Our First Christmas Phone Call

We sat around Dad's cell phone and called Jimmy. We all got a turn to talk to him and ask questions.

Did you get transferred?
-Yes, My new companion and I are opening a new area. This is the second area that I am opening. I have to carry all my stuff since I don't have wheels on my duffle bag. I have the big duffle bag, my garment bag, backpack and guitar.

Where are you?
-I am in the same stake but a different area.


What are your living conditions?
-Way sweet! We are in a condo that the couples moved out from. There are two couches, two tables, two king size beds. We had to move one bed in the other room so we are together. And we have a washing machine that works! The one in the old house took four days to wash our clothes.


How are your clothes doing?
-I have traded a lot of my clothes. My pants are too big and are turning red from the sun.  My last companion gave me his shirts and his suitcase with wheels but they broke off the first time out.


What do you need?
-I need socks! I want a new camara that takes better pics and video with sound.


He got his birthday package and Christmas package at the same time since they held everything to make sure everyone got a package for Christmas. We heard several words in portugese and he said that he ahs to translate into english in his head when he talks to us.
He sounds great and I am so proud of the choices he has made in his life to serve the Lord.

Feliz Natal!

YO YO! MY NAME IS ELDER!

ya so he went home. i~ll start off with.. this week i learned how to have a lot of patience! but im working on love and charity. its hard to love a person thats annoying. but well see what happens this week. so im in 3 now right. with 2 other elders and recently they have been fighting! but one elder doesnt wanna work now and the other just says he wants to work but does nothing. so that leaves me there to cover. but yesterday we taught 10 lessons! the most i have taught in 1 day. but we did splits yesterday and one of our zoneleaders was with us so it helped. but it looks like theres one dude in my area thats ganna get baptised just that he cant make it to church sundays cuz he works. but were working with him cuz he wants to go to church and he will talk to his boss this week! but im just afraid that ill get transferred and not get to baptise him. i think this area will close again! not many missionaries are entering brasil right so we are losing missionaries! we will see on the 21st!. but ya this week was pretty much this. and no i didnt get the package but its here. theyre saving all the packages until christmas. president is crazy. oh and i got that package from sister carr. and the STARBURST AND SKITTLES were amazing!. my favorites! THANKS SISTER CARR!. thats my shout out!. but hows home mom. hows christmas ganna be there? and im so ready to call too!. i will talk more about calling next p-day!. but i have nothing else to talk about. just working hard and getting tanner lol. but have a great week! Tchau tchau, não excece de mim! Eu Te Amo!
Elder Arroyo

changed the word problem to opportunity

Hey mom! so ya generally missionaries call on christmas but i will get to call you to confirm when i will talk but it will be like christmas eve when i confirm. and just send the package. i can deal with moving things here! it was great to hear the birthday shouts from facebook. but my birthday wasnt that great here. this past week was the worst week ever. so to start off. my companion wants to go home so hes with the assistants. hes been there for like 5 days now. so ive been with the other elders in the house. the ones that are pigs and really annoying. and were a missionary pair in 3. it stinks. the assistants said that i cant tell the members in my ward here and not even the bishop. but that i needed to go to church sunday to be with my investigators. so i went on splits sunday and everyones like wheres your comp and im was just like. oh im on splits today! and ya sunday was my birthday. so i went to lunch and had an amazing lasagna and a great dessert. then i left with my ward missionary leader whos amazing and we went and knocked doors. then he was like oh we got to return to the house you had lunch in i forgot something. and got there and there was a suprise party for me lol. the family of sister christina and another family. they made me my favorite brasillian food (coxina!) and she made a cake that was good. but like without my companion it stunk and they just talked amongst themselves. its stinks without a companion you feel so alone. especially when u get home and the other elders are in their room and your in your room alone. but not exacly alone cuz our house is full of fleas! tonz of stupid fleas. and we have termites too!. so when you get home you got like larva in your bed. ya life is amazing now. it stinks too cuz i have had a good first comp then the next 2 were horible and then elder coelho who was the best comp that i have had. and now im with those other too pigs. but i will make the best out of everything and just work hard. working hard and studying a lot you lose yourself and dont think about the hard stuff. but i was thinking that this was like a huge problem ya know. but was thinking one day and changed the word problem to opportunity. and really this is a huge oportunity that i have to learn and to show who i am as a missionary. but things will get better. lets hope that the next letter will be a better one and that my comp will return. hes still with the assistants. but its already time to go. were going to the old folks house to sing christmas carols! it will be fun. but yall have a great week! DONT LET THE MAN GET YA DOWN!
love Elder Arroyo

Hey! its my birthday next sunday!

Hey! its my birthday next sunday!. oh its on a sunday?! oh ya its fast sunday too! but it will still be a good birthday! the people i have lunch with know and said they will make a cake. but mom pls dont waste space sending me ingredients to make a cake. im good with just buying the mix here and dumping like 2 eggs and a cup of water and done! but ya me and my comp made pancakes the other day and we made rice crispy treats too! kathie sent me some marshmellows. and ya i got the box and the package. but im way confused for some reason??!! like she sent me cinnimon sugar mixed?? and mom you sent me some too but like?? why cinnimon sugar. i open the packages and im like. what is this. so if anyone wants to know they have cinnimon and sugar here in brazil too lol. but thanks i am actually using it on sandwhiches and stuff. but from now on i wont know when i get packages. they are holding all of them until christmas! they want everyone to have a package christmas. but we will have conference the 18th and get packages then. but that would suck if i got transfereed on the 23rd and have to carry everything with packages too!. but santa will help me right?! so ya this week was really slow. me and my comp tried to accompany our investigators that we taught the week before but ya were not finding a lot of "elects". we need to stop sweet talking our way into houses. but were ganna do better this week!. next p-day my zone is doing a service project singing in a nursing home. christmas hymns!(in portuguese because mom thinks we sing in english? lol) but it will be a blast. i~ll record it with my camera!. i am sending you a cd too just wait.! your cd has all of my photos that i have taken on the mission until yesterday!. but it will come just wait!. but that was this week! oh and sweet pics of chris. he has lost some weight!. tight. maybe he can skate with me! i need a skate buddy!. he just needs to start working out. you guys should see my body! im just muscle lol. just wait 1 year and 2 months! but have a great week. your brother or son or friend.. :)
Elder Arroyo