Week #33 - "I want peace. But if you wanna fight, bring it. I am here!"

Boom!

Okay, so my title this week is neither MASH related nor Disney but it has a funny story. Today we played RISK, the board game, with some other Elders and it was AWESOME. While playing the game, Elder Moura, a Brazilian, said the title to this email in the funniest English accent. We all died when he said it! I thought it was worthy of title stature in my memory.

So first, I know that Mom is dying to know about transfers. YES! I will finally be leaving my first and only area of the mission, Mauazinho. I am moving to the east zone of the city where I will be a district leader again. The sad part is I do not know who my companion is yet, whether he is an American, or the exact location I will be living. SO, we will see. Surprises are always fun!! Also mother, I have yet to receive my other packages, but I should be getting them tomorrow at transfers.

This week we worked!!!!!! We walked a TON!! There is an area, Bairro ( pronounced Buy-ho), that is very far from our house, PARQUE MAUA. My companion had yet to go there so Tuesday we dedicated almost the entire day to finding new people in that area. Then Wednesday, Friday, and parts of Saturday we gave all our time to teaching new people there. It was very uplifting and challenging. I think the worst feeling on a mission is when you find someone who denies the truth. When you talk to someone who is so closed as to not being willing to ask even God himself what is right. However, we met tons of new people. It was great!

We also received a box of popsicles which my companion promptly devoured. (photos will come) My companion warned me of something this week. Apparently my sleep talking has flared up (I've done this all my life) and I talk almost every night now-a-days. He said it is really funny because I sometimes talk about really dumb stuff. That is right. He said I do not just mutter or mumble. I go off for a good 30 seconds or so AND I talk in English and Portuguese in my dreams!!!!!!!!!! That is right! Dreams in Portuguese, which I do not remember. I was really excited to hear this. The language is pretty easy now and I actually find English harder than Portuguese most days. Especially when I pray. Almost impossible when I pray. It is just really cool.

I am reading a ton. 12 pages of the Book of Mormon in Portuguese. 1 or 2 chapters of Luke in Portuguese. 1 chapter of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and New Testament in English. I also read 1 talk from the Conference Ensign you sent me mom and at night I read the book "Jesus the Christ".

I have a challenge for all who accept it but especially for my family. This Christmas season read "Jesus the Christ". It is a fantastic book or analysis of the life of Christ as we know it from the Scriptures. I feel so good and close to my Savior with every page I read of this book. Roman, Kati, Hanna, and yes you Mom and Dad. You all can take time to conquer this fantastic read over the next month. I also would like to personally invite Uncle Ryan, Reed, and my good friend Reed Perkins ( if you do not have this book, talk to my mom, she will point you to it).

So the other night I was lying in my bed and I thought to myself "I should clean up the socks on the side of my bed". As I reached to grabbed a sock, I discovered that my sock was not alone. It had found a new friend-- a GIGANTIC SPIDER. Legs and all I would guess 4 or 5 inches in diameter!!!! Needless to say I freaked out and the spider scurried behind my dresser. Well after a quick plan was made I used a flashlight to discover the spiders locale and my companion smashed the dresser up against the wall! That spider did not stand a chance. We swept out his dead remains and I took a crazy picture so you can see the monster. I will not lie, I was pretty freaked. I a had few thoughts at the time I would like to share with you:

"HOLY FREAKING CRAP"
"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SLEEP TONIGHT"
"If Rachel Stenberg were here she would probably scream and run."
"I wish I had some way to just burn this house down and rebuild it. I hate bugs."
"At least we have no cockroaches, for now."
"I hope I get transferred."
"Well, I can check that off the list."
"I slept with that thing next to me for a week!"

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am thankful I do not have to deal with these things in Washington. NO, we did not celebrate thanksgiving here and actually, I forgot about it until Saturday.

SO the biggest event of my week however was................ A WEDDING. There is a family here, Renato and Josiele, that I met my second week here. I have been working with them for a long time and this week they were to be married and baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!! However, Renato gave in to smoking the day of the interview for baptism and asked if he could wait another week, so Josiele also asked to wait as well. SO this week we had their wedding!!!! It was fantastic!! I took a million pictures and I do not think I can ever find a cooler family than them here in Amazonas. They are really why I stayed in Mauazinho for so long, so that I could help them. They are both so strong in their testimonies of the gospel and I am just so full of joy for them. It is just so bad that I will not see their baptism because I am leaving tomorrow for my new area. However if the Lord be willing, I will be able to see them enter into the temple to be sealed together for all time and eternity in the new Manaus temple. (photos are coming).

The weirdest thing in the world is walking through the forest and hearing off in the distant someone blasting away "Judas", by Lady Gaga. It just feels wrong.

I hope you all have great week.
Eu amo voçês,

Elder Asa Laws