July 27, 2015

Hey Everybody!

The weeks really start to fly by as you get more and more time on the mission. This next week will be a new transfer and it seems like this one just started.

This week has been good though. I have had the opportunity to give English lessons twice a week, here in the group, for the past few weeks, which has been an interesting experience. My ability to speak Portuguese is still far from perfect, so trying to explain grammer concepts to people in a language I struggle to speak is a bit of a challenge. So this week I asked the help of a young man here in the group. His name is Cayvn (Kevin) and he is incredible. All on his own he taught himself to speak English. When he told me that he taught himself English, I just assumed his ability to speak was pretty basic and he only knew some simple phrases. But one day when we were planning a lesson together, I asked him ``so how much English do you know? How do you feel about planning the rest of this lesson just in English`` He said he could do it and we started speaking only English, and I was blown away. This kid taught himself to speak english fluently completely alone. He said when he was 10 years old he got a dictionary and just started learning words, then he got some grammer books and started putting things together, and now he´s fluent! I think its incredible and he is a great reminder that if we put our mind to something we can accomplish it!

This coming Saturday Elder Da Silva and I are hopeing to have 3 baptisms. It would be incredible if we were able to accomplish it and I know that if we just work diligently it is possible! Remember the value of hard work and that it will always pay off. I have meet some incredible hardworkers here in the mission and some other who could care less. Those who have the disposition to work hard always seem to have a better understanding of our purpose here in life and what is possible for us after this life. Remember that it is by grace we are saved after ALL that we can do. So get up and get to work and God will make up what you lack!

Love you all and hope you guys have a great week!

Love,

Elder Rice