January 31, 2012 ~ Salutations from Parque das Nações

觢a, a gente!

I have some crazy news: I was transferred! Elder Call was transferred as well, and now we are both here, with new companions and new areas, in Fortaleza! I will miss the people that I met in Juazerio do Norte, and I磎 glad for the things that I learned there, yet I am excited for the experiences ahead.

My new companion is Elder Moreira Santos. He is from Rio de Janeiro, and he is really great. I think that we are going to get along just fine, and that we will learn a lot from each other. Also, I have the chance of having a native Brazilian for a companion! In this way, I can improve my Portuguese even more, and learn even more about how to be a good missionary.

Our area is called, ``Parque das Na珲es创, which means ``Park of the Nations创. It used to be called ``Aeroporto创 because it磗 right next to the airport, but that area combined with another, and now it磗 really big:) We will be walking a lot! But, it should be good. I磎 excited to see how things turn out.

This past week was good in Juazeiro. We almost had a baptism on Sunday, but it didn磘 work out. Even so, she came on Sunday to church, and afterwards she said that she really feel the desire to be baptised! I hope and pray that everything will work out for her, and that she will really get baptised! I am so excited for her. She is awesome, and has been from the very beginning:)

Anyway, I gotta go, but I wish you all a good week, and hope that you will feel the love that the Lord has for each and every one of us, without exception:) As we seek after His love, and begin to love Him even more in our lives through obedience and faithfulness, we will feel the love that He has for us even more, and we will also feel the love that He has for all those around us; and we will receive a greater capacity to love ``all men创 (2 Nephi 31:20) with charity, even ``the pure love of Christ创(Moroni 7:47).

Tchau, tchau, a gente! Eu se amo muito!

Love and hugs and handshakes galore,

Elder Reid Powell Empey