Brenna's email - 9/14/11

Hello everyone!!!! First things first... I got both the packages!!! Whoo hoo! I was super excited! And the sandals fit great! I love them! They are super comfortable! A few blisters of course - but that is only normal with new shoes! But they are great! And I guess you didn´t get my story
about the tank tops - I was wearing the old ones when she saw me - she thought I was wearing a new tank top - because it was no longer white but a grey-ish color... Gross huh? Lol - good thinking on the tank tops!!! And I was SO SO SO happy to have normal deodorant! The deodorant here is very sub-par... actually it is pretty terrible... So - I was wondering... could you look up Shereen´s email address for me - and Jesse Thomas? I want to send them letters - but I don´t
know where to send them to! So - this week church was WAY better! We actually had some people there! Whoo hoo!!! We brought this guy named Luis - and he LOVED it! He has been searching for the truth and he really wants to change his life - he is still a little hesitant about baptism, but we´ll see... Also - a recent convert got baptised 2 weeks ago and she brought her nephew to church
and he LOVED it! He is way excited about everything! His name is Alexsandro. We brought this other guy to church, but halfway through sacrament meeting, he just left! He said he had to go to the bathroom - and then he left! Yesterday, we went and visited him to see what happened - and I think that he heard ´´Book of Mormon´´ and realized he was in ´´the church of the Mormons´´ and he freaked out and left. We tried explaining to him yesterday about why this church is
important and true and about how we have a living prophet today, but he wasn´t wanting to really listen - so I just said, ´´Fine, then we are just going to leave because you don´t have an open heart to hear what we are here to say...´´ He realized that he was being really closed to hear and he felt bad about that and listened afterwards - but still didn´t change his mind about anything... Oh well - maybe someday... We are also helping this guy named Bruno prepare to be baptised - we marked with him to go teach him yesterday at 6 and when we got there - no one was there! We called
his cell phone, his mom´s cell phone, we went and taught another lesson and went back and still no one was there - turns out that he got hit by a car! So he was in the hospital! Everything is alright though - he just scraped up his arm... But man! Why do these things happen to the people I am teaching??!! These past 2 days have been pretty difficult - we have been trying to visit our
investigators and no one is there, we mark to go to family home evenings with them and they end up not being able to go - and NO ONE let us in to teach! It was pretty hard - so last night I was praying to know how we could find new people to teach - I feel kinda lost in this area because there are a lot of big houses and apartments with only interphone - and they don´t like to let people in... So anyways, I was praying and then I studied about how to find people to teach this morning and then there was an email about this from President Parrella today! He explained how we will be able to find the elects to teach! Wow! Answer to my prayer - and I feel like I know where we need to work now - it was interesting because I was looking at the map - and I was thinking - I think we need to work in this area - and then I was looking in the Area Book at
some old investigators and the addresses were from the same area! Wow! I know the Lord answers our prayers! Maybe we will find a gold mine of elects there! We´ll see... But I am pretty optimistic about this new area... OH! I made cookies with the stuff you sent me! They were SO GOOD!!! I am also learning a lot about the power that we have when we are missionaries - I am really loving teaching with the spirit - I have had a LOT of amazing experiences where the words just come into my mouth and I have felt the spirit testify so strongly when I testify - it is AMAZING! Yesterday, my companion said that I speak differently when I am teaching - that my voice is different and that I have less of an accent... I thought that was really cool! I know that it really isn´t me that is teaching - it is the spirit and I am just there to be the voice! Like it has been hot there, it has been WAY hot here too! It has been more than 100 days without rain here in Belo Horizonte! I remember the last time it rained - it was the second or third night that I was in Venda Nova! That was a long time ago! And it poured! So I am really scared for when it does start to rain again... I think the clouds are saving up to just DUMP on us! Yikes! Oh - so the members here are way awesome - they are super willing to help! Yesterday, we went to a restaurant that was REALLY good for lunch! And then afterwards, they took us to our next teaching appointment!!
That saved us a lot of time! I love when the members help us out - because really, we can´t do our work without them! Man, my email this week really isn´t that exciting - sorry that I don´t have any really great stories or anything to share this week... But next week will be better!!! I hope you all have an AMAZING week! Love ya!

Sister Dunlop

Spencer's email - 9/12/11

Hi my family!!

