Week 66- January 19,2015

First week in Rivera!! They say Rivera is Zion so I am going to see soon! I left my area in Montevideo on Wednesday morning and I took a bus to Rivera at 12:30. I rode with two other Elders. It was a long trip. Luckily I had some snacks and music so that helped a lot. When we got to Rivera that night, we had to just hang out until the trainers and new missionaries got to the terminal. We went to Brazil and just walked around and ate burger king. We brought protein for our house too. When the trainers and their kids got to Rivera at midnight, we made sure they all took taxies and then we headed to our area on another bus. We basically just crashed around 1:30 in the morning. Sad news about this travel, one of my suit case handles broke, so that will make some complicated changes after this. 

For the first two days in Rivera we were in a trio with my companion Elder Adasme and Elder toledo, the ZL. Elder Adasme just completed 6 months this past Saturday. He is half chilean. His mom met his dad while she was serving as a missionary in Chile and after she finished the mission... well the rest is history. Elder Adasme is super funny and a good missionary. He is absolutely crazy though. He has pretty good Spanish because he lived in Chile for 9 months before the mission. We live in the same house with the Zone Leaders. Its super fun but sometimes I dont like it. Elder Toledo (Chile) and Elder Lima (Brasil) are our ZLs. 

I am not district leader anymore which is kind of nice to have a break and just to be able to focus on my area. Our area is tough. We had 49 people at church on Sunday and its just now starting to grow. President told me that he hopes I can give Santa Isabel the good push that it needs. The ZLs just got moved to this area last change so it needs some help... 

The members here are pretty good but the bishop is just alright. There arent a ton of leaders though. I taught gospel principles this sunday because the teacher didnt show up. Bishop talked with us yesterday and he is going to have all four of the missionaries in the ward teach a class... It makes me appreciate my awesome teachers and leaders that I have had! 

BRASIL. Yeah its pretty awesome. I have been there 3 days now. I have eaten three times there and I realized I dont know as much portugues that I thought. I have never felt so uncomfortable since I got to Uruguay... Its weird to walk the streets of brasil and not understand hardly anything. However, I am studying portuguese and I live with a brasilian so I just need time! 

This week was slow with the changes but we are excited about next week! We are going to have to find a bunch of new people because this area isnt doing so hot. We have a potential baptism though whose name is Solis! We will see how it goes with him! 

HOJE È O DIA!!!!! I love you all! 

Elder Cordy