August 23, 2013

It has been kind of super crazy around here lately because transfers are this next Tuesday.  I’m just super-duper excited let me tell ya, transfers are kind of madness around here, we don’t ever sleep and there is just so much crap to do and to make that all better, my computer has been FREAKING out lately, I can’t print anything or even access my network on any other computers so Dad if you have any tips please fill me in here.  Luckily Elder _____ is a computer genius because pretty sure we would just be kind of done if he wasn’t here! But about the week so far, Saturday was kind of way sad because a Sister had to go home because she was having migraines like crazy on the mission and that was kind of hard to have to call her family and Stake President and everything to let them know what was going to happen and it was really weird because she was supposed to go home with our group so that was kind of rough and we had another sister that got released on Friday because she had been in the hospital for 3 days at that point.... and they were both SUPER great sisters like I was talking to the President and he said they were going to be the next sister leaders for the mission but well I know they did everything they could here and they both put up with some awful pain for way too long.  On a happier note, Sunday I had the best baptismal interview I have had on my mission. It’s been a while since I’ve cried but well this time I couldn’t hold out. Right as church was about to start we got a call from the Sisters that aren’t even in my District and they said they had two emergency interviews to do so me and one of the Zone Leaders grabbed a bus and we were off to their chapel and well it was a Brother and a Sister and they boy was mentally challenged but a great kid and wanted to be baptized more than anything! But his sister was still not sure about baptism. She didn’t feel ready yet and well I was the one that interviewed her and it was amazing. I love the mission. Seeing and feeling Heavenly Father work through you is one of the most amazing things ever. It was an amazing experience to be able to feel exactly what I needed to say to help her really feel fully prepared for baptism. She was more than ready but just a little unsure if she would stay strong and all that stuff and well it was just an amazing interview. It’s amazing to see all the promises in D&C come true. The words truly are just put into your mouth because frankly for this I was a little nervous because the Sisters were talking about her before and her worries and all that stuff and well frankly I was hoping to interview the kid but well I’m so glad that God's will was done and not mine because I was not only able to help a wonderful child of God be baptized but frankly I was able to learn plenty with her as well. Then we finally got back to our area at like 1:00 so I missed all of church and lunch for that matter but I’d say it was all worth it :) and plus that night I ate myself SICK... like really sick. It’s been quite some time since I’ve eaten that much food, we went to go visit a less active family that aren’t all members and well they ended up buying pizza and they got a broccoli one (sounds gross but its SOOOO unbelievable good) which just happens to be one of my favs so I ate way too much there and then we had forgotten the appointment with a recent active that we had marked where she made pancake as in like American style. She made normal ones with chocolate sauce because syrup is a rarity and then she made ones where she made them like with tomatoes and oregano and bits of ham and it was way good and then she also made homemade ice cream so yeah... needless to say I ate WAY too much. I need it because I’m getting super skinny again, as in like just as skinny as I was when I came.  So I was happy that I was finally getting up to a good weight and now it’s all gone. Monday was also pretty epic, we ended up breaking a air freshener battle and it was right before our meeting with President so we were all nice and good smelling and I may have taped one of the APs to a chair. The office may be making me a tad bit crazy or crazier I should say.  Tuesday was a day of errands, I went to transfer money from Argentina cash to reais, FINALLY paid the dentist I went to like 3 months ago....oops, got some test results for missionaries, got some authenticated copies of stuff, and ate some pizza hut. Busy but pretty solid day. I may have gotten some pounds (as in like money from England) because I decided I’m going to start a collection of international money! A recent convert gave me TONS of sick way ancient Brazilian cash and I bill from Iran and I have some from Argentina and Chile and New Zealand and some coming from china... not bad for a start right?  I’m making the international connections baby! But other than that I have just been running all over the office trying to get everything ready for the oldies that are leaving and also for the newbies that are coming, we are losing 16 missionaries and only getting 11 so that means another three areas are going to close...great right?  On the plus side we have six Americans coming, the down side we still have 50 some odd in the states...this transfer we were supposed to get like 30 if everyone would have actually gotten their visas! So that is kind of really hard because we don’t know WHEN all these people are going to show up which is making getting houses hard and phones and furniture and areas and just everything kind of tough but hey well take these 11 and make do with what we got! Yesterday was Nova Força which is the meeting that all the newbies have after the finish their 1st transfer on the mission and I really like this last group! Some promising people! It was kind of a super busy meeting because I was running all over place getting copies of stuff, trying to figure out medical issues of people (we have another sister that is have HUGE issues with her knees....she may have to go home as well but we gave her a blessing and we are still waiting on the Doctors recommendation, let’s hope she doesn’t have to go as well because I really like her...) and phone issues and well I didn’t eat lunch until everyone left.  Man I miss being a regular missionary and just being able to enjoy all the mission meetings.  But well that is kind of it, we are going to have _____ baptism this Sunday and she is SUPER, SUPER pumped and so are we and so is the ward! So let’s hope that all works out smoothly! She has already been interviewed and is inviting all of her non-member friends to come watch too so essentially that’s just gold for us.  And about transfers I’m 98% sure my comp is leaving so I’m gonna be comps with Elder _____ who I was with for a while in Cidade Vargas, I don’t remember if you remember that but I love the kid!   Well on that note, I’m OUT. Love you all!! Hope you can all survive being back in school! The church is true, I love the mission, and I love my Lord.

Elder Gubler

Missão Brasil São Paulo Sul

Secretário da Missão