Michael: November 23, 2011

Dear family

It´s a.....Brazilian! Elder R. Santos is my new companion. Call me Abraham, Jacob or Lehi but I´ve got another son. Training...again... met the President of the United States...again... (F. Gump). I´ve gotta dig deep to keep going in this area. I told President my snake story and thought I´d get transfered but I guess he didn´t see a big problem. You sometimes feel like he doesn´t like you but I was able to feel not only his confidence but also the Lord´s trust in me to show my comp how to be obedient if anything. Thank you for everyone who emailed me this week. I´m extremely grateful and even emotional as I read them.

Dad- A missionary bought Pirates of the Caribbean now that we have DVD players and President sent him home so he could watch it. I´m not only enjoying the Brazilian culture but gonna try to bring back lots of it with me. I was surprised that Glen is engaged, I wasn´t aware he wasn´t married anymore. That missionary activity and those stories from John´s ward are awesome!!!

Mom- Thanks so much for the email. Why are the deers in such a hurry they have to cross immediately after the car goes by? If I were as fast as a deer my crossing the street problems would be solved. If Gina´s dog complains on being cooped up on thanksgiving tell it to be thankful he wasnt born in Brazil where he wouldn´t have a yard or even a window that allows him to see the street.

Al- Ya I´m feelin old. Today I saw friends going home to join their families tomorrow. Que bençao. Just 1 more Christmas, new years, and B-day to go. By Mothers day, the 4th of July, and next halloween I´ll be back.

Jor- Thank you for the email. Did you T-vo the wal-mart commercial haha? Give Ashley meus parabens.
Not that its important, where is tremonton? Not that it´s unimportant either....

Matt- cabuloso = freaky? crazy? sei lá. My pres sent home more missionaries this month than people I baptised. Double triste. Fica tranquilo about the letters. I enjoy watching me some district 1 or district 2 and chillaxin on p day. Gonna send out a christmas card hopefully with better results this year (haha yea right)

Something funny that happened- my ex-comp and I crossed over a big canal on a palm tree trunk. A guy saw us standing on one side being chickens and telling the other to go across first and he said ´´You guys have such little faith! Just put it in God´s hands and go!´´...K I´m not going to erase that or try to explain why it was funny to me but there you go.
Another weird experience - There were 3 little birds up in the sky flying circles around a big vulture attacking/ganging up on him and I said to my companion in english ´´´Look at those birds´´ and some dude on the street walking a couple yards ahead of us laughed way loud, turned around and joined in the convo. It was so weird to us, that eventhough he didn´t speak any english just by the situation knew exactly what I said.
We marked a baptismal date with a midget! She avoided us and disappeared the next day though, dang it.
I saw fireflies and I jump roped 160 times in a minute. Sister Hunsaker that flew with me from Salt Lake to Sao Paulo last May is flying home today.
Not much else to report as far as work goes. But the highlight of the week was Stake Conference. I saw old friends from my areas I was in from Novemb-March last year. The bishop in one of those areas was called as the new counselor in the new stake presidency he´s like 5-6´´, 29 years old and has braces ha but he´s a spiritual giant. The best part of all of this was the presence of Elder Godoy, of the 1st quorum of the 70. I left there with high spirits to say the least. Not a single one of my investigators that said they´d go went, but I grabbed a guy off the street to go with us in shorts and a t-shirt and I hear he´s going to be baptized Sunday in the area he lives in.
Elder Godoy said so much good stuff I feel like Lehi wanting to share with his family the fruit of the tree of life. But one thing I want to share is what he taught about callings. He taught that the Lord calls who he calls for his purposes. He quoted an Apostle that said ´´There are plenty of great men in the church that are capable of holding our calling, and maybe even more qualified, but there is only room for 12, and for some purpose the Lord has I needed to be called and I was.´´ -- We can always be sure that in His church, Christ is the leader, and we don´t need to be worried about who is called. We shouldn´t worry so much about callings because in the end our goal isn´t to be President, or leader of anything, our end goal is to be heavenly parents, like our Father in heaven. Then he talked a lot about how taking care of our families, especially our wives is our greatest responsibility. And I got to thinking that Mom and Dad- you guys must have a guarunteed spot in the celestial kingdom because you two are the best parents in the world, and created the best family in the world. You´ve done such a good job. I love you so much and I´m so grateful for all you guys have done and do for me and our family. I know Heavenly Father loves you and is grateful for what you´ve done for us and is so happy with you. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving.
I´m grateful for our Father´s plan and for our Savior. Grateful for the little knowledge I have of the gospel. Grateful for Christ´s church being restored to the earth. Grateful for Prophets, apostles and all church leaders. Grateful for our challenges. Grateful for being on my mission. Grateful Matt´s out here too. I was extremely grateful to hear my boy Nilson back in Sete Lagoas received the Melchezideck Priesthood, and I´m grateful it´s the ´´off-year´´ so that in 2012 we´re all gonna be hog-gobblin juntos! Amen.

gobble.gobble.gobble.
Elder Michael Gagon