Jan. 31, 2011

Hey!
First thing I have to say is....Can you guys please send me pictures?!?! I haven´t gotten any recent pictures from you guys and I want to see you! Just throwing that out there cuz I always forget to ask.
Well, this week was good! And it´s so nice having an american companion. It was good to have brasilian comps, but it´s nice to be able to talk english once in awhile. Our area is way interior. The ground is pretty much all sand which makes it SO nice to walk in, especially when it rains ;) And it´s been raining quite a bit. Aracati is so much different from my last area. Here, EVERYBODY lets you in their house, which makes working so much easier! Um, my apt is good, I don´t have a pic with me now, but I will send one soon. We live above a church. Have an open room where we study, have another room where we keep all our clothes and what not, 2 bathrooms! a bedroom and a kitchen. And we have a washing machine, I think all the mission homes have a washing machine. We teach english and piano lessons and it is SO much fun!!!!!! We teach piano twice a week and english once a week. Church was good, I´m playing in sacrament meeting here as well. We have one ward and one branch that we´re over.
That´s awesome about chad! Conrats chad on the award!!! How´s basketball going?? Is it over yet?
Well, not much to say this week. I´m still getting to know the area and the people here, so next week I´ll be able to tell you a little more about the people and our investigators.
Hope all is well back at home and you all are having a good time. I love you all so much and am so grateful for your examples. Keep doing all that the prophet says and stay strong in the gospel! I wish you could all feel the way I do here on the mission. Some of you have already experienced it, but you younger boys, mom, jen and jande...it is the most amazing thing! I don´t think anything can compare to the experiences here on the mission and the change and growth that occurs. Chandler, Garrett, and Joseph...this might sound like something you´ve heard before in primary, young men´s but it is so true and so important. Start now to prepare for a mission! The prophet is really stressing missionary work. The Lord needs you more than ever now, and he needs worthy, young men to find His children and to teach of the gospel. DO all that you can to prepare, read the scriptures, say your prayers, listen to mom and dad and follow the counsels of the prophet. He will never lead you astray!
I love and miss you all so much! Have a good week!
Love, Sister Salisbury