Well, for starters my new area is quite different in many ways! First of all, it is just gorgeous! Very, very beautiful! We live pretty close to a river that just flows right through the city! It is so, cool! Reminds me of Venice or something like that, and especially at night it is really amazing! There are a lot of tourists here too so we talk to a few people in English once in a while that are all from England. It is really actually weird and kind of hard to try to preach in English! It’s very weird! I am always thinking of what to say in Portuguese so then I have to translate what I’d say in Portuguese to say it in English and it just sounds really, really weird ha, ha! It feels really weird to speak in English about the gospel. But we don’t do it too much cuz everyone shuts us down really fast here. Whether they are tourists or not, they are just like, whoa dude…. no. We are on holiday, no thank you. That’s the English language in there...Holiday? Ha, ha but then anyone we try to talk to here just says no. Straight up, NO. I’m like dude, come on, you don’t even know what I’m about to say! Talk about being judged by the cover! Sometimes I think we would have a bit more success maybe if we’d proselyte in other clothes. It’s a good place though.

We have a couple we are teaching named Jefferson and Jucilea. They are really, really awesome. I’ve really enjoyed talking to them. They seem to have interest for sure but are having a hard time keeping the commitments we extend. But we will keep trying and hope and pray for the best. So at church, well it’s a for sure WAY new experience. You would never believe how many people were at church. (Not in the good sense ha, ha.) When church actually started there were EIGHT people there. Eight!! Holy Cats! I was like is anyone going to come or what?? I couldn’t believe it. But that just goes to show how LITTLE the church is down here. By the end of church there were maybe like 12 or so. But still. 12 people! It’s pretty intense. There are only two little rows of chairs in the chapel. And the chapel is just the bottom of an appt building. The only way you can tell it’s a church is by the little sign on front that says The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but of course in Portuguese.

So, a bit about before I got here...I mentioned we were going to Fatima. And WOW what an experience that was! It was so, so crazy! Very cool! There were so many people there I could not believe my eyes. I took lots of videos and pictures. But it really was an amazing experience to go to that and see all the people crawling on their knees and what not. I just couldn’t believe it.

Remember the story about the little boy that died? Well we went over to try to talk to the family a week later, but they were gone, moved out. Gonzo. Doesn’t surprise me too much really, but we were kind of sad we didn’t get to have the chance to try to talk to them and share about the plan of salvation. But we did give them a pass along card so hopefully that was a good well planted seed.

So as you know, my new comp is a bit hard for me right now. He is just boring, but I’m trying to do all I can to make things a bit more fun. He is a good hard worker, but just boring and he never tells me what we are doing, so it’s tough. But I’m trying to keep my head up. This is his last transfer. So he goes home in 5 weeks so I will FOR SURE get a new comp after this transfer so I’m just hoping I will get someone more fun. But I am going to try to make this the best I can and learn from it in any way shape or form. It’s tough tho. But with the Lord I know I can do it and I know that I must have been sent here to either learn something or teach something. So I will just keep going with my head held high, as high as I can...ha, ha, but because its rather boring, I would REALLY, REALLY be grateful for ANY kind of MAIL. You know, in the mailbox, more now than ever before.

I really am so grateful for this opportunity to serve my mission. It is the hardest thing I have ever done. But it is and will be more and more rewarding every day, week, month, and year. I am so grateful for the church. I know I wouldn’t be who I am and where I am and have the amazing family and most amazing friends without the gospel in my life. It has directed me and shown me who and what is the most important. I’m so grateful for the knowledge I have of the gospel. Thank you all so much for your love, letters, and support. It means so much to me. I hope you all have a Wonderful Week!! I miss you all and love you ALL so much!

My new address:
Rua Dr. Manuel Trinidade
Nº4 R/C Esq. 8800
Tavira, Portugal

Feel Free To Write! :)
Love you all!! LOVE ELDER ROBBY GRAY