9/17/12

Hello!

Hope you have fun at Hawaii. I plan on going with you guys when I get back haha. 

Transfers were hectic. On Tuesday, we had a transfer meeting where everyone that would move comes and gets their comps and leaves. The only problem is that the bus from sergipe (4 hour drive) took 6 hours to get here, so they got here two hours late. It wouldn't be a problem, but the new missionaries were to arrive at 12 30. So we started at 10:30 the transfer meeting and had to sprint to the airport. We ended up taking a taxi to get there. It was crazy, but we go there right when the door to the baggage claim opened and the missionaries started coming out. 12 got here, and next transfer 12 more will get here. Anyway, we got to the mission presidents house and ate. After was the hard part, elder douglas and I had to get in a van and drop everyone off at their houses. There were 7 sets of missionaries and were started t 5 30 at night. We got back to the mission office at 10 and got home at 10:30 haha. It was absolutely hectic, but just for us. All of the others didn't even notice, which is the idea. 

Then we had a meeting the next day and the trainers going to sergipe needed to take a bus at 12 30. They got there late and ended up having to wait until 6 to get to their areas. What a good 2nd day experience for the greenies. ha 

The next day we had a zone meeting, and a training for the trainers on their 2nd transfer at 3 and 5 o'clock. Basically we didn't have much time to do anything. Everything went well. 

 I don't know who the Oddells are. Are they in our ward?

I have a friend in santa maria, elder fulton is his name. He will see their missionary for sure.

That is awesome that they are already getting home from the mish! when Dan gets home tell him that he has to email me! Nate too. I haven't heard from them in so long!

Other than that this week was fun. Today we just rested because the week was a bit busy. We play some games of WAR (risk) which we are addicted to right now. 

My trainer elder maciel got home from his mission 2 months ago or so and he is already engaged. That is fast, but the funnier part is who he is getting married to. It is a sister missionary that went home the same day as him! They are planning on getting married in 6 months hahaha. I couldn't believe it when I heard it! Everyone is joking about him, but I am super happy for him because he was worried about getting married. He is 27 years old already about to turn 28 so he had to marry quickly.

Anyway love you all! and hope your week is a little less busy than mine was!

ELDER JAKE LANGLOIS

9/10/12

Olâ família e amigos!

The baptism that we had is a members brother. We taught him 5 or 6 times before his baptism, and he is awesome. The Assistants usually don't help us out because they have their own teaching pool, but we are doing well with teaching. During transfers its super busy, and in between its only really busy haha. There isn't much time to rest.

Everyone likes the missionaries and they are always protecting us. They always say, "no one will touch you guys here don't worry" and we just continue walking haha. Not sure why they like us. We are doing well here, we just picked up our mission newsletter. We print it off every transfer to give to everyone. Also, tomorrow 12 people are entering the mission, we have to pick them up and train them after the transfer. Should be fun, and we also get to eat at the presidents house! Anyway, good luck with that street fair, and in hawaii.  My friend from college will be the new assistant, so we will get to live in the same house. I am excited!

The BYU women's volleyball team is doing well. Funny that you saw Taylor there. Tell him he is jacked up and needs to write me. I want to hear about what he thinks about that new kid that's coming on the team. Patchel. We bowled with him when I was up there. 

I don't think I am needing anything. Maybe another book of Mormon in Spanish if it is easy to get. I forgot my last one in some place. I have no idea where it went. 

I haven't seen anything about the elections, but I have heard about all of the programs about the church. Its amazing how far people can stretch the truth on some of those. I saw something about Michelle Obama talking. Seems like she is trying to win the election now. 

I will remind sister and president to update the Facebook page. She isn't very good with technology, but we are trying to help her with it. 

Things are going well here. There have been quite a few changes, and president still hasn't stopped changing his mind. We are still getting calls from him saying that he changed the transfers haha. 

Anyway, love you all and hope you have a good week.

LOVE ELDER JAKE LANGLOIS

9/3/12

Hello!

We had a baptism this week!!!!!!!! 

Paulo is his name and he is 16 years old, already got the priesthood, and he is awesome! I will send pictures this week of him and some other random things. 

I miss the normal missionary day, but at the same time no. I like being outside and talking with people, but being here with president is the best. I learn more with him than with any other person.
Is there any way you can get Grandpa's apricot tree and put it in our backyard? That would be the best solution to this problem.

Do you get priority to have the missionaries over? Should be that way. Here, the parents of missionaries ALWAYS have lunch at their house. I think it helps them to know that they are safe, and they feel closer to their kid. Even non-members.

We played volleyball again today, but there were 4 people there that couldn't even hit the ball 2 girls and 2 boys. The girls were better than the others, but still, it was difficult playing with them. 

Everything is going well here, we made a milkshake today. That's not very exciting.

Funny story time. So... My comp and I were walking a member home (she was helping us with an investigator) and we offered to pay a taxi for her because we took her far from her house. She said no, we have legs we can walk. Me, being annoying, said, no lets run. I ran 3 steps and she decided that it was a good idea. Unfortunately on the first step that she took she kicked a crack the size of a tic tac and ate the pavement! hahaha I have never laughed so hard in my life. Maybe that isn't very nice, but she was laughing too so i think that's alright. 

Also, Paulo, the baptism, Gave his testimony at church. He said, I am not sure if it is weird that I am up here on my first day, but I know this church is true because of the answers to my prayers. 

It was the coolest thing in the world, and I know that everyone felt the same way in that room.

If you have a question pray and ask the only person that knows EVERYTHING.

love you guys!

LOVE ELDER JAKE LANGLOIS

8/27/12

Hello!

