Como vocês estão???!!

I'm doing good here but not much happened last week. It seemed to have passed by super fast.  I got a little sick here and ended up staying home one day cause I threw-up, but the next day I was able to leave the house and work. I think its because of the water that people sale us off the road but I'm better now! So don't worry!

It seems like a bunch of people are getting sick here because of it. We didn't have any baptisms last week because of this. We weren't able to teach our investigators but we'll get on it this week.

Interviews went well, haha. It was one of my better interviews because we went to Subway to eat after. I thought sister Soares would almost punch me haha because we were asking for the things we wanted on our sandwich and the guy put tomatoes on my sandwich without me saying and then he was like oops, you want it or I can take it off.  He started to take them off and I was like, alright you can take them off. Then sister Soares gave me a death glare haha! So I asked for onions and I don't even like onions just to take the heat off of me hahah! But I like my President couple, they are super supportive and there to help when you need it. Pres ended up calling me last Monday after internet time to congraduate me on what I'm doing in my area. 

But this is what happened in my area last week, not much. Mom I don't need anything for my ears, or shoes or sunscreen. Just send a bunch of candy from the USA that I can give away and protein bars.  I want to get bigger!

Love you guys
Elder Mauter

Whats up fam!!!!!

Happy Vday hahha! No they don't celebrate valentines day here but they have a different holiday coming up that is called Dia Das Namoradas. This holiday is pretty much the same thing as Vday. But ya mom Carnaval was pretty crazy here the last two days of it. Last Tuesday me and my comp were working a ton and lost track of time so we got home late and the area where they have the big party is on our street so we have to pass by there to get home haha so I told my comp "just look down and walk fast."  It was pretty crazy. This holiday used to be a religious holiday that gave people a day to sin and then three days to repent and become clean. Well it has changed a ton. Now people take the holiday for two weeks. What I mean by that is that they take two weeks and sin all that they can and then they take about four days to repent. 

But about your question ya where my apartment is its pretty loud but its nice sometimes cause I don't have trouble waking up haha. But last week we had another good week. We baptised 5 people. Fernanda who has a baby and her two brothers, Fernando 17 and Felipe 10 ill send a pic! Last week I got a call from the assistant asking me what I'm doing in my area that's working so well. Then yesterday I got a call from my old comp W Silvia who is also an assistant. So me and my comp have really seen the blessings in our area this transfer. Its so cool to see that every time we go and visit these people they are always wanting to know more. When we leave they are wanting to study the things we leave them to read.  Yesterday was funny we have this 7 year old who has been coming to church with us and when we were baptising everyone he was almost crying cause he wanted to be baptized too. 

But its good to hear that you guys are all healthy and doing good. This week we have interviews with President Soares so I hope it goes well. This will be his last time for interviews before we get a new mission President. But mom where I'm at now is like 9 hours from Natal. But hahah mom, thanks for reminding me how long I've been out and how long I have left in the mish you are more trunky than me haha! 

Love you guys have a good week!

Elder Mauter

Baptismos!!!! 

Last week was super crazy here in Cajazeiras  because on Friday  Carnival began.  This city is one of the biggest parties for carnival in Brazil. There were a bunch of people traveling here to see the shows and party...and it doesnt end  until tomorrow. Last year I was in Mossoró when this was happening but it wasnt even that big. Mossoró had some things going on but not like here but let me tell you about some of the stuff they do. 

But first I'll tell you on Saturday I had to go home super early because of all the parties haha. But freak I don't know why they do this but all the guys here dress up like girls? I was in a division with my district leader on Saturday because he was doing some intrevistas for me. We had some crazy people stopping us. So on our way home we actually had to walk head down and fast hahha. But other than that last week went really well. We had 6 baptisms on Sunday and also brought 12 people to church. We are really seeing the blessings in our work and we hope to baptize more people this week. A bunch of people are getting sick here so some of them couldn't come to church that we had marked to be baptized. But we will keep working hard to accomplish our goals.  We had a member help us out this week with a ride for our investigators.  It was funny because the first house we passed we only grabbed 2 people then the next house no one came to the door and then like 10 people in the next house haha. 

Sorry but i have to go, thanks for the support.  Tell kim and the Wagstaff's that I liked the package. She sent me a t -shirt with the state of Arizona that says home! I think ill use it every day and a box of Trix, finally some American cereal!! Mom, sorry if I'm using the card alot its because here in my area we only have 3 lunches with members in the week and the other 4 days we have to buy food.

Love you guys sorry for the short email ill send pics next week.  I hope Gavin gets better!
Elder Mauter

e ai fam!!! 

So I got the news that I was going to be transferred again to the furthest area in the mission and its in a different state! So now I'm in cajazeiras, Paraiba. It's a pretty small city where the church is just starting up in. So here the church building is a house.  Actually two houses put together this is the first time in my mish that the church building is like this. And plus, to help us out there is a catholic church in front of ours that's a castle, haha. There are like 3 like this in the city.

My new comp has only 3 months in the mish so I was called to be the senior comp.  He was telling me about the difficulties in the area with bringing people to church. I told him from the start that he needs to forget everything he thinks about this area and we will try new ideas to get this area going.

Last week we brought 6 people to church. Walking for a hour in the hot sun plus we also got attacked by a dog getting to the church haha freak. This really showed the faith of these people who we brought to church that we met on Friday. Pray for them that they will have the courage to come to church again.  I'll also apply that principle you taught me mom.  Ill expect that they'll come!

My new comp, elder Querino is from the south of Brazil and lives on a farm. I was joking with him and telling him I have family who are farmers in Idaho that live on a farm and has bunches of tractors and farm stuff. Then he told me that his dad sold his tractor so when he gets home he has to study to get a job.  He's funny, we'll have a good transfer. 

Yesterday we had a baptism, Roberto he's 14 and lives with his mom and a lil brother. I want to start teaching his mom and help her be baptized. She already has been taught by the missionaries but never really accepted to be baptized. We also have other great people that we found that we will be starting the preparation to be baptized this month. We ended up finding two big groups of people on Friday on two seperate roads but on one road no one came. Last week when I got here my comp had been teaching a lady who is 22. We teach her in her glass store. Shes really strong in her religion and doesnt really believe in any other church. My comp wanted me to try last week to get her to go to church. So we stopped by the first day and got to know her and we made friends with her real fast and found out some of the questions she has and things she believes. She told me about when she was baptized in her church and she received the gift of tongues and started speaking in a language that no one understands. We also found out that in her church they don't receive the holy ghost.  So the next day we taught her a powerful lesson about the gospel of jesus christ and when I got to the part about the holy ghost I explained about the gift of the holy ghost and also how we can receive Spiritual gifts from god after we are baptized.  But I focused more about gift of tongues and showed her in 1 Corinthians 14 where when we receive these gifts its to help edify and strenghten the church. Because when you speak to people in a language where no one understands what your saying you look crazy and it wont help anyone. I told her the gift of tongues is what I'm doing right now, speaking to her in her own language.  She understood all of this but at the end when we asked her to pray if these things were true she wouldn't even accept. Its sad to see people like this but our job is only to teach the truths.  I cant force anyone to do what I want.

So that was my week. Don't  go traveling without me!  Hey I found out it'll be Jenns bday so send her a happy bday from Brazil!

But no i haven't heard about this mosquito sickness mom. I think ill be fine so don't worry. Tell Gavin congrats on the bball season and tell him he has to get the w! Also tell him i got his letter but didn't have time to write back. 

but love you guys elder mauter

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