Quinta do Conde

Rio Tejo

Dear Family,

DON´T WORRY! Everything´s great! We realized that there are only two stores with internet in them in our area and they both just happen to be closed on Mondays. So, we got permission to do internet on Tuesday (today!) So, how is everyone doing? Sounds like life is going well. Spring is in full swing. It is getting a lot warmer here in Portugal (at least in this area).

So, LOTS to tell! Well, I am here in Quinta do Conde, which is by Seixal. It is on the other side of the Rio Tejo from Lisbon. It is pretty far away. I am in a tripila! It is really quite awesome. My greenie is super cute, super funny, super humble, and also super timid. But, she did her first contact this morning and she was super nervous, but she did an amazing job. Funny how training I feel like I am back in my first transfer. I feel like everything she is feeling I feel as well. She has a lot of love and is ready to see lots of miracles. With all of the training and waiting to get my greenie and organizing in the area, we didn't get to start working until last Thursday in the area. But, we have been seeing lots of miracles. We found a family--our little elect family. They are from Bulgaria and are here in Portugal working. It is a couple with two sons that are 12 and 9 years old. They are completely awesome. They came to church on Sunday and loved it. So, we are going to still work with them...

The area is pretty suburban, meaning completely different from my last area which was all city and rushing and traffic. The people are pretty nice here and we have found a lot of new investigators, but we are trying to find the elect people. We haven't had the opportunity to teach a lot because the elders before that were in this area had some problems and were emergency transferred out. (Needless to say that when we found the house it was less than sanitary--I feel like it is forever my destiny to live in old Elder´s houses, but we have bleached every room in the house and a week later, we are finally feeling more at home...) So, basically the work is just looking for people to teach. This area was opened six months ago, and has not been worked in a whole lot since it has been opened, so we are trying to step it up and do our best. A lot is expected of us because we are supposedly going to open up a branch here in a couple of weeks (when we receive permission from the first presidency). Funny how they put irmãs in an area to open up a branch, but it will be an exciting challenge. Both of my companions are converts and Irmã Lima is from Cabo Verde, so I am guessing she knows a lot about starting out a branch, but we will see...

I absolutely love Irmã McCrery. She is from Washington State and went to BYU-Idaho before the mission. She was just studying generals. She is super funny and has a great positive personality. She also has a great love for this people. It has been amazing working with her. Plus, she has been helping a lot with Irmã Lima. (It is funny, because I assume that Irmã Lima knows a lot because she already knows Portuguese, but I have to remember that I have to explain lots of things about the mission to her... but thankfully she is a fast learner. She will do great miracles in her mission. I can already see it.)

Both of my comps were baptized when they were 12. Irmã Lima and her sister are the only ones that are members in her family. Irmã McCrery and her brother are the only ones that are members in her family. They both have amazing testimonies and surprisingly, our tripila is going really well. I remember that last time I served in a tripila in the MTC, we had some difficulites. Clearly we have some rough spots like all companionships, but it is going really well--so much better than I thought it would. So I am happy.

Our area is really far away from the chapel (about 45 minutes of bus and train and then walking), so we are excited to find another location closer for the new branch. Our ward is COMPLETELY HUGE! there are about 140 members. I felt like I was in America for a moment because there were so many children and families. We ran out of chairs in Sacrament Meeting, so some people had to stand. I have never seen so many people in a church in Portugal (except for stake conference). So, our ward is pretty awesome. There are a lot of cool members here that just want to help with the work, so we are excited to work more with them. But, the stake president came and talked to me on Sunday and said to beware of approaching drama with the split. I found this funny because of course it is expected, but as I thought about it, it was probably a good counsel because these people have NEVER experienced a split in the ward before in their lives (since the church entered Portugal), so I can see how some people would be dramatic...but, what is life without a little drama? (especially the mission!)

So, that is our life now. We are healthy and happy. I am excited to be here and to be losing myself once again in a new area. We are having fun getting lost and getting to know the area. It has been hard, but it has been exciting. I get to be where no other irmã has ever been before. I am pretty lucky. I love it.

Thanks for all of your support. My comps send their love. Thanks for everything, seriously, I could never have made it this far without you all.

Love, love, and love again,

Irmã Pérez

p.s.--I didn't get the chance to do my fingerprints yet because I had to have an appointment. I tried to call and set one up but they never called back. Then I heard from one of the couples of the mission that the American Embassy never returns phone calls. but, I have kept trying. I will write an email today to ask for an appointment. Sorry this is taking so long. I only have Mondays to worry about it. I hope it will all work out. Thanks.