Parada Pinto Week 1

Well I'm clocking in for the first time from Parada Pinto (translation - "Pinto Stop"). The internet here is PAINFULLY slow but I'll do my best here. 

I'm living with four missionaries for the first time in my mission which is pretty sweet. My companion Elder Noleto is from the Northern Brazil and was a salesman before the mission which always helps as a missionary. He's pretty cool, the first week has been an adventure. The other companionship that lives with us is pretty cool as well - Elder Ihasz from Oregon is a very patriotic american that will go home a little before me and Elder J. Lopes is from Curitiba and served in the military before the mission. It's been pretty fun so far.

Work hard

The wark here in São Paulo is very different from the people in Sorocaba. For a missionary it's great because the people live at a faster pace and are really receptive. This week my companion and I were walkinga and talking and we were so excited that I stopped in the middle of a frase to do a contact. He let us in and we met his family -- 4 siblings and a cousin that all accepted to go to church and are now preparing to be baptized. It's a cool family because they grew up in an orphanage and are starting their lives now and are all working together to start a new life. We coordinated for their sister to go to the relief society activity on Saturday and she went there and had so much fun that she ended up going to institute and the YSA dance before she even went to Sacrament meeting for the first time. It was great to have members that made them feel so welcome. We gave them some white shirts and ties and they all went with white shirts and ties which was super cool. 

Play Hard

We went to "Vinte-Cinco de Março" today for p-day which is one of the biggest marketplaces in Brazil. I got to buy some souveneirs that I've wanted for a little while. My companion likes to say "a vida é feita de business" which means "life is made of business" and so it was pretty funny to see him go to work on the bargains. A guy stopped us selling a watch and he worked him down from R$70 to R$30 and went away talking about how he would have been able to get him down to R$25.

It's so amazing to be able to serve full-time only worrying about helping others return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. As I've studied the last week of the savior these last few days I've learned a lot. I loved what Christ taught the apostles about how we can be united in Christ

John 17:

 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

As we take upon ourselves the name of Christ through baptism we unite ourselves with Christ in our purpose to save the whole human race. What a marvalous work to participate in. 

Have a great week peeps,

Elder DP