December 17, 2012

Well hello family.

Well so this week was pretty good we really worked hard and things are doing well I think that next week we are going to have a baptism well I really hope, that would be super sweet if it does work out if it doesn’t then I don’t know what will happen! It is this little girl that her parents are members that went less active then they started to be active again so I really hope that it works out and then they could be a complete family I would like to see that happen again.
Well they said that we could have 45 mins to talk on Christmas day and I am thinking if my companion goes first then if he goes over I will just have the same time that he had with his family! And yes we did the same thing with his family yesterday I talked to his family and worked everything out and he sat on my side looking at them, his sister is cute, I told him that and his papai said you can marry her, hahahaha I started laughing really hard and was like thank you my son! It was really funny hahaha oh about the power bracelet or balance I don’t remember any more if I could have one I would like it these last days my balance has been horrible but lucky I haven’t fallen all the way to the ground! And tell GRANDPA I RECIEVED THE MONEY,  I have gotten $30.00 so far.   Yes the things here are more expensive it is really annoying but its ok! It was funny they gave me the package of Elder Morris so I will give it to him on the 21st it will be funny! But yes I will have to charge the camera and take a ton of pictures it will be an awesome day! And yes the elders from Paranaque will be there, actually my area is longer than there areas but it will I beat them by like 2 hours are area is like in way, way out there! Which I am ok with! so I had an interview this last week and it was super good I asked president about the passage in the bible about shaking the dust off your feet and it like condemns them, I asked him if us missionaries have that power and he said yes but you shouldn’t do that! He told me when apostles go to somewhere and they do this he told me it’s over for that city and was like seriously omg. But he did respond to my question so that is a good thing! And yes I will ride the bus back that very night! Ya I worked everything out for Christmas and all that so it will be super cool I will be a good day we will pass in the house of members and less actives and we will spend time with them and it will be just a good day! I am pretty excited. Well this other elder has face cards and last pday we played spoons and golf! But if all else fails we have something to do!
Thank you grandma and Pam and Nanners for putting money into my account, this is very nice of you, I wish you guys a merry Christmas and that everything will be good for you guys this holiday season!
Well that is about it for my letter I will talk to you guys on Christmas love you guys take care!!
LOVE, ELDER GRAY

Elder Morris, Elder Gray, & Elder Black

December 10, 2012

Well hello my family!!

So this week was really good we baptized some one,  yes!! It was my companions first baptism it was super cool because he was super excited only bummer was that he didn’t get to go into the water but oh well we will have to see if we can get him another one that he can enter into the water and get wet!! But it was super cool to because that was the first baptism in 7 months here in this area! But that is great because it will just take off from there! Hahaha! It was super cool this week because we had some funny experiences well we were going to lunch walking on the rail road track and we are like 3/4 of the way there and he was like elder I lost my credit card it must have fallen out of my pocket! Hahaha I was like are you serious so we start walking back and we found it right be for a goat was going to eat it hahaha the only thing that sucked was that we walked back like 2/4 of the way there to get it! Hahaha after that we were filling the baptism font and my companion was leaning over the rail looking into the water and what do you know his missionary manual and his credit cards fall out of his shirt pocket and sink to the bottom! So we went fishing to pull them out! Hahaha the water so high in the font that you would have to gone swimming in the font to get them out! So what do we do my companion takes of his shirt and I dangle him over the rail holding on to him by his feet and dunking him in to get his stuff! It was super funny! I was laughing so hard! So I got to go for right now because we are going to have an activity in the center of the city and the stake president is going to give us ice cream so I will email the rest later! Love you guys so after that situation the rest of the week was alright it wasn’t any thing like super special. Well we taught a lot of people this week the only one thing that is hard that none of them really want to change there life’s so when this happens it just means to move on and find other people to teach!! It was really interesting we received a lot of rain this week I really didn’t like it! Like I liked rain before the mission but on the mission you just hate it because you have to walk in it and you get all wet and you can’t go home and change during the day it is just wonderful not! Hahahah but oh well! So I really don’t know what time we are going to Skype! I still haven’t found a member to let us Skype in their house I really want to find someone that has good internet connection so things come through a lot better! But oh know we will have to see what will happen I hope that we find someone to let us use it!!! But I was talking with my district leader that we live with and he was talking to me about how this next transfer he is going to leave then he said I bet you are going to be called leader of the district! I don’t know how I feel about that because that means every week I will have to prepare training things for the district and think that would be a little boring! Hahaha so now in our house it is me and Elder Black (DL), my companion Elder Monteiro, and Elder J Souza! Its pretty chill at night when get home and plan we will play Uno for a little bit and talk it’s really funny but it’s all good! Hahaha I want to know who else has gotten there mission calls! It would be super sweet to see more people from AF  people coming to this mission! Hahahaha little AF party here in Brazil would be super sweet! But that is about it for my letter like I said I really didn’t have anything to say about this week but this I will have to get you guys the picture of the baptism another day! But I love you guys take care have a great week!
LOVE, ELDER GRAY

December 3, 2012

Well hello family!!

So where do we start?? Let’s start off from last Monday I had to go to Curitiba to get my son! Well he was going to come on Tuesday. But it was super hard to say goodbye to elder Morris we had so much fun together. Well that Monday afternoon I had to go to a training thing at the president’s house about the new trainers and how to train it was actually really good I liked it a lot. He really made you feel like you were called from Heavenly Father to teach these new missionaries how to work I really liked it! So Tuesday they got here like after lunch time and we were waiting for them and we made like a tunnel for them to walk through and all that special stuff! SO they named off who would be with who, I got to me and my stomach just dropped I was like alright who is it going to be?? And I got put together with Elder Monteiro he is from Minias Grerais it’s up there above Sao Paulo! He is super cool we actually get a long very well together well we got back Tuesday night at 9. So we stayed in our house. But it was super cool because the rest of the week we really went at it! you know when you have worked hard when you both come home hurry and plan for the next day and go to bed cuz you are so tired! This week really found some really good people to teach and only thing that is holding these people back from being baptized is that no one is married here and it cost a ton to marry people down here! I was thinking about how my trainer trained me and I was like well I can’t do anything like that because if I do then my companion will just talk bad about me for the rest of my mission! It is really good he has had told me a lot of things, Like the other day it was super hot and he was like Elder Gray I am missing my house and my family and my girlfriend! And I was like seriously! And he was like yah! SO I was like let’s go get some ice cream and talk it over. He really seemed to like that. It is super good because he looks at how I am doing things then he goes and does it the same way it’s really funny but I kind of like it! I had to teach him how to wash his clothes this morning and how to use an iron! I felt such like a mom in that moment! Hahahaha oh funny things of the mission! So we could be having a crappy day and it could be raining and he looks at me like he is tired and things aren’t fun and I just tell him that today is a good day something good will happen and he changes him self around and gets all excited again so that is good! So he told me that he is a professional cello player and that he plays like 5 other instruments fluently! So he is like a master at the arts we can say. It was funny he was like Elder Gray I played American football and I bet I can tackle you to the ground.... I was like thinking you got to be kidding me he looks like he is about 145 pounds and he wants to hit me. So I told him when we get home you can try, and when we got home I looked at his pictures and what do you know he has pictures of him playing American football I was like oh my gosh that is super cool and he was like (LETS GO) in English and I told him look if you get hurt its not my fault he was like I wont get hurt I am a man and saying a lot of other stuff. so we went he comes barreling down at me and I was thinking if we hit heads its going to hurt so I got lower than him and he hit me and then just fell over, hahahaha everyone in the house was just laughing it was really funny I wish that we would have got in on video but we didn’t! Hahaha he hasn’t challenged me to anything lately so I think he has learned his lesson! Hahaha this week has been really good! Well I love you guys its good to hear that you guys are doing good. LOVE you guys take care.
Love, Elder Gray

