Happy New Year!

Hey Mom,

I will write very fast in case this computer overheats too...and just go over what I did these last 2 weeks! (On Christmas instead of receiving a letter from Elder Sork, we were able to video chat with him over the internet.  It was such a treat, but about 15 minutes before we were to end the call, it got dropped suddenly and we never could get the connection back.  Carson said that the computer in the family’s home that he was using overheated and just wouldn’t cool down enough to boot back up.  We were all very disappointed at our call being cut short (especially Eric and I as it was our turn to speak with Carson privately) but thrilled with how great Elder Sork looked and sounded.  He was speaking Portuguese to the family that was allowing him to use his computer and contrary to what Carson says – his Portuguese is coming along really well.)

Week before Christmas:

Hot Chocolate and Gingerbread Men from my Christmas Package

I helped give my first blessing in Portuguese!  I just did the anointing part in a blessing of health which is really easy and quick but it was still cool to do!

Our Zone Leaders designed shirts for our zone but they tried to do it in English and so they didn’t spell things right and it doesn’t make sense in English, haha.  I have pictures I´ll put on the next time I´m at a LAN house.

We had some RAIN this week.  It rained HARD and we got soaked, it was pretty fun.

No snow in Brazil didn't stop us from building a snowman.

We got new missionaries fresh from the CTM. It was interesting to see some Americans just arriving, it’s just a reminder that even though my progress is really slow, I am progressing.

The sun here is really getting hot! Because we´re so close to the equator, it really beats down directly on us. I find myself hearing Uncle Steve’s voice in my mind at least once a day letting me know that the sun is trying to kill me. I´m feeling it! I am using sunscreen but I still get fried.  All the Brazilinas are concerned with how red I am :( 

On Christmas Eve we had3 baptisms (a white Christmas for me), a young man and 2 members of the Elder’s quorum. These new members are very knowledgeable and really excited about the church.  I am hopeful that they will be firm in their commitments.

For Christmas Elder K and I hung up socks as honorary stockings and he filled mine with candy and a tie. I felt bad because I didn’t have anything for him :( But I will be taking him out to dinner with the Christmas money you sent for me to treat him!

We got invited to a wedding! It was good but I got really sad knowing I won’t be there for Tanner’s wedding.

I had some serious stomach problems after eating a meal of fresh crab, chicken hearts, and some strange Brazilian veggies... I´m still recovering. My stomach didn’t agree with the food at all!

We also had another baptism this week.   A guy literally called US over from the other side of the street and told us he wanted to be baptized! He´s been to church in the past and just finally decided to be baptized. That was pretty cool!

Mom, my clothes are taking a beating. I´ve already had to sew up some pants. I don’t know if you remember the weird bubbles in one of my shirt collars that you fixed, but it’s happening with more of my shirts and I don’t know why.  I don’t know how in the world they will last 2 years :(

Sorry this email is VERY fast but we don’t have a lot of time in this member’s house I´ll send a better email next week, and photos. 

Love Elder Sork