How are you all doing??? I am doing super good! My comp is doing a lot better! He just needed to get accustomed to the work. But now it is going good, he still is a little shy and gets frustrated with the language....but hey that’s normal! But we are working hard! we did have 2 baptisms this week. One of them wasn’t feeling ready so we waited. It’s better to baptize when they feel ready and
firm. So that’s what is most important. And thank you guys so much for the advice. It helps alot. It is just such a different experience training. I really have to take the lead.... So that’s pretty
different. Haha of course i remember those days (band/soccer season).... Just crazy!! I don’t know which is crazier... The mission is how you decide it to be.... it can be super easy-or super tiring! so that’s what i think. I think the mission might be a little more crazy because you never have time for yourself. We wake up and eat and stuff and at 8 we are studying.... we study for 4 hours and go to lunch. then we work. get home at 9:30 plan until 10 and then take a shower and sleep... sooooo.... I don’t know!!! bad response. its super weird because when i left everything was starting too!! or just started! i think that is weird... i am getting old on the mission!! but for
sure not trunky! So one thing that is happening here is there is a big forest fire. at the national forest! it started Thursday and already 85% of the forest is burnt. its because everything is so so so dry here. so there is like smoke everywhere. and ashes. Its interesting.... and i guess it isn’t going to rain until like october. So that’s cool... It is so so so hot here! and super dry!! But its good for missionary work. because when it rains there is no one on the road. so that’s good!
My question for me to answer... Um i like both (more info in letters or emails), because i get the letters really late. like today i got letters from august 24th... so yeah... i like both. haha! I remember when i had to read the book of mormon in 6 weeks! that was awesome! i learned a super lot! it seems like you learn more of the story and stuff so that’s super nice.

Anyway this week i learned that satan will do anything to stop people from going to church... we had about 14 people firm for church and 3 went. and it was all for dumb reasons.... as
missionaries and members we need to be firm. We can’t let little things get in the way of our salvation. Work, you are tired, school, homework... whatever. there is nothing more important than assuring a place in the kingdom of heaven. Don’t let the little things get in the way. God works in small and simple things... But so does Satan. He knows we won’t do the big sins
but little sins lead to big ones. I know this church is true, and that God loves us. We just
need to do the work to show him that we love him. Have an awesome week!! I love you guys!!

Elder Spencer Dunlop

Brenna's email - 9/7/11

I GOT A PACKAGE, I GOT A PACKAGE, I GOT A PACKAGE TODAY, HEY
HEY!! (sung to the tune of I´ve got a pickle by the Little Rascals) Thank you
thank you thank you!!! I still haven´t looked through everything yet because I
had to jump on this computer opportunity - but from what I´ve seen I am very
excited! I think I´m gonna make cookies today!! Yay! And I was very much in
need of new tank tops - they are kinda grey now... It was funny because I saw
Sister Lobo the other day and she asked me if I got new tank tops and I said no
and then I said it was the old ones and she said - ´´Oh! I thought you got tank
tops in a grey color...`´ Yeah - kinda gross - but kinda funny at the same
time... Oh - and by the way - Happy Independence Day!! It is kinda sucky having
a P-day on a holiday because everything is closed! Luckily President let us use
the computer here in the mission office! There is a huge parade going on here
in the center of Belo Horizonte so things are pretty crazy! But parades in
Portland are way better! They basically just have a lot of police cars and
ambulances going down the road... So - wow it is hard opening an area! Luckily
my companion is really good at remembering how to get around because you know
how I am with directions... Sunday was kinda rough because we planned on going
to church with a lot of people and no one was home, or they couldn´t go, etc,
etc - but this sunday will be a LOT better! We already have some people that
are really excited to go! There was a baptism from the other sisters marked for
Sunday - but he was only 9 years old - he was going to church with his aunt who
got baptised 2 weeks ago - but still - the bishop wants his mom to come to
church and everything first too - and I agree. My companion is really awesome -
she likes to work and she is teaching really well - I like her a lot! The
members here are really awesome too - they really want to help out! There is a
member that offered to take us around our area in a car to show us around and
another member - where we were eating lunch - found out that we were taking
cold showers because our shower head broke (before we even got there) and he
went and bought a new one and installed it for us when we were out and about
during the day! Cool huh! Yesterday we had a training meeting and it was way
awesome - I learned a lot! I love training meetings and zone conferences! And I
found out a lot of things that made me SO excited!!!! First of all, remember
Guilherme from Ouro Branco? Well... He recieved the Melchezedeck priesthood and
is preparing for a mission! He baptised his girlfriend there!! Also - Jose - another
man we baptized in Ouro Branco is going to get married to a member there this
next month! He is a funny guy... Also - I found out that this guy that we were
teaching in Venda Nova actually got baptised! I was a little hesitant as to
whether or not he would because he said that he didn´t think he could stop
drinking coffee and smoking - but something really cool happened - when we
explained about tithing, we gave him a tithing envelope and he works for
himself - everyday he started putting tithing in the slip and he said that he
has never had so much work in his entire life - he had to come home early a few
days because so many people were calling him to work! Cool huh? Blessings of
tithing! So he got baptized! Also - another lady that we were teaching there
didn´t go to church because something really sad happened on Sunday - and she
said that she was reading in Alma and it was talking about EXACTLY what
happened to her - and now she KNOWS that the Book of Mormon is true! So she is
going to get baptized! ALSO - my recent-convert is bringing people to church! I
am actually helping people! Changing lives! Man - that is so amazing to see!!!
I love it! I am excited to see when we can see our fruits here - makes it a
little harder when the people before didn´t really leave any leads - but we are
gonna make it happen here!!! I love you all! Oh - and yes Clara, I noticed in
that family camping picture that you are wearing my American Idol shirt! Don´t
think I didn´t notice! Just so you know - I want everything back in the same
condition that it was when I left it!
Love you all!!!

