Elder Erick

Hey guys,

Well, this week has been a little crazy.

First off, I have a new companion his name is Elder Erick he is Brazilian from Ponta Grosa, Parana. He is way cool. He was a pro volleyball player and is a little bit taller than me. So it's weird because I have always been taller than my companions. He has about 5 months on his mission, so he is a "Newbie" still. But its all good, we get the work done.

Second off, this week it rained like crazy. I'm sure you all have heard about Rio and how it's all falling apart with mud slides. Here, the same things are happening. There is a swamp that is by one of our neighborhoods where we work. It totally flooded and trashed a bunch of houses, so we might have to do some service there in a little bit helping people salvage there houses.

This week was a great week of work. Elder Erick and I taught every lesson perfectly and had so many people that we where teaching. But when Sunday comes around the people won't give you 5 seconds of their time let alone get out of bed. We only had 1 person in the chapel and it was Alessandro. He is progressing really well but had a few set backs, so his baptism date got moved the the 24th. I have very much faith that he will himself get baptized.

Well, I have another crazy story for you guys.

Just yesterday we were teaching this lady and her son. She was asking all of these crazy questions trying to burn us. But I'm good and gave her a counter burn. It was rough on Elder Erick because he only has 3 years as a member. Then I taught that today we have a prophet and 12 apostles on the earth and I showed her a picture. All she said was, "safádos puros." Which is just like saying "Your prophet is a sh!* face, and his apostles as well." I'm not going to lie, this was the angriest I have ever been in Brazil. She and her son just kept talking so bad about the Church and the Prophet and Apostles. It hurt to see someone do that to themselves. I wish you could have felt what I felt.

But after that, I realized that in that moment I had been the closest to Christ that I have ever been. In that moment, more than any other part of my mission, all I could do was bare my testimony. When Christ's apostles were persecuted and spit at, they rejoiced because they were being attacked because of their love for Christ. I realized that that's how Christ felt when he taught people or healed people, and they still rejected him and his apostles.

I know that this Church is true, and everyday my testimony grows and grows. I love it and I love my mission.

Don't worry. Yes the rain is falling and people are dying, but know that I'll be protected.

I love you all,

Elder Manis