Osvaldo Cruz-Week Nine

Hello everyone,

Please forgive me but I took exactly zero photos this week so I will do my best to make up for that with words. 

For all of you that might have forgotten, I had my birthday this past week. I am six months old now. The time has really gone by fast, but it has been awesome. 

This past week, the weather was my best friend. While my companion was styling sweaters and often time, heavy jacket, I stocked with the short leaves and a umbrella. I have not been a huge friend of the killer hot days we have had recently but this past week was chilly, cold, and fresh. It felt like a normal week in February. 

We have been working lots and I honestly can not say we did much other than that. I have been having some truly faith- testing experiences. Not everything has been going exactly as according to plan. Because of this, Elder J and I have been flexible and always searching for Heavenly Father´s purpose. I learned again this week to be patient and faithful and trusting in the plan that Heavenly Father has for us. 

On another note, Elder J said that my Portuguese has been getting a lot better. Elder J has been tons of help on getting my American accent more understandable. At this point, my accent is the biggest thing that gets in the way of people being able to understand me. But thanks to Heavenly Father, I am able to do all the missionary task in Portuguese. My only fear, language wise at this point, is when I have to buy strange Brazilian fruits, buy obscure items of clothing, or talk to someone how to fix their computer... also teach music. (I tried to help one of the young men this past week with a piece of piano music he was preparing and it did not go very feel. They read music differently here in Brazil so everything I said did not make sense.)

All and all, every day is an adventure. I am so grateful that I am having these experiences in Brazil. 

-- Best wishes to everyone back home. 

Com amor,

Elder Pinkney