Trio Time Again

Well, first of all, I should let you know that this email will probly be ridiculously short, not because I haven't got much to tell, I do, but the lanhouse was basically completely full, and only had 3 computers, and I ended up with the one with an absolutely horrible keyboard, the space button needs to be slammed, and it takes forever to write something. However, I will do my best to tell you the most I can with the time I have left.

 
First of all, I am in yet ANOTHER TRIO. In case you don't remember, I was in a trio with Santos and Candido in Itaporanga, then with Rios and Denna here in Jatiúca, and now I am here with Elder De Lima and Nocko in Jatiúca.  Elder Lima went home early on Wednesday.

I'm not sure if I've written about Lucas yet. He is a 14-yr old kid with a huge desire to follow Jesus Christ.  We found his family about 2 months ago, actually Elder Rios and Willis found them, and then taught them just about everything, then found out they weren't married. Again.  So, they are working on that right now, and it'll be about another 30 or 40 days for that to happen, and I will most likely be transferred in 2 weeks, so unfortunately, I won't see them baptized.  However, Lucas, their son, doesn't have that problem, so these past 2weeks we've been trying to get a hold of him, which is near impossible, they're never home and never answer their phone, so yeah its difficult.  However, we called them on Saturday night, thinking he wouldn't pick up, and we'd go a week without a baptism, but, he picked up, said Lucas wanted to be baptized the next day, so they came to church on Sunday, and Lucas was baptized last night. 

The Lord truly is blessing us here in Jatiúca.  Since the last week of the last transfer, we have baptized weekly except for one week.  Izabel, Lavinia, Daniella, and Lucas, all of whom I truly believe will stay firm in the church since they all have a testimony, friends in the church, and all have expressed true DESIRE, rather than just being baptized because someone wants them to.

As for Leo Petrônimo and Luisa, they still have to get their marriage papers, and they're just waiting on that to get baptized.  Unfortunately, it may be another baptism I don't get to see, since it may take too long to get the papers.  They are super smart, too. This past week when we visited with them, they expressed more desire to know even more about the Plan of Salvation. So, we spent about 2 or 2 1/2 hrs explaining to them in such detail about God's plan.  It really is a flawless plan, wow there's just about nothing cooler. 

Also, here in Brazil it's CARNAVAL.  Starting this past Saturday, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, everybody here is super drunk and goes nuts on the street, and tons of loud music.  That said, these past few days have been a little bit difficult to visit people, knock doors, and such, since just about everybody is either traveling, or drunk. Yesterday at church, we had about only 30 or so people, when we usually have about 110, since everyone was traveling and at the Carnaval acampamento (they have all the young men and young women get out of the city for carnaval to avoid the satanic influence.)

Solitude on the beach...wonderful creations of God are all around.  What do you see?

The wheelchair picture is at a service project where we helped donate over 100 wheelchairs.  It was a great experience.

Well, unfortunately thats just about all the time I have to share my past week with you guys because of this horrible keyboard... But thank you all so much for your diligent writing, especially Mom, Dad, and Gigi and Papa, it really means a lot.  Thank you!

Abrações,

Elder Coon