28 March 2016

So as far as I know they dont have any Easter parades here in brazil. The only type of parade they have here are riots against Dilma, the current President. Last week there were 12 million people at the Paulista rioting the Paulista is kind of the central business district in downtown Sao Paulo). Her approval rating is 6 percent right now…
But as far as Easter,
My Easter was literally featureless. I honestly forgot that it was Easter until the bishop said “happy Easter” at the pulpit. I ate eggs on Easter morning, so that’s kind of Eastery. But I ate eggs every day this week so that makes for a relatively insignificant breakfast on Easter. They don’t have any traditions really here.
Ive been working out again this whole week because we have a pullup bar in our house. So I´m sore as crap… but I gained a pound so maybe I can gain the other 16 pounds back.
Work is going well here. We recieved a reference from someone who wants a Book of Mormon in English… so well see how that goes.
We had high goals for this week but because a few different problems we only baptized one person this week. Dang coffee… But I’m hopeful that they´ll be baptised later on this upcoming month so the momentary delay isnt too frustrating.
York baptism March 2016
This week, the Brazilian equivalent of the FBI killed some drug dealers here in my area so once again… death happened here right on my doorstep.
My companion and the other Brazilians in my house are constantly assuring me that these types of things are very unlikely and that Brazil isnt as rife with murder as it appears. I’m the only common denominator with all these shootings so maybe I just have bad luck…
We have tranfers next week so maybe I´ll leave this area. I guess we´ll have to wait to see what happens. I think its pretty crazy that I have already finished more than a forth of my mission!!
I’m going to leave you with one of my favorite scriptures… Job 28:12-28
 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.  The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It isnot with me.  It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.  It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air. Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears. God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure. When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out. And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”
Anyway love you and happy Easter!
Elder West

March 21

This week was very rushed, We spent the week preparing our 3 babtisms that are going to happen Easter Sunday. Based on our group of people were teaching I think were probably going to have a lot of baptisms next month.

Yesterday night at about 10 pm we heard a few gunshots down the street and a bunch of people screaming followed by a car speeding away. A few minutes later the person who was shot was rushed to the hospital. (I dont know if they passed away or not)
That makes it the 3rd time that someone has been shot or killed within one mile of my house here on the mission. Luckily we’re missionaries so nobody wants to kill us. But it is kind of sketchy when someone gets shot down the street from your house.
This week I felt really sick and had to return to my house and sleep after lunch all day. it was really awful because when I woke up after 4 hours I felt better but when we got back to the house after we left again I couldnt sleep because I wasn’t tired anymore.
Anyway I’ve offically lost 17 pounds since I arrived on my mission and I’m thinking I should start eating more. We just recieved the money for this week so maybe I’ll go buy something nice.
Love you all and have a great week!!
West ❤