November 26, 2012

Hello Family!!

So I had some really cool things happen to me this week! So first off this last Sunday I taught the class of the young men and the class of the youth and sat on the podium with the Stake President!! Hahaha it was really cool! So something was sad when I went to teach the young men I was like who knows the plan of salvation and no one knew it! It was really sad even the bishops didn't even know it! So I taught that as a lesson! And it was really good you could definitely feel the spirit there! I really liked it! I talked to one young lady in our ward that was caught smoking! So we went to her house and there was her and her young sister that is 15 that is really strong in the church! Then the young women’s president! Since we were in 3 we can go into any house! So we went in and I was like we are going to share a message and I picked a scripture 3 Nephi 18, 24 and read it that it talks about how we need to be examples for other people and we got talking about how that applies to us! It was a really emotional message! When it got down to it Morris was crying everyone else was crying I shed a few tears out of my left eye but that is about it! But that was really good this young lady that is 16 said that she is going to turn here life around so that makes me happy!
Sad thing Morris he left me he was transferred to Rio Iguaçu area some where close to Curitiba! But it was cool  because I got to ride the bus to Curitiba with him! Because I will pick up my new companion Tuesday! Why Tuesday? Well I am going to be training a new missionary! Ahhhh I really don’t think that I am prepared to do that but we will have to see! I don’t know anything about him! But today in Curitiba I will be staying with Elder Sudweeks and his companion and receive training on how to train the newbies! Haha I will have a son in the mission! (That is a missionary thing when you train some one!) Well that is about it! OH about baptism’s well we didn't have any! All the people here are really, really week! They are just super lazy! I think with my new companion we are going to find a lot of new people to teach! Which will be super good! With that said I really want you guys to go to the temple a lot put my name into the prayer box and always pray for me that I can train this new dude and really help him be a super good missionary! Well that is about it! I hope that you guys have a great time and have a great week! It was really cool to read your emails I really liked them! Well love you guys take care!!

Love, Elder Gray

November 19, 2012

Well hello my family!!

So this week was really interesting!! So we are now in a threesome me and elder Morris and elder Black which is our district leader!! It kind of sucks because we have to take care of two areas now at least they are side by side so that is not that bad! But the companion of Elder Black he went home. Elder Barros is his name he was a really good elder he just did something’s that ended up costing him his mission! Which is sad because we got along really well! So after he left Wednesday we have been in this threesome! It has been really interesting to see how the teaching goes and how it is kind of a mess for us because like all of us want to talk but you have to be patient and wait your turn! We taught a lot of people this week and we marked some dates with some people so that is cool! I think one of them will get baptized this Sunday! Well I really hope that he will! So my time with Elder Morris is going to come to an end here in a little bit! We will have a transfer next Monday I really hope that he wont be transferred that would be so cool if we could stay together for Christmas! I would really love that if we could!! Well so about this week nothing really cool happened like it’s been kind of boring normal stuff! Let me think about what was cool and crazy that we did this week....... well really nothing! We did clean our house and it does look a ton better after that one Elder left the house really has been staying cleaner!! Oh I know what is cool that we did this week so we had to clean out our freezer so we cleaned it out and we made a snow man out of the ice that we took out! That was funny we put it on our neighbors door step! It was super funny it scared her hahaha!! But besides that really nothing has been happening! We have been working a lot in the other area so we have been far away from are area!! But yah that is about it I hope that you guys have a great week I love you guys so much take care!!!

Love, Elder Gray

November 12, 2012

Well hello my family!!

Well about this week there was nothing super special because like it rained a ton this week!! Let’s start off by talking about last pday so it was awesome! After I got done emailing we went to the shopping mall where it has the bowling alley! So me and Morris get there and we are looking around for it and we find it and it doesn't open till 4 so we were like hey are you hungry so we went to the food court and we ate at Burger King! Oh my gosh it was so good! It was food from heaven it was just like the burger king in the United States it was so good! So we ate there and after we played some air hockey and then I found a massaging chair and I was like I am totally going to pay to use it and so gave it two bucks for 5 mins! That was so good it felt so good, I could of sat in that chair all day long it was so awesome! So it finally got to be 4 so we went and played! It was really interesting because the pins here are on like cords so that was a little bit gay! But oh well it was still super fun!!
During the week nothing super exciting happened it was just work and more work! I am really getting tired of the weak people here! Like it is absolutely impossible to bring people to church! You do like everything that you can and they still don’t go! But this next week I am going to get them! Even if I have to tie them up and throw them over my shoulder and carry them to church! We had two people that went to church with us! ONE was really cool this lady named Bianca she went. Elder Morris and his other companion have been teaching her and her family for a long time now and we got there on like a Friday out of the blue we were like do you want to go to church with us and she was like ya if you guys are going to be there and I was like duh we will be there it was funny! But she went! I felt really bad for her! Because this week in church it was super dry! Like it was so boring from class to the sacrament meeting it was so boring! Like the only word to describe it was dry!! Like sacrament meeting people are all over the place some in the front a lot in the way back like five in the middle! I think this next week I am going to ask bishop if I can have like 2 mins and I am going to get them to move up to the front because it looks horrible it looks like everyone is separated and not together!!
That is really all that has happened this week not a ton but I really hope that next week is better love you guys I hope you guys take care and that you guys have an awesome week together! Love you guys!!

