Words from Elder Garrett Anderson in Brazil

"So i was looking at our area from the map, and it is west of Brasília, in a part called Ceilândia. The area we cover is called "P. Norte." As you zoom in, you can see different sectors. My companion cover Sectors M, N, P, and a part called "sol nascente." This is our new area and it is really big. We do a lot of walking so i am staying in shape still and my companion just bought a basketball today so we will go and play.

On Tuesday morning i got a phone call at 7 from the assistants. I was a little nervous because they never call unless it is something pretty important. I was informed that there was a missionary arriving that afternoon from the United States and that i would be training him! So i went from being a step-father for two days to a new dad! I am so happy and now my son is one week old! I have been laughing a lot at his Portuguese and now i understand why the Brazilians laugh at Americans when they try to speak, it sounds pretty funny.

Other than that, we have been pretty lost in our new area which is gigantic! I had 1 day in the area before my new companion got here and i knew nothing. We have been running around trying to figure out who are the investigators that the other missionaries were teaching, the leadership of the ward and the whole shabang.

Fortunately we have been able to teach a few people this week. We taught a family on Friday and it was a very spiritual experience. We invited them to be baptized and they accepted. My companion had no idea what was happening and i explained to him after and he was pretty pumped. We also had the opportunity to give a blessing to this girl who has some pretty bad chicken pox.

This mission has been one of the best things i have ever done in my life. I am so grateful to be here working in the Lord's vineyard to help others come unto Christ. Here (in the service of the Lord) we can feel more peace and pure love of Christ than anything else. I invite you all to experience this work as well by being member missionaries each and every day, helping others to feel the same joy that we feel. I know that Christ lives and loves us more than we can or will be able to realize in this life. Have a great week."