrated bc he wants there to be a set way to teach, and it's not that way.  You do what the spirit tells you to do, and it's difficult.  But we are both learning and getting better at it.  Last night Elder Leavitt brokedown and was having a really hard time.  He doens't think too highly of himself and was just beating himself up about a lot of things.  But he slept in our room last night with Elder Powell and I and I had a good long talk with him and I think I was able to help.  This whole mission thing ain't easy!!

The last couple of days I have not had the best attitude.  First two days that I could honestly say I did not want to be hear.  I couldn't pin point the cause of my attitude.  Whether it was the fact that I'm still sick and constantly have a sore throat or congestion and a cough(it hasn't gotten any worse, don't worry, but it definitely hasn't gone away) or if it's just that I'm sick of the mtc, or I'm just not converted enough to my mission yet.  I lost the fire and desire for the last couple days, but today has been really good and I am determined to make my last days in the mtc my best days in the mtc! 

Si, I received your package, thanks!  but no more food please, anything you send now I'll just have to pack up! 

I didn't get to host any new missionaries, unfortunately. But our teaching experience with the new missionaries last week went well!  It was not easy, those investigators are determined to embarrass us and make it difficult for us, like in the real world.  But it was funny, fun, and a good experience for the both of us! 

I'm going to need some new shoes, but no rush.  I have heard ecco's are really good, but I think I want some classy brown ones.  Just something that would go good with navy and dark grey!   11.5 shoe size, just to be safe.  No rush! 

Thanks for the update on the playoffs!  I'm sure I'll hear the final outcome sometime this week. 

My last pday in the mtc!  The next time you hear from me, I'll be in Texas!!! I'm so anxious to get out of here!

I love hearing from you, and I love and miss you all! 

Elder Williams

p.s...

I'm emailing from a different computer this week, and I can't find the camera card slot.  So sorry, no pictures this week!  I'll trry to send a bunch next week!

Also, we got to eat outside the mtc today for lunch!   The west campus has access to Brigham's Landing, a little strip mall down the street.  We ate at Burger's Supreme and it was maravillosa!  It is pretty much exactly like Apollo and Crown.  Most exciting thng about my day! 

Adios!

  

Week Seventy Nine - Paulistas Will Rule the Mission!

Nossa! Mom, you forgot the missionaries dinner!....eh... it happens. Well, my week was good. I arrived in my new area Tuesday morning. I thought I would only arrive there on Wednesday  because I was told that everyone's new companion would be arriving on Wednesday  but a missionary took his companion to the airport with a member and when they arrived there, they found the new missionaries of the area had already arrived. Nossa! the communication in the mission is very bad right now... but anyways, I arrived in my new area, my new companion is cool. He teaches well for having so little time in the mission. This week we had a baptism. Marcos decided to be baptized, my companion baptized him. I would send pics but my camera isn´t showing up on the computer. We pretty much just tried to find new people to teach. As the district leader of the missionaries here, I knew that they had some trouble with that. (I think the missionary before me is meio-fubeca) But anyways, we found some people with not so much interest, some people with a little more interest, and still a lot of people who have difficulty keeping commitments, because no one went to church, but... that´s not news... But I´m happy in my new area, and I´m hoping and praying that it´s my last (and you can pray for that too, all you at home......) I don´t really know anyone all that well yet. Memorizing the names of everyone is the worst part about transfers. So many names that almost have no difference.... it´s difficult. I live in a house with 3 other missionaries again: my companion, Elder L. Oliveira, and the zone leaders: Elder Robertson, from Stockton California, and Elder Gondim, from São Paulo, São Paulo. I think almost every Brazilian of the zone right now is from São Paulo. Paulistas will rule the mission if something doesn´t happen fast. One unfortunate thing that happened this week, an investigator that I was teaching in my last area, the father of 2 girls we baptized, passed away. He was almost always sick and we were never able to get him to go to church. He was saying the whole time that he wanted to go to know the church but never was able to, so that´s kind of sad. Include Brenda and Evalyn and their family in your prayers, por favor.

       But that´s about it for my week.

Q&A

Dad wants to know if you got your issues straightened out that you mentioned in your last e-mail?.... more or less, I still need to work on it.

Any packages or letters this past week, if so, who from?nope, only in the beginning of every month, or when someone comes from Belém, which is rare.