Love,

Elder Gray

November 5, 2012

Hello my family!!

Oh my goodness can you believe that hump day is over and gone with! This week passed by so fast like oh my goodness I really can’t believe that I am emailing home again! Haha oh well so lets start off by talking about this week so it was really good! So last Sunday the 30th or the 31st I don’t remember what it was so we were there at our lunch appointment with the members talking having a really good time and then walks in this other lady and her mom which are also members! They came to hear our message well it was my turn to give the message and I thought I will talk about the plan of salvation in the form of soccer because all the Brazilians here play soccer! So there I went I got to the end shared my testimony with them and that lady that walked in started to cry and so we talked and turns out that her dad is not baptized and he doesn’t want anything to do with the church! And when this family talks about church he yells and sometimes beats them! And she was crying telling us this story and l was listening and I felt like I need to say lets do a fast this week and that we will fast for her dad so after she got done crying I proposed it and I promised that if everyone did then something will happen and then promised in the name Jesus because that is what I was feeling. But like that message that time was so strong like so moving with the spirit like I almost broke down into tears because I was feeling the spirit so strong! It was awesome! Well this Sunday that lady got up and bore her testimony and was talking about that message and how you could feel the spirit so strong there, then she said these two elders that we have in this ward are special they are servants of our Heavenly Father you can see that  just looking at them, you see this light they bring peace and hope into your life. Wow when she said that the spirit really testified for me that really this is who we are as missionaries! It was so awesome to hear bear her testimony! What else was cool,  a less active girl that we are helping her return and helping her family be members  she shared her testimony but she said that we are like angels sent from Heaven. Over all this Sunday was super good it was just filled with the spirit!
So I made a division with other elders this week and I was with one Named Elder Barros, (he lives in our house) we went to this house of members and I asked him hey who is that and he said that is that girls boyfriend and was like really is he baptized and he said no and I was like have you tried teaching him, he was like a little bit and I told him watch this! So they were leaving I got up off the couch like pinned him into the door, I was gentle I asked him are you baptized and he was like no and I was like why not? And he said I don’t know! Then I was like look do you have faith? And he was like kind of and I was like what does faith mean?? And he was like a force and I was like that is good and also it means that you believe in things that you can not see! And he was like oh that makes sense and then he says I have always wanted a book of Mormon and so I was like buddy you have luck today I have one left in my backpack and its going to be yours so I marked some parts and then asked him to got to church and this Sunday he went. I talked to him and asked him if he read and prayed and he said I haven’t missed a day yet of reading and praying since you last talked to me! Then I asked him have you asked to know if the book of Mormon is true? He said yes then I asked did you receive an answer and he was like yes then I felt like I should ask him to be baptized so I did! So he will probably be baptized next week! It was really cool! I loved it!
So we had lunch on Saturday it was sick what this family does! Like the brother comes walking in with meat alright that is normal they are going to grill it that is even better so his wife marinates it and then her daughter was like I want a piece so his wife rips her off a piece and she eats it! It was Raw!! I saw this, looked at Morris and almost said to him what the crap! It was so bad! Like there whole
family ate raw meat even their like 2 year old daughter like I almost died it was so nasty I could not believe it! Was so nasty! I really didn’t want to eat after that but oh well!
For hump day me and Morris weren’t even together I was on division so but we order a pizza that night and partied a little bit it was super fun. Its sucks because we didn’t take a picture of the pizza! The pizza was the biggest one they had it came out to about 25 dollars well they delivered it to us and well it came with soda! And that soda was coke! Which we can’t drink but we thought oh well we payed too much for this pizza we took the coke and drank it with the pizza it was so good! Like in the end hump day was good! Hahaha
Well I love you guys I hope you have a great week I got to get off because we are going to go bowling in the shopping mall I will take some pictures and send it to you! Love you guys have a great week!

Amo, Elder Gray

Elder Gray, Elder Black, & Elder Morris

October 29, 2012

Well hello my family!

So I am doing great! Wow you made me trunky saying hump day! Wow because time is flying by so fast here! Like to think that its half way over is great and really bad at the same time because I really like it here!! So about me and Elder Morris celebrating! Good I really don’t even know! Like the pizza here is really expensive! And I am not willing to pay for it!

About Ponta Grossa it is one very big city, actually it is divided into 2 stakes so that is really good! It is divided as zone Ponta Grossa and zone Campos Gerais which I am apart of. We could ride a bus to our area everyday but I am to picky to pay 2.60 every time to ride the bus so what we do we take a lot of short cuts and walk the train track here every day. I am not going to lie I get sick of walking every day to our area but oh well! So why does every one like Ponta Grossa! 1st the missionary’s say it is the land that is blessed, ( personally I don’t know about that yet because everyone that we are teaching is really weak but I do know that I will turn it around for us!) people like this areas here because there is a lot of baptism that are taking place here! So like all the missionary’s want come here because they want to baptize! I was looking and it has been like 5 months that this area that I am in has not had a baptism! That is a really long time I know that me and Elder Morris we are going to change that around! So about this week well this week was pretty good we marked some dates with people that are weak they said that they would come to church with us and we called them at church and they were like we will come and they never showed up I am not going to lie I was pretty pissed in that moment so this week when we go there this week I will act like I am really sad that they didn’t come!  Everything will work out in the end! Just pray for me and Elder Morris that we can find some good people to teach! It was cool  we were in the end of our area like really the middle of no where and I was like dude lets knock here and so we knocked and a lady came out saying I have been waiting for you guys! I was really? Perfect can we share a message with you and she was like yes and we talked to her and her husband the only thing she is really catholic and she is really weird! Like she asks heavenly father about everything if she can leave her house things like that it is a little strange but who knows! We will see if we can finder her again! She is really good! So it was so funny we passed by the football field this week and they called to us again and was like hey are you ever going to come practice with us and I told them I don’t know I need to teach some people and they were like that is right but I said we could work something out if I taught you guys before the practice and 4 of you need to come to church with me and they were thinking about it so I will see with them this next week! They asked me if I was good and I told them I don’t know so this dude he gives me his helmet and was like we want to see I was like I need shoulder pads and he takes his off so I put them on joking around! But they were like hitting drill so they put there best running back there and I was a line backer and it was so funny I pancaked their running back Elder Morris was laughing so hard!! But I think I will just get a picture with them and we wont pass their anymore because it is not worth our time! They have some people that could be really good people that could be members! But I don’t know! But that is about it for this week! Nothing really new and exciting but it is good to hear about you guys that all of you guys are doing well!! Well take care and have a nice week! I love you guys take care!
Love, Elder Gray

October 22, 2012

Well hello my family!!!

