Tudo bem!! :) So today we saw Elder Neil Andersen :) He came to speak with us! He is such a sweet man! He speaks Portuguese....he lived here for 4 years... I didn't know that. He speaks I think 4 languages.. pretty impressive!  We could tell he was trying to remember all the Portuguese words and how to conjugate them but he remembered well and we understood plus they had a translator there to help as well. Made me feel a little better... I was thinking it's not the words and understanding that is so important but more the spirit that is brought and the spirit was there so that's what counted :) His wife is so sweet... she told some wonderful stories :) She spoke what she could in Portuguese with us and it was super cute :) He spoke a lot about the Atonement and just about the love they have for the missionaries all around the world! It was a great experience to say the least! :) He shook each missionary's hand and we all took a mission photo with him. We had 2 missions there so there were about 400 missionaries!! I took lots of good notes :)

So that was the highlight of this week! :) This week was super good but yesterday- Sunday- was quite the day hahaha! So my companion Sister Zambrana and I gave talks. Our bishop told us May 25th and then announced our names yesterday the 18th in sacrament meeting.... so that was a huge surprise and we just had to wing it! Things here aren't organized like they are there. We have programs for sacrament meeting and here I think they don't exist haha. Things are done at the very last minute most of the time... but it always ends up fine in the end! :) It can just be a bit stressful in the moment, it's a good thing I was a procrastinator hahaha I learned to deal with stress well. Oh talking about stress when I get home I am going to get a massage lol... I think I have Moms back now lol... everyone tells me how hard my back is and that I am super tense haha.... I don't feel pain though :) Hmmm... what else happened yesterday? Oh so the last 2 days we went without water in our house... so we couldn't take a shower for 1 day and then the next day we went to a member's house.Most of Fortaleza went without water for 2 days straight and only some houses still had water to shower, cook and use the bathroom. It was an adventure :)

We also had to pay for 2 taxis to take us and our investigators to church because all the members with cars who we planned for fell through.... But we had investigators at church so that was good :) In few words, it was an adventurous and a bit of a difficult day for us but we just laughed everything off and continued on :) Oh and we think one of our investigators who was planning to go to church with us was drunk when we passed by yesterday...

But today is a new day!! :):) and Brenna, the young girl who was on Skype last week will be baptized this Sunday :) She has a difficult family life so we know the gospel will help her now and in the years to come :) She is so sweet and writes us a lil card every week! :) She is super smart and understands everything for being as young as she is. Well I don't have much time and I need to get going but I am super excited for my packages to arrive!! :) Thanks for sending them!! They got here super fast if they really already passed through Customs! YAY!! :) Thanks for all y'all do and your examples!! Love and miss y'all lots!! :) You're always in my prayers! Tell everyone hello for me! :)

Muito amor,

Sister Mattei :)