Well,

This transfer has came to itś bitter end. I have had few companions that have been true buddies as me and Elder Latham have become. We have laughed a lot, we have prayed a lot, we have failed a lot, and amongst our failures the Lord saw fit to let us see some success.
In the beginning of my mission my attitude was ´´I am not here to make friends, I am here to work my brains out and be obedient.´´
I have neglected to be the friends of many missionaries because of this early belief. I selfishly did what I thought was right without really thinking too much about the other person. Yet I have learned a powerful lesson. You need to be a true friend if you plan on having the company of the Holy Ghost in your life. You can be the most obedient, you can be the hardest worker, you can know all the doctrine, but if you don truly love who you are teaching or serving with you will never feel a fullness of joy.
As I have passed these last few transfers I have seen this and I know it is true. Elders Luciano, Rowley, and Latham are truly great friends who I have loved and worked with. I know that it is never possible to do everything 100%, but it is always possible to love 100%. You can control tomorrow or five minutes from now, but you can control your attitude.
The work is going amazingly well and the Lord is truly blessing us here.
Elder Luciano has to get knee surgery so he will go home for four months and then he will return to the mission. Today his family came to the temple in Campinas to see him. I went to the temple to meet them. It was fun to remember all the great times we had together and laugh about all the funny stories. His family is great and I think it was good for me to be there for him. I love that guy.
I can believe that all of those tornados came through St. Louis. I got the picture cube from you guys, everyone is looking great. Spencer's wedding invitation picture was quite GQ, they looked great, and classy.
Natalie is getting so big. wow.
Everybody is doing well it seems.
Yesterday was our Multi Zone meeting and president Tanner spoke quite about the importance of prayer, and the importance of why we pray. He said that our prayers began to have more power and purpose once we understand out relationship with Heavenly Father. He is our Father. He watches each step of our life, he wants to talk to us, we wants to have a conversation with us. The growth and spiritual progression of the Savior was greatly due to His relationship and intimacy with the Father. He had conversation with the Father and the Father had conversations with him. He sought the Fatherś will, and we discovered and understood it, he talked with Him some more about it. He was a Son away from home who frequently called and counseled with his Father. The Father could bless and guide him because Christ sought the Father, he constantly sought communion. Because of His faithfulness God the Father was very present in the life of the Savior. His very voice was heard as he presented the Son after his baptism by John. We too can have this relationship with the Father if we seek him through earnest prayer, diligent scripture study, and an honest effort to follow the example of His son.
We don´t pray to change the will of God, his paths are higher than ours. We pray humbly search and understand his will and then we ask for strength to fulfill it. President Tanner said that prayer is the sycronization of the will of man and the will of God.
I love the mission and I love the Brazilian people, it seems like I don´t have enough time or talents to serve them the way that I would like to but I am giving my all.
I love you all and hope that all is well, keep me in your prayers.