For ye shall go out with joy

My dearest family,

Wow, another week has come and gone and I feel like I just blinked. This week was pretty awesome. Irma Morrison and I just love serving together. We are just having a blast (but working really hard!) We are kind of getting to know the island together (since we all know how great my sense of direction is :) But it has been good. We are basically cleaning out all of the investigators that are not acting and trying to find new ones (the elect). So, we are just trying to work really hard and encouraging members to teach with us more.

Yesterday we had a meeting with an area seventy who came to the island to tell everyone how the missionary work should be going. Yeah, needless to say that he gave us a lot of faca (faca =knife). It´s an expression they use here. So, we decided that basically we all need to repent a little more and do our part better. I'm ready :) This week so far has been really great and I am learning so many things. I still feel so young in the mission and now I am the one who has to be in charge a lot of the time, so it feels at times like I am trying to drink from a fire hydrant. But, I don't think I have ever caught on as fast as I have this past week. Oh, and I knew that I would reach this point one day but I never thought that I would reach it this quickly where I can say pretty much anything in Portuguese. I can express myself in whatever manner that I need to. This is especially helpful in the work. That is what the gift of tongues really is. I know that all missionaries have the gift of tongues but it is really our part to decide whether we are going to use it.

I also thought I would never say this, but I actually enjoy working with elders--especially those who just want to help. I have definitely been learning to work with the elders more and now I have lots of respect for them. It would not be easy to give up teenage years to have to grow up super fast and be so responsible as a missionary, but they are doing it. They are great.

Wow, another wizard book series? Sounds exciting. That will be nice when I can go home and read normal books again, but I am loving reading the Book of Mormon in Portuguese right now. I am learning so much and noticing scriptures so much more because I am more attentive in Portuguese. It is amazing how the spirit of the Book of Mormon remains in whatever language. I guess the language of truth is universal.

That is also exciting that Adam bought a Wii (Although, I would have loved to hear it from him...I still have yet to hear from Adam and Alex...:) And I am glad that Summer is relaxing for the first time this summer and it is half over. I think that is how she has always been--making big plans and doing everything. That is awesome.

Funny that you share that story of sacrament meeting running over. Something that I am beginning to realize here is how much Portuguese people LOVE to talk. Irma Morrison and I have been practicing how to interrupt people so that they do not just sit there and talk our ears off all day. It is hard sometimes because you feel like you are being rude, but then you just realize that it is part of the culture and it really isn't that rude because they love to interrupt.

I am so glad that the Russell boy turned 8 and wants to be baptized. Wow, baptism is the best thing! It is so wonderful to hear of young people wanting to do the right things and doing it. It is not an easy decision, but I am so glad that he is getting ready and excited for it. The branch president's daughter just turned 8 and she is going to be baptized this month, so that will be a very sweet baptism.

No, I didn't ever receive that package from you--I'm sorry. I feel badly that it is lost somewhere in the postal abyss and I will never get to see it. Don't worry about sending it in a rush. I can just get it whenever. But, something that I would like in the package is nylon socks (skin colored) and knee highs (skin colored). It is getting hot here and I only brought full on nylons, so that would be great if you could send some of those. if not, that's cool. Don't worry about it.

Something funny that happened is that a pair of shoes that I brought literally fell apart. I guess I didn't realize how much I have walked here until they did. But, I guess it is just another trophy to put up on the wall of the many miles I have walked on this island (and it's not over!) Anyway, it was funny. Irma Morrison and I had a laugh about it.

Well, I hope that everything is going well. I love you all and pray for you. thanks for everything--your inspiring and uplifting letters and just hearing from you always makes my day. Have a great week! Love,

Irma Perez

p.s.--I just wanted to thank poppy for having an easy last name to pronounce. All of the companions I have had have had hard names to pronounce and everyone smiles and sighs when they read my name tag because it is very easy to say my name. :)