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

June 25 2012

Well hello family

Well unfortunately I don’t have much time because we were in a different area climbing a mountain that was pretty fun! Haha took some sick pictures but this area Is good its like in the middle, it has rich parts and its poor parts but good I think this next week we will have 2 baptisms but besides that I am doing good and all that I am sorry that this message is not very long I love you guys have a good week!!

June 18 2012

Hello my big family!!

So it sounds like a lot has happened this past week for you guys! And a lot happened for me too! Well I don’t know where to start! First mom I am sorry you didn’t like the letter last week but it was all the time I had so I am sorry! Well so I got transferred! It was really hard to leave the area that I was in I loved it so much there! I cried when I was leaving! OH to let you know I will be very missed in that area I even got kissed on the cheek by 4 men! Hahaha it really threw me off I was like what, but I just went with it because it is there culture here! And I was told by many people that I could return to Brazil any time I want and I will always have food to eat and place to sleep and so it looks like I will make plans to come back for the world cup! So I am in my new area named Samambaia its in Parnagua it is really close to the beach! And it is freakin hot here! But it is really cool it is like a little bit like Hawaii but has a lot of roads of sand! My companions name is Elder Reynoso he is from Argentina he is a little elder I got like almost a whole head on him! Hahahaha he is funny but strict at the same time! he is learning Portuguese so sometimes when we are talking to people they don’t understand him and they look to me and I say the same thing and they don’t understand at all that so it is pretty funny! He has been out about 1 year and like 4 or 5 months! So let me tell you about my apartment! Is freakin awesome it is not really big but has a lot of privacy and is really nice actually! Hahaha but not going to lie I was a little homesick when I got here because I don’t know anything about this area or who is members or who’s is not! So it was a little tough! Like it is hard to know where we are at all the times so ya! I had to get use to the heat here like holy crap it is hot! like in my last area it was cold and rained a lot the last part that I was there and I get here and it is sunny with no rain and really humid so the mesh garments ya I am totally using them hahaha! Besides all of this I am good! Ya so I got the package and I loved it! Funny story the jump rope broke! Hahaha I was using it and all of the sudden the handle is in my hand and the cord hits me in the back! Hahah but ya I loved it! The ties were alright not the prettiest but there are good! Well I hope that gentry bought me something cool from her shopping spree! But like a laptop well that is really cool! Sounds like everyone else is doing well so that is really good! Oh tell Jarrett that I wrote him a letter and in the letter it has one for Jarrett and one for Tonya because she said that she is winning me on letters so I decided I would write her a letter! Well that is about it for this week no a lot has happened! Oh and no I didn’t get that the last baptism in she wasn’t prepared!! :( But I will have some baptism here I think in the near future! Well I love you guys very much and I want you guys to know that you are the world for me! Well I hope this letter is better mom! Love you guys!

Love, Elder Gray

June 4 2012

Hello my family!

Well that was a really short email! Well that is cool that all you guys had fun at the family reunion and all! I wish I was able to go I love boating and all that stuff and plus I have never been to Lake Powell!!!! But oh well we will see what will happen when I get back off my mission! Well what to say about this week because I wrote to you guys like Wednesday of last week! Well not a lot has happened! I hope that we will have a baptism this week! Her name is Joyce! She is super cool she is like family with one of family’s in our ward! If every thing goes as planed she will be baptized Saturday! So to tell you how the weather is here well it started last night and has been raining all day none stop which is fine but we still have to work after 6 in afternoon! But yah cool thing so I think that this was my last fast Sunday here in this ward so I walked up there to bear my testimony, well it was more of testimony of gratitude for all the people in the ward and all the things they have done for me and the other elders! Well I made some people cry and others really sad! But that totally wasn’t my purpose to do that! But it was good! Oh so if you see that I bought things on my credit card it was for my shoes and new umbrella because my other umbrella broke because of the wind and rain! Well it has only been 4 days since I emailed you guys and that is about it oh I made a division with Elder Finato again I love making divisions with him it is so fun because we talk and all that! Something that was really funny we were walking in Centro where there is a ton of stores and food things there and we were walking the street and he says to me in English with this Brazilian accent ``dude did you see that`` I said what?? He said dude did you see that! I was like see what dude? He said to me that really hot girl! I was like what! And he was like I can’t believe you didn’t see that hot girl she was so hot! I was like ok just dying laughing! Because he doesn’t speak a ton of English and I was like how did he come up with this sentence! Hahaha like it was soo funny! But yah that is about it for this week! I LOVE you guys so much! Take care you guys have a good week!

Love Elder Gray