Hello! from Maranguape

Well, this week was great! We nearly had a baptism, but Angela nees a little more time, and we met a bunch of new people, so this week is going to be busy! I am excited to see how things will turn out, and I am loving the time I have with my new companion, Elder Patino. He is from Columbus, Ohio.

I ran out of time again, so I will just have to explain things more "detalhado" next week! Hope you have a good one!

Send me pics and quotes and stories of how your wonderful lives are going! If any of you are heading out on a mission, please send me a letter and your mission address so that I can write you back!

Love you all,

Elder Reid Powell Empey

The News - from Maranguape

Hello, all!

So, I have a bit of a sad piece of news. Elder Tibbitts, my companion, because of the headaches that he has been having (nearly six weeks without stopping now), it has become necessary that he return home to try to resolve the difficulties. He hasn't been able to study, nor walk a lot, or much of anything, and so it will be much easier for him to relax at home. I have a new companion, Elder Patino from Ohio, and we are already getting along really well. Elder Tibbitts is flying out on Wednesday. So, my "son" will be continuing his adventures and service elsewhere for the time being. The Lord has a plan in everything, and I am so grateful to have been Elder Tibbitts' companion during this time. I know that the Lord has His hand in all things in our lives.

So, Vitrória and Daniel were confirmed, and now all the members of their family that can be baptized are baptized! I am so happy to see them progressing in the Gospel.

Anyway, I gotta go, but I love you all, and have a wonderful week!

Tchau!

Até o próximo, 

Elder Reid Powell Empey

Quick!

So, another quick email!

We saw a few miracles this week. Márcio was baptized and confirmed, and then, even though I highly doubted and never thought that it would actually happen, Jacinta's daughter and son were baptized as well! Vitória, her daughter, is getting along well with the young women in the ward, and Daniel, her son, is attending. He is very shy and timid, but the young men's president is going to work more with him to help him out.

So, this has been an amazing week! Sadly, the headaches of my companion continue to be a difficulty. We are trying to not do anything to aggravate the situation, which is hard considering that the pain is aggravated by basically anything we do, walking, speaking in Portuguese, studying, the hot Cearense sun, etc. So, we are just doing the best that we can, and trying to keep moving forward!

I'm way out of time, but I love you all, and wish you a happy New Year, 2013! I never thought we'd get this far because of 2012, so I guess I'll have to re-think my life plan......:)

Love always,

Elder Reid Powell Empey

Happy Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy 2013! - From Maranguape

Hello, all. 
I hope that you are having a wonderfullly, awesomely, splenderific day! I know my sister Joslyn is, because she's still out of school on break:)

So, this week was great. Oh, sorry, by the way, that I didn't send an email last week. I was a bit too busy talking to my FAMILY!!! On Skype:) It was awesome:)

This week was good because of Christmas and all (by the way, I got my Christmas package, Mom. I finally ate one of those giant Reese's today, and it was amazing. And, please tell my companion that the other one is for him. He refuses to believe that it's for him, and insists that I eat it), but it was still challenging. My companion, Elder Tibbitts, is having some very difficult health challenges. He has had a headache for nearly five weeks, and it hasn't gone away. He already got a tomography, with and without contrast, and a CT scan, but everything checked out normal. We are not sure what to do, especially because we did what the doctor said and rested this past week and took some other medicines, but it didn't really help. Please keep him in your prayers so that we can find the solution. The Missionary Department is working on it right now.

Jacinta was confirmed yesterday, and her two older kids finally went. Also, Márcio, a young man who is 19, is getting baptized this Saturday, and confirmed on Sunday! He's awesome, and I'm so excited for his decision to do the right thing.  Please pray for him as well, that he can have the strength he needs to confront the difficulties that he is facing and will continue to face. Pray for Jacinta as well!

I love you all so very much! Have a wonderful week, and don't forget that I'm thinking about you, and pray and hope for the best for you all!

With love as always,

Elder Reid Powell Empey