The part of Rio that the president lives in is exactly like the pictures.  Beautiful de mais!  But the part that I'm living in is not really what you'd imagine.  Well what I imagined.  I love it here.  It's kindof like downtown Phoenix :PI'm starting to get a feeling why I'm here in Brazil.  It is hotter than AZ right now.  Well, it's probably 90 or 95 but the humidity is killer. You know how people gross out if you hand is sticky from sweat when you shake their hand in AZ?  NOT HERE!! Everyone is sweaty and sticky and panting haha.  

We got a chance to eat at a member's house and that is why she shot bethany a friend request.  I had a couple of ideas that I shot dad about skype.

I'm so glad that you got the letters!  They took a while to write, but I figured that if they would take a month to get there, they better be good neh? (That's the Brazillian way of saying Eh?  like the Canadians do haha)  

It's so nice to know that there are so many people back home that support me.  It gives me even more assurance that I'm out here doing the Lord's work.  It's difficult though.  While fazendo contatos na rua, I can talk to anyone that I want.  We actually have a game where we pick contacts for each other, because you can talk to 99 percent of anyone you see.  They just have the courtesy to talk to someone.  They respect us a lot.  I feel pretty safe here because everyone here believes firmly in Christ and respects anyone that talks about him.  Also, there are tons of cavalos and packs of wild dogs that run wild here.  But it's weird.  They don't attack you...unless you are my companion and like to growl at them....I have the sutaki (accent) of Sao Paulo mixed with white boy, so it's difficult to interpret what the Cariocas are saying and for them to discern what I am saying.  But, eu vou melhorar.  Also, on the bright side, the world didn't end a couple days ago.  

While studing the first lesson, I remembered the advice that one of my teachers at the CTM told us.  He told us to pray about Joseph Smith.  Even if we already had, just do it.  I knelt down and started to pray.  I had before, but I figured more times=better.  I didn't feel much while praying, so I stayed there kneeling for a moment.  Then all of a sudden, this rush came over me from head to toe that lasted a solid 30 seconds.  He's indeed a prophet.

Nos temos a pesquisador that we are teaching.  

Have a merry Christmas.

 Ate mais, a igreja é verdadeira!

Elder Stinnett