Did your missionaries get the books I sent, yet?not yet

Do you remember an Elder Hoch from the MTC from Idaho?  I have been talking to his mom on facebook about coming to Belem to pick you up.  They are going to come, too and are working on arrangements so we are going to try to help each other! yes I remember Elder Hoch. Mais uma pergunta?

Did you ever get some birthday stuff bought?  If you did, have you mailed it home, yet?I am going to the centro today to do some stuff and while there I´ll buy some other stuff. So nothing has been mailed home yet, sorry.

Since you got transferred, are you still a district leader? No, I´m not, but that doesn´t bother me. I´m grateful for the time I had as a district leader. I learned bastante, especially that I am able to do more than I have been doing in my mission

mission e-mail: 2010356@ldschurch.org

Okay, gotta go now! I love you all have a great week. Which me luck! Hope for baptism. Pray for love.... desire the best.... run to the finish line.... sleep all day.... no no don´t do that. Tchau!

Love Elder R. Williams

Brothers....

One of my favorite pictures of my boys.  In the airport coming home from our Alaska cruise. 

This past week, I heard an interview with a guy from a band called The National.  In the interview, he talked about his relationship with his brother.  They were nine years apart, in age and totally different personalities.  He left for college just when his younger brother was entering adolescence and those teenage years.  He was lamenting that his brother probably could have used having him around during those years.  But, since then, his brother had joined his band as a "roadie" and they were finally getting to know each other.  Something he said really struck a chord with me.  He said they were getting to know each other as people and not just as siblings.   He was loving having his brother around and to turn to and had written a song about his regrets of not being there for him.  Haven't we all been through that at some point - the point where you actually like your siblings as people and realize they are more than just your brother or your sister? It made me realize that I don't think my boys have had that chance, quite yet, to get to know each other as people.  They have been conversing through e-mails, Tom from Brazil and David from the MTC in Provo.  They are encouraging each other and giving each other advice, which is incredibly heartwarming for me to see.  Dave told me I should print off their e-mails to each other and save them for them.  I thought I would put a page in my blog and add it to their missionary books. I absolutely can't wait to see the relationships my children develop with each other as adults.  Will they turn to each other for advice, will they enjoy each other's company, will they stay involved in each other's lives?  I can only hope so.  The bond you have with your siblings is unique and comforting, at least it is for me.  You have been through the same childhood and you have the same values and priorities from your parents. So here's to siblings and brothers....that special bond that will get better with time!  




HI DAVID! or... no.... ELDER WILLIAMS! How´s it going! Are you liking the MTC. It must be great that you have friends with you at the same time in the MTC, but don´t forget about your companion. He needs to be your best friend right now because you´re stuck with him for the next... how many weeks? anyways you´re stuck with him 24/7 so love him and serve him. And also your district, love and serve them too. Many of the Elders from my district in the MTC became very good friends of mine and it´s going to be awesome to see where they all ended up in their mission at the end. Enjoy every moment of your mission, especially the MTC because it will pass fast. I want to e-mail you a story but copying it isn´t going right, right now, so next week I´ll send it to you and you read it. I think it will help you out a bit.
I love you David, have a great week, and.... enjoy every minute!

Love Elder R. Williams



Elder Williams! It's Elder Williams! I just got the first week in the mtc under my belt and it has been crazy!!! So much to do, so little time! thanks for the advice Brotha, I miss and love you. Please send that story when you can, I would appreciate any advice or expectations you can give me! So far I've only gotten advice from newbies, i wanna hear from a veteran like yourself!

Spanish is killing me Tom! I'm the worst in my district and it makes me so frustrated when i cant understand or say what i want to say, i just wanna brake something sometimes! But the tough spanish sessions pass, and the rest of my day is very enjoyable. My companion is Elder Powell, from Las Vegas, and he is a great help when it comes to the language, we get along really well and it isn't hard to love him. My district is small with only five, all Elders. so we have grown close already and we have a good time!

Boy this is stressful emailing when i have an hour time lijmit! I have too many emails to respond to, i'm sure you know the feeling. I wish i could tell l you more, but hopefully you understand. have mom forward my family email to you! let's write every week! I can't believe i'm doing this!! thanks for your example, love you!



