Opa familia-

Ya, I got transferred this week to the Currais Novos area in Caico. Caico is about 2 hours and 40 minutes south of Mossoro where I was serving. I am now living in the same house as Elder Balich one of my companion's in the CTM.  Also, sister Hernandez is in my district here too so this transfer is going to be sweet. We have alot of greenies in this area. That means a lot of new missionaries that are just starting their missions.  I've heard from everyone that this area is super hard to teach and baptize people.  They say everyone is really catholic or of a different religion and I have seen that these past four days here. So we are going to try and turn this area around.

We have a really small church in our area with one ward and a branch.  So I think I’m going to be learning how to give alot of talks, haha. My companion was Elder W. Santos but he’s getting transferred now to a different area.  This kid was cool, so I’m so mad that he is leaving now especially since I have no idea of this area. So this will be fun-haha. I’m getting a hispanic comp now I think.  I haven’t met him yet but I’m here in Natal waiting and starving haha.  I used all my money to travel to my new area and now here and I’m going to have to pay to go back.

I’m liking this new area though. It has alot of wind so its pretty cool most of the time. Unlike my last area where I died of the heat. This area is in the mountains so the roads here go straight up and down. I’ve already met alot of cool people. A couple of women that we call our mom’s here in the mission, if they really like you they’ll make you dinner or lunch whenever you don’t have it.  I’ve had dinner everyday here. Unlike my last area where I didn’t have it once.

You’re really going to laugh when I tell you what I ate. This lady here cooks some really strange things for us. So I have eaten these little small birds where they still have everything left on them. Like their heads and feet and stuff.  It’s like the whole little bird and she straight up boils it and serves it just like that. So I ate them. It was really weird haha.  You have to break the stomach open and eat it like that. And then yesterday I ate snake at her house. So I’m just excited to see what else she has to make for me haha! I’ve eaten it all cause my comp said if you get her trust she will do anything for you. So I’m just going to have to live through this. But it wasn’t that bad, it tasted like chicken but different.

But defiantly leaving my last area was the hardest thing. I didn’t think I would ever feel that way. The day of transfers they call at like 7 at night to tell you if your leaving. They wait until it is late so you will work all day. But at 7p Wilson and me met up with some of the members that wanted to see where we were getting transferred to. Then the news came that I was leaving and people there actually started crying and stuff but I had to stay strong. Me and Wilson hung out there the rest of the night and some of the girls in my ward brought me presents and stuff.

Then after that we went home to pack up my stuff and there was Heider and he started crying. He gave me his 200$r hammock and some little things.  Then I talked to my second mom that lives next to us.  She always helped me and taught me how to wash my clothes and do whatever else I needed that I always had you do for me mom- haha. But she started crying and so did her daughter whose 14 but looks 18. Then in the morning me and Wilson woke up early at 5 to play our last game of basketball.  We also went and visited Bruno really quick.

I got on the bus to Caico with another missionary and we waited there forever for my comp but it turned out I wasn’t suppose to be there. My zone leader didn’t tell me which city so I got on the bus again and arrived at night. Then Heider called because he was at Victorios house with their whole family and he passed the phone around and I got to talk to all of them because I didn’t have time to visit them before I left. That lil girl who I played basketball with, when the phone got to her she couldn’t even talk cause she was crying so much. That phone call sucked so much. But it’s all good, I’m ok and I’m ready to start this new area. This Thursday we have a missionary meeting with a Seventy so that will be sweet.

Elder Moffat talked about me making French toast for our district?  I’m a cheffffffffff! Well they actually turned out bomb. But I got to go. I love you guys.

Elder Mauter

What's up familia!

I don't have much time today because this is probably my last week here and everyone wants me to visit them. So I'm trying to go everywhere I can. This place, Mossoro everyone is so cool. I really hope President Soares at least lets me stay for one more transfer.  All the girls in my ward said they will cry when I leave, freak!! hahah! An older member already started tearing up today when I visited him. He made us pizza and cinnamon rolls, so its been tuff. I don't want to leave. I feel life here is bad for the living conditions but then again everyone here is so friendly and that’s what I love. I have made so many friends here. Like, last week when I passed by the basketball courts one night to invite people to church and talk with them. A guy asked if we were still playing ball in the mornings.  I told him we haven’t for the last two days because we don't have a basketball. So then this girl heard me and just gave us a basketball hahaha!

