One-on-One‏

Hey Family,

Sounds like everybvody is doing well back in the states, which is good because i´m still surviving out here in the mission field.

This week was pretty hectic but at least i can say it wasn´t my fault though. Let me explain...

Like i said last week, we were supposed to have interviews on thursday, but on tuesday in our district meeting, we found out that president had moved them to the next monday, which would have been today. Everybody was complaining because monday is P-day but i was used havinig P-days swapped for meetings because i was isolated in the Algarve for 5 months. But later that day, we found out that president had another change of mind. While me and Elder Dalton were in a meeting with one of the counclers in the bishopric, we got a call(at 10:00 p.m.) that told us that interviews were going to be the next day and that we needed to cancel our all our plans. Needless to say, i had a bit of a headache that night because we had a lesson with an investigator who we were going to mark for baptism (but dont worry, we talked to her and shes pryaing about her baptismal date this week!).

But interviews actually went really well. Elder Dalton got interviewed before me and had a great interview. President told him he was going to be a great missionary and some other really good stuff, instead of "faca" like we thought. Then it was my turn...

I went in and sat down and expected to get torn apart. When he asked me how my mission was going i immediatly started explaining about the area and what we had done in the past 4 weeks thinking maybe i could dampen his fury a good explanation. I wasn´t making excuses, but i found that i started giving myself "faca" and pretty much called myself to repentance during my own interview. Then afterward i waited for Predident Torgan´s response. Surprisingly, he didn´t give me "faca" at all, but gave the opposite. He told me how when he and Irmã Torgan talk about the missionaries in the mission the talk about them as if they were their children. And then he said that when they talk about me, they agree that i need to be happier. At this point was a little puzzled because i thought i was happy, but then he continued. He reminded me of a story he told in Our zone conference early this transfer about we Enoch saw a vision of all of Heavenly Father´s creations. He used this story to mtivate us to reach our goals by explaining that every number was a child of our Heavenly Father. He read the vision that Enoch had and described how Heavenly Father cried because so many of his children woulndn´t be saved and told us that we should work as hard as we can so that he wont have to cry over his lost children. Then, after reminding me of this story, he told me that after that point in the vision Heavenly Father said it was time to rejoice and be happy and to stop crying(or something like that). Then he applied that to me and said that even after all the saddness God had had, he still said there was a time to be happy. So i guess i need to be happier then!

He then told me a little parable to tell all the investigators that come to church but dont want to be taught, and then told me to relay it to them.I also apologized in my interview because i knew i could have done more to help this area grow, but i promised i would try my best in the future. He then told me that he knew that i would try AND do my best in the future. He also said that i had honored his love and trust. So Elder Dalton may have had a really good interview, maybe better than mine, but i still felt good coming out of my one-on-one with President Torgan.

In other news, you can tell Warren that i ate sushi a few weeks ago and i enjoyed it. You can also tell Mikey that Portugal is planning on losing to Brazil in the World Cup game they´re going to have next month too.

And i cant believe you guys are going to buy Mikey andother car! Didnt you guys see what he did with mine!? But i have to say it is a good looking jeep, too bad i´m never going to see it or drive it...

Can´t wait to read Mindy´s blog to see what lies she´s been telling about me. And by the way, if its possible i would like to get a copy of Mindy´s Rat Story. I´ve heard so much about it and i´m wondering how it is.

Also, if it is in any way possible, to get deoderant and alergy meds. I´m out of both and my Alergies seem to be worse in Portugal!

Well, i think thats it for news here. Thanks for everything! Eu amo-os!

O Gordinho Missionario de Portugal,
Élder Haws