"Wait, what?..........."

I can´t even tell you how many miracles happened here during this past week. This past week was probably one of my favorites of the whole mission. So many amazing things happened and it was just what I needed to get my head on straight and keep going. It is so amazing how the Lord works on his own timeline and how it always "happens" to be just right.

   

First off, we had people we have been working with for this whole transfer who are finally coming around and seeing the importance of baptism in their lives. It is such a neat thing when you are able to see that they understand it and use their faith to mark a date. It is so so so rewarding as well, because after so much work, love, care, and prayers, they feel and know that baptism is what is missing in their lives. I am very excited for the week ahead and for all the stuff we have.

  

Secondly, we had zone conference this week. I don´t even need to explain to you how spiritually uplifting zone conferences can be, but this one was slightly different. Here in the mish, the elders who are just coming in bear their testimonies and so do the elders who will be leaving before the next zone conference. My whole group was all excited because our next zone conference would be our testimony time, but Pres threw us a curve ball. Because of the transfers here, my group will miss the next zone conference by a week, and so even though we still have a lot of time before we peace out, we got to bear our testimonies. It was such an interesting experience for me because I remember so well when I was there in the same chapel giving my testimony upon arriving... bad Portuguese and all. It hit me pretty hard though when I started talking about Brasil and the people here that my time is ending..... and how bad I don´t want it to be. I can´t explain all the things I have learned or the feelings I have felt, but I know there is still so so much more for me here. These past weeks here have been rough because of a million reasons, but the biggest one being my own drive to help the people closest to me and just work, no matter the situation. Bearing my testimony was a... a.... I dunno, a slap in the face and "Get your rear in gear Guzy!!! I have so much more I need to do, so many more people who need to hear the gospel, and many personal qualities that I can improve on. I forgot that in the world outside the mission I have to worry about math tests, politics, jobs and tons of other things. My time to come home will come one day, but as for right now, I am not coming home till next December.

   

And last but not least, I had the opportunity to go on a division with an elder from........ FRESNO!!! Hahaha what are the odds of that, right? It was awesome because he is still pretty new here in the mish and I got to see all these pics from Fresno and hear him talk about how much he loves it there. Ry, you are going to have such an awesome mission there. I don´t know about the other wards, but Elder Katich said his ward loves the missionaries and they do really well there. I am so excited for you :)

   

Well that is about all I have for this week! Mom, I chatted with Pres about EFY and he said I can get on and do what I need to do with that. Also, don´t stress about the no Valentines thing.... I didn´t even notice it was Single Awareness Day until one of the clowns in the zone called me up and told me. It is weird because usually Valentines is a BIG DEAL for me, but not this year.... Next will be wild though for sure. 

Well, I love you all and can´t thank you enough for the advice you have given me lately. It was much needed. Have another great week and stay safe. Stay sweet....

 

Elder Big Deal

"Meh week"

  
So I don´t really have too much to talk about this week. We had a rough week here of just knocking doors and trying to find at least one solid person to teach. We had a little bit of luck and even got someone to come with us to church, which was such a big miracle. Her little brother was baptized a few months ago and we just barely got her to come to church as well. We will see how things go with her during the week and we are just excited that we finally have one person to teach.
   
I am not sure if you guys all know, but this week was the start of the ever horrible... CARNIVAL. Hahaha. Oh how I didn't miss tons of people running around with eggs and bags of flour attempting to throw them at us, or our neighbors playing really lame-sauce music until the wee hours of the morning.... Ummm this all really brings the spirit. Hahahahaha. It actually isn´t too bad here, yet. I am sure later tonight and tomorrow will be pretty interesting. It is just fun to think about how last year I was in Viçosa still struggling to speak, now I am here understanding all the stuff the music is saying! Hahahaha. I still have yet to get hit by an egg or flour bomb and I plan to keep it that way. A few prayers from you guys though would help :p
   
I am excited that the fam will all being going to the temple soon! I think I said this in the last letter, but I will say it again anyway. It is a hard choice between Draper and Salt Lake. Both are very very awesome and beautiful, but if it were up to me I would go to Oquirrh Mountain. I have no idea why, but I loved that temple when we went through it that one day Mom. 

I hope all goes well for you guys and that the garage stops throwing fits. Where is Bill when you need him?! 

Love you!!!
Elder Big Deal

"California girls are baptizers....."

This week Cache's sister Ryley received her mission call to the CA Fresno mission.  She'll be speaking Spanish.  Cache gets home May 16 and Ryley enters the Provo MTC on May 22, so we will have the whole family together for 6 days.  Her mission president is Larry Gelwix, the "Get-away Guru"/Morris Travel guy and Highland rugby coach featured in the movie Forever Strong.  

OH MY AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BEST SISTER IN THE WHOLE WORLD JUST GOT EVEN COOLER!!!!!! Ry, I am so stinkin happy for you!! The mission in Fresno will have no idea how to even handle the wild child that will be Sister Guzy! Doesn´t that just have an awesome ring to it? Sister Guzy... Spanish speaking master and Gospel teacher of the eternities. Yeah it has a good ring to it for sure :) I am also very very happy about when you will be leaving. Yesh, a little more time with you would be perfect, but the Lord knows what he is doing and I think that week will be awesome for our family. I will be honest though... it will be weird to be going back to The MTC almost 2 years exactly after I left... I´ll probably cry or something. 

But on the topic of the MTC and Fresno.... Did you know I have already met and talked with your Mission Pres? Yep! He was there when I was in the MTC during the new presidents seminar thing and I was outside studying with some buds and he passed by. One of my friends called out to him because he knew who he was from Forever Strong and being the awesome man he is, he came and sat down and talked with us for a good 45 minutes. It was really neat to spend time with him and I even remember leaving thinking "I hope I get reassigned to his mission!". You will love him though, and you can learn tons from him and his wife. You are going to love that mission. People kinda get disheartened about going state-side, but in all honesty, it will be a major blessing for you and you still get to learn a language! Foreign missions are fun, but they're rough in the start and towards the end, because no matter how much you love the culture, you start to miss your own country. I can´t tell you how much I loved my time in Oregon and I know you will love your mission a million times more!
Well, with all this going on my week seemed pretty stinkin normal... which it was. Nothing out of the ordinary happened teaching-wise, but my comp and I got to have special interviews with Pres this past week. My comp is just kinda..... tuckered out and wanted to talk with Pres about some stuff. So being there with him.....I took the chance to get an interview as well! Hooray! We just talked about blessings and all the things I have learned since I have been out here. It was exactly what I needed as well to get that last little boost of energy.  I may be tired, but there is always more I can do. 

That is pretty much my week though! I love you all so much and once again, congrats Ry and Caitlin (Ryley's friend Caitlin opened her call to the Ukraine Kiev Mission the same night) on the awesome mission calls. I hope you all have another great week with lots of spiritual experiences... Até mais! Stay sweet....

Elder Who was a big deal until last Thursday