Mocoto...cow hand!

Family

Once again mom, I like that you're easy going. I was reading about when you guys walked in the rain and I thought 'man, there are some woman that wouldn't have done that so I'm happy that you're not one of those people. I'm gonna look for a wife that's easy going like you.

I laughed a lot with the picture of dad hiding behind the bush and your invite to find dad haha I found it very funny that he was just standing there not even really trying to hide but still "hidden"

I'm happy to see that you guys had a good week and got to relax a bit and have a good time. I enjoyed reading your letter

They had elections here. President Dilma (a woman) will continue as president. She's similar to Barack Obama in a lot of ways.

This last week we ate mocotó which is cow hand!....Elder Bolognini said he had a "weak stomach" and couldn't eat things with a lot of fat. Meanwhile Elder Gilliat, Elder Elias (The other Brazilian) and I struggled to eat one or 2 pieces of cow hand....but you can't tell the sister that you don't like her food you just gotta eat it and smile and thank her for the food.

How was your week?

We've started working with one of the young woman in our branch. We were at her house eating lunch and then there came 2 of her friends and we started to talk with them and she gave the 2 of them books of mormon and we started to teach a bit. Since that first day, 1 more young man has become involved. Of the 3, 2 of them are "atheist" and the other one is normal evangelical. Richard, one of the atheists, went to church yesterday and we invited him to pray to know if God exists and so he had been doing that and at church he said that when he prayed that he felt a calm feeling, an interior peace. So I believe that he is starting to believe now and we're trying to help him to be baptized here in 2 weeks. The awesome thing is that every time we meet them we're with Natali (the young woman from the branch) so she's helping out a lot and being a great friend.

Other than that, the week was good, we got some good things done. The Integration night was cool this week, we folded a piece of paper a couple times and then tore it in one direction and only time and what was left was a cross and the word "love" which was pretty cool.

Elder Bolognini and I are getting along well. He's teaching me a lot about how to be a better missionary. He's very excited and he helps people feel special and he also has a good amount of knowledge about other religions and he knows how to make people have doubts and then take away those doubts with the gospel. That's what I'm trying to learn with him. And I believe he's being a bit more obedient with me than he would be if he was other people. Bit by bit he's getting better.

If you could change one thing about your mission (or the mission), what would it be?

Change one thing? I would choose to go back in time and start from the beginning with the knowledge and experience that I have now because in the beginning I wasn't the best I could be (not because I chose not to be but just because I didn't know)

How have your priorities changed (if they have…) since being on a mission?

Man there are a lot of things that have changed since I've been on the mission but to name them is difficult...My priorities have shifted more to the welfare of others than my own. I worry more about other people. What I want in my future wife has also changed. 

Is the weather still getting hot??  I’m surprised that it’s so hot already – you mentioned something about that in an earlier email.

Yeah it got pretty dang hot but it's cooled off a bit now. Yesterday it rained even! They say it needs to rain for 2 or 3 years to replenish the dam rain deposits

Well I think that's about it. I'm happy to hear about your week and the cruise and the church. Continue to help others and think more about what Christ would do, you guys are good example to me and I'm sure you are to others as well :)

Lots of love

Elder Horton