Elder Alexander Baker

September 5, 2011

Hellooooooo!

I am in the office again, but nobody is here but me and my comp. This week was pretty nuts. The guy that I was doing splits was being really sucky and suspicious. I found out that he had a cell phone and was talking to other missionaries on the mission about some group they formed to go against all the rules of the mission. Fools. We confronted him and he refused to talk or give us his phone so the president called hm and interviewed him today. It is probable there will be a few missionaries sent home without honor. But I have been working with him for 3 weeks now! t has been rough. At least he will get the punishment he deserves. I would be scared, President Fernandes is ruthless.

But, anyways, other than that (the biggest news of the mission ever, brazilians love fofoca, or, gossip) this week was good. I will be working in Rio Tavaresand I´ll be living in the staff house for the next two weeks, which is the only missionary apartment that has a DRYER!! I am so excited about it. I was struggling to keep clean clothes ready to use, mainly because I don´t have very many anymore. I think a missionary stole them cuz they don´t make they same kind of garment here is Brazil and the ones that are made there are a lot better. So, having said that, I made a list of things that I will ask for that I ask that you send asap. tomorrow if possible. I don´´t think it will be too expensive. Here´s the list:

1- My face has really sensitive skin. Those 2 blade razors are horrific that you send me, sorry haha. I need you to send me Gilette Fusion Proglide Automatic razor heads. The orange ones. I used one for 8 months, so 3 should do it. I think they come in packs of three anyways.They are 100 reais here! Ridiculous!!

2- Garments. I have 4 pair now. I don´t know what happened to the rest. The only possible answer is that they were stolen, cuz I checked everywhere. Or they blew away. If you can, send 5 medium 50/50 pairs. Tops and bottoms. NOT the swoop neck ones, just the t shirt-like ones.

3-My socks are dying too. Ifyou can send more, that´d be good. I can buy some crappy socks here if you want.

4-Might as well throw in those short sleeve dress shirts.

5-I am on my last deodorant! I like speed stick and right guard. The non-taulky kind is better. The gelly type is best (not the actual gel stuff, the solid gel!) Don´t get old spice, it gives me rashes.

Thats it! sorry if that seems like a lot, but on the 20th of this month, I will be coming home in a year. I need to be restocked with stuff. I am almost half way done!!! I want to send a package home soon with suff that I never use. I made the same mistake as every single american that goes on a mission and brought a bunch of stuff. I think I will start getting together a package and get something cool to send home. (It won´t be too expensive, don´t worry) I checked my debit card today and its activated, thanks!!

Tell Emily to keep going with cross country. Its really fun to be involved in something at school. I loved being on the basketball team and being in Acapella. Tell her to keep it up. Maybe you should stall to get her social security card so she has to wait a little longer to get her license!! And keep looking for a little 4x4 for her... I can´t even remember how many girls I have seen who have no idea how to drive in snow.. And if you find a jeep wrangler 4 door for me, you can buy it if you want.

Lets see, this week I worked on the computer a lot in the office. I had to get a video off youtube, translate it, and put it on DVDs for missionaries. Every mission in the entire world is in the process of receiving a portable DVD player to use to teach. This mission received them today. I don´t quite agree with every missionary companionship having a portable DVD player because there will be slacker missionaries that will watch DVDs and movies, but it was the first presidency´s idea, so I trust them!!!! But, there were a couple of days that I worked in Rio Tavares. They have a huge chapel there and own an entire mountain that only has forest on it. The word is that the church bought the terrain to build a temple there! It would be the coolest temple ever because it would be on top of a huge hill!! And practically the whole south part of the island would be able to see it. But it is really cool there, it is much moe what you would imagine brazil would be like. Palm trees everywhere, beaches, jungle, monkeys, etc. Its cool.

My comp had to get a huge cancerous mole taken off his back the other day. I asked if I could watch the opperation, but the doctor said no. My poor comp is always in pain now cuz it was right on the spine where lots of nerves pass, so he is in a lot of pain. I have to clean and bandage the cut every night cuz he can´t reach it. Its kinda cool, maybe I´d like to be a surgeon! But I dunno.

The only cool missionary-like cool thing that happened this week was that I randomly decided to knock a street and there turned out to be one person at home on the whole road. But that one person just had her baptism marked! So hopefully I can say that it was a prompting of the spirit to go to knock (we don´t actually knock though, we clap our hands outside the gate) that street. But I am glad Lowell Hicks is still alive. Tell Linds that I would love her to go to hair school cuz she could cut my hair how I like it cuz I am always nervous to talk if the person cuts my hair wrong. How is everyone else doin? I haven´t heard from Mike for a while, how are he and Kate doin?

Tell Dad good luck with the firms. I wanted to ask him or you to send me a the story of his 9/11 story. I kinda forgot how it went. I can´t remember if he had a newspaper story on it (I think so) that would be cool to have. Also in his own words just telling me how it went. If he has time! Also, Mom and Dad, you both have a sentence in your patriarchal blessings that is crazy!! I learned about patriarchal blessings this week. You guys are set. If possible, could I have a copy of Katie´s and Lindsey´s blessings too, if they let me??

Alright, thats all I have for this week. It looks like I will be with elder Athayde another transfer. That is a good thing, he is really fun. Did ever tell you his full name?? Its Luciann Gustavo Cicero Cavalcante de Athayde. Ridiculous.

Bye, I love you all!!

Love Elder Baker