September 3, 2008

Hi Mom,
This past week we had our culture festival at the Stake Center, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Friday night, the stake youth did a presentation with music and sort of theater. A boy in the Londrina Stake (the other stake) played the piano and a ballet company with some young girls performed. After the performance, everyone gathered on the basketball court and they had big drums and everyone did a dance (like the Springville Folkfest in the parking lot). Saturday, the church was open all day. Each room had a display to show the investigators a little about the organization. Also, on the basketball court, some people from the circus brought equipment and taught the primary kids some stunts and cool things. They tumbled, juggled fire and knives and some other interesting things. In the parking lot, a funk teacher was teaching the youth some dances and in the cultural hall was a lecture about conserving food and soy. That evening was a presentation that turned out really beautiful. Some of the elders in our mission did a program with music and a slide show with pictures of Christ, some clips and a narrator. It was really beautiful. An elder in my district recorded it and I will try to send it too. Sunday night, President and Sister Leal gave a fireside and talked about missionary work. The festival was a blast and the investigators were very impressed with the church so it was a good experience for everyone.

This Saturday, Lucas will be baptized. He is Antoniel’s nephew (the one who was recently baptized). He turned 8 on Monday and we threw him a little party and the primary president brought her kids along. I love the members here because everyone is willing to help out with the investigators. This is also our last week of the transfer. I think Tuesday we will find out who will be transferred. I think I will stay because my comp has been here for more time. Hopefully I will be able to email next week. I will let you know.

Thanks for the football update. I am sad I won't be able to watch Alex play ball. There is an elder in my zone that always wants to talk to me about football. I don’t really miss sports though.

I don’t know when my release date will be and need to work it out with our President. I would rather have you guys come December 21st and go home the 27th, however, we would be spending Christmas here and I don’t know if it would weird. I would love to spend Christmas with you guys and some members here. But the other date would be fine too because you guys could spend Christmas with Alex and I could stay more time on the mission. I will have to sort it out with the President and I don’t know when I will have an opportunity to talk to him about it. Sorry, I know you want to buy tickets soon. I will see what I can do.

I didn’t know Meghan Fullmer is getting married. . . Tell her congrats and that I love her.

Anyway, I love you and hope everything is going well.

Love Barbie