So this week wow! So when I found out that my companion would be Elder Morris I was freakin out! I was so excited I was really sad to tell the people good bye! But when I got here and I was like Morris!, I gave him a big old hug!! Hahaha he has changed so much he has really grown up! You just look at him and you can see a different Morris! It so cool to see how he has changed! So we live in a  4 person apartment which is alright but at the same time it is really annoying! Like we have one bathroom and everyone has to take like 10 min showers in the morning! But it is alright! It’s cool because you have more people to talk to and you do the companionship wars! It so cool because everyone is super chill in our house they are not the annoying missionary’s! This week was actually really good! We tried to find a lot of new people to teach and see if we could mark baptism with them. The ward here is really cool! Like I have never seen a ward so happy to see an elder leave an area! hahaha it was so funny people were talking to me and were like Elder Gray we are so happy that you are here you are very welcome here! Its funny because our ward is like and older ward it doesn’t have that many that  young married couples like my last 2 wards so that is a little tough! Its funny I was walking the street the other day with Elder Morris, by the way we have a huge college campus in the middle of our area that we have to walk through like every day to get to where we want! But we were walking by huge field and Morris turns and says to me well there is an American football team that practices here! And I was like serious I got to see that well Saturday everything like fell through so we were walking and we walked by this football field! And what do you know their out playing! I was like Morris we are going to buy some ice cream and we are going to watch them for a little bit and he was alright lets do it and so we did next thing you know there coach looks at us and yells hey you 2 come here in Portuguese and I was like what and pointing to me and my companion and he shakes his head so I went there and I talked to them and it was cool they would like me to teach them things next Saturday and so I will probably go there and be like look for me to teach you guys something I need atleats 5 or 6 of you guys to come to church with us! hahaha that will be funny! But we had a mission tour with one of the people from the 70 named Elder Godoy it was super cool but really out of everything that was said I liked more what President Cordon said I just felt the spirit a lot more! But I did see Elder Een at the conference it was so good to see that fool! But no we are not in the same district that would be so cool he is with my 2nd companion right now! His area is like in the middle of no where! Hahah! But really it so cool to be companions with
Elder Morris because we have like no problems with each other! This week we really worked hard every day we would come and plan for the next day and crash we were so tired! But i think this next week is going to be really good for us because we have some members that were just waiting for Elder Feirra, old companion of Elder Morris to go and they are going to give us a lot of referrals! So that will be really good! Also we walk the train tracks a ton there is always like dead dogs on it I will take a picture for you guys!! Like really this has been the most excited I have been, to be on a mission with someone that is awesome! But that is about it for this week! It was really good to hear that you guys are doing well that everything is going perfectly with you guys!! I love you guys so much have such a great week! Take care until the next week! I think that next week I will send pics home of me and Elder Morris! Love you guys!"

Love, Elder Gray

October 15, 2012

Well hello my family!!

So this letter is going to be fricken sweet so I am leaving Parnagua and I am going to Ponta Grossa to be companions with Elder Morris! Hahahaha this is going to be awesome I love that kid and I am ready to work with him! I am sad to leave here I made such good friends here! But it will be good to have a change! So this week we had a baptism of a young man I baptized him, sad thing is that when we went to take pictures  my camera dies before I can take one! That was a joke and a half I was like cursing the stupid thing! It was funny! But the baptism was really good! So before that I had a division with Elder Schmidt my buddy from Germany which I will visit after the mission! He really is like my best friend that I have in the mission! He gave me a tie that is hot like I look good in it! Hahha well what was so good was we went to teach a mom and her child we sat down asked them what they believe if they have faith or not and they said that they had faith but now they don’t!! We thought alright we teach a 3rd lesson about faith and the rest! Well we got done with that lesson and I had a strong impression to share with them the story about Joseph Smith! So I started and said everything it was so cool the spirit was so strong there and the spirit made it that I said everything perfectly! In the end the mom and the child were crying it was such a great experience! It has been such a long time that I have the felt the spirit in that way! I loved it so much! Wow after that I was so excited to go and teach more people! Well that is the story for this week! I will say this I hate transfers because I really don’t know how to put everything back into the bag mom and dad you guys are master packers! But I put everything in some how! Love you guys! And no I have not received anything from Sharon or Grandma & Pam but this is it for this week! It is so good to hear that you guys are doing great that everything is working out for you guys! Love you guys so much take care love you

Love,

Elder Gray

October 8, 2012

Well hello my family!!

Well let’s start off by talking about conference wow! What to say about that! That is cool that the age got moved down for both the men and women! But I do see a little problem in that! They will start putting a lot more younger people into the mission field and they will miss home more! I know it was hard for me at 19! ALSO they have tried this here in Brazil for the Brazilians and did see that a majority that went out that were 18 years old did come back and did not fulfill a fulltime mission! So that really will be interesting to see how long this well last for! But I loved the talk of Jeffery R Holland Sunday morning! Like wow I loved it a lot! These past days I have been reading that part in the bible about when Christ asks Peter do you love me! And when he talked about that it was like revelation 101! Because I really applied it to me and thought if Christ was in the front of me and said do you love me! Well duh I love you! But the answer is so much more than this how do you love, well first you need to really show that you have faith in him and that you have faith to really repent of your sins! After this you need to have this love and charity for others! In the end of the talk when he said I love you something like this I had to watch it Portuguese and it was annoying I really didn’t get all of the little details that I wanted to! But I will be really excited to get the liahona this next month and read all the talks! Conference was really good I really liked it! It’s weird to think that it is my 2nd conference here in the mission! Wow 2 more to go and then I am home! Wow time is really passing by so fast! Well about that baptism well it didn’t work out that kid wasn’t in his house so that our leader could interview him so this week we will talk with that kid and try and mark it for this week! The other date that we have for this week she is good but I don’t think that she will follow through with it! This week really nothing special happened at all but oh well that means this next week something will work out in my favor! We will have a transfer here this next Monday!" So we will see if  I will stay or will go it will be really interesting to see what will happen I could stay but I would be fine with going too! I know I need something new! I would like that! But only God knows when my time ends here in an area! Well that is it for the week! I love you guys I hope that everything goes well for you guys! Take care.

Love,

Elder Gray

October 1, 2012

Well hello my family!!