HEY ELDER WILLIAMS! I´m happy that you are liking the MTC. It´s a great place to learn, and don´t even worry about the language (don´t get frustrated, I`m saying, yes worry about the language, study hard and memorize and practice practice practice), it´ll be a million times easier when everyone around you speaks the language. How many more weeks to go? Enjoy it, it passes sooo fast, and don´t waste a minute. It will probably never be easy, but it was also never easy for our savior so why would it be for us. Give it your all David and good luck this week!

Love Elder R. Williams


Elder Williams, hehe

You are awesome. I can see how much you have grown just through your emails. You are a spiritual giant and I'm sure you are doing some serious spiritual damage where you are at. You show me that I have got a long way to go. I think if we can send short emails to each other every week you can help me out a lot. I have never been more frustrated than I get in my classes when my teachers aren't talking to me in strait spanish at 100 mph's. It doesn't seem like i have learned a lot, it definitely isn't coming as fast as i wish it would, but when i really look back to where i was when i got here, i have come a long way. I can pray in Spanish, and teach a little bit to my investigators in spanish. it's broken spanish, it isn't pretty, but it is usually enough to get across what i want to say, and i just pray that the spirit will tell them things that i can't.
I am having a lot of fun. I never get bored, my district is a lot of fun and quite often it keeps us from doing what we are supposed to do. But i look forward to everyday and i am muy muy feliz!
I want to hear about your first weeks in brazil and in trying to learn the language! I'm sure it was a lot different for you, but i am curious to know and would love some more advice!
I know you are loving your time in brazil. i am happy for you and i really do look up to you like as an older brother. I love and miss you!

Elder Williams. hehe


OPA! Tudo bem Elder Williams? Hey I read your e-mail that you sent to everyone at home It sounds like you are having all the problems that I had when I was there, which is normal and it appears that you have already recognized that. But, you´re happy, so I`m happy, and you´re enjoying it, which is good. The advice I want to share with you is: talk with your companion. Think of stories to share with him and past experiences. Doing this you will have a lot more in common and will be a lot closer. This is something that I had a lot of difficulty with, and still do. I´m usually just not thinking of things to say, but communication is important between companions. If you can´t think of a story, think of a question to ask your companion, it can be about anything, just try to get yourselves talking a little more (I doubt that this is really a problem for you). The other thing is that when you are teaching investigators, don´t be afraid to take the lead and don´t be afraid of making mistakes. You will make them, that is a fact, but your teacher understands and he is there to help you. Don´t always rely on your companion because he´s in the same situation that you are. Take action and do before being asked to do. Okay? Study hard David and never stop. Good luck this week. I love you!

Elder R. Williams


Tommy Boy!

Gracias par la advice! haha spanglish is sometimes the best i can do. but I will remember that. We talk quite a bit, but we also have quite a bit of silence, so I'll try to do that cuz that really will probably strengthen our relationship and make us more effective teachers. The weeks are flying by already, 3 down, 3 more in the mtc to go! but nothing too exciting happened this week, everything is starting to seem the same and blend together! but i love being a missionary! it's crazy!
I'm starting to talk more during our lecciones. I'd still say my companion leads most of the time, but there are some lessons where i talk just as much as him. My teacher makes fun of me cuz i make up words in nearly every one of our lessons! Hope all is well. I'm sure it is. finish strong Tom, the end is in sight for you eh??!!

Tommy Boy! 

 

 Everything okay?  I miss hearing from ya.  Hope all is well and you're finishing strong!

 

Love, Elder D.C. Williams

Hi Elder D.C. Williams!

