Haha Another Rough Week

Oi Family and Friends!

Like the title says, another rough one in the books haha. I don't know what it was, but this week was just hard. We would set up good days ahead for us, and then most of our plans would fall apart. For 4 straight days we only got 2 lessons a day. I'm just glad that it's over, new week. We had some good lessons though this week. We had Nefi walk with us alot. Nefi also happens to be the Portuguese name for Nephi. He speaks alot of slang English and drives us around in his car so its a lot of fun, and he is really good in lessons. He is Irma Lasselete's son. 

This coming weekend we got District Conference, Saturday and Sunday so that will be fun. I'm excited to see some people from Viana and Benfica. Also Friday is Valentines Day.... so we decided were going to KFC that day haha. I have a lot of cool pics, but this internet place isn't letting me send some, but this morning we played basketball down at the Marginal, it was way sick. 

A contact we made this past Saturday was pretty funny. It's this guy, coming out of his house, and we wait for him and we start talking to him. He was like your the Mormons, and to the effect said he didn't want anything to do with us and that we should look for people who don't know Jesus and he didn't need us, he was a Baptist yada yada yada. Well we asked him if he knew anyone who would like a visit from us, and he said to talk about other things sure but to talk about Mormonism no. Haha he did not like us. And it hit me why so many people who are in the church could easily leave. No one likes being hated, no one likes being persecuted. If you don't have a strong testimony of the work, your going to fall, plain and simple. Alot of people don't like us, but who cares, truth is truth. God gave us this testimoney to share with everyone , and even if people reject us and hate us, the truth is the truth, like Joseph Smith said to the effect, I knew I knew it, and I knew God knew it, and I cannot deny it. 

Also a couple of days ago we were sitting on the Marginal and a kid from the street shined Elder Caffertys shoes for a dollar. His name was Manuel and he was like 13, he just lived with his friends somewhere and he didn't have a Mom or a Dad. That's just how he made his living, shining shoes all day to stay alive. Life is hard. Life stinks sometimes. Brings pain into all of our lives, at one point or another. But the great thing is, is that pain is temporary, it may last for a minute, or an hour, or a day, even a year. But eventually it will subside, and something else with take its place. And that's our growth. All the injustice, all the pain, all the hard times, will end one day. And then we have the rest of eternity to never have those kinds of things again. Eternal Perspective, it's a beautiful thing. 

Yeah this week stunk, but I have a new week to try again. And I only got so much longer to keep doing this. June 3rd (he is released May 28th but will be home on June 3rd). Crazy. I never ever thought that I would be as close as I am right now. And it's going fast. By this weekend Febuary is half over. Im just going to keep going, keep pushing. I have a lot of plans for my life. Alot. And no one is going to stop me from accomplishing them. Well I love you all, I'm so grateful for the gospel, I'm so grateful for the Atonement, I'm so greatful for my mission. It's been super hard, and it's still going to be hard until the very last day. But after that last day, I'm never going to be able to do it again. Well, anyways I love you guys, looks like eveyone is doing good and well. Hope you all have a good week!

Tchau,