Well this week was pretty interesting! Let’s start off with the bad stuff well like in the middle of the week my companion like shuts down starts not talking to me and starts like dominating the time when we are teaching he really started to be a butt! Well I was dude what’s up and he is like its nothing! And I was like dude this is not like you to shut down and be like this something is up!! And he just continued saying nothing is wrong! Well I was alright dude if you say so! Well after that he was still being in his little girl mode but oh well if he doesn’t want my help than that is his fault! I think that is the only bad thing that happened today! Well besides that the week was pretty good it was a little bit normal I wouldn’t lie! I feel like I need a change of areas but at the same time I don’t want to change because 1. I hate putting things in to my bag! It’s like playing tetras every time I have to put stuff in to my bags! 2. WE are starting to find some really good people now to teach which is awesome! We have one kid that we found in the street and the first thing he says to us that an anti-Christ will emerge out of the Mormons! He told us that it is in Revelations and so I told him that he is 100 percent wrong and gave him my Bible and I was like I want you to show me! So I gave him my Bible and he was trying to find it and in the end he couldn’t find it and so I was like well see you were wrong! Well we shared a 2nd lesson with him and this last Sunday he goes to church and says Elder Gray can you baptize me on the 7th I was like what like my chin smacked the floor but I was like sure I can and he was like sweet and so I think we will have a baptism next week!! hahaha well at church also I found a girl that was 15 years old I thought she was less active well it turns out to be that she is not baptized so I asked her would you like to be baptized and she was like yes I want to I was like perfect and told her well you want be baptized on the 14 and she was like ya.  I was like wow that is awesome and so we will help her get baptized and then after that it will be pretty cool! I think it is funny I know a ton of people here in every neighborhood and when we walk down the street you have people yell hey Elder what’s up dude! Or they honk or they get our attention some how it’s really cool because after my companion asks hey do you know them and I was like ya I think so! And he says that’s cool! But that is really the only thing that has happened! Well about the letter situation I am really good at writing people back its just I haven’t received any letters from people I don’t know if it is because the mail system here in Brazil is on strike or these letters are lost or they wrote my address down or if they are still sending them to the CTM! It has to be one of these things! But I will write everyone back with out a doubt! Well that is about it for this week! Nothing super cool happened but we will have a transfer on the 15 so here in a little bit! So I think I will go! About general conference I watch over satellite transmission I think it starts at noon to 3 then like 5 something then Saturday night session! I am really excited I love conference I really can’t believe that it has been six months from the last conference time is really passing fast! Well prepare for conference have a question that you want an answer for then find it in the talks! Well love you guys I hope that you guys have an awesome week filled with fun! Love you guys!

Elder Gray

September 24, 2012

Well hello my family!!

Well about Facebook! No I didn’t enter in to face book to clear that up! I was with one kid that is in the ward and he was dude do you have Facebook and I was like ya man! And he is like I will add you! I was alright and then after that he was like put your stuff in and accepts my friend request and I told him I could put the email and the password in but I can’t mess with face book personally! And he was alright did that and he add himself and then he asked me hey you want me to add these others and I was like sure why not! Ha-ha so that is how they all got added! Hey they are posting stuff on my wall like getting into my account?? But ya I tell a lot of people to add me! So just add everyone on Facebook and when I get home the people that I don’t know I will delete! But that is how the story goes! But this week for me was pretty good! I had to talk in a fireside about missionary work! It was really good I felt like I burned some eyebrows but I finished it with love! A lot of people liked my talk so that is really good! This week I had a division with Elder Schmidt that is my district leader! I fricken love him! He lives in Germany! And we made plans that after the mission I am going to go to Germany and kick with him and then I will return and we are going to go to the world cup together! Hahaha it is going to be epic! Well this week was the week of the drunks! I talked to more drunks this week than I have ever talked with before! it was funny because we left with a member and all of these drunks start coming out of no where and start talking to us the member turns to us and says does this always happen to you guys and we said yep it usually happens a lot but today it is happening more than usual! And we all started laughing and it was good! Hahaha we found a lot of good people this week that we marked dates with and so we are going to wait and see what happens with them! But besides that this week was pretty good! I wont lie I like that a lot of time is really starting to pass by so quickly and I can’t believe that I have almost been out for a year! Well it’s good to hear that everyone is doing well! Love you guys and I hope you have a great week!
Love Elder Gray

September 17, 2012

Well hello everyone!!

So what’s new with Elder Gray?? Hmmm well really nothing! Hahaha it was really cool this week we had interviews with President and it was really good! I always leave thinking he really didn’t ask me how I was but oh well I am good! Hahaha but this week was kind of slow I am not going to lie! About fleas no I have not had a problem yet which is really good! the only thing here is the mosquitos because we have to sleep with the window open because our fan has been broken before I even got here and the price of fans are ridiculous here! Well about this week we have taught some good people that really could be better but they don’t want to do anything! Which is sad! But I can’t force them to do anything! But really our only problem here is that we are finding some really weak people to teach! Well something funny that happened this week! Well we knocked on a door and there was a drunken man that came out and was like I am going to kill my grandson and we were like what the crap! And he goes on to explain that his grandson broke his window and when he finds him he is going to kill him! It was really funny! Because I was like sir how are you feeling right now, I am mad and I am nervous and I said to him well wait a minute sir these feelings are of the devil not form God! and he was like no and I started to show him where he was wrong in all of this and after wards I gave him a piece of gum and told him this is a present for you and he was like I get it now and I was like perfect! And I said what do you get for me to understand?? and he was like the devil he wants you to do bad things and suffer, but you just showed me that I need to do good things like give presents and etc. and I will do things of the Lord and I was like yep that is it exactly! Me and my companion left there laughing so hard it was so funny! But besides that things are getting really hot here like holy crap! But it’s all good it will be my last summer here so I can wait it out! Well the members here are really good they love me and I love them but they really don’t want anything to do with missionary work which is a little bit difficult! I am eating really good so no need to worry there!

Hey I am going to cut my hair today and I am going to start styling it! I will try the side fowhawk that I use to have but shorter! I have seen a lot of missionaries with it and it looks good so I will try it out! But that is about it! It’s good to hear that all of you guys are doing well that things are going good! Hey Easton that is awesome that you made The Jolly Rogers lacrosse team that is so cool! Hey when I get back we are going to have to play some lacrosse! Well love you guys take care and have a good week!

Love, Elder Gray

September 10, 2012

Hello my Family and friends that read!