      Congratulations! It seems that as I am writing this you are leaving the mtc right now, so you probably won´t read this until next monday... BUT! CONGRATULATIONS for passing through the MTC! Nossa! It seems like yesterday you entered and today you´re already leaving. I hope you loved it but I understand if your anxious to get into the field. I read your e-mail from last week. NOSSA! what more can I say? (lots more) Nows the moment to take everything you´ve learned and apply it. Surely you will have moments of frustration, anxiety, and dissapointment. But! If you want to be happy, open your mouth! I think I´m learning this now, unfortunately, but talk to everyone and anyone. Talk to the members of your ward, get to know them, try to serve them, and help them to serve you and your investigators because they´re all missionaries too and need to help in this cause. Talk to people on the street, say hello to everyone and make some contacts. Don´t be afraid if you annoy someone or if they don´t accept (but be careful with the gangs down there!). Our savior annoyed many people too and he was rejected by almost everyone, but he spoke the truth and gave the example. Be like him. These people need what we have, whether they know it or not. Just open your mouth David and everything will go well, you will know that you are doing your part and have faith that the Lord will do the rest. Missionary work does not mean walk all day under the hot son, it means to call everyone to repentence, to follow christ, and to change their lives, and that is why you are doing this. So OPEN YOUR MOUTH and don´t you shut it! Bacana?! I´m learning a lot of important things very late in my mission and I regret it 100%, and I don´t want you to do the same thing. I love you David and I miss you. Have a nice trip!

Love Elder R. Williams

Week Four - What a Week and Singing in Choirs!

Baseball buddies! David and Elder McCardle!

Epic missionary march to the devotional at The Marriott Center!

Elder Williams and Elder Powell - companions!

Elder Sorensen, Elder Adams and Elder Williams!

Elder Williams on the walk!

The twins!  Elder Lambert and Elder Williams.

Good friends!  Elder Lambert, Elder Williams and Elder Pinegar.

Texas or bust!  

Holy smokes!  What a week!!!

   I'm not positive, but i would imagine that before I left you had a favorite day of the week:  monday.  Now, you have two!  I have lots to tell you, so ima just type as rapido as i can.  Brace yourself. 

     I got your package yesterday.  Thanks for the mints, and those cookie bars are amazing!  Everyone else that has had one agrees. Thank you, it sure beats anything they serve for dessert here! 

  Elder Leavitt, the big guy, is going to Phili, sorry i thought i told you that already.   He got a way bad case of strep throat last week, and all three of them were quarantined to there room for two days!  So it was a little lonely in class for a bit.  But our district gave him a blessing.  I didn't say anything, but I got to participate and it was really neat!   So Monday, I started feeling a little something in the back of my throat at dinner.  I prayed i wasn't getting sick, but it got a lot worse, kept me up a lot with some weird half awake/half asleep dreams where i was worried about getting other people sick!  When I woke up, on a scale of 1-10 it was probably a 6.  So I went to the health clinic to get it checked out yesterday afternoon, more as a precautionary measure than anything.  They did a strep test on me, and it turns out.......no strep!  But i do have a mild infection that causes a soar throat and congestion.  It's more annoying than anything, and he told me there is nothing i can do for it other than baby it.  He gave me permission to sleep in and skip a class to take a nap if need be.  Haha!  but i haven't done either of those things.  That would be selfish of me.  Allergies have been acting up a wee bit as well. 

     Last night i got to participate in an MTC first:  we had a devotional at the Marriot Center, the byu basketball stadium.  We have it there now cuz there are too many missionaries to fit in the gym here at the MTC.  We walked there, and it was quite the sight to see 3-4000 missionaries walking the streets of Provo.  Actually, it was more like across one street and two parking lots, but it was loco!  I took some pics, I'll send if i have time.   Tuesday night devotiionals usually start with an MTC choir number, about 600 missionaires strong, first come first serve.  Last night, the choir at the marriot center was 1500 missionaries, and i was one of them!  it was neato, but I couldn't sing with all my heart like i wish i could because of my throat.  The devotional was given by Mervyn B. Arnold, a real sweetheart of the 70.  Gave us tips on how to serve with no regrets.

    The big event on the 23 is the WorlWideMissionBroadcast, or something like that.  It is going to be at the Marriot Center, and it is going to be huge!  Monson and all the rest of them are going to be there and speaking.  They want a choir of 1100 missionaries from the MTC, combined with 1100 members that are serious singers.  I'm going to be in it!  The mtc choir director is the most karismatic man i have ever met, he said any good camera man is going to get EVERYBODYs face on camera, and the video of us is going to be on the church website for eternity.  You should look into it and try to watch it!  it will be EPIC!

      On sunday we watched a video of a devotional given by David A. Bednar called The Character of Christ.  it was pretty much lige changing, but i forgot my notebook so i couldn't take notes.  He talked about how Jesus Christ turns outward, when the natural man would turn inward.  He decscribed the natural man as the Cookie Monster:  "I want cookie NOW!  ME ME ME!"   He does a great cookie monster impression.  But we need to develop the character of Christ to be good missionaries.  We won't find ourselves until we lose ourselves.  I'm going to watch it again this sunday when i have my notebook!

