Michael: Feb 9th 2011

Dear Family!
Fam, this week was the last of the transfer and today starts one anew, I~ve got a new faithful companion at my side. Elder Fontes! He was just trained by Elder Anderson (my companion 3 companions ago, from Christmas time) and he was working on the other half of the ward. It was for sure heaven sent, cause I got to stay in the area but get out of my house (I moved into his)- which is exactly the same, just everything better quality (beds, desks) and 100 times cleaner. Also now I have a place inside to hang clothes and dont have to tamp this shower drain to keep the sewer stink out.
Elder Fontes is Brazilian, and from way up North (recife) and has a bit of an accent. So here I go on a language extra learning experience again. This week had its ups and downs. We were helping a 17 yr old girl (Barbara) prepare for baptism Sunday so every day I asked a different girl from the young womens to go there with us to teach and get to know her and now they all want to walk with us all day.
Sunday morning we got to Barbaras house, where she lives with her sister and bro-in-law, and she was crying saying that her Dad (who lives 8 hours away) wouldnt let her be baptised. So we went to church without her with our tails between our legs cause our other baptisms fell too. Then the testimony meeting was way spiritual- plus I was fasting, dying of thirst, so these 3 factors all caused me to cry a lot that hour. But then after the meeting Barbara showed up saying her Mom would let her be baptised! HALLELUJAHS! Then the guy responsible for the baptismal clothes was no where to be found so making a long story short, Sunday I was really stressed and really thirsty but I baptised Barbara Ligia Viera Silva, she wearing my companions baptismal clothes (pants and shirt) in the name of the father the son and the holy ghost amen.
I got letters today from Jor Nate Natalie Nick and Aunt Kathy! And Matt 2/3 parts (envelopes) of your letter!
They All rocked! Loved all the pics of the snow and football.
Nick, congrats for winning your pizza coupon at the end of the AF game for dirtiest Mustache!!!! NOSSA haha.
Family, I love you. I´m grateful for your prayers. I need them. I am praying for you.

Beijos e abraços, Elder Michael David Gagon

Devin- loved the email hahaha It feels like I left forever, but not that long ago, and I´m almost be coming home, in a really long time.