Hahaha well this week was pretty good we left with some members to teach some lessons and that was really good! We really didn’t find any really good people!! Its funny I really want to loose some weight but they feed you here like none other and I am too lazy to run in the morning! it was funny we were working out one morning in our house and I looked at my companion and he was sleeping and I was dude work out and he was like I don’t like to and I was like what would you like to do and he said usually I go running and I was like lets go running then tomorrow! And he was like are you good at running and I was like no I haven’t been in like forever! And I was like are you good and he was like ya I am pretty good and I was alright tomorrow we will run! So we got up the next and went running to the church and back about a mile and a half I think! I killed him like he was eating my dust!  We had to be in our house at 7 and it was like 6:55 and we were like 7 mins out and I was like elder you need to hurry and he was like I can’t! And I was like you can! So I thought to myself what can I do to help him run so I told him look if you can tag me before the house I will buy you a huge pizza for your self! And he was like I don’t know! And I was like deal or no deal and he was alright deal he didn’t tag me! So that is good! But this week was ok it is starting to get really, really hot! It was cool we were driving down a street with a member and I saw a man in a wheel chair trying to get over the curb and I was like I am going to help him and so I yell stop the car and the member did a skidding stop and I jump out and help him this man cross the curb and walked back to the car! And when I got in the member looked at me and said you really do represent Christ! When I heard that the spirit just hit me it was awesome! The member continued I would have never stopped to help and all that! It was a good teaching moment!" but that is about it nothing else is really new! But every day I am learning to love Brazil even more! I am learning how to be a better missionary! Really a mission is where you learn so many things!

Well dad I love you and I am sorry I didn’t have time to write you a letter last week telling you happy birthday but if it makes you feel better I prayed for you and sung happy birthday! Dad I love you so much! I am very grateful for everything you have done for me in my life! I am so lucky to have a dad like you so next year I will be able to watch football with you! Love you!

Love Elder Gray

September 3 2012

Well hello my family!

Well about this week we were running and running this week! Because we had do a division of the group and that took a little bit of our time away! So we had transfers today and I and my companion will stay in this area! So it will be good I think! hahahah but besides that everything is going pretty good we really haven’t been finding any really good people to teach lately they have been kind of crappy they don’t fulfill all of the compormissios that we give them! But we will find some new ones and help them out! but about this week nothing really, really cool happened but something was really funny!" hahaha so there was a homeless person on a side of a store sitting there and me and my companion had nothing to do so I was like I will talk to him so I sat down on the side of him and started talking to him and he was drunk because they only buy beer with the money that have! and I was talking with him and his smell was horrible like I was dying sitting next to him!" there were flies that were landing on me and him and I was like hitting them, then he blows in my face and was like did that help?? It was so funny that I started to laugh because his breath was terrible, terrible, terrible and he blows in my face to see if he can kill some of them! Hahahaha I was laughing so freaking hard! I couldn’t stop laughing that night! But it was good after that we were invited to eat some steak and cake at someone’s house so that was good! The two guys that I baptized are really firm. One left with us to go and teach and we gave him some room for him to teach and he just lit it up, it was awesome!  The spirit there was so strong! And we dropped him off at his house and he was like when can I go with you guys again that was so cool and I loved those feelings and we were like tomorrow and he was like Tuesday next week and we were like alright! But that was an awesome experience I loved it! But that is about it for this week! I love you guys and I know that you guys are being blessed!
Love Elder Gray

August 27 2012

Well hello!


So I had my birthday this week it was alright not a ton of people knew that I had my birthday but oh well! Because I got the best present of all! A baptism on my birthday! It was awesome I loved it you could feel the spirit so strong there it was awesome! Ya I got a good meal we bought a huge pizza that night it was so good because it was just icing on the cake! The day after my birthday we had our zone conference! It was really good they sung me happy birthday and I got your package that you sent and some letters so that was really cool! About my companion ya we are getting a long ok sometimes we still don’t see eye to eye on things and some times he gets in a girl mood in the morning because I tell him to do his workout and he doesn’t really do it! He keeps telling me how he wants to lose weight and I keep telling him well do your work outs and stop eating so much but we will see what will happen with that! Ya when my companion was transferred I stayed at the house where Tim Morris was at when he was in this zone! Ya I hear from Elder Een and Elder Morris they write me emails! Hahaha I love them we are going to be such good friends after the mission! Well that is super cool that the girls got there blessings that is awesome I love reading mine I read it every week! Because it helps me out a lot! But really nothing is new for me besides that this week was good we are working hard and I know that we are going to receive blessing from it and all that! Well that is super cool to hear that all of you guys are doing super well! And tell grandpa that he can send me  more letters like he sent me for my birthday I sure liked them! Hahahah love you Grandpa! Hey Grandpa take care alright remember you’re getting up to that age when the body starts to slow down! Remember to take it easy and in the end everything will work out! Love you guys have a good week take care!

Love, Elder Gray

August 20 2012

Well hello my family!!

SO this week was really interesting I got a new companion Wednesday! His name is Elder Machado! He is from Manues or how ever you say it! But in English his last name means axe! Hahaha well he is tall and a little bit heavier! But it’s alright! He is cool but he started off a little rough with me because he walked into our house and started messing with my things saying ours and I was like no that is mine! HE is like one of those mooches  kind of person that uses other people! After that he said that we had to share that stuff to strengthen our relationship I was like no you won’t use my ties or my shaver this stuff is mine. Well he wasn’t to happy with that but I really don’t care! But about Elder Bruce I know that he had a nice little talk with President and I don’t know if he still in the mission or not but oh well! I think it would be better for him to go back to his home! But the girl that is a different story I had to break the news to her and she was like I am not texting him and was lying to me but oh well! They were talking about how they wanted to kiss and all of that stuff! But in the end I still think he is in the mission unfortunately! But this week we had a baptism it was awesome! His name is Eloim! He is so cool! He is like 17 years old and looks like neymar! I baptized him and it was really cool he is definitely one of the elects of God that he prepared for me! And this Wednesday we are going to have one more baptism! Yes that is like the best birthday present ever! A baptism! His name is Erico he is cool he is 20 years old and he is also an elect of God that he prepared for me! But that is really cool right!
Well that is awesome to hear that Jackson was baptized look at him go here in a little bit he will be on a mission baptizing other people! That is awesome! Congrats Jack! That is cool to see that Jake Cooper returned home that is a little weird that all of them are going to start returning home in a little while! But that is awesome. Well that is about it for this week I really don’t have any thing else to talk about! Love you guys? Oh and President Cordon he sent you an email or a letter?? And what did it say in it?? I thought that I told you I was senior but oh well! Love you guys!

Love, Elder Gray

August 13 2012

Well hello my big happy family!!

