Feliz Dia das Mães!! -- May 12, 2014

I LOVE  MY FAMILY!!!!  It was so marvelous hearing AND seeing you yesterday!  Gosh, I felt like I was there with you!  Too bad it was only 18 minutes.... :(  I'll be sure to get my full 45 at Christmas :)

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY, MOM! :)  Thank you for being the best mother I've ever had!  Haha but seriously, thank you for being such a strength and boost to me these past 19 (almost 20!) years.  You have shaped me, helped me, encouraged me, and believed in me.  You have been my loyal friend through thick and thin, and I am SO eternally grateful for a kind, loving mother like you.  I hope "your day" was perfect.

Minha nossa... this week was c-r-a-z-y, but good!  I got transferred to Almirante Tamandaré, a town just outside of Curitiba.  It is HUGE! I still have 6 missionaries in the ward, but we all live separately, which I think is a blessing.  Our house is an apartment added on to a member's home, and we have new appliances!  It's wonderful, and stays clean.  My new companion is Elder Gilguero, from Argentina.  He is a great missionary, and a wonderful teacher, so I'm very grateful for the chance I have to learn from an obedient, skillful missionary now that I know a little more Portuguese and can apply it!

We had a baptism this week, too!  A____ is a wonderful man, who has had many tragedies in his life (two of his sons were murdered on their street...)  He accepted baptism, and entered into a sacred covenant with Heavenly Father yesterday!  Saturday, I FINALLY got to wear service clothes and get dirty!  We went and helped A____ make a cement carport, which was  a lot of fun!

Holy cow!  This week we were knocking doors and found an ELECT.  Her name is R____, and she let us right in and shared with us her life story through tears.  She loves God, and has a TON of faith.  When we taught her the Plan of Salvation, she knew it already.  When we taught her the Restoration, she wept when we related the first vision, and said, "I know it's true!".  It was such a tender, special experience that reminded me that Heavenly Father truly is preparing people to receive the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It blesses lives!  I know that R_____ was able to remember her first lessons in the Pre-existence. 

We are doing our best to stay busy, work hard, and live for miracles.  Already this area seems full of potential, and I'm excited to be here!

I LOVE YOU!  Thanks for the love and prayers.  They really do help! 

Have a super duper week.

Love,
Jason

PS - Sorry for the lack of pictures! My card reader got stolen in my last area... I'll try to find another one!