I had a baptism last week, with a girl and we’ll baptize her mom next week! Also, we have another baptism planned with another mom whose kid is in our ward. So last week has been sweet. But I have to go. I don't have much time today-I'll send some pics next week haha I hope! desculpas!!!(my apologies)

Elder Mauter

Hey,

It was so good to see and talk to everyone yesterday! Tell everyone thank you for coming over it really meant a lot. Tell Brandtly sorry I made him wait on me! Tell Wolff it's all chill I understand. Mom, everyone was telling me how young you look, haha! Love ya mom and pops

(from-spencer's family)We were able to Skype with Spencer for over an hour and he sounded and looks great! He is loving his mission.  He was at a members home who he really loves and they love him. They are so kind to him. Spencer said they saved him a watermelon one day and took him to their back room and said we saved this just for you. He can speak the language very well. His pants are fading in the heat, but a member dyed them for him and they turned out great. His shoes are holding up good and was told to just wear out one pair of dress shoes instead of rotating them.  He says were he lives it looks more like a garage than a house from the outside. Says there is a subway fast-food in his area but it's really expensive as they don't get a lot of allowance to afford to eat out. We got to see and talk to Elder Wilson who isn't his companion but lives in the same house. They have a lot of fun together -they both enjoy basketball. Brandtly asked if he was dunking - but he said no, he's got to work on that!  Members of the family whose house he was at came in to say hello to us. They were all so sweet. Spencer introduced the lady of the house as his Brazillian mom who takes care of him.(So grateful for her!) 
He has a side bag and a backpack. He really likes the backpack but said he hasn't been using it because in the favelo's(ghetto)someone was wanting to know where the missionary with the backpack was.  They told them, oh he got transferred and doesn't live here anymore. 

He was talking about the girls and how he has been proposed to.  We teased him about talking about 'girls' a little bit too often. He just said "don't worry, my heart is locked - but my eyes are open!" He is a funny kid! He said the English class they are teaching is going good.  Said they sing the ABC song and all that good stuff. He wanted to see our food we had.  Said he misses some of the food from home. But he really likes the food in Brazil.  The rice and beans are really good, and he eats everything. Said he isn't cooking eggs in the morning-says he is too lazy.haha. Transfers are coming up and he says its going to be hard to leave all his friends in Mossoro. Said he wished he could stay longer. 

We are so proud of Spencer and the service he is doing in Brazil.  He is really happy there and we are so happy for that! Can't wait until Dec. to Skype again!

opppa fam bam
 
I'm going to first write what I need so I don't forget. My pants are getting ruined because of the sun- they are turning red. But don't send me any right now. I got hook ups here in Mossoro. One of the members is going to paint them so they go back to the original color. Send some pictures of our family, friends .... hook me up mãe por favor. Don't forget my journals, I want big ones.  

Maybe a map of the states. Tell me some tips on how to wash my clothes cause they all just stay dirty which sucks -our washer machine sucks. Oh, and ask those people in our ward how I can train my voice for a better accent. 

This week has gone by fast. I'm not looking forward to transfers that are coming up here soon haha.  I know you think I'm bi-polar cause one of my emails I said I wanted to move around but now I really just want to stay here, freak! This week we have been having some difficutlies with our investigators. The one family that I talked about whose son was shot, they didn't go to church last week because they are starting to get less interested. I think because one of the 20 yr old girls'boyfriend just came into town. She's getting lazy and focusing more on him than eternal life. But I will work some magic on her and her family.  The kid who was shot really likes me and he's pretty much the head of the family. If he makes a decision everyone will do the same. So I hope they will go next week.

Sorry this email is going to be short. There's this girl sitting next to me and she wont stop talking.  Im trying to give her the hint but shes not getting it. But this week was good, we made alot of new contacts and met with them. We had a baptism last Saturday. He was the brother of victorio who I already baptized.  So now their whole family is baptized.  So my goal now is to get them all to come back to church. I got one of the girls in the family to come and watch the baptism, so that was good. She knows a girl from school that comes. I'm going to talk to that girl in our ward to work with us and help her come back. She is 15 yrs old and she's already married. That's another thing really weird here in Brazil, everyone gets wifed up real quick. 

Sorry,  I don't have my camera on me today cause we are going to play basketball after this but I'll send some pic's next week. Elder Wilson, (the new elder in my house) me and him like the same stuff. So every morning we go play basketball to burn off all the soda we drink.  We have a pretty good group that comes there to play.  I'll baptize all of them, if I can stay one more transfer. Sometimes we go on divisions when we can cause we work so much better together. 

I'm planning on calling home around 6 pm my time. So you guys better hurry home from church and invite all the homies! We started an English class here, so every tues and wed nights we teach for like 2 hours. We get a bunch of people to come so its a good way to find new investigators. Gavin is killing it! I didn't think he had it in him to get 4th out of 650 scouts at the triathlon- but i seeee you boy! The family sounds good in your emails. 

Te amo - I'll talk to you guys Sunday 

Elder  Mauter