It's a NEW YEAR!

I hope you all had a great New Years! Ours was pretty good. Our ward had a huge party with music and dancing and we hung out till midnight then went home, and right as we left we saw a whole bunch of fireworks going off in the distance so it was pretty cool! But yeah that’s basically it, nothing too special, but we had fun.

This week we got a new investigator! His name is Otavio, and we taught him on Saturday night and he said that he would come to church the next day, but on Sunday, it was raining WAY hard. So he didn’t come. There were a TON of people that didn’t come to church cuz of the rain. It's pretty crazy, but they don’t have cars here like we do in the states so not every single person and their dog has their own car, so they walk everywhere they go, but when it's raining they don’t leave the house. So there were quite a few people home from church on Sunday. But, we still had 2 investigators there so I was happy to see that!! One of which is the girl Ines that we are trying to get baptized but her mom doesn’t want to allow it but we are trying! I know that if she really puts her heart to it, and really wants to be baptized she will. :) I have no doubt. It just might take a little more time than normal.

We had a lesson with our recent convert Andre that was baptized not too long ago, and we taught his mom too, she is not a member, yet. So we had dinner with them and then we left a message, and right after I get done talking, Andre was like "hey wait I have a message too!" He ran out of the room and came back with his Bible and opened up and read in Genesis and left us a little message too! It was AWESOME! I loved it! He is 11 yrs old and to see that was just awesome because he is so young but yet he is reading and loving the Bible and the book of Mormon! Talk about a great example for his mom! Way awesome! His mom, Sonia, said she would give us a date for her baptism on the 13th. The 13th is her Birthday, for some reason she has to wait till then to give us a date. hmm....ha ha, I dunno why, but when we try to mark a date for her she is like no, no I will pick the date. So we are waiting (im)patiently, haha! I hope she plans on this month….but we will see. She is totally ready she just needs to commit!!

I think I will be getting transferred here in about 2 weeks, well about 3, and I’m a bit nervous for where I will go. I would like to stay here one more, but I’m just not sure that will happen. I have been here for a long time! And I’m lucky for it! It’s a great place and the members here are awesome. But we will see. So, if you were planning on sending me mail, don’t, not to my apartment at least, unless you send it like tomorrow, in other words, Jenn and Amber...(cuz they are the only ones who write!!) Send it within this week. :) Hopefully I stay one more transfer, but I am not really counting on it. I have had my share of this awesome area, it’s probably someone else’s turn.

Things are going pretty good. Me and my comp have been sick but are feeling a bit better. I am doing better...my comp is getting worse tho. It always seems to be that way; one person gets sick for about a week and then when one starts to feel better the other gets sick. I tell ya, it’s horrible for the work!! Ahhhh...... It’s Life! Well I hope you all had a great New Years!! And I wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Make 2010 the best yet!! I love you! Miss ya!!
Love Elder Gray

A DIFFERENT CHRISTMAS

Christmas was great! It sure was nice talking to the fam, that’s always exciting! Here, they celebrate Christmas different...Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve, which seemed really strange to me at first, but it turned out to be really cool and lots of fun. We went to a member’s house at about 5PM or so and hung out, and waited for the rest of the people to get there, played games whatever, then we had dinner which was alright. Dinner at home is always amazing, so I guess I’m spoiled...ha ha, but it was fine. So we had dinner, then at midnight they all opened all their gifts. They did a secret Santa kind of thing tho which was really funny cuz every time someone would go up and get their gift for whoever they had and then they would describe that person. Then they would all guess finally who it was and everyone would jump up and say Paparazzi, Paparazzi! And they would take tons of pictures! It was really funny every time, and lots of fun to watch the madness! Ha ha! After dinner and presents and all that good stuff we just hung out talked and played some games, so it was a good night and lots of fun. :)

Then the next day Christmas! We went to our friend Pedro’s house! He and his family are just awesome! They let us just hang out with them and have lunch and just chill. Christmas day here they just hang out and relax. So that’s what we did! And we talked to our families! It was a good time. :)

I have a feeling I am going to get transferred here in a few weeks, and I’m kind of scared cuz this area and this Ward is just amazing! That’s it, they are just amazing here! I could stay here another 6 months! Sheesh! I would like to stay one more I think, but it’s not up to me obviously, but we will see. I’m just kind of nervous that next I’m going to go to some little branch of 20 people, ha-ha. But no matter where I go I know it’s where the Lord wants me so I will go with a smile with a bunch of GREAT MEMORIES of good ole Setúbal! :)

So this week is going to be a new year! Wow pretty nuts eh!? 2009 is gone! It’s really weird to think that I have been here in Portugal this whole year! That my friends, is a pretty strange feeling! But it’s good too!

Well this week was pretty much one of the fastest weeks ever, I can’t believe it’s gone already, I feel like it was all just one big day! I feel like I’m out of stuff to talk about cuz Christmas was the highlight of the week! Anyway, things are going good, the Holidays were great, but now its time to get back to work! I’m excited for it! This transfer we are focusing on finding new people, so pray that Setúbal will open their hearts for us! I know there are people ready for the Gospel! We just need to find them. :) Thank you all for everything you do for me, thank you for you support and love. I love you!
Happy Holidays! LOVE ELDER GRAY