My Son!

                                                            My new "son", Elder Alencar!
6/1/2015

Here's the birth story: After saying our goodbyes Elder Lailson Silva got on the bus at 6:00 am and I stayed with some of the other elders. We went back to their apartment and had our morning studies I ate a small lunch (a sandwich) which was all we had time to do until my bus left at 12:30 pm. 

Byebye Elder Lailson Silva

In the middle of the way we stopped by another city and picked up a sister missionary who was also going to pick up her new daughter. We were the only missionaries on the bus so we talked (across the isle) for the rest of the way to Santa Maria about 6:45 'ish. It was a bit weird, haha because we got to the bus station and we were the only ones there and so we called a taxi together (me in the front and her in the back) and went to the hotel where we were to sleep for the night. And by this time I was starving! not having eaten a proper meal the entire day and so driven by hunger we went straight to the restaurant in front of the hotel that the mission pays for everyone to eat at. Again a bit awkward because we were the only ones there... haha missionary problems. But in short time other trainers came and it all worked out. 

Meeting up with old friends Elder Rios and Gama

I got to room with Elder Rios and Elder Gama who are both from my group and I spent time living with both of them in the same house in past areas, super cool to see them again passing the night (before 10:30) swapping stories and such. Then Wednesday morning with a "wonderful" rain falling we had the long awaited presentation of our new companions. The other singing elder, Elder Wassom, also is training so we got to sing a blasting duet to awe the greenies, haha. After a mini meeting with Pres Parrela for just us trainers we reunited with the new group (10 missionaries the biggest group in a while) Pres Parrela called me up first to meet my new companion. Pres always does a "gh"about the trainer so he talked about my singing and mentioned about my work in São Pedro which he informed me has continued to grow. Then he has us, the trainers, explain a bit about the area so I talked about getting to go to Uruguay on P-day and everything "chubby" (haha ask Noah). And finally drum roll... Presidente called out "Elder Pierce your new companion will be Elder Alencar!" wooo yea! Meu amado filho (my beloved son) haha Elder Alencar is 19 from Juazeiro do Sul, Seará (north east of Brasil) and he has 3 years as a member of the church. After everyone got their companions we had to run and eat lunch and call a taxi to get to the bus station for our bus back to Livramento which left at 12:30. We almost didn't make it because of the rain and the lazy taxi drivers not answering phone calls but we ran to the bus just as it was about to leave and success! The first week of the training has been well and I'll let you know more about it next week! Elder Alencar is dying of the cold here in the south and is a bit traumatized from some contacts that we did with rude people but it all makes part of the experience, haha. He came very well prepared spiritually and we will do a great work here!

Love you all and have a great week!!!

Elder Pierce

This is the border to Uruguay so I'm about to leave my mission, haha. 

I got the package from home in Santa Maria.