July 25, 2013

I gave a talk that turned out to be more of a fireside, apparently I talked for almost 20 minutes, you get me talking about missionary work and I just can’t stop but the best part was because I was free styling a ton of stuff because I didn’t think it was gonna be long enough.  The little paper they gave me last week said I was going to have 15 minutes but then I was the first speaker so I apparently was only supposed to have 10 minutes.  The Sister that spoke after me talked a ton too so the guy from the stake didn’t even get to talk but that’s how we do it baby but at least now I don’t think I’ll get called on to give another talk anytime soon.  But well since I emailed last week super late I feel like I don’t have that much to say, everything is going just great here in the office, nice and busy as usual!   I’m gonna take 11 people the federal police station for the first time this next week so that should be fun, wish me luck.  Also I spend money like crazy but don’t worry it’s not my money... just the money of diligent tithing payers of the church but all this paperwork for the police station is SUPER expensive.... and it’s all just paper. I’m dropping 1000’s on paper with special stickers on them that they were certified by special people, super fun.  Also some other big news that you can’t tell anyone... we are gonna make a SICK mission video that is probably gonna get massive and get all over the church for zone conferences we usually just pass a slideshow of all the baptisms that the mission had in those three months but now me and the assistants are gonna change everything. It’s time to leave our mark on this mission, we want to film some recent-converts talking about their conversion and the missionaries and the difference that the gospel made in their lives and that is gonna replace the slideshow of baptismal pictures and the best part is, we found a member who is gonna do it ALL for us for free. We just need to get the people with super inspiring stories and this member will interview them and put the video together. He sent me some samples of stuff that he has done (he does this professionally) and it is gonna turn out amazing. Essentially the purpose of this video is to make every missionary cry and no one is gonna know about it either. It’s like our little secret so imagine being at a normal missionary conference when out of the blue someone that you baptized shows up on this video bearing their testimony, wow. It’s going to be great.  Other than that its SUPER ABSURDLY cold here, e I’m dying... my hands and feet are always freezing. It’s only like 40 F but since it’s literally 92% humidity and nice and windy it feels like its sooooooooooooo much colder than that. I feel like it’s way below freezing. In Rio Grande Do Sul (the state at the very bottom of Brazil) it’s snowing.... so yeah enjoy that sun back home for me because I’m missing it. I just like the cold because of the snow and when I’m wearing comfy jeans and shoes to keep me warm but these dress pants and leather thin shoes with holes in the bottom aren’t doing the trick. I just feel bad for the Sisters though because I can’t imagine wearing a skirt in this weather, bleh.   Well I guess that kind of wraps up the week. I had like 3 b-day parties. I’m pretty sure I emails on Friday last week but then a family threw another party for me on Sunday and then the Pres and Sister did another one on Monday so we have been eating cake almost every day this last week :) honestly I feel like this was one of the best birthdays I’ve had in a long time, good times even though I got covered by ketchup, it just made it that much more memorable and well that brings us to the end of this email. I love you all, thanks for everything that everyone does for me.

Abraço gente!!!

Elder Gubler