The new area is doing really well.  We are a little ways away from the city of Rio, so the lifestyle here is completely different.  The city macaé was made completely because of offeshore petrolium drilling-  petrobras.  So a lot of people that live here work for them, and work embarked for 15 days and then at home for 15 days. a little weird.  Because we are so far off, the food they ship to the city costs a lot more which kindof stinks. however, we dont have the traditional amount of trash on the street and stray dogs haha.  

There arent too many people that are actually from rio here.  There are a lot from the NE Brasil, and from minas gerais, and other places.  Coolo t hear some new accents.  The people here are a lot more receptive than my last area.  I think it has to do with where they are from.  Im liking it a lot.  We are changing the way we are working to be more direct simple which seems to be a better tactic here.  

Our ward is pretty cool.  The WML is super involved with the work, and we have the support of all the organizations.  This week we will have interviews with the new pres, so I will be able to talk to him about the eclesiastical endorsement.  

I have read the email that you sent me about the plan of salvations tons of times, and I often catch myself thinking about it.  i dont think that there could exist a more perfect plan.  The part about our own individual identity really gets me thinking about our own divine potential.  I get really anxious to see what things will be like on the other side, but I guess it is one step at a time. hahaha.  Speaking of which, we have a hilarious brother that likes to go to gospel principles class even though he has like 30 years as a member, and likes to drop some heavy DDB´s (deep doctrine bombs) on the investigators.  The first few had my comp and I cracking up a little, but halfway through the class, I was wanting to get the bishop to escort him out of the class haha.  Every ward has it´s own personality.  

We are going to play some bball at the church right now to relax our minds a little bit (Im over a month without a normal pday, and Im needing it right now) 

I have kept up the daily study of the Atonement, and Im really glad I have.  Every time I read about it, I find a new attribute that Christ has that I can see in others, desenvelop in myself, and come to recognize in Him when I see him.  Highly recommend it- just taking a few scriptures each day about the Atonement and searching them out and thinking about them throughout the day.

Love you all!!

Elder Stinnett