13 April Email and Pictures

Subject: Transfer 3

Hey family,

Everything is going great here in Brazil. It's been a little bit frisky the past week (except for today). It sounds like everyone is preparing for spring back home. I am glad that Grandma's surgery went well and that she is feeling better. I wish the best of luck to her.

Last Tuesday I got a new companion. His name is Elder Fernandes and is from Brasilia Brasil. Transfers were fun - it's like having 2 P-days in a row. After Tuesday we did some work for the Stake President cleaning out a lot of the ancient files of members who once lived in the ward boundaries or who once were members. About 40 percent of the houses we couldn't find because the streets aren't numbered in an orderly fashion (for example, house number 430 will come after house number 14 and then after that will be house number 833). Only the main roads are ordered evenly with the odds and evens on the correct side of the road also.

We have been working a lot with the Book of Mormon program. It is the best way to find good families to teach. The people are very accepting when they know that it was their friend that gave them the book and not just 2 random boys. We have found I think 3 families just this past week to teach and still are waiting to deliver 4 more. Hopefully they will turn out well. The official statistic on the Book of Mormon Program is 1 person will be baptized for every 3 copies of the Book of Mormon that are dedicated and delivered. Plus, Uncle Jim said that Joseph Smith said that every Book of Mormon will lead to a baptism.

Today we did weekly planning (we didn't do it yesterday because we had a service project). After we planned, we cleaned and tidied the house. Then we went to the market and bought a bunch of food. The fridge and table look a lot nicer filled with food (my last companion didn't like to cook). I am excited to receive my cookbook from Mom soon (as soon as she sends the package).

Anyway my time is running short here. Its almost 6:30 and we have appointments marked for tonight. I will talk to everyone next week. Thanks for all the updates from family members. Parabéns Mathieu for turning 26! You're catching up to your wife. (Remmy always used to say to me, "one day when I'm older than you I'm going to beat you up," so it might be possible.) Say hello to Grandma for me. Rem, have fun in Utah. I hope that Rosie can feel better (just remember that it's only High School).

Love you all. Tchua~

Elder Steele

6 April Email and Pictures

Subject: New Companion

Hey family!

Since today is transfers and I am staying in my area here I kind of have 2 P-days in a row because I am waiting in Novo Hamburgo Centro with the 2 other elders that are awaiting their new companions as well. I sent my companion off this morning at the rodoviaria with the 2 other elders that were leaving from my zone. One of them (Elder Hill) is going home tomorrow. My trainer is also going home tomorrow. Its a weird feeling seeing people that I know going home already.

I have a feeling that my next companion will be an American and it will be Elder Harris based on the information that my trainer gave me this morning (he is already in the office debriefing and he called me on the assistant's phone). I'm not certain though. I am pretty excited to receive a new companion. This last transfer has been a learning experience for me in that I got to see the difference of 2 missionaries. My trainer had a desire to work and all we did was work even though it was his second to last transfer from going home. My second companion has 3 more transfers left, only talked about how he would go home in only 4 months, and we didn't work.

Anyway, this last week was good. I will try to get some more photos of the mission this week to send to you all. I hope everything is well at the house. That's exciting the summer weather that you all are getting in NY. I bet Bristol has even closed due to the warm weather. Have you set your clocks forward one hour yet there? I think that I am only 1 hour ahead of NY time until next fall. It has been fairly frisky and nice the past 2 days. Winter is starting here, but I think it will be a long time until it gets here.

How is Elizabeth liking staying at home? Do you think that Ecco will send me a new pair of shoes? I don't know if they have a warranty; I bought them on eBay. The bottoms have already worn through and there is a big hole on the left side of the right shoe. Maybe I will get some pictures to you all next week. My P-day will be on Tuesdays like normal from now on. I hope you all have a wonderful week. Love you all.

Elder Steele

5 April Email

Here is Jonathan's email from 5 April.

Subject: 3rd Transfer

Dear family,

This past week went by fairly fast. Conference was good. We were able to watch both sessions on Saturday and both sessions on Sunday. I ended up watching one in Portuguese and one in English each day. It was nice. How did the priesthood session end up? I didn't get to see that.

We didn't do much for Easter here. I hope you all had a great Easter back home. Maybe I will get some candy since the prices all go way down after Easter.

I heard that Dad got a new iPad. That's pretty cool. You will have to explain to me what it's like to use. I hope that he is liking it. Does it compare to my iPod that I gave to Hunter?

Me and my companion found out this morning that my companion is getting transferred. We won't know where he is going to or who my new companion will be until tomorrow. I guess I will be able to inform you all next Tuesday.

Has all the snow melted in NY yet? I heard (from Savannah) that Utah is still getting snow. How is Liz liking being back in the house? I hope you guys are giving her a lot of work to do. Sometimes putting someone to work is the best solution for everything. How are the prospects looking for Zach's Job? Still working for Lue? Anyways I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter in America. Until next week.

With Love,

Elder Steele

30 March Email

Here is Jonathan's email from 30 March.

Subject: Easter

Happy Easter from Brazil!

The past week went by pretty fast. Not much happened. Me and my companion were in house sick for 3.5 days. It gets really boring sitting in an almost empty apartment with nothing to do. I had a fever of almost 40C and my companion had a stomachache. But all is good now.

We look forward to Conference and Easter here, although I don't think that the Easter Bunny will pass by our house. As far as I know we just have a normal lunch appointment that day, but hopefully the family will make something nice for us to eat.

It sounds like all is going well in NY. How is Hunter doing? I haven't heard from him in a while. Transfers are next week on Tuesday (always Tuesday...last transfer was Friday due to meetings that the Mission President had with Salt Lake or something like that). I think our P-day next week will be Monday. Love you all!

Com amor,

Elder Steele