Sup everyone. Another week down- the last week of the transfer! It's been a pretty great week also. We were able to baptize Eliane and 3 of her kids which was amazing! They were pretty much the perfect family. Eliane never had a problem with anything we taught and was always so grateful that we would take the time to help her and her family. Elder Prates made the joke that she was already a member of the church- she just needed to be baptized. We've come to really love her family also. All of her kids are crazy and full of energy so at times it can be hard to teach but they are awesome. During one of our recent lessons, one of the kids coughed or something while drinking a smoothie-type drink and it went all over Elder Prates. While I was laughing at that, another one of the kids threw up the same drink all over the floor. By that point I couldn't really contain myself and lost it. These are experiences I wouldn't have without the mission- i'm so grateful to be here.
It's the start of a new transfer today, and so things are changing a bit. Elder Prates and I will continue to work together here in Canindé, but the other missionaries, Elder Pujol and Elder Otterburg, are being transfered. I'm pretty sad about that cause they're pretty awesome. And they aren't being replaced. Canindé is now a part of the district Cecilia and it's just going to be Elder Prates and I here in Canindé. This will be crazy. Canindé is huge. At one point, there were 8 missionaries here, and now there are just 2. Having 4 already wasn't enough, so i'm not sure how we're going to handle this. Living with 4 missionaries is also a lot better in my opinion but oh well. Everything happens for a reason. I can see myself staying here for another transfer after this new one cause it wouldn't make too much sense to transfer Elder Prates and I at the same time next transfer and replace us with two missionaries who don't know anything about the area. But you never know. Usually missionaries don't stay in the same area for more that 3 transfers.
We haven't had any luck with finding a new church. The church has pretty specific standards and there are no buildings that meet them here. We'll keep looking but i'm not sure if we'll have any luck. There are usually about 50 people at church every Sunday. Canindé has a big inactive problem, so there have been a lot more people baptized than people who are firm. At least the family we baptized seems like they'll be firm for a very long time, but it's still sad. Maybe we'll start visting less actives more this transfer. The main problem is that when the missionaries that baptized them leave, they stop going to church. The church isn't big enough here to get home teachers or ward missionaries called, so it's pretty much all up to missionaries to keep the recent converts active. It also doesn't help that there isn't a single member with a car here, so walking the distance to go to church is a challenge for lots of members.
(this part of his letter is answers to some of my questions)
I sadly haven't been cooking too much recently. Can't really afford it. Don't have much money in my personal account anymore so I've been only spending the mission money. And I need to have a reasonable amount of money in my mission account at all times cause we have to buy a lot of stuff for the church here. The mission still pays for lots of stuff like cups and water and paper towels for the church, and they pay through the missionaries. It takes weeks to receive a reimbursement so it's annoying. We've been eating lots and lots of pasta. I still make pancakes every now and then, but it's not like how it was with Elder Alcantara. I think you need a comp with the same mindset in order to make different food. Cause you need to pay for stuff together. I'd feel bad making a bunch of stuff for myself, but I can't pay for both of us.
We've been getting rain, but it's not as great as you'd think. Here, after the rain, it gets even hotter. And it never rains for very long. It's great while it lasts though.
In regards to the crazy missionaries... yes, this mission has them too. Not sure what some missionaries are thinking. But people have their agency. Don't think it's as bad as Nick's mission sounds.
But I think that's everything for me! Talk to you all next week! Love you guys!
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