Elder Alexander Baker

February 28, 2012

Hey family!!

Sorry I didn´t email yesterday, the internet fell. Technology isn´t very advanced in Brazil.

Lets see, I will have to be quick today, sorry. On Monday I made an oatmeal banana bake. It was really good, and I even gave it to a recent convert who is an expert cook who said it was good!! They don´t have oatmeal here though, so I made a bunch.

the weather has been up there lately. This week was scaulding. It is so stupidly hot. I can´t believe people live here for their life. I have learned I will NEVER leave utah or at least a place where it gets snow and has mountains. The dry air is so much better. this humidity is taking years off of my life and I am always in a bad mood cuz there is just no way to cool down! I put my head in the freezer sometimes and that helps a little bit.. But Tuesday we taught that family finally!! We gave them ALMA 5 to read in the Book of Mormon, which our mission president has recently deemed ``the converter or the condemner.`` It is pretty harsh. I like it. Hopefully it will convert them and not condemn!!

We were kinda sad this week because that guy that had showed up to church alone has just disappeared. We found out later that when we taught the commandments and the word of wisdom that his disagreed about the coffee thing and lost his whole testimony in the Book of Mormon and Joseph smith all because of a simple addiction to coffee. Its a sad thing and it happens quite often, but it helps me gain a testimony about the word of wisdom and how destructive these things really are. But, we know we did our part so we smile and go forward. What else is there to do!

Thursday we had zone counsel. It was pretty cool cuz we did it at a big old desk of the stake presidency and I felt pretty official with a bunch of guys in suits with graphs and papers and stuff. It was good though, I always enjoy talknig to president. He is hilarious and I don´t think he realizes it haha. But he always has really good messages to pass to us. He told us that a member of the 70 is going to visit us!! On March 16. So that will be pretty neat. He is going to randomly select people to be interviewed by him, so that would be pretty nerve´racking!

Friday I went on splits with a new american missionary who is not getting along with his first companion. I remembered back when I was in Baton Rouge and there is only one answer that explains how I got through those first four months-Heavenly Father helped me out a ton!! The same thing that was happening with me is happening with him. I have him advice on what I learned to do. I started to only write the positive things that happened during the day in my journal. Even if it was just one thing, I wrote it down. Now I don´t remember what was so bad!! I do remember that it was bad though haha. But he is a good guy, he´ll be fine. He is baptizing like crazy at least!! My zone has gotten 15 this month so far. And I think 5 more this Saturday!! we are doing great here in Itajaí!!

Did grandpa Bob get my birthday letter:?? I sent it years ago. And wasn´t the All star game this week?? HOW DID IT GO? Who were the all stars??? I want a roster.

Sunday, was normal. We visited that family I always talk about, Sérgio Nilva and Alex. They are remodeling their house, so they only read a little bit of alma 5. But we are going to see them on Thursday. We made a pretty bold promise that when they finish that chapter they will know for sure what they have to do. So I´ll let ya know how that goes.

Thats all I have got!! I am glad things are going well at home, congrats on the job Linds!! I had no idea how to be a missionary when I got on the mission, let alone do it in a language I didn´t know!! but you just learn with time, don´t stress. Dad, don´t use your hurt back as an excuse not to go skiing. haha just kidding hope it gets better soon.

Love Elder Baker