"Bom dia, Missão Brasil Vitória"

That's how I answer the phone. Pretty impressive, huh? There have been quite a number of phone calls, a good deal of health emergencies, and a lot of stress this week. Once I read that the most stressful job on the Earth is air traffic controller, but I am confident that "LDS mission controller" is just as bad - if not far worse! But stress is good - that means that you're growing.

Last Sunday we had a baptism! A woman named Jackeline was baptised - she was a little bit doubtful about if she wanted to, but after she was baptised, she has been SUPER excited about the church! When we dont go to her house at night, she calls us asking for us to come leave a message with her, and she said she will bring her nephew to church this sunday as well! I am reminded of what Elder Christofferson said in this recent conference - "As we act to receive more light in our life and show our faith, the Lord will reward us." By the step of faith that she took in being baptised, she is reaping blessings.

Then the next night we went to something called a "Rodízio de Pizza", which is like they bring around 400,000 different types of pizza and you can choose what you want! Now we wont have any money for the next month, but it was super good! I forgot to take pictures though :(

I learned this week that the most important thing for secretaries - other than teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and baptizing unto repentance, of course - is transfer day. We are in charge of the flights, the legality of the missionaries, the health insurance that they have, the flights home for everyone else, and a lot of other things that would not make sense to explain over email! But it is so much work that it takes the entire 6 weeks of the transfer to prepare for just 1 day! This week I have been working on that - like I said, lots of phone calls in Portuguese!

Also, mom, I learned 2 new words - agendamento and emitir. Agendamento means appointment, which I need to know because I set up doctors appointments for sick missionaries. And emitir mean like finalize and buy. As in, yes, you can (finalize/buy) that plane ticket. Sister Young, the President's wife, is always doing Duolingo here in the office! I cant help but think of you.

I love you guys, and I hope your week is wonderful!

Elder Eric Olsen

EU! VOCÊ! DOIS FILHOS E UM CACHORRO! EDREDOM! UM FILME COM O FRIO DE AGOSTO!

Hahah these are the lyrics to a song that I learned this week. That was pretty much the highlight!

Yes mom I have eaten that cake! Its called pudim.

Well the Christmas season has arrived here in Goiânia. Yesterday I realized when I saw a bunch of houses with Christmas trees up. Apparently here Christmas isn't such a big deal here, not as big as it is there. They're more into New Years and Carnival... yeah they like to party. But I am still super excited about Christmas! My presents have been waiting ever since like October haha.

The mission president finished the transfer this week, its kind of funny. Now there are Elders that will call me and Elder Sales and be like "so... got any news?" haha and it makes me want to just hang up on them. I don't even know the whole transfer!

Do you guys remember Elder Holmes? Elder Brooks, who lives with me, was companions with him when he served in Michigan! Small world huh.

I am trying to finish the New Testament, today I got to Revelations. I can't even say how many times I read about "blood fire and smoke" and "grandes terremotos", so everyone be careful out there!

WOW ALMOST FORGOT BUT BATISMOOOOOO! Laurinda and Sylvanio got baptised on Saturday, it was sweet! Unfortunately, they weren't able to come to church on Sunday so they weren't confirmed, but it will all work out, they'll get confirmed afterwards.

So that is my life, that is the mission, I know it I live it I love it. And I love you all!

Love,
Elder Nicholas Olsen