Update 2015-03-02

Dear Family,
This past week is always one of my favorites because it is transfer week.  It is wonderful, sad, inspiring and exhausting but a remarkable reminder of the Lords hand in this great work. Sunday night transfers begin and depending on the amount transferring it becomes a little crazy.  All departing missionaries come in Sunday.   Now all returning missionaries receive a day of re-entry training and it is wonderful.  We do not do the training we just feed and house the missionaries. That happens on Monday.

Breakfast with Departing Missionaries
Sis Thedell, Elders Rasmussen, Watchman, Payne, Jackson, Mayolo, and Bonaro

The missionaries have dinner Monday night with the president and receive their exit interviews. They all fly out Tuesday at various times.  The new missionaries arrive on Tuesday around noon and we have lunch and some training (this week we only got 3 new Elders, 2 Brazilian and one Guatemaulan).  They are assigned to their new area and companion and usually leave Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.  We then prepare for training that always happens the Thursday or Friday after transfers to help the new leaders prepare for their service.  This is always wonderful and the training is great.  This time we had one of the Elders cook a churrasco for us!

This is Dad at the meat store buying meat for the BBQ.

Elder Prates (from Southern Brazil) cooking us a Churrasco! (BBQ Brazilian style)
The night before the Zone Leader Training

Group of ZLs and SLTs (Sister Leader Trainers) at our feast - it was very good.

Each time I feel the spirit elevating and press this mission to greater and greater heights.  This last training was great. In James chapter 3 the tongue is compared to a bridle in a horses mouth, a helm of a great ship moving it about, and a match lighting a great fire. All good examples and a great reminder of how important it is to control our tongue.  It was a good talk on how to encourage and lift those around you.  So now I have to try harder.  We also teach policy and rules and we do all the packets and handouts.  It is always an adventure.
Some heart breaking news... the darling little baby I was holding of the non-member lady at the last activity is in intensive care because the father got mad and threw him on the floor (all floors here are tile!).  They think there will be brain damage.  That is breaking my heart.  We can't undo the bad done by others we just help where we can and pray (which just isn't enough for me).  We had a wonderful open house at our ward building on Saturday.  Our ward is so excellent.  The youth were fearless in their work to bring people into the building, I was totally impressed.  They went to bus stops, up and down the streets handing out cards and inviting them to come and see.  I have never seen youth so bold. The rooms were all beautifully set up and the spirit was amazing.  The ward members were in each room telling about the different organizations and it was great.
We love you all so much.  The church is true.
Love, Mom and Dad