     Last night we got some big news:  we are moving to Y view, the west mtc campus, on tuesday.   At first i was mad, but i think it will be cool.  I will be one of the only missionaries to be able to say I stayed at both the mtc and the west campus mtc!  I look at it is one less week in the mtc, and one week experiencing something new.  We also get perks like access to jamba, great harvest and other food places over there.  It's just not going to be fun to have to pack up, un pack, and pack again sunday!  All is well though. 

     So my best friend, Elder Lambert got here last wednesday.  Before last night, i had only seen him twice, without having the chance to talk to him.  He is the first person i know here that i have such a hard time seeing!  Last night, I found him at the devotional.  Turns out, he has been living directly above me the entire time!   So i went and visited with him for a bit in his room.  He is going to be an awesome missionary if i ever did see one. 

Elder Pinegar didn't get his visa to Australia, and he got reassigned to San Antonio!  He left early early this morning. 

Elder Orgill is fine. He went to Las Vegas for a day to get his visa.  He said it was the worst and longest day of his life!  But he is loving it here probably more than me! 

I got an email from Elder Ostler.  He says he is in the hood, 3 people are killed a week in his mission, and he hasn't seen a white girl since he got there, with the exception of sister missionaries.  Haha!

While Elder Leavitt was sick, Elder Adams slept in our room for a few nights to avoid getting sick, or maybe just to hang out with us, idk.  But that was not a good idea.  We got hardly any sleep cuz we were talking all night!  But it was fun while it lasted and we made some good memories.  The trio(adams biggs leavitt) has been getting slightly discouraged lately.  They get special treatment and personal attention because apparently they aren't unified enough.  I didn't see it, but that's what our teachers think.  Our teachers keep asking us to help them and suggestions on how to help them like we are some great missionaries!?!  But i guess we are doing quite alright haha.  We got selected to teach an acting investigator in a roll play lesson infront of ALL the new missionaries  tonight.  Iyiyi...  I don't know how we got selected, but there are only like 10 companionships out of the whole mtc that got selected.  They do it every week, and choose missionaries that have been her a while.  I'm scared!  but it will be good for us, and weird too.  We aren't used to teaching in English! 

     In this last week I learned a valuable lesson.  When I am a good missionay, work hard, be obedient, and all that, my day goes mucho mejor.  I don't get tired, I am positive and upbeat and happy, and the day flies by.  When I am a bad missionary, it puts me in a blue mood, I'm tired all day long, and my day drags on like no other!  So I am trying to work with urgency and give it all i got.  It really makes a difference. 

I am also starting to see how big the atonement is.  The atonement is nearly everything!  and there is so much to it, i could study it my entire life and still not know it all.   It is more than just repentance, but an enabling power.  Through the atonement and Jesus Christ, we can do sooo much more.  My goal this week is to come to know the atonement and Jesuc Christ better, and gain a stronger testimony of it.  Feel free to look into it as well. 

well i thought my shoes just needed to be broken in, but there are just too small, the right one in particular.  I can't wear them anymore, so i am going to send them home soon.  Sorry!  Idk if i want new ones yet, I'll let you know next week.  Also, I could really use a bar of cetaphil soap, like tomorrow! 

Fill me in on the nba finals!  who is winning?  who are the game changers?  who is a bust?  I wanna know!

eso es todo.  love and miss you!  chow!

Elder D.C. Williams

Week Seventy Eight - Transferred!

I'm so glad that Tom is feeling better.  Got transferred, again, which I am not sure he sounds thrilled about.  He seems a little pre-occupied with problems.... hope it's nothing serious and that he has a good week coming up.  I sure miss this kid and can't wait to get him home!!

Zona Santerem!  Zone conference.....I think!

Where the two rivers converge and the water doesn't mix.

Tom and Elder Mendes!  