We taught a ton this week! we had 5 lessons, which is the most that we have ever done since we have been in the office. So, a usually day looks like this: we wake up and do some exercises and eat. Then we study until 10 and go to the office. We do some work in the office then go to eat at 12 or 12 30. After we go back to the office and stay there until we finish our work for the day. Usually for me I end at 6 and try to help out the financial secretary because it is a lot of work (or he doesn't know how to manage his time, but I don't know). I took pictures of the apartment already, just is annoying to carry the camera to the office because I don't even use a bag anymore, but I am taking pictures. 

I haven't renewed my visa because I haven't received confirmation from São Paulo yet. When they send an email I will get my papers ready and I go. 

I don't think I can spend a week visiting my areas. 4 of my areas are neighboring, and I don't even know what to do for a week. If they get sealed, which maybe wont happen, maybe we could go during that week. I think I will only need 3 days to visit my areas. The only problem is that Sergipe is 4 hours from here and we would have to drive or fly to get there to visit my other area. We don't have to go there though. You want to go to the CTM? I don't even know what there is to do in São Paulo. I agree with the falls and with visiting Argentina. That will be cool for me to test out my Spanish haha. not sure if you want to visit Sergipe. Its a way cleaner and prettier city, so we could do something there if you want.
Also, there is an elder here that ends his mission the same day, and his parents are coming to get him. Maybe we will plan a barbeque with some members on the 25th so we can all be together. I don't know.

You can throw in a toothpaste. I like crest and it doesn't exist here. I don't think I need anything right now. Maybe some little candies to eat, like hard candy jolly ranchers or some type of candy. I am always sitting on the computer so I need something to do. Candy is the best thing!

That's cool that you guys are starting volleyball already. Today we played volleyball and there were about 20 people that came to play. Almost all of them were terrible, but it was still fun. I cant wait to get back and play with people that actually know how to play. 

After we went to a place called chef chu with is a Japanese Chinese food place. We had all you can eat sushi and Chinese food! I never thought that I would eat this type of food here! I was so happy to go there. So some funny stories, we have two extra mattresses in our house, because some people slept there during the conferences. Anyway, we have been playing some games with them like human sandwiches. So we put one up against the wall and someone would stand there while the others rammed him with the other mattress. Elder pajaro didn't think, and when they hit his face ran into the back of elder Whitaker haha. It started to swell and he started to complain. It was one of the funniest thing that happened this week. We have to get creative to have fun here.

Faz tempo que eu não escrevo em português, então vou escrever hoje. Estou muito feliz por estar aqui nessa missão e sei que estou fazendo a melhor coisa durante esse período da minha vida. A mensagem que trazemos às pessoas no Brasil é especial e muda as vidas das pessoas. Também nos dá a felicidade que todos nós queremos alcançar. 

Amo todos de vocês 

Abraço!

LOVE ELDER JAKE LANGLOIS

8/20/12

Wow.

This week was ridiculous and now I have 2 weeks of work for this week. We had conferences on Tuesday Wednesday and Friday. Thursday we traveled 4 hours to Sergipe to do the conference there. We went in the car with the pres. It was awesome, but everyone was sick. I think I gave it to everyone haha. There are about 150 missionaries in our mission. A lot to take care of and busy to do conferences. Everything went well though, and Pres. Gonzaga bought burger king for us!  

We didn't go into the office any day last week. That's why i didn't talk to you guys. sorry!

I didn't even know that it was your anniversary! that's awesome! and when I get back it will be the 30th haha. 

I am trying at least to do this secretary thing. We also had an emergency transfer today. Just to add more work to everything. Pres. gonzaga is awesome, he is super nice and always compliments a good job, also he loves us enough to drop the hammer when we do things wrong. Something that I learned on the mission, is that when people correct you they are wanting the better for you. I know that this is something really important for all of us, because sometimes we are scared to speak. It is better to help the person. 

Well, we played some volleyball today, and made burgers for lunch. Also! I got to visit the family that I was teaching in Grageru and it was awesome! I didn't think i would see them for a long time. This is the family that we will go to the temple with, I hope. It is awesome to see lives that have changed because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It just brings happiness to everyone.

I love you guys. This week I will be in the office and a little more relaxed.

Hope you have a great week

LOVE ELDER JAKE LANGLOIS

8/13/12

hello!

I knew a kid that came to this mission in my ward in college and I didn't know him at all, but we have a special connection just because of the seconds that we spent with each other in Utah. Same thing with Dylan, I didn't know him at all really, just heard about him. Now I feel like I am one of his best friends on the mission. 

I got the grandfather clock?! haha that's awesome. The only problem is that I don't have a house or know how to wind it and work it. I will figure it out. 

I heard about the Olympics. Luigi the son of President Gonzaga is always updating me on the volleyball and the US team. I heard about Usain bolt too.
There isn't much new with me. This week there are 3 conferences that we will do. Two here in Maceió and one way in Sergipe. Should be fun, and I have to plan my training still.

During the nights we are staying in the office to let Elder Pajaro train Elder Douglas. I think next week we should start to go out and work instead of stay.

My new comp is Elder Douglas from Brazil. He is really funny and has a funny voice too. It will be good with him, and we don't have any problems together. 

As for christmas, I don't think I want much. Maybe maple syrup. And maybe some small things like candies.
Don't think I told you about how I was in the Liahona here in Brazil. When I was in my first area we took a picture and its in the brasilian liahona in July 2012. Maybe you guys can order one to see it at home.

This week was the same as always, just trying to keep up with the things that I have to do. 

Love you guys and hope you have a good week.

LOVE ELDER JAKE LANGLOIS