Well I don’t know where I want to start about this week because something happened! I don’t know if I told you guys that we can’t play soccer because too many people are getting hurt! But its alright I can play soccer after the mission I guess! But ya about this week well my companion started to be really weird and started to distant him from me! But that wasn’t a surprise he was a looser the first day he got here! He never woke up on time, never studied with me and all that but it’s alright! Well we worked hard this week trying to help these two people feel like they are ready to be baptized this week! And if they get baptized that will be awesome! But ya we will see! I really didn’t talk to anyone that I felt the spirit very strong with this week! But it’s alright! so it is starting to get really hot here but its alright I am thinking that I will buy some tanning lotion and put it on my arms so they can start to look really tan hahaha! But something happened this week that will mark me for the rest of my mission! so my companion had a personal cell phone that he was using to talk with people and this Sunday I felt like I had to look at this cell phone and see who he was talking to well he was texting one girl that we are teaching basically saying that he wants to marry her and all that love dove stuff! Well after all this he was transferred today and we will see if he will have to go home! But like now I am sad to see him go but it will be better for him! And ya that is about it I am trying to forget about it and move on but it is a little hard for me! But besides that I am doing well, working and helping people and doing the things that I should be doing! Sorry that this is not a long email but I don’t know what else to write right now! But I want to say happy birthday for Tonya and thank you to Grandma Gray and Pam for the birthday money. I know I am a little late but it is the thought that is more important! Oh and also one of my friends went home today. His time ended and he went home his name is Elder Evans he was my first Zone Leader and he has been in my zone for all the 8 months that I have been here in the mission! I will sure miss him he left me a tie and his Oregon beavers shirt for me he is such a stud I love him! But that is good to hear that all of you guys are doing well back there in the States! I love you guys so much! Take care have a good week!

Love,

Elder Gray

August 6 2012

Hello my family!!

Well what do you know another week has passed by! Wow this week was pretty fast I won’t lie! Wow josh received his mission call to Brazil! whoop whoop! Ya buddy! Joao Pessoa will be really hot! That is so cool but when he goes into the ctm and leaves I will almost be done with my mission hahah! As us missionaries say I will be dying soon! Hahaha but that is really cool because after I can write him in Portuguese hahaha! That is so cool! No I still haven’t received anything from you guys because we only get mail here once every month because we are in the middle of no where so are leaders never go to get the mail because it is really long! So what does senior companion mean well it means I am the senior of our companionship! So if he does something wrong I get in trouble basically! So the only problem is that he doesn’t wake up he takes for ever in the bathroom, he like sleeps when he studies. But I will still try and show that I love him and try and help him return to the path that is right! But ya! Wow so tanner returned wow that was fast! That was cool to hear about the spirit Casey had! Serious you think that I have been giving my deodorant away!! Please I hold on to that stuff like it is gold! The only time I would give it away is if I got paid! But besides that no never hahah! So I think that we have a baptism here in a little bit! I hope that we will! We are teaching some really good people that we can help so that can be baptized! We almost baptized some one but they didn’t want to live the law of chastity so that is really annoying! So we cut them because they are not progressing! We usually email about 2 in the afternoon! But ya our president cut soccer now so we can’t play soccer! I wasn’t too happy about that but I think I will live! I would like to have football but they don’t have them here in Brazil and if you can find one that your really lucky! Hey you remember the shoes that we bought from missionary mall! So I need a different kind of sock to wear with tem because my other ones are to small and my foot slides in them! I wore them with some adrenaline socks when we bought them so ya! That would be super fly if you get me some black adrenaline socks because I would wear those shoes more!  Tell Grandma and Pam thanks for the birthday money. But that is about it! I love you guys take care have a good week!
Love Elder Gray

July 30 2012

Well hello my family!!

Well so my companion got transferred and I got a new companion named Elder Bruce he is Brazilian and from Sao Paulo! He is really cool but doesn’t do everything that he should do! Oh and I was made senior of the group so now everything that goes wrong will be on my shoulders! I am very excited not! But this week was pretty good I wont lie we just had to run around and around and around to complete all of our goals that we had planned for this week! But it was good well played soccer and now I am really sore but it will be good! But it was really cool we found this teenager that is really cool he is awesome we will mark a day for him to be baptized! But for right now we are just working and working and working some more! That is about it and the two boys that we baptized they are still going to church their parents are not doing so well but we will help them out, but everything will be alight.  But besides this nothing else has really happened!  I will wash my sheets and my retainers and yes it’s a little bit expensive to get married! If I was rich I would marry everyone here but I am not so it is a little hard to do that but ya I am doing fine hey send me some more gold bond extra strength the green bottles! That stuff is really good! I would like some more pink and purple ties! hahahaha! but ya that is about it for elder gray! Love you guys and I hope that you guys have a good week!!


Love Elder Gray

July 23 2012

Well hello my family!

Wow so another week has gone by the time is flying here! So it has gotten really hot here and I am drinking water like there is no tomorrow! But it is all good! So kaiana had his farewell that is awesome he will be a good missionary he will learn a lot of stuff! Haha that is cool that lil Dick is going to put in his papers to go because it would really be a good experience for him! And my dear old friend Mr. Jared is married wow life now has changed for him! Hahaha but it will be good for him hey mom tell him to write me a letter that fool! Haha but that’s cool that all that good stuff is happening there! but ya for here I had a interview with President Cordon Friday it was really good I really like talking to him we sit there and joke around a little bit and talk about how everything is going! But ya that is about it we talked a lot about my companion he told me to be really patient with him and told me that tough love won’t help him! that was a little rough to hear because he is always complaining to me that something hurts or he is tired and I am like dude if you don’t think about it you will be just fine! Well he still has not put that into practice yet! So we will have to see! So we will have a transfer on the 25 and my companion keeps telling me that he is going to be transferred and that just gives him a lot of stress for some reason! But besides this everything is going good we found some new people to teach but their not married or they are breaking the law of chastity a lot which is really annoying but we will help them continue on!! so something really funny happened this week we knock on a door and this lady comes out she looked like she was  45 or 50 I really don’t know and she starts to preach to us how she has preached in 3 different countries and 8 states in brazil and that she has been serving for 16 years it was really funny but after this she was like I have seen God and Jesus face to face they appeared to me and to other people and I was wow this lady is crazy also I noticed that there was not a good presence there to so I was like well it was nice talking to you but we got to go we have other people to teach! And she was like lets pray and I was alright we will pray! she said to me take my hand and I looked at her really funny and she said take my hand with more force and I looked at her and I said no I will not take your hand to pray! And she was like what?? And I was like sorry I won’t take your hand and I will pray my way! well she wasn’t very happy about that and she was like fine so I prayed and then after she said to me that when you hold hands that there is more power in prayer and I was like in our church we don’t do this and if I remember correctly Jesus Christ never did this either! But I will never pass that house again! Hahahah but my companion was looking at me really weird and when we left he was like I can’t believe you said no to her and I was dude I was not going to hold her hand and he said ya me to in a really silent voice! So he was prepared to hold her hand and pray. Hahahaha but everything is good! The only thing I would like to have is some deodorant because the deodorant here is this weird funky stuff that doesn’t work! But so this! And I wrote Michael Perry back I am still waiting for him! Well have a good week love you guys!

