cortei- ta bom!!

(translation - OK, I cut my hair)

sorry about the mop top, i cut it this last week. so, this stupid computer isn’t letting me upload the pictures of my new comp and the baptism this last week... maybe next week. anyway, they were great pictures, maybe i can recreate them for you in your imaginations. [ahem]... the first one is of a man named Dirceu. he is 29 years old and super cool. he is wearing the white baptismal jumper and standing next to me (i am also wearing white, but i have a hair cut here) and my new companion in front of the church. (he also has flip flop tan lines) his is short, but here everyone is short, so i don’t know if that helps with the description. it was the coolest baptism of all time!! (actually the cool part was that the baptismal service was super lame, but the spirit was also super strong. he was so excited to join the church of God.)

the other picture is just of me and my comp. his name is elder ronaldo and he is from Menaus (in the state of amozonas). he has been a member for 5 years and is SUPER awesome. his family didn’t want him to go on a mission, BUT, he is here and strong. his family doesn’t write, so maybe you guys could send a note:
alvesaijcsud@myldsmail.net

this has been a lot of work, training. a lot. but the truth is i know that the more difficult it is the more that i will grow and learn. so, let the good times roll.

mom- yep, he (his first greenie) went to Rio, but i was able to trade companions at z. conf.. the 2 days the we had between pday and z.conf. were the hardest. he got real difficult, but that is over now. whew!! at z.conf. i was interviewed by president, and president let me know that he was proud of me and that i did a good job in a hard situation. sigh... as for kory, i will finish another letter to him and mail it. i enjoyed reading the experience that you and Alyce had- its fun, isn’t it?? well, maybe not the first time, but after a while, being treated like leper is cool. really. and, hey, setting up dates for when i get home already? awesome. keep it up. :)

dad: awe, man... march madness!! i am going to miss one of my favorite sporting events. maybe you could mail me a bracket, i could fill it out and then you could tell me who won. that would be cool.

police- work is a blast, huh? how much are you getting per hour? (movie quote: Six dollars?... that’s like a dollar an hour!!- sorry the movie quotes don’t come as naturally when you only watch "the restoration" regularly. i could however, quote THAT movie in portugeuse. i am considered pretty good at quoting that movie. (então, meus irmãos, voces têm fé?? estão dispostos a provar a Deus que têm fé???- that is one of my favorites) man, you are almost done with high school!! you are gettin old sis...

well, elder ronaldo and i are starving, the members here don’t give much food to the missionaries, so i have been making all the food at home. e. ronaldo doesn’t really know how to cook, but i have been getting better. the food is now pretty good, and not just edible.

good luck with the auto situation.
love you more than the cars,
love elder helland