Week 16~A visit from President Tavares

e-mail
March 19, 2012

Oi!
Well this week was very interesting.  After e mail last week we went and bought food, ate, and after went to play some soccer.  It was fun!  The zone leader called and said that Elder Bohne was getting transferred up to a part in São Paulo.  But me, Elder Moreira, and Elder Prado were staying, so no I wasn´t transferred.  We also received 2 new missionaries in our home and the new companion of Elder Prado.  They are Elder Juelch (Americano) Elder Wellings (Americano) and Elder Magalhães (Brasilhero).  Both Elders Welling and Magalhães were in the CTM with me at the same time, and Elder Juelch was one of the trainers I met when I first arrived in Londrina.  It was awesome to see them again.  They split our area with the 2 new elders, so that's good so we don´t need to do so much walking!!!  We walked more this week though because we were helping the new elders in our area.  We wandered around trying to find a papelaria to make a copy of a map to make the divisions, place houses of members, and investigators too.  So that's good, because we are more organized now!  Two of the days, our lunch was like 1 1-2 hours away, so tons of walking and most of the lunches aren´t in our area anymore so its a lot of walking to get back, but I´m super grateful to have 2 others to help us now.  So our numbers this week weren´t that great but I think its going to get better now that we´re organized!  And no, Rawain hasn´t changed her mind yet, but we´ve gone to her church a couple times to support her.  Last night, all 6 of us went, I don´t understand much that goes on because they stand up, pray, and play alot of music with drums and guitars and stuff... so it's a different experience for sure, and after her mom told us to come over to eat rice and stroganoff.
So that was the week, but today was super interesting.  So the other elders planned to go play soccer for exercise this morning and then return, study and do all the regular p day stuff.  I asked if we were able to do that and play soccer and they said yes.  It got to be like 9 and we hadn´t gone back to study, and then the zone leaders called... they were at our house... CRAP!  So we went back and they were mad that first we were playing soccer (which we are NOT allowed to play soccer unless authorized by the president) and not studying, and also that our numbers were crappy.  I didn´t say anything while they were there, but some of the Brazilians were really mad and said they weren´t allowed to this and tons of stuff.  Then Elder Prado went crazy!  He destroyed a cabinet.  Then President Tavares called us and Elder Prado said some things and President Tavares said for all of us to pack and that he´d be at our house in a couple hours.  So that is what I did, packed super fast and cleaned a little too, because our house was a mess.  President Tavares arrived and talked with all of us for a bit.  Then he did individual interviews with each of us, and he was only mad that I played soccer, which I didn´t know we couldn´t play. So everything is good now.  Elder Prado and Elder Welling left with President Tavares to go live in another house, because President said that its not good to have 6 elders in a house.  So now I´m here e-mailing and everything is good.
So yeah, this week was very interesting.  I´m glad we have the 2 elders still in our area to help us.  They are super fun and great to have.  I am now starting to have more fun, but now we still need to work hard and change a few things.  Thank your for all that you do!   It sounds like you guys had a good week.  Thank Jackson and Alec for the mail and thanks for the sports updates.  I love you guys tons! Keep telling everyone HI for me... and tell Al, Jack, and Peppy I love them and miss them.  I hope this week is more successful but know that I am OK.  A little rattled but OK... ha ha.  Thanks again, and I´ll talk to you next week!
Love,
Elder Halpin