Wow, I never want to do that again!

Pictures:

Stake Conference..Yesterday or Boy Band perhaps?

Fat Lip, yup this is real

Wasabi!  notice fat lip again! :(

Oh the airport.  

Hey All, Tuda bem?  So I have a lot to write as always and I will do my best to squeeze it all in.  This week was good, we ended the transfer on a good note which made things nice.  As it usually is in the office, the last week of the transfer is really busy.  There are exit interviews with all the missionaries that are leaving,  the making of the new transfer,  people doing last minute things before they leave area, etc. It was busy but we counted down the days until the end of the transfer.  We were already advised that we, (Elder Howland, Elder Loureiro, and I) would stay together as a companionship for another six weeks.  We welcomed Elder Macedo (Brazilian, from São Paulo,  Fluent English Speaker)  into our companionship as the new Financial Secretary.  Elder Loureiro as passed 5 transfers here in the office (about 7and half months)  and he is ready to leave haha.  The office does that to you.  Elder Loureiro will be training Elder Macedo as the new secretary and will be leaving for another area at the end of the transfer.  So now we have four of us working here in the area, which will be really good.  I think this transfer will be one of the highlights.  So I started my 9th transfer today, I can't believe it at all.   It seems like its going by way to fast.  

This last week we started off with our regular schedule during the week.  There was a missionary that just recieved his visa this week and so it required a trip to the airport.  This Elder had been waiting for his visa for over 6 months.  He was serving in South Dakota since the time he left the MTC (September 2011) Anyways, he recieved his visa and he had a good welcoming for him at the airport, at President´s House, and then sent him on his way to the area.  Its always fun to see brand new missionary coming in.  You just see that fire in their eyes, then you see it dwindle a little when they actually hear portuguese.  Like we always say, it just takes a little more time to learn and pick up the accent.  We are planning on going to the airport tomorrow to pick the new arrivals straight from the MTC in São Paulo.  We have 11 missionaries arriving (5 Americans, 5 Braisilians, 1 Bolivian) Actually Mom and Dad Elder Nichols from Fed. Way, Washington is arriving.  I guess I´ll have to try and explain that we ''kinda'' know eachother..oh this wierd Mormon Connections.  Speaking of the airport I entitled my email ''Wow, I never want to do that again.'' for a reason.  Today was the first day of the transfer which meant missionaries leaving.  There was a good group of 12 missionaries that left in total.  It was a little sad since there were a few that I became close with.  It definatly is a hard thing, sending missionaries off. You see how the mission changes a person, and how awesome those guys are going to be when they get home.  I had to bargain with my ravishing charm with a ''Front Counter'' person at the airport, to get here to wave the fee for a few Elders.  That was fun.  It was hard saying goodbye, but my companions said tomorrow, ''the welcome'' is always better.   

So as you can see in the pictures, I had an encounter with a fat lip this week.  On Wednesday I woke up with this wierd feeling in my nose. Didn't think anything off it so I left it.  Thursday, I woke up a fat lip and it just progress on getting bigger through out the day.  We had a special lunch for an assistant that will finish his mission training so eating became a struggle.  We went to sushi which was delicious! Anyways back to lip.  Friday it was hurting a lot so right when we got done working we headed straight to the hospital to get things checked out.   Turns out, Ingrown nose hair was the answer and taking some medicine would be the cure. It was a little embarrasing walking around with a half smile/fat lip, but i made it work.  Yes that picture is real.  Saturday and Sunday it started going down and today it looks good as new. 

We started teaching a family this week that was really fun.  The seemed really interested and will hopefully be going to church next week.  We have had a few progressing investigators at church yesterday which made it nice.  A man named Wilson and his son.  They left yesterday saying '' I want to know more about htis church''.  This guy we found just by a few of his neighbors saying that he would be someone interested.  We definalty have some big goals for the transfer.  Just to continue working hard and have some success these next six weeks.  I am looking forward to another transfer here in this area.  The ward is great and it seems like a really good experience.  There are the stressful moments but its all good.  

I am really finding that happiness in the work.  I am finding how the mission is making all the difference in my life so that I can be better.  I love this gospel, this work, and the people whom we serve. Thanks for all the support. Até semana que vem!  

Love, 

Elder N. Anderson