Dear Readers,
I'm sorry I didn't post Matt's letter last week. His day to write letters this week was on Thursday and I was in the middle of zone conferences. I forgot to send it till now. In my last letter to him I asked him some questions to stimulate his thinking. These are the questions:
1. Have you had the chance to be a Sr. Companion? It’s okay to tell us things like leadership opportunities, baptisms, teaching experiences, contacting experiences. I love to hear those types of things. I feel you purposely don’t tell us the good things you do. It isn’t bragging.

2.Tell me when you felt the spirit this week and the events surrounding it.

3. Tell me a funny experience

4.What do you do on preparation day? Our missionaries have to wash the car and sometimes wax it. You don’t have that responsibility. What is it like to go food shopping? What are the stores like?

5.How are you feeling?

6.Tell us the everyday activities of a Brazilian. Do they have siestas? What is unusual that we don’t do in the states?

I felt that you needed to know the questions because he answers them randomly with no explanation. It's a trick to figure out where he is going. I'm grateful for the juicy letter. Mom/Marilyn


Dear Fam,

Today we don't have a lot of time because in 20 mins we need to leave because my companion needs to do an interview. So, I'm sorry if I don't get everything responded to because I still need to write president.

Elder Giles has been in the pageant and his dad is the director of the pageant. So he knows exactly what you are talking about. Me, I'm still a little bit clueless.

(Matt's comp is from Castle Dale so I told him in the last letter about the pageant there and the times we went to it - Mom)

Sorry for not saying anything for the last while about it. I just don't like to talk about it... but if you want to know about it I will tell you.

I've been a senior since about May. It's been a new experience. It's been pretty cool to teach and take the lead in some lesson but honestly, I have so much to change. My new companion, Elder Giles, has shown me a whole bunch of stuff that I can do to become better from the way I talk to people to the way we teach. I used to teach a little like a robot. I've been working on overcoming that and learning on how to really teach people.We had a really good lesson with a man named Sávio. He is really good. The only problem is that he has a broken foot. It's been broken for about 1 month and he is having a hard time going to church because of it. But the first lesson with him this last week was amazing. We saw him driving a car yesterday so that's a good sign. We will see what's going to happen there.

We had a meeting with President Geartner on Monday, (which is the reason why I'm writing today.) and it was really good. He talked to us about helping others around us and living by example. Teaching by example and being a better example are somethings that I want to strive for plus doing better contacts and meet more people and not being afraid.

Funny experience, Well not funny but good. We ate at Burger King today. It was sooooo good.

On preparationg day we email, write letter and clean the house and sleep. Maybe study. Eat at burger king. Do some fun activities. Food shopping is just like a grocery store. Nothing different. It's big and cool and has food inside. I think that's how it is in the states. I usually eat oatmeal, milk and chocolate mix in the milk. It's way good.

I'm feeling good. Honestly. I have a lot to get better at and it's overwhelming sometimes all the things that need to be done in missionary work. You know how I'm antsy about the future. I just need to take things step by step. Other than that I'm great. I need to follow the counsel in 3 Néfi when it says focus on today and don't worry about tomorrow.

An unusual thing about Brazil is all the houses are tiles. There is no carpet and to clean you just throw water, soap, scrub with a broom and then use a squigee to take all the water out. That's something different. Also the showers only have one setting, cold. To take a warm shower you need to buy a shower head that is hooked up to the electricity and when the water passes through, it warms up. It's just a little bit different. Our water heater you usually don't see. Also they are supposed to have building permits to build stuff... but... they usually overpass that and just build. So it ends up with some pretty cool building. But they are sometimes strange.

I have make a goal to study the missionary manual to be more obedient. I've been studying in depth so I read all the scriptures and follow references and everything. I've read about 5 pages in 4 days. somewhere around that time. I also have a goal to study more of Preach my Gospel because that is something that has been lacking. The last time I studied all the way through was about a year ago. So I need to focus again and learn something more. I also want to learn more scripture references and read the Bible , D&C and Pearl of Great Price and the Book of Mormon in Spanish before the end of my mission. It's a lot of goals but I know when I plan I can do them. I'm way excited this year to learn more about everything. Knowledge is a Christ-like attribute and through this I can accompish more Christ-like attributes. It's going to be an amazing year. I'm excited.

I just want to challenge every single one of you to pick a spiritual goal like reading the scriptures everyday or studying Preach my Gospel. Or read and study the bible. Or read one of the Teaching of the Prophets books. The gospel principles book is a goody. I know we can all strive to gain more knowledge about how we can help others and helps ourselves. After you gain the knowledge. Apply it.

I Love you

Endure to the End

Signing Out
Elder Barry