Sept. 23, 2008

oi minha familia.-
hey how is everyone doing?well, I sent a letter home last week on my p-day but i dont know if it has arrived yet or not. Everything is going very well..iIam sitting in a small, hot room in an internet cafe down the street from the CTM. In a bit we are going to go find a little tie shop that we heard about a few blocks over, so i´ll try to keep this short. I know that I have only been here for about 2 weeks but wow!..it seems like I've been here for years..the CTM is good though, I am in a room with 5 of the best elders in all of brasil..we all get along very well.. our room is on the 7th floor of the CTM. there is an excellent view of Sau Paulo metropolis, it is HUGE! I never imagined that so many skyscrapers could exist in such a small area.. plus every building seems like it is slowly crumbling away. Even though it is smoggy, dirty, and rundown.. I think that this place is beautiful. I love it here..the language is coming along okay, yesterday we started writing street contacts in portuguese.. yea, mine still needs alot of work. I guess on week 4 we get dropped off at a bus station with a bunch of pass-along cards and a few book of mormons for a few hours...that will definately be interesting. Ihave some really great instructors to help me though..as well as help from the Lord. I need him now more than ever. I know that this is going to be difficult, not only to speak portuguese, but to teach the gospel and express my heart in portuguese. Although, I know its not a matter of if I will be able to speak it, but when! I know that the Lord will provide a way.. Over the past week I have been reading the packet of letters you guys hid in my suitcase.. thank you everyone, every one of them has helped me out alot. well, por meu orar.. I could use the help, and let me know how things are going.
love you all, até logo..-Elder Olson - give toby a hug for me.