Hello Family,

      My week was okay. I´m not sick anymore, I just have a small cough but I´m good. We had a baptism. Rosangela decided to get baptized this week. She said she likes the church a lot and is very happy to be baptized. She didn´t understand much of what we said and had to be interviewed by the stake president for personal problems, but she lives really close to the church so I think she´ll stay active. This week we found some really good investigators that are keeping commitments and doing what we ask. Some already have testimonies of the church but getting them to go to church this week didn´t go right, but not much I can do about that now because I´m being transferred. My time in the Santarém Ward has ended. I will now serve in the Pérola ward, which is also within the city of Santarém, so I´m not being transferred very far. My companion is Elder L. Oliveira, another Brazilian. I already know him a little because I was his district leader. I think he´s from São Paulo but I´ll get to know him more this next week. I´m kind of sad to be transferred but it´s the 5th time so I´m kind of use to it. There´s a chance that I die here (as in this will be my last area of the mission), it´s a small chance but it´s there, and I kind of hope it is. My e-mail is short this week because... I need to resolve some problems and don´t feel like talking much more, but know that I´m okay and stop worrying about me.

Q&A

Any packages or e-mails this week?  If so, who from?
Nope
Are you feeling better?
Yup
Are you getting excited to come home or are you starting to dread it - or are you even thinking about it?
I´m..... on the fence
Have you had to speak in church, lately?  If you did, how did it go?

Nope

Pics!

Zona Santarém! Elder Mendes com Elder R. Williams! O encontro das aguas! (the encounter of the waters, where 2 rivers meet but the water doesn´t mix. It´s about the best I could do)

About coming here, I´m 90% sure that the day I leave home is the 26th of November and that the dinner with the president is the Sunday before (24th). Mais alguma informação? But that´s all for this week. Have a great week. I love you and miss you all. Stay safe and I´ll see you 4 transfers from now.

Week Three - I love being a missionary!!!!!!!

Elder Williams, Sister Henshaw & Elder Adams.

Elder Williams and Elder Powell at the Provo Temple.

Good friends!  Brayden and David!

Good friends!  Jake and David!

The Dallas District!

The Dallas District!

David showing us where he is going.....

David striking a pose.....

Good friends!  Cory, Hunter, Brayden David and Jake!

David tries out his new tie from Em!

It's pday it's pday it's pday!  and my favorite time of pday!!!

 I'm happy to hear all is well at home.  Toby is probably just having father-withdrawals.  give him some time to get used to me not being around.  haha!  jk, he is a strange one.  Yes, mother, i got the bike safety thingymajig.  Thanks, exactly what I needed.  I'll hold onto just for you!  Em is cooking!?  that's hilarious, but it's about time you grow up ; )  jk!  but it sounds like your having fun with it, good for you!  I got the talk from tom, thanks!  I got six dearelders one day and i was like holy smokes!  who could they all be from??  i was really excited, but turns out they were all continuations of that story hahaha!  Yes you can send me food.  My companion gets a package a day that is either chips and salsa or brownies or all sorts of stuffs!  but that would be too much for me.  I am well fed here, so the only thing i can think of that i really want is mints.  We aren't allowed to chew gum in public, and we are pretty much always in public, so you can send me some mints if ya want!  pero no necesito(but i don't need).  I'lll let you know if i think of something that sounds tasty!  although homemade cookies would be nice!  i just thought, you don't make homemade cookies too often, but i think i could find some comfort in my mommy's good ol' home-baking! 

Dad, haha I'm fine without my phone!  I've only reached into my pocket for my phone maybe twice, but it is not as big a problem as either you or myself thought.  I usually give it no thought.  but i do know some missionaries are having a hard time with phantom vibrations haha but not me!  my electric razor is nice i guess.  it's quicker and easier, but doesn't get as close.  but that's fine with my scruff.  I only shave once every three days, while my companion could probably use two a day!  I found out a lot about my companion this week.  He was the valedictorian of his class!  I never would have guessed.  He also worked 6 jobs last summer to pay for two semesters at byu and his mission!  very admirable guy.  He also took seminary very seriously, opposite of myself, so he knows tons of scriptures!  which helps us out a lot.  so yeah, he is one of THOSE kids.  haha jk.  but we are still doing great, learning to work as a team better and better all da time.

