e-mail
received Monday, February 6, 2012
Hello!
So yeah, this has been a long two weeks not being able to talk to you guys! We woke up Tuesday morning at 3 o clock, got in a van, and went to the airport. It was a great and very fast last week at the CTM. We had a lot of meetings and orientations. One day it was all in Portuguese, and I could not understand much (ha ha). We did all the fun travel prep. stuff and packed. Now being out I realize how easy of a time we had there. Free food, no walking and all that.
We had about an hour long flight from São Paulo to Londrina. When we got there, President and Sister Tavares along with the AP´s and Zone Leaders were there to pick us up. We went to the mission home, which is on the 11th floor of a big aparment building, and ate breakfast. Then we went over to the chapel to start interviews and orientation stuff. I got my credit card which we get 120 reals every 1st and 15th of the month. I then had my interview with President Tavares which was cool because he gave me a blessing. Then we went back up to the mission home and ate lunch. It was good~chicken and rice and ice cream and all that. Then we went back to the chapel to find out our trainers and areas. People were going to places like Foz do Iguaçu, parts of Londrina, back up near São Paulo and all over. I am in... MARINGÁ! It is just south-west of Londrina. My trainer is Elder Moreira. He is from São Paulo and is fluent in English, so that's good because I need all the help I can get. We were heading out that day, so we said our goodbyes to everybody and all the friends from the CTM, and then we went to the bus station and took about a 3 hour ride to Maringá, Centro Cívico area. Our house is on a Rua de Flamengo, but I can't rembember what house number. I´ll write it down and tell you next week ok? And yeah, we´re supposed to have packages sent to a members house, but we don´t know which house we want them sent to yet. I´m not sure about mail though, for now just tell people to send it to the Londrina office for now I guess, but yeah President Tavares specifically said not to send packages to the mission office, so we´ll get an address for you to send things to next week.
Its been a pretty tough week! I have no idea what anybody is saying outside of church topics, and everybody talks super fast. But when we teach lessons, I feel comfortable and can at least get the lesson across. We have 48 received contacts, made 25 contacts, 15 new investigators, 4 lessons with less active or recently baptized, 6 investigators making progress, 18 lessons taught, 4 attended sacrament meeting and 2 commited to baptism!!! So things are going great I guess... I don't know though because I have no idea what is going on half the time (ha ha). Oh yeah, I think our area is bigger than the Salt Lake valley! It can take us up to an hour of walking to get to a neighborhood to tract and teach, so it is ALOT of walking!!!
Its good to hear it was a good stake conference! I hope Ann is doing o.k... thats a pretty tough situation. Share my love with the Ostlers, and let them know of my gratefulness for their family and examples.
I saw Daniel a few time here and there in the CTM, and got pictures and all that so that was great! Tell everybody hi for me and keep having fun with everybody!
Well, I need to go... things here are great and crazy. I love this work and love the people of Brazil. I can't wait to understand the language, but I know that I can get little things across at least. Thank you for all you do. I´ll let you know where to send packages hopefully next week... I love you guys and hope you have a great week. talk to you soon.
Love, Elder Halpin
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