To answer your question, yes, guns are illegal in all of Brazil. That was a big no-no that the Elder comitted. My deviated septum is fine, I think that it has always been this way, but I just never had a doctor that actually checked for that. I dont think it has anything to do with the wax problem, but it might, because he wasnt going to check my nose, but when he looked in the entrance of the eustacian tube (the tube that goes from the mouth to the ear) and because of that he looked in my nostrils. So who knows maybe it has something to do with the problem. The surgery for a deviated septum is 4000 reais here which is about 2000 dollars US. Chances are I will have to do it there in the states when I get back. Unless it is way cheaper here. The ear candles work but at the same time they dont. I had accumulated so much wax that even the candles were really doing nothing, mostly because the wax was really deep.

I have gotten a few articles of snail mail. I will also send that thing in soon about my drivers liscence. I also got the missionary newsletter. Tell Matt Hadley that he will probably end up serving in the hometown of the elder that I am training. Its a city called Vitoria da conquista. From what I was told that will be one of the most temporate cities on the mission, but the state that matt will be in is known for being EXTREMELY hot in general.

Im not sure exactly where the area I am is in relation to the downtown but I beleive it is to the west. The house I am living in is really pretty nice. It gets really hot and humid inn there but I think that is a common trait with the houses here in the mission. It has all of the necessities of life, and we have managed to keep it relatively clean. The Christmas decorations with the rich people is a lot like the US but a little less ostentatious. The humbler people generally have a few lights and a very small Chrstmas tree and maybe a wreath on thier doors. The lights and stuff dont even make it seem like Christmas. It is way to hot to be the holidays haha.

It seems as though the ward has the same small problems that all other wards have, although connell 1st is a little zion. It is also impossible for the ward missionaries here to teach the new member discusions. What is needed for the new members is to really comprehend the commandments, especially the importance of sacrament meeting.

As for my district it kind of stayed the same. Only the arms trafficker was sent away to Panambi and a literal african was put in his place. My district will also grow in this transfer. One more companionship is going to be sent here, thus making my district enormous! Its going to be even more challenging than it already has been, but I am ready. As it turns out Elder Bargas was transferred to go to another area in Santa Maria. But other than taht nothing has changed. Here is a voice recording that talks about some of the peeps we are teaching. Love you and hope you are doing well!

-Elder Eskildsen