I love Elder Adams more and more all the time.  we are practically best friends.  He quotes that movie that the kid in HomeAlone watches all the time.  You know, "i'm gonna give you to the count of ten to get your dirty, rotten, yella keester off my property, before i pump your guts full of lead."  he has the whole thing memorized and imitates the voice perfectly.  idk why, but it never gets old hahaha!  he also quotes dumb and dumber a lot.  He is hilarious, and we have already made plans to be good friends when we get back and go to uvu and byu.  Everyone else in my district is good too, can't complain. 

There is a rumor going around that we are getting moved to byu housing next week.  Not looking forward to that, mostly because there is something BIG happening here at the mtc on the 23, the day before we leave.  We think President Monson is coming for the Tuesday devotional, and if we are at raintree we will only get to watch it on tv!  poop.  Oh well though, that is a big assumption.   

Today i have seen Elder Mccardell and Elder Olsen, no Lambert yet.  but Cory said he saw him so i know he is somewhere around here!  Cory is getting reassigned tonight.  he was supposed to be out of here last Sunday, but no visa, so now he is stuck here til the 24th like me!  Ostler and Hanks left yesterday.  I'm jealous.  as much as i love it here in the mtc, i am getting more and more anxious to get to Texas all the time!  I used to see Braden at every meal, but i haven't seen him the last few days.  I'm starting to get worried!  but i am sure he is fine, he seemed happy as clam last time i saw him! 

I have never been tired to the point that i l i t e r a l l y can not keep my eyes open.  until i entered the mtc.  I get so tired at least once a day, usually after lunch.  When Hermano Zuzunaga sees me with my eyes closed, he has me stand under the vent in the classroom, and it is muy muy frio!  (cold)  but it usually wakes me right up!

Hermano Z also acts as our investigator, Alan, who is someone that he met on his mission.  He has been a tough egg to crack!  He speaks muy rapido, shows absolutely no interest in what we have to say, and for the first four lessons we had with him we got no where!  But in our last lesson with him, we finally got through his wall.  We were just talking with him at first, going the same as the last lessons, but then i told elder Powell to share a scripture with him.  D&C 19:18-20.  while he was reading this, he broke down.  he started sobbing.   all along he knew it in his head, he just couldn't feel it in his heart, but we made him feel something!  that lesson i learned how powerful scriptures can be with the a little help from the spirit. 

I love being a missionary!!!!!!!  love and miss you like crazy.  the other day a memory of us going to pizzeria limone for dinner popped into my head out of the blue.  I miss that kind of stuff.  but all is well all is well!  hope i got everything, I've got 10 minutes left, i'm going to try to figure out how to send some pics! 

Elder D.C. Williams

Week Seventy Seven - More Illness

Hello again, one more time, minha família.

         My week was not so good unfortunately.... I got sick again, and I`m finally feeling better today, but I´m not up to 100% yet. My companion also got a little sick this week, so we lost some working time trying to recuperate at home. So the week was meh.... don´t have much to say about it other than that I was sick.... We had interviews with President Scisci on Saturday, which went okay. It seems like Pres. Scisci is a little worried about me. He talked a little about being enthused and having a good attitude while working, doing all things joyfully. He asked me how I´m doing as DL... anyways. The week didn´t go far... 

      But anyways, thanks for sending preach my gospel books in Portuguese to my district. I hope they are preach my gospel mini books and not the normal ones... and I hope you don´t get a surprise... price tag(?) a little later... I think bill is the word I wanted... maybe... I`m forgetting English. I want to say congratulations to Topher for graduation high school! Holy smokes that´s a little weird to me, but holy smokes he´s going on a mission which is even weirder.... and holy smokes he´ll serve in Chile. Good luck learning Spanish! (I don´t think you´ll need it.)

Q&A

Did you get any packages or letters this past week?  If so, from who? no but I heard some letters arrived that I will get tomorrow, I think.

How are your new glasses working out?  Are you getting used to them? yup, they are bacana.
 

Do you or your companion ever cook anything in your apartment?  Do you have a stove/oven? My companion usually cooks something with another Elder here, I usually don´t cook. I have too little time, and only know how to make eggs still.

Do you have a clothes washer where you are now? yes, we have one.

How are your shirts holding up?  Do you think you can make it the last six months with them? They´ll hold up until December, for sure.

The pictures aren´t loading, sorry. I´ll try again to take more pics of stuff this week.... But I love you all. Have a great week.

Love Elder R. Williams