Emergency Transfer

3/11/2013
So this week I was part of an emergency transfer. When they announced transfers on Monday I was to remain in my area in Horto Florestal with Elder Barbosa with the transfer happening on Wednesday. Well a new American finally got his visa and came in on Friday morning. My mission president called us on Friday morning and let me know that I was being transferred that day and that he would be there to pick me up later that day. So I basically spent the day packing and saying goodbye to members before he got there. I spent the night in the mission office where I met my new companion (who I already knew cause he got into the mission the same day as me). His name is Elder Arevalo, he is from Santiago Chile and was secretary of references and documents until he came with me to where I am now which is Vila Medeiras. The area was closed (had no missionaries) and we were called to open it again, so basically for the past two days we have been cleaning our house and buying the things we need for the house and trying to learn the area and who the members are. It should not take too long to get to learn the area but it is just kinda annoying for the first few days or week cause you don’t know where anything is and where or who the members are. But all is going well.

My new area is really close to where my last area was but the area is a lot different. The area is a little bit poorer than my last, but it is not favela, but the people here are a lot more open to receive us and a lot more humble, which helps a ton. Truly the people who are a lot more humble have a better capacity to feel the spirit and be baptized a lot easier. Hopefully we will have some success here in the next two weeks. We have a nice chapel, which is actually in my area, which helps a lot. Also my area is really small which is nice as well. But I am excited to be here despite the challenges but all is well. The house we have is really nice as well (it has two bath rooms and is two story) the only problem is we don’t have a true washing machine which kinda stinks. I will be sure to take pictures this next week. Sorry I forgot my camera at home so I will not be able to send pictures again this week. Hopefully next week we will go to the center of Sao Paulo, which will be nice. But thank you all so much for your support and all that y’all do for me! I love you all and am praying for you all!

With Love,

Elder William Shelton