In the Big City!!!

Oi! So first things first. I'm back in Fortaleza. We arrived here around 7ish this morning. No I haven't been transferred. I'm just here for training and to check in with the Federal Police. I'll be here until Friday.. ish. I'm (temporarily) Elder Carlson's (my MTC comp) companion. And I'm not really in the same situation as him. His companion couldn't speak English and he's being transferred. It's really helpful for me to be able to measure the speed of my learning once in a while. I can speak much better than him and sister Mobley (we met up with her at the police station this morning). We are staying at the mission home. They have like 20 beds there. We'll be staying with all the missionaries that are going home tomorrow. Its crazy how quickly I got close to them. Compared to where I'm living, there is no poverty here.

Fortaleza Cathedral

Fortaleza

I heard that it's taking almost 2 months for letters to go from here to the US and about a month the opposite direction. I know that I haven't received any letters, but there's a huge stack of packages in the mission office. I'll be here until Friday though.

You need a new iPhone! An old android wouldn't compare to a new iPhone for the same reasons an old iPhone cant compare to a new android.

The whole house thing isn't going well. We found 2 perfect ones but the first one we missed by a day and the owner of the second one (which had hot showers!!!) decided that she didn't want to rent to us (lots of people here only want to rent to people of their own faith).

That's so exciting that you guys will be able to have Prom dinner there! Is the house completely ready? Let me know how it all goes!

Soo miracles.On Saturday, we felt like we needed to buy more chairs for church. Unfortunately we didn't have enough money (They're R$23 EACH!!) and the secretaries can't release immediate funds to us until we have a house. Sooooo I decided that I needed to use personal funds (Don't worry, the secreatries said that they would expense it. The money will be back there in a week or 2). Wellllll our faith paid off!! We talk to them all almost every day  Every week we invite people to church. This is just the first week that anyone has shown up. We filled every chair!! We had 20 people at church!!!! Thats more than double our usual turnout!! They all came to our house and yes, it was very cramped haha. We only have Aula (Class. I cant remember what its called in English. Teaching gospel principles) and Sacrament until we have a Ramo (Branch). We have to have 7 Melchizedek Priesthood holders and now we have 4 so we are a Group.  I really wanted to send the pic of everyone at church but my adaptor is packed up :(

Just goes to prove one of my favorite scriptures - James 2:14 - 21.

14 What profit is it, my brethren, for a man to say he hath faith, and hath not works? can faith save him?

 15 Yea, a man may say, I will show thee I have faith without works; but I say, Show me thy faith without works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.

 16 For if a brother or sister be naked and destitute, and one of you say, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled; notwithstanding he give not those things which are needful to the body; what profit is your faith unto such?

 17 Even so faith, if it have not works is dead, being alone.

 18 Therefore wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead and cannot save you?

 19 Thou believest there is one God; thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble; thou hast made thyself like unto them, not being justified.

 20 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

 21 Seest thou how works wrought with his faith, and by works was faith made perfect?

 

Hey!! Great article for you to read! Ensign Feb 2014 p.42 "Get informed Get involved".  I read it in the mission office today.  Good luck with Relay and ACS Mom!

 

LOVE YOU!!!

Elder Hamstead