So i realized today that even though it feels like I´ve been here for like 10 days it´s been about a month. Huh. This week was not too out of the norm. Studying from 7:30AM to 9:00PM every day. I sometimes start to think that I don´t know anything but then I find myself translating for people that have been here longer than me or something like that. Basically it´s just a boss-tastic time here.

But in other news we didn´t get to go to the temple this week so I´m sensing it will just drag on. I´m surprised at how much I miss it already even though I would have just gone this morning. But whatevs.

TO ALL OF YOU SENDING ME LETTERS: thank-you. It really does make me feel good when I get to find something from someone I know (and someone that speaks english) in my mailbox. I have been writing replies but who can say how long it´s going to take. I didn´t remember any addresses so until you guys mail me I can´t write you back. Sorry. uhmmm... tomorrow I think we go to the federal police to pay some tax or something for our long stay. I actually found out that if I get just 1 more year in brazil in I HAVE to nationalize after 2 years. I´d be a straight up citizen. That would be cool I think. but we´ll see what happens. I have a few requests: ...actually nevermind I don't. I am however pretty scatter brained right now. If you ever want to experience cabin fever, lock yourself in a building with a bunch of nerdy 19 year olds and don´t leave for 2 months. I´d rather just throw myself under the portuguese bus right now and go out to my area, because I think I could be fine. I was thinking about it the other day, and because I know how to carry a really basic conversation on about the gospel, I consider myself set and ready to go. All I think I really need to be able to do is be like ``Look in my eyes so you can know I am telling the truth. I know this is true.´´ after my companion talks. Luckily I´m capable of that already. I guess I would say the main annoyance on the language right now is that I can understand just about anything but say very little correctly. The language has a bunch of cognates (sp?) sdkfjlasçj (i meant to say ``words that sound really similar´´) so it registers really easily in my head. The rules are more concrete than english, so usually my best guess is close enough for me to understand. But then talking is a whole other story. Whenever i talk, they get it but they look at me like I´m a retard or a giant north american toddler just babbling in the corner. I have resorted to just saying things that i know will make people laugh most the time. a common phrase might be ``ughh I have gas and I have poop up my nose...´´ or something of that nature. Not exactlty helpful toward my purpose, but at least it makes the brasilians my age laugh a whole bunch.

OH oh oh, I just realized I wanted Todd to do something for me. Send me a thing about Dan Jones. He was a crazy missionary but I know very little about him. I know he went to wales or something like that, but see if you can find a thing on him like you did that other dude you sent me to. BUUUUUUUT anyways... I don´t know what else to say. Oh, those that sent letters like the first sunday I was here, your letter should be coming this week so keep an eye out.

Rachael- sorry about the cat but I´m not going to lie the fact that you take Blair to the park and make her sit in trees and she hates it made me bust up laughing. AGE 23 - crazy cat lady. your life has been completed. Now you just need some filhos running around. buhhhhh... anyways... I love everyone. I´m not going to lie I can´t say that I am homesick or anything because that just isn´t me, but I do miss being able to see everyone. Sometimes when I say something really sarcasticly in broken portuguese and no one laughs it makes me think of home. But other than that I´m having a blast. Heck even including that I´m having a blast. And for those of you that are sceptical of my work ethic, I promise I´m doing my best and going to bed exhausted every day. I promise you all that i´ve truely given myself up entirely to know the Lord like Lamoni´s father said he would do. At least that is what I´ve been shooting for. See you all in about 23 months.

Signed, Captain Awesome