October 28, 2009 - Life in Osasco

Hey everybody!
This week has been great. I am serving in JD Veloso in Osasco. We live in a house, just Elder Dornelles and I. It is bigger than some of the houses the other Elders get in the mission, so I got lucky. Also it has a washing machine, so that is lucky too! Well, I really love the area here. The people are great. They take care of me very nicely. This Sunday was the Primary Program. It was very spiritual and a very great program. My Portuguese is coming along nicely since I do not have anyone to speak English with. I think a lot in Portuguese now too. We had two confirmations on Sunday at church, so that was great. We also have a couple of people we have committed to baptism in a few weeks, so we will see how that goes through. Richard G. Scott on Saturday was amazing. It was cool to get to meet him and have a group picture taken with him. Elder Oldroyd is also in Osasco so I get to see him once a week at our district meeting, which is cool. I remember to wear sun screen, but I do have some color on my skin for once in my life. lol I think I will continue to get darker during my time here. Richard G. Scott spoke on many things, he said that during personal scripture study we need (as missionaries) to focus on studying the Scriptures in our own Native language. He talked a lot about different aspects and teaching situations. He also shared his testimony that he knows that Jesus Christ lives, he has no doubts and knows HE lives. He has a very powerful testimony.
So on Monday or Segunda, it rained like crazy here. The streets were flooding and we were eating in a members house, then her house started flooding because the rain caused the water systems and pipes to the houses to back up, so we helped sweep the rain out and all the other sewage and laundry water into the flooding streets and we ended up being at her house for about 5 hours eating, teaching and then doing service by helping with the house. It was a fun experience. After that we walked soaking wet to an investigators house and taught, then had family night with a family in the ward where the dad is a recent convert. It was good fun. We played some games and taught a lesson and they shared a lesson. I am really enjoying doing missionary work here in Brazil. I love it here and I love the people. They are so nice and giving even though most of them do not have very much. Oh and in case you did get it last week, my permanent mailing address is this address:
Elder Emory Chase Caldwell
Rua Dr. Rui Batista Pereira, 165
Jardim Caxingui
05517-080 Sao Paulo, SP
Brazil

I love you all very much. Thanks for all of the emails, it is great to hear from you all.
Love, Elder Emory Chase Caldwell