Love,

Elder Gray

July 16 2012

Well hello my family

So another week has gone by like holy crap time is passing fast right now for me! So I think that we might have a baptism next week but we will see I think that he will have to wait! He has a problem with the law of chastity and he is only 15! I keep praying for him that everything with him will be alright that he can pass the interview and be baptized and start a new better life! But besides this my companion and I assisted a wedding it was really cool. this couple they are fighters it was funny they had to get married and then they could be baptized so the other elders had the service in the chapel and they didn’t have keys and so we had to go there and open it for them and this couple’s son was like to my companion I want you to baptize me so we had wait there and our day was like destroyed but it was really cool to see the wedding service. it was funny the guy before the wedding said to me hey I want you to hit me in the stomach because I am nervous and I was like why me he said well you look stronger than all the rest of the missionary here and so I was like well I cant hit you. and he was like just hit me and I was like no and then he called me a girl and the other elder said just hit him and I said no and then I said to him ok I will and so he lifts up his arms so I can hit him in the stomach and he is like I am ready so I decked him in the stomach it was funny because he was like that was a good one do it again so I hit him again and then he said to me well that is a lot better I am not nervous any more! But it was really cool to see them married and be baptized! Well I don’t know what I want for my birthday but I am thinking of just having you guys put money on my card and then I could buy something’s here! Ya how crappy is this my sweet soccer shoes that I bought ripped in the bottoms! I was so ticked but I still can play with them so it is all good! But I don’t really know what I want everything is good here for right now I maybe would like a ton of letters from people, I don’t know! Oh I know I want an ipad that would be awesome to have hahaha! But besides this everything is pretty good! Ya I repaired my back pack hahah it is all stitched up and looking good and I put some of that shoe glue over top of it to stop it from spreading! Well that is about it for this week I love you guys take care! I hope this next week for you guys will be awesome and Easton will be fine!

Love Elder Gray

July 9 2012

Well hello my family how are you guys??

So this week was filled with miracles minha nossa foi mutio bom! Like oh my goodness it was good! So I baptized a kid that was 10 years old it was funny! So his name is Thiago he is the brother of Gabriel who we baptized last week! So that was really cool! the funny part was this kid was so light that I like thrusted him into to the water and his stinking foot came out of the water so we had do it again! This time I forgot to say his name and baptized him ha-ha and then I did it right and his crazy foot came out again hahaha so it was pretty funny! But we finally made it work out haha! so this week was pretty good I think the members like me more than they like my companion they are always asking him to do stuff like prayers and that kind of stuff and then that just come and chill out with me hahaha! But this week I had 2 division one with a zone leader and the other with a different elder. the zone leader has served in the marine core it was funny he was joking around with me and so I was like well your joking with me so its on and so I started joking with him and this was on the bus and we stopped and I was looking out the window and then he just decks me in the arm and I was wow its has been a long time since a girl has hit me like that hahaha it just mad him more mad! The other elder and I found some really good people to teach so that was good! for as me and my companion we are good could be better but we are good he has times when he is like a little girl and other times like when he is depressed and then during all this he looks at you really funny! But what ever and this week was the weirdest week yet with him! But we will get through it I just keep on praying and praying for him. He is really centered on what other people think of him and always thinks people are angry with him it is funny! But as for my area no it is hotter than hot like holy crap hot, it rains for like 1 to 2 days then it is a blazing sun I hope I don’t pass here during the summer time here or I might die! So my cool back pack some how got a whole down by the strap so I think I will missionary rig it to work so it will be fine! But besides all this good stuff the gray train continues! hahaha you want to no a really funny thing I decided one day that me and my companion where going to go running and so we went and I said to him I will run till I puke and so we ran to the church and I was feeling it and my companion was like elder we have to walk back I am not in shape to run and I was lets go lets go we have to be in our house now and get showered and changed to study lets go but he had to walk and some how we did it all before 8! But I think I will never go running with him ever again it was a little bit of a joke! But it is good to hear that you guys are doing good that everything back home is going great I am doing great here just keep praying for me that I can find the people that Heavenly Father has prepared for me! Love you guys.

Love Elder Gray

July 2 2012

Well hello my family how are you guys doing this week??

Well let’s start out by saying that it is fricken hot here in this area like holy crap! And the people here are saying that it is cold!  I am like dyeing hahaha but ya I put my hydration pack in and it is really saving my life! Well so we had 1 baptism this week it was awesome! His name is Gabriel he is15 years of age and he is going to be one awesome stud in the church! His baptism was very spiritual he cried after and his mom and his brother were almost in tears so I think that we will baptize his brother next week for sure! The members here are really good they really like me I don’t think they like my companion that much but they really like me! Like yesterday we had lunch in a house of some members and the whole time they were asking Elder Gray is the food good and I said ya it is great I think after I could die and be satisfied for eternity!  And they didn’t even ask my companion if the food was good! hahahahaha it was really funny! But ya this area is really good we have a lot of people that need the gospel here! The only problem is that everyone is not married! If they would just be married it would be ton a easier to baptize here! Like we have people here that want to be baptized but they don’t want to pay to be married! But besides this everything is good it is a little hard to know where I am at because they don’t have any street signs here so that is a little hard! But about my shoes they are doing fine after I got them fixed. but the only problem mom is that I don’t have my church shoes on right now because we played ball but my soccer shoes are size 11 in brazil size they are 42. Well that is good to hear that all you guys are doing well! Yah I would like to take that 8 week math class to pass all the math for college when I get back! Hey mom have you started to look for scholarships for me?? It wouldn’t be a bad idea to start looking for some scholarships for me! But I am doing fine I have lost about 2 pounds so that is good! No our apartment is different than Elder Morris’s he was in a different area than me! But everything is going well here for me no need to worry about me! I love you guys a lot take care and have a good week!

Love Elder Gray