Haha well today the computers decided to freak out on us... so I have like no time. But I think I will be able to crank out a pretty good letter! Last week on tuesday we had a special meeting with the capital part of the mission (all the areas close to the city) and we learned about coping with stress as missionaries, I guess the church is starting this new program to help missionaries with that, and it was really good. Haha I definitely learned a lot! Me, stressed? Never. Haha then right afterwards I went on splits with Elder M. Souza, a brazilian in our district and we went to Mairiporã, this absolutely beautiful city! It is a lot smaller, outside of São Paulo, in the hills and next to this huge reservoir. It is so beautiful, trees everywhere and I just loved it the entire time. We worked our butts off and taught so many people who were being prepared ofr hte gospel, it was so great! Then Elder Mussin came up to Mairiporã for a baptismal interview and I did splits with the other elder, Elder Vieira, also brazilian, and loved working with him as well! It was just great! Then (this is Wednesday by now) we were told by the office we had to go to the Policia Federal the next day and that they wanted us to go to the office wednesday night and sleep there and then go with them the next morning, so after the bus back to Vila Sabrina and the 45 minute walk to our house, we changed really quick, ate a quick thing of food, and then started our way towards the office in the center of São Paulo. Haha it was such acrazy couple days of traveling all over São Paulo! By the time we were going to the office we were on the train in the middle of the city at night in areas neither of us had ever been, hoping we were going the right way! haha it was so much fun, super tiring, and I just loved it! We slept at the office (they have beds there for the missionaries and the secretaries live there) and the next morning made our way to the Policia Federal!and...
I AM OFFICIAL!! Haha so that was great! I can now stay here for another year, then I will have to return and renew my visa again so I can stay another year after that. That was good, then we went back to the office and started our way back to our area. The bus to go to our area is just past the temple as well, so we walked past it and I saw it for the first time which was great, I guess if our area is near the capital we get to go every three months, so that was exciting to ehar! It is beautiful and I got some pictures but I will have to send those another time since i have like no time. But funny story, as I was walking just past the temple, we saw some missionaries up ahead from a different mission, we said hello, shook all their hands, and the last one was just looking at me with this huge grin on his face and it was Aaron Jensen!!! From our Stake!! It was crazy, I had completely forgotten he was serving here, in the East Mission, haha and so random that in the third largest city in the world I would run into a person who I knew from Littleton Colorado! It was great, we got pictures which I will send in the future! Also, I got a awesome letter from katy at the office and a pillow, which I haven't had up until now because I forgot to grab one before I went to my area from the office and now I am sleeping wonderfully! Haha I have been sleeping well using an extra blanket as a pillow, but now I know what true happiness is while sleeping. It´s been great!
Then the rest of the week was good, it is getting way hot, but I am enjoying it (also trying to stay positive about the heat) haha on Saturday we seriiously had an amazing day. We had so many people to teach and had 7 people on date for this next saturday which was so exciting! I was so grateful because you have so many days that are just really hard and you feel like no one is really listening or keeping commitments. But Saturday was not like that! It was so great!!!! Haha and then we had Sunday. Sunday was rough. None of those people came to church. Which means they cant be baptized this Saturday. it just killed me. It was really hard. Not only because they didnt come to church but because of it meaning they cant be baptized as well, especially because these people are so faithful and willing, they seriously just had crazy things come up in their lives. We had members helping us, we were searching for people, but they just couldnt come which was rough. But Jo and Lorivaldo, our two awesome investigators who are waiting to get married so they can be baptized came so that was great! And I just remembered after praying in the bathroom of the church that times like this happen, all I can do is continue forward, help these people, and do all I can while praying for the help I need. Haha because I will always need help. That is for sure, I have had my testimony of prayer strengthened so much. Sunday evening I asked my companion if we could ask the bishop who has been on his mind that we could visit, he told us of this member whos mom and husband both arent members, whos mom has been sick and asked for a blessing. So we went there, she asked us to give her one, and we asked how the woman was doing as well. While holding her baby she just broke down in tears and just said it has been really hard for her to do with everything, she also works 44 hours a week and their baby is 1 years old and needs a lot of attention, all while her mom is sick, and her husband works all the time as well. So I felt prompted to ask if she would like a blessing as well to which she said she really felt she needed one. So we gave them both blessings and I gave her the blessing, which was my first one in Portguese. It was very humbling. My words or lack of understanding didnt get in teh way, and no, I wasnt all of a sudden fluent or anything, but I just had this peace as I was able to help this woman feel comfort and peace in her life. It was a great experience. So Sunday was rough and really great!
Overall a very great week!Haha so there you go! I love you all so much, i have been keeping you in my prayers, I took pictures of our apartment and I will send those in the future as well! I am doing really well, eating a lot, and feeling good! Also pretty fat and out of shape even though I still am super skinny, and could probably still do pretty well on a run or race! Love you all!! Haha I actually cranked out a really good one this week with little time!
Elder Carney
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