29 September 2014 - Santos Dumon, Brazil

Well, if there's any truth to the idea that hard-working missionaries are rewarded for their efforts by the Lord, then this week's e-mail is evidence for it. Elder Frogley is in the home stretch, and we're all encouraging him to finish strong and make a sprint of it (according to Dad, using some track analogies that I think I more or less understood).

Haha, sounds like Dads excited with life! Keep up the energy Dad! Haha, im here in one of my favorite cities, in one of my favorite zones, in the best area of that zone with a cool american comp that i know! Actually were in a trio, but only for three weeks. Were havin fun here! The tough part is we have to work two areas. that means a lot of walkin and on these worn legs, thats no fun. Our area is half of the capital of Sergipe. Its called Santos Dumon and its much different then my last area. Its in a huge city, with a very well organized ward and very old, born in the church, type of member families. We actually get help with our investigators and, best of all, we have lunch!! I was missin the taste of food sooo much... haha, the members here take care of us very well.

Also cool, we started running! We have a park/zoo next to our house and we went joggin through it. Im REALLY out of shape. Ill have to work on that when i get back. Itll be even worse in Utah. But they have lions and tropical birds, and a jaguar and stuff! Its really cool! Theres also this sweet over look where you can see the whole city, next to the river with a huge bride! Its so cool! Ill send pics next time cause i didnt bring my camera last time.

We have a few investigators, but its been hard to really get to know them because our area is so huge, and both my comps take control in their areas, so i just kinda sit content in the middle and talk when i feel like something needs to be said. We did have a pretty cool lesson yesterday with a young man who was visiting his member grandma yesterday. Hed been to church a few times and enjoys it every time. We taught the restoration to him and we all took a turn teaching something. Im pretty sure he didnt really catch the magnitude of what we were saying, but he felt the spirit and accepted baptisim without hesitation. Hes goin to be living with his Grandma every week end so hell be attending church in our ward.

Im so greatfull for this chance to just relax and teach people in a calm ward with a cool comp in a place i like. Its such a huge change of pace from the screaming women with knives and dinky branches with no members where all the people in the city hate the church and us and every lesson is a battle. Itll be excellent to finish my mission here. Ive discovered something. Im one of the most easy going chill missionaries on the mission. Every comp ive had said that he was really stressed out with his previous comp and that he was praying for a chance to work relaxed, then he got me! haha, its a good thing to be i think, and ill try to keep it up after my mission. Work, but in a way that makes people smile and not get all tensed up all the time.

Not much else to report! Love you guys!

Elder Ian