Monday, February 18, 2013

February 18, 2013


Good (not so early this time) morning, family!

This weeks big news:

TRANSFERÊNCIAS!!!!!

I was transfered! It was actually quite a surprise to us. In Araraquara there are 14 missionaries. 8 of us got transferred, including me and my companion. I am now back in Ribeirão Preto! Same stake as last time, Ribeirão Preto Oeste, but this time in Jardim Irajá. Which happens to be the richest area in the whole mission. This place is loaded with cash. A lot of cash. We look out our front window and see tons of Mercedes, BMWs, Honda Civics (which are rich people cars here), and cars of the like. Word is that I'll see various Lamborghinis and Ferraris as well. Should be an interesting transfer or few. Rich people aren't generally as receptive to the gospel, but it seems that the ward here is strong and the work is going along very well despite the circumstances. We've already got two or three baptisms planned!
 
My new companion is Elder Gade, he's from close to Sacramento, CA and he has almost one year on the mission.

So this last week in Araraquara was pretty good. And very hot. We had a couple of possible baptisms, but they ended up falling through for that week. But Maria Helena will be baptized this week. She just wanted someone else to be there while she signed the baptismal forms... Not sure exactly why. But she did. So the next Elders are going to come and get her baptized this week. By the way, my companion went to Birigui. The second hottest zone in the mission. Elder Galleguillos, who was living with us, went to 3 Lagoas. The hottest area of the mission. And he'll only get there around noon tomorrow. He's got quite a bit of travelling ahead of him!

Something really cool happened this week. On Monday, after I got off the computer and all, Elder Galleguillos and I went to see if a grains store was open. I figured it would be closed, and almost gave up since it was about 20 minutes walking from our house, but we decided to go anyways. When we just got in sight of the store, and saw that it was closed, a car pulled up next to us and they asked through the window, "Vocês são Testemunho Jeová?" Which is always a question we love to get. Of course we said no, but then we got to talking and turns out they're members from São José do Rio Preto and decided to joke around a bit. But then they gave us a reference. And a ride to the house of the person. It's a retired couple that lives about a block away from the chapel, that already went to church many times in Rio Preto, but never knew anybody in Araraquara that was a member, so they never went because they were shy. But they already know that the church is true, they have a Book of Mormon, other books from the church, and want to join the church. Plus, after both the visits that we had, they gave us cake and juice! They're such a nice couple! They'll be baptized within the next couple weeks.

So now I'm working in downtown Ribeirão. Should be an interesting experience! But for now, I think me and my companion might go eat at an 50s American style burger joint! I'm looking forward to it!

Hope you all have a great week! Love you all!

-Elder Hopper #1

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