Quarenta Horas 12

Hello,
This week was good, but not too much happened. We worked and followed up with people to be baptized.  It was the last week of the transfers and there was lots of baptisms in the zone so we had lots of baptismal interviews to go to.  We ended up closing the month well so that was good.  This next transfer I will stay in the same area with a new companion called Elder Theobald; he is from Washington and [...spelling I can't decipher...] he is pretty cool.  He seems like a hard worker and a spiritual guy so that's good we will probably work hard.  I am excited to be able to put all I have learned and apply it in this last transfer and be able to achieve and hit goals higher than I ever have in the mission.  Sorry I don't have much to say about this week, but not much happened, it was super busy preparing people to leave for transfer, however next week I will try to write more.
Love,
Elder Holcomb

Quarenta Horas 11

This week was good.  It's near the end of the transfer, but we decided to do some family home evenings at some investigators' houses with the members.  It turned out going really well. We just sang hymns and shared a message, and then they got to know the members and feel the Spirit and had a desire to go to church on Sunday.  They did end up going.  The temple ground opening [ground breaking ceremony] was also good, we watched it online at the church.  There were some good talks given, and the area president gave a talk on the parable of the ten virgins and how being a worthy temple holder helps you be one of the 5 prepared virgins, so that was good.  We also had a special meeting with some of the friends of [the] mission [president], President Soares, that came to the ground opening at his house. They shared some mission experiences and tips and scriptures; that was super fun and inspiring.  Next week will be the last transfer before I go home so that means I need to start thinking souvenirs and making my suitcases light again.  Hope everything is good in the states.
Love,
Elder Holcomb

Quarenta Horas 10

Elder Holcomb didn't write a main letter to everyone this week.  He did call and mentioned he was helping another missionary in another area and he wasn't sure if they would be able to find an internet cafe.  He says many of the internet cafes are disappearing possibly because more and more people have smartphones.  He also mentioned all the missionaries in his mission are getting new smartphones... he's hoping they don't get robbed ;-)  (Currently they just have regular cell phones). Someone sent me pictures from a Ward party on the beach so instead of a letter we get pictures.

Quarenta Horas 9

Hello,
This week was good.  We had a counsel meeting with the president at his house again this week that was super good and fun.  This month should be super fun.  Everyone is excited about the temple ground breaking and that's fun.  The prophet is also visiting Brasilia in a little bit and will do a transmission for all the missionaries.  This week we also worked a ton and had tons of people that said they would go to church, but then Sunday nobody came.  however one girl showed up and said she had been invited by the missionaries in the street a couple of months ago and this weekend she just felt a super strong feeling that she had to go and went.  So we taught her and she accepted a baptismal date for the 17th.  Another guy came to church that was almost baptized awhile ago, but is a truck driver and traveled, but now he is back so we are going to have a Family Home Evening with him and his family at the Bishop's house.  This week we also went to ver o peso to look for stuff to maybe buy as souvenirs so that was fun.  Love you guys,
Elder Holcomb