Cambe January 24, 2011

Bom dia! Thank you again for your great letter! It’s always nice to hear what is going on back at home! Sounds like you´ve been keeping busy and keeping a good attitude despite everything that happens. That’s cool that the weather is warming up a little bit. I´ll be glad when things here cools down a little bit! Book club sounds really fun. I miss reading. Of course we read a lot of scriptures and stuff, but I miss just reading for fun! Tell Sharon that I am SUPER proud of her for singing at the basketball game. We Markham´s are basically just the best. That is so great that Abby and Dallin are doing well with little Mitchell. He is a cute little baby for sure! I am thinking and praying for the entire family often!

So, to answer your questions real quick, my eyes are doing just fine. I´ve not had a single problem since I arrived. My feet on the other hand are really really annoying. I won’t bother you with details just that my orthotics are not working. Hmm. Oh well. Onward Christian soldiers.

So, news from this week! Cícero hasn´t smoked for more than a week now! This is super exciting. We are working with him for a baptismal date, but he doesn’t feel prepared quite yet. I know with prayers and the spirit he will baptize soon. Unfortunately, Jacqueline’s mom won´t let her be baptized right now, but we are trying to visit her mom and work things out. Clauder is doing well, but it is hard to find him em casa. We are also working with a new girl who was a member reference and she already has a testimony of the Book of Mormon. This is super good!

This last week we had zone conference and learned about courage and how to work with members to bring people to church. I´ve realized that missionary work is really difficult. It is not easy for people to change their lives, especially really fast. Jefferey R Holland said that perhaps the reason that conversion is so hard is because it is not a cheap experience. If it was not easy for Christ why should it be easy for us? The promise was not that things would be easy, but that they would be worth it.

We had a pretty interesting experience this week: walking home from a lesson about 9:00 we were suddenly stopped by a drunken guy who apparently used to be a member of the church. It was just a normal thing, but he thought that he was Melchizedek which was interesting. Then all of a sudden he got super mad at Elder De Souza for now reason and started yelling stuff at us and following us. The funny part is that he kept on saying that I was innocent because I don’t speak Portuguese and Americans don’t know anything. (I just agreed with him!) Anyhow, we ended up distracting him and running away. I thought it was pretty funny. Sometimes it is an advantage to be able to pretend you don’t speak the language!

Anyhow, things are going well. We are working still to find a bunch of new investigators and as of right now I don’t really have too much news. This week is transfers and so we will see if I stay or if I go! Either way I will be excited to continue the work of the lord! OpA! I am sitting next to the zone leaders and they just told me I will be staying in Cambé with my new companion Elder Lee! Wahoo! So, now I know! I´ll let you know how things work out in my next letter! Sorry I´m not sending pictures, this computer is not letting me attach things. Next week I will send some! It’s been raining a ton here this week which is nice.

Mom, thank you for all of your love and support. I know that this gospel is true! I know that the priesthood is real and has the authority to act in the name of God. I know that this church is true as well as the Book of Mormon. I love you all so much and please keep me informed about your lives! (Oh send a picture of the TV too. I´m curious.... :) )

Love you
-Elder Markham

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