Week 51 Letter

Monday, May 19, 2014

Famlee!

Well, I don't have too much time, but I figured that maybe I should send you all a letter ;P

This week was a good week. As far as weather went it was awesome, high eighties all week. They say it gets super-hot here, and I am looking forward to it. If I get transferred this next week I would like to get shipped down south to the Algarve for the summer. There it gets super-hot too.

This week we have been trying to work with some investigators to get them progressing. We taught an awesome first lesson to a couple named Maria do Carmo (not the same as last time) and Fransisco. If you haven't noticed, the Portuguese are very conservative with their names... there are only about 20 names, and the rest are combinations and variations. Anyways, the lesson went well, but they didn't come to church. This week we will see if we can get them committed to baptism.

Thursday I hit my year mark on the mission. It has been an incredible year. I really look forward to this year. I am going to really push it, and really dedicate myself. I am going for 100% consecration. I want to be like Alma and the sons of Mosiah. I hope to have an experience similar to Amon, but we'll see... hahaha...

Wow, I need to think of something else, or this is going to be a really lame letter.

This week there was a half marathon here in Régua. At least, they finished it in Régua... The village isn't even half a marathon in circumference, so they had to start 13 miles out of Régua and then finish here. The race was called ''The most beautiful race in the world''. I don't know if it really is, but I wouldn't doubt it too much. The roads here curve in and out of beautiful mountainsides covered in green layered vineyards. I wish I could have run in it. 

Well, I realize this wasn't my best letter yet, but I am going to wrap up. I need to catch a train to Porto. Tomorrow we will have a special conference with Elder Kearon, a counselor in the European presidency. I am excited!

Love you all a ton!

Elder Lee

Hey mom!

I am doing well. Don't complain too much about the hard time running because I know you are still a much better runner than I am...

I wish you would have told me about the package earlier... I could have helped you put it together. The candy didn't do too well in the trip because of the humidity and heat, and I still haven't eaten all of it. I don't really have too much of a taste for candy. However, there are some things I could use. Teeth whitening strips would be great; you can buy them with my card. They have them here but they are of course ridiculously expensive. You still haven't sent it, have you? Transfers are next week, and I don't know if I will stay or not. Maybe it would just be better to wait until next week to send it and then send it to my actual address.

Anyways, things are alright. I am a little buried right now with things I have to do, a lot of them not so fun. On top of that Maria do Carmo and her husband dropped us =/ Also only 2 of our 10+ committed investigators made it to church. Also, Eufragio won't accept a baptismal date. Blah. Also, Eder and Ze are offended and said they weren't sure they were going to come back to church because they are being criticized by members so I have to have a not so fun meeting with Zé and the family to help them understand that they need to change some things, and I still don't know how I am going to do it without offending anyone. Sometimes it is hard carrying a branch on your shoulders. But it is still worth it.

The weather has been amazing.  As for the package, I just thought of floss; the real stuff would be great. Here you can buy floss that is like running a piece of barbwire trough your mouth for kind of expensive, or the real stuff for up around 7 euros a small container. No wonder no one here has teeth...

Also, as a treat, maybe chicken in a biscuit crackers! It must have been the spirit that told me that, because I had forgotten they existed...

What should we do about glasses? I set up an eye exam in a different shop which was free, and I will see how much they will sell glasses to me for. But that's not until Wednesday.

Elder Alves is good. We have a conference tomorrow with guess who... Elder Kearon! I don't think he will remember me, but I sure remember him. After the conference in Porto we will go to the hospital, hopefully for the last time. I will buy glasses here. Make sure I have plenty of money in the account, because it is going to be quite a hit... I will be rich when I get home though. I mean, one paycheck back home will cover the glasses twice over at least, so I shouldn't complain too much.

Well, I love you and I hope you have a great week.

Elder Lee