Current Mission Address

Elder Dane Edward Eskildsen
Brazil Santa Maria Mission
Caixa Postal 0339

Centro Quarai-RS 97560-000
Brasil

(updated 1/13)

Monday, July 16, 2012

Ijui' winter in Brazil

Yea That is exactly what I will tell you. Be thankful that 80 or 85 was as hot as it got in the office. I got the immense pleasure of living in a house that maintained a brisk 95 degrees throughout the night there in Uruguiuana. Luckily it was only about 3 and a half months of such absurd heat. The temperature this week has been really bipolar. The nights get down to about 32 degrees and the mornings are sometimes colder, yet when 10 or 11 rolls around it is back up to 75. Im still waiting for the ridiculous cold that everyone here talks about. There never really is any weather that is nice here because there is neither heating nor air conditioning in the houses.
        Bergen is super lucky. I think in the week that I am back home before BYU starts I would like to go kayaking. Im thinking lake Kachees. But that´s like a year distant, so back to mission stuff.
            I was really good about running two weeks ago, but this week with the cold front I couldnt bring myself to do anything besides study in the mornings. We have decided that we will pick back up this week though.
           Speaking of the books, you dont need my to get the great apostasy. I borrowed it from another Elder and already read it. I will need some of that same hair gel though. Speaking of hair, I got mine cut today. I beleive that all previous packages have now been received so no need to worry in that regard.
            The work is going quite well here. We had a good week and found a lot of new investigators, the only problem being that those same news didnt seem so willing to hear us on the second visit. We did find a few that are still interested though. The same family that came to church last week came again yesterday, and on Saturday we marked the baptism date of two of the family members (the others being absent during the lesson). But we will teach more this week, do a rockin family night, and (hopefully) mark the baptism date of the other members of the family (and manage to get the father involved). They are really awesome though and besides being incredibly receptive, they understand EVERYTHING that we teach and the real magnitude of it. Something that has escaped most of the people that I have taught on the mission. The oldest daughter has a college scholarship that is only received by the top students in the nation, so she especially doesn't have any trouble comprehending the messages. As simple as the gospel is  some people have a lot of trouble grasping it. But basically we are probably going to have 4 baptisms marked for the 28th which is awesome! The fruits of our labors here in IjuĂ­ are finally manifesting themselves. I feel like funny things must have happened this week, but I am not recalling any. Oh, actually we had our 1st councilor of the stake presidency decide to give a talk about many things that should NEVER be talked about in a sacrament meeting, let alone with investigators present. As if it wasnt hard enough to get people to church here...
Oh, and Elder H, the newbie missionary sent an email to his parents last week complaining about how he was only eating rice because he had no money (it was his choice to buy only rice) and made it seem as though he was starving here. Well somehow his parents decided to call Salt lake and complain or something, and it resulted in Elder H having to call home explaining to his parents that he was eating well and not starving. BTW Mom, I´m starving, could you put some instant potatoes packets into my next package. Thank you, I´m famished(Dane trying to be funny I hope!)
            Yea I decided I had better take the time to write back to the activity days girls if they took the time to write me. I know I would have liked to get missionary letters when I was young. BTW did Jake Taylor get home a few months back?
That is all. I love you all and hope you are doing well there in Connell!
-Elder Dane Eskildsen