Yes I'm Fluent I Understand it All

How is Elder Mason doing with his burns?  He did tell his parents that he is doing better. We had to take turns taking care of him all week at home while 2 others went out and worked. I think his foot will be good to go this week sometime. 

Your new area - do you feel safe during the day or just at night?

Other way around; during the day is the only time we feel safe. Night time is crazy here. There isn´t really a police force in this city. So it´s basically the idea of anything goes. 

Have you gotten anymore letters or packages?

I get letters at random. No new packages. Today I got the October soccer letter. I always get those. 

What is the temperature there now?

Hot Hot Hot. When it rains it just feels hotter because it gets so humid. You sweat sleeping, walking, in the shower, just non-stop sweating. 

Do you do anything for Thanksgiving there (probably not because it is a holiday here)?

We work, because thanksgiving doesn´t exist here. Well, not on the same day at least. 

Are you understanding everything everyone says now in Portuguese?

Yes I´m fluent. I understand all of it. 

Hello family!

Today will be short because not a lot of things happened this week. I spent a lot of time working in both areas and my companion would stay with Elder Mason at home.  He´s getting better though, I think he´ll start working again sometime this week. He tried to work one day last week and his foot got way worse. All of the skin started to come off. My companion is coming along much better. He is becoming more and more comfortable with the lessons. We have 2 baptisms this Saturday already!!! I´m really excited for those. They both had dreams as their answers. That right there is an undeniable testimony from the Holy Ghost. I just have taught my companion that he needs to think less and less about what he´s going to say next. Just listen to what I´m saying, then the Holy Spirit will guide him

to testify of what I´ve said and then to continue with the lesson in a manner that it is adapted to the investigator´s mind. 

We had 7 investigators in church yesterday. I was very grateful for that. I have fasted and prayed many times for these people. The only thing that is faulting with many of them is that they aren´t legally married yet. This past week we started the marriage papers for two couples, and this week we will be starting one more set. So in the month of December we should have quite a few people coming unto Christ. I had to give a 30 minute talk in church yesterday. It went a lot better than I planned on. I gave the restoration lesson, but before hand I asked everyone to think about their feelings they had on the first time that they received that message.

Afterwards, I asked a question if people were feeling the spirit. I knew they all were after the first vision. Then I asked them if it was fair that only they knew about that message, if God only loves us in the church and no one outside of it? I told them that all of us are missionaries in one way or another. And that we have an obligation to invite our friends and neighbors to come unto the same happiness that we have. It isn´t fair that only we have it. A lot of people were crying during the message. It had a spirit really strong. This Saturday we will be baptizing Jessica and Marcelo. They are both part of an incomplete family. Very active in the church already and very excited to be baptized.

The couples we are teaching that will be married are Rogerio and Loriane, Vanderlei and Mari, and Maria and Adao. I´m very excited for all of them. They have all committed to baptism. We cannot mark a specific date yet though, because the marriage papers never go through in a consistent timing. So right now it´s just a waiting game. I´ve been teaching an English class the last few Saturdays and we are getting a really good turn out with investigators. It´s just really hard because they´re all at different stages of learning. We´ve been able to teach the people the messages at their homes because of them coming to our classes, so I look forward to having more and more investigators there each week. We also usually have a good turnout in members as well. I think I have a large purpose in this area to re-activate people. 

Good work in swimming Tay! You gotta keep working hard. It´ll pay off I promise.. Remember how in 7th and 8th grade I didn´t make the basketball team? Then that summer I was in the gym all day every day and finally made it in 9th grade? The work pays off buddy! Keep workin’ your tail off and you will for sure see the results that you want! And Hailey keep doing good in school and with softball and dance. Remember, in whatever you do your goal should be to be the best!

It sounds like Thanksgiving will be a little more calm at home this time around. That should be easier for preparations. Tell everyone I said hello!

Thank you for all of the prayers and support. I feel them most on the days that I am exhausted, I always get a second wind. I know that is because of the prayers I am receiving from home. I love all of you! Have an awesome week!

Love,

Elder Shepherd