transfers-shmansfers...

so, here’s the stitch: transfers came and went again, once again carrying me to a new place and new experiences. i am now a zone leader in madureira. (a part in rio de janeiro the CITY) my area is called bento ribeiro and my companion is elder rhodes. (my first American comp since the MTC) our area was whitewashed, which means that both him and i are new to this area and know NOTHING about anything here. yep, actually i am just a little nervous about all the fun that we are sure to have this week. tomorrow we have a big mission counsel, with all the zone leaders. there we will plan and make goals for the mission. we will also plan out the zone conference- WHICH, i will have to help teach now!!! AHHHH!! well, it is kind of like that nasty cough syrup that you take when you are sick, you just have to do it and then you feel better.

i am really super tired right now too. i didn’t sleep last night packing and planning the next week with elder ronaldo. speaking of whom, there is something cool. - in the package that you guys sent, you sent all the items to elder "r", and coincidentally, an elder "r" received them. speaking of packages- today was AWESOME!!!! i got a package from tracy and mandy too!!! THANK YOU!!! i also got a whole grip of letters from cool folks like tim and sarah and legrand and g-ma jones and gabe and meagan. it doesn’t get any better that this. i will work on writing back right away! Thanks for the letters and packages! :-)

alyce: i spent about 2 weeks on my [senior] paper, but i wrote almost all of it in 2 days. (the LAST two days) but take my advice- i would have aced the paper BUT i wrote it all sloppy and didn’t spell check. take your time with it. start now maybe. and, whoa- can you say party animal??? out with a RM and 6 flags on the same night??? what? now 18 means that you are some kind of adult??? NOPE, not until i get home, so don’t even LOOK at RMs. tá legal?

mom- i am pumped, like an old pair of nike high-tops for general conference !! (remember how they had those little pumps on the tongue?) this week-end is going to ROCK!!! i hope that they have a room in english. not that i have difficulty understanding, but i love their voices. it is going to be awesome!

dad- go kansas. boa sorte, hein! hey, if you are tonto, i am the horse that tonto rides- smaller and dumber still. i have know idea why lone rangers says "high-ho silver" also.

gotta run. transfers are like that, you know.

love elder helland

ps, yep, fow-show i am gonna use repellant. [this is in regards to our PLEA to him to use insect repellant. There is an epidemic in Rio right now for a mosquito carrying virus called dengue. It can be fatal! Sadly, Elle’s cousin died last week in Rio from it. Keep Adam in your prayers – he tends to attract mosquitos!]