Funerals, food and the future

My dearest family,

Before I forget the questions:

1. AKA: What is your mailing address at your new place? Can we send packages there or only letters?
My new address:

Irmã Pérez
Alameda Salgueiro Maia
Lote 82 R/C-C
2975-333 Quinta do Conde
PORTUGAL

You can send letters. I wouldn't trust sending packages there because we the key that we have gets stuck sometimes, so I don't know how that would work with packages...but you can experiment if you want. but, I would just send them to the office address.

2. Let me know if you have any special requests for your Easter package. It will probably be the last one we send you before you come home. Crackers? Cereal? Clothes?
I don't need any clothes. But food is always welcome :)

3. How are your shoes holding up?
My shoes are holding up great. They will endure to the end ;)

4. How big is your new area? Have you been able to find a place to hold your meetings when your ward is split? When will that happen?
Our new area is HUGE! But, it only has two workable areas in it because the transporte is pretty terrible around here. It is kind of like the transport in the Açores, but a little more reliable. So, we are going to work on splitting the boundaries for when Irmã Perkins comes.

5. You said your area would be a branch. How many people are we talking?
I don't really know yet, but we have quite a few members that live in our boundaries. I am guessing 25 or 30 people? But we are still discovering...stay tuned for later updates...

Other than that, life is going pretty good. We are still in a tripila and having fun...We are still trying to find the elect people. We have been getting fed pretty well here, so I think I am gaining weight. And it doesn't help the fact that we live within walking distance of three grocery stores. Yeah, every day we basically buy more food...

But, a memorable event this week was when we ate at the home of Elder Rocha (of the seventy) who lives in our area. So that was pretty cool. He wasn't home because he was working, but we got to know his wife and kids. Also, this week, a woman that the elders had been teaching that had accepted baptism died from cancer so we had the funeral yesterday. It was very interesting because about 95% of the people there were non-members and it seemed very sad and depressing...until the members got up and started speaking. I guess I have never realized how great I have got it and how easy it is to feel the spirit when we speak of the plan of salvation. I guess that is why I am here. To share the plan with others. So, we handed out a bunch of pamphlets afterward. No one really wanted to talk to us, but they all accepted pamphlets. Hopefully something will make a difference.

As far as the branch goes, I am just waiting to hear news. I don't know what our role is as far as helping with the organization of the branch, but as far as I know, we have a ways to go...it could take awhile.

But, life keeps going on...and we keep working. It is kind of hard trying to start from nothing and to be honest I feel lost a lot (not to mention I am supposed to be a good example and showing my greenie how to see miracles), but I am really finding that God is with us. Even if we are at the end of the world, trudging through the rain, lost, tired, and hungry, I know He is with us. And if He is patient enough to be with me, I know that everything will turn out just fine. And life becomes good again :)

I love you all, have a great week.

Love,

Irmã Pérez