Things are Progressing Well in Assis!

Testing out the organ in the Assis Branch chapel

Road construction + heavy rain = cool red waterfall!

My "monkey face" pizza from last week

This week was pretty good!

So, the World Cup finally began last Friday. On Thursday night I got a call from my District Leader saying that the Area President of Brazil has prohibited ALL missionaries in Brazil from watching the games. Of course, you still have your agency, but I will not leave my blessings on the ground. It was tough. Yesterday was the Brazil vs. North Korea game. The city was a ghost town, but it was not quiet at all. We decided to go home and take a nap, because there is literally nothing else to do. Score was Brazil 2, North Korea 1. Those 2 goals included screaming, fireworks, honking of horns, and possibly gun shots. Anyway, it was madness. People were celebrating until past dark. Nuts.

Everything is looking good for the baptism of Mery Ellen this Saturday. She and her family live in a close-by city called Candido Mota. So, 3 times a week we have to go out there, but they come to Assis every Sunday, for church. $2.50 each way by bus. That adds up. But it is worth it!

Also we are teaching a cute little family: Marlene (single mom), Guilherme (12), Isabela (11), Juliano (9), and Diego (6). They were a reference from Irma* Katerine. They are progressing really well. They have read the assignments, went to church, and now have a baptismal date marked for next weekend.

This Friday, we have a zone conference in Marilia, so that’s always fun. It’s actually a 4-zone, zone conference; everyone serving in the São Paulo cities go to Marilia for zone conference, so it will be good to see so many elders all in one place.

Funny thing happened -- we knocked on an elderly lady’s door and she told us right before we left (we didn’t get in), “Que moços lindos,” or “What handsome young men.” Haha, kinda strange, but whatever.

Just got a notice from Elder Campelo (previous companion) that Genesis was baptized last Sunday! Remember him? He’s the one whose mom expelled us from their house? Then the next day we found him in the downtown square in Bauru? He prayed that an angel would visit his mom and chill her out so that he could get baptized. Opa**, looks like it happened! I’ll try to get a picture. Genesis is a special young man. Nothing tops the sincere prayer of a 14-year-old. Remember a certain 14-year-old who prayed with the same faith?
Until next week!

Elder Titus

*Irma = Sister
**Opa = Wow