My work and my glory

Azores

Dear family and friends,

Well, it's official...Irma Morrison and I were meant to serve together because we are going to be together for another transfer on the island :) I just feel sorry for her because for her whole mission so far she will have only had 2 companions--me and her trainer. And what I can't even believe is that at the end of this transfer we are going to hit our halfway mark. Man, time needs to slow down once in awhile! No, but things are great here on the island.

We have a Brazilian investigator, Tiago, that we have been working with. It has been hard to find him in his house, so we really didn't think that he had been progressing because it seemed like he was avoiding us. But the other day we ran into him and said he missed us and that he was going to church. And he actually went. He's been before a couple of times with us, but he never seemed that interested. But yesterday when he went to church as we were walking there he said that he missed church last week and something told him that he should have gone and that he missed a great opportunity. Irma Morrison said to him, Well, that was the spirit. He said, It must have been. So, there are definite possibilities with him...

We are also trying to work with Renato's mother, Pilar. She is such a nice woman and has been reading the Book of Mormon, but the problem is just getting her to church. We need to make it more of a focus. I am seeing how much church makes a difference in the lives of people and Elder Teixeira (quorum of the seventy) said that we can't pull people to church no matter how hard we try (I mean, we can and sometimes it works, but it is for the wrong reason). In order for investigators to remain strong after baptism, they need to form their personal relationship with Heavenly Father which pulls them to church. So, we are trying to focus more on that.

We got two new elders in the branch (the area got whitewashed again)--Elders Mateer (who is from Scotland) and Elder Blair (who is from Arizona but claims he is from New Mexico since he mostly grew up there). They are great and I hope they get used to the area. When I talked to President Torgan he said that he knows that it is my fourth transfer here and that it is a long time, but that I need to help the new elders get used to the area...so I have been trying with that. But, they are really awesome and fun and seem way ready to get to work. ~

Well, congrats to mom on your new calling--I am not at all surprised that you are teaching Seminary again. Let me know how everything goes. ( I guess that means that Summer has to be on time now—ha ha—just kidding! We all know I have had my fair share of late days, although if you had to share a bathroom with Alex you'd be late too). Sounds like everything is busy but fun.

If you guys want sympathy for the hot weather you now have it from me. It wasn't that hot until this past week (it actually wasn't that hot) it got really HUMID! Pretty much, Irma Morrison and I are kind of having fun being sticky all of the time—ha ha. I guess that is the only down part of being on an island. So, I can't really complain.

Anyway, I love you all so much. Thanks for everything. You're the best. Until next week,

Love to the moon and back,

Irma Perez