-Sister Dunlop

Spencer's email - 9/5/11

Hey family!!!

How are you all doing?? I am doing great here in Recanto!! Yep i stayed!! I love it here!! it
is super good!! The members are awesome! so that’s super good! i am though a little jealous that you are at the beach!! no fair! but i bet its hotter here! i guess the average is 95 degrees! yeah.... hot! but its good i like it! Well like i said i am training! what a surprise. let me tell you! He is an American from Seattle, Elder Oliver. He is a good missionary with a lot of desire to work. he just has a little bit of a hard time with the language.... but hey that’s normal right??!?! so it’s good! It was a pretty funny baptism (Note from Teri: This is referring to his letter last week.)! but it was fun too!! This week we worked hard.... Not quite as fast as normal but hard. he still is getting used to the walking. he has big huge blisters on his feet.... so that’s fun!! haha!!! But we did have a lot of
success. we should have 3 baptisms this week, all people known by carlos - His nephew and his friend. so that’s super cool!!! it should be super fun! haha!! first baptisms for elder Oliver! yay!! we also found a couple families so that was cool. they are super good! Pdays are just crazy because there is a lot to do and this area is really big so it takes a while to go everywhere we need to. so yeah.... that’s why. like today i have a bunch of stuff to buy and then i have to cut my hair, i have to do some other things at home and some paperwork to get caught up. since Elder Oliver can’t do paper work yet.... it’s in Portuguese. we want the missionaries after us to be able to read about the investigators. so yeah.... we got a new ward mission leader. he should be super good! he is very happy and excited about working! so that’s good! we have a meeting with him. so that stuff!!! it seems like it’ll be super good to work with him. well i am finally sending pictures like i said i would, so it’ll take a little bit. But i am doing awesome!!! i love you guys!!! have a super great week!!! these pictures are of planaltina. with my comp and that lady we baptized. and then there is my birthday cake, our house before painting, baptism, my comp and my district leader so yeah.

Elder Dunlop

Baptism of Helton

Companions

His district

With Greenie, Elder Oliver

Elder Oliver's huge blister

Brenna's email - 8/31/11

Hello!!!! Well I have BIG NEWS for you this week... It was quite a shock for me... As you know - transfers are today and well, now I am senior companion AND I am training a new sister AND oh yeah... I´m opening an area too... Talk about scary! Let´s just say that I didn´t sleep very well
these past two nights! To top that all off - president said that he trusts a lot in me - that is a lot to live up to! I think I am most nervous that I´m gonna be so lost for about a month or so - this area is HUGE - and it is in Belo Horizonte still (the area is called Pampulha) and I don´t know where
ANYTHING is! It´s already been an adventure... We are starting a new program with the trainers and trainees - we now have 2 hours of companion study instead of just one and we´ll be doing a lot of practices and studies from a new book that came out a month ago that goes with Preach my Gospel - so that should be really good! Every week it has challenges for the new missionary - the
challenge this week is that they´ll be doing the baptismal invite every time this week - wow - talk about jumping right into things! But I think that is great - I was kinda scared to do the invite for a while because it was my companion that always did it. My companion is Sister Da Rosa, she is from Rio Grande do Sul, she has been a member all her life (well I guess after she turned 8), she is 22, middle child, and she seems way nice - I´m pretty excited! I don´t know why President closed and opened this area - there were sisters here before too - so apparently we have a baptism marked for this Sunday! Whoo hoo!! Sister Corbin is also training - she stayed in Venda Nova - I guess that is what we get for baptising so much... By the way - we had 2 more baptisms this last Sunday! Jefferson and Geovani. Jefferson was so perfect - he LOVED church and he was always saying ´´our church´´ or before I found the true church, etc,etc,etc - he is already half way through 2 Nephi and he goes to church by himself! We didn´t even have to pick him up!
It´s awesome! He even said - after I get baptised - I am going to start working - but it won´t be a problem because you guys won´t have to come over to prepare me for baptism anymore! He understands our purpose! It´s great! He is 19 - so I know he is going to serve a mission! Geovani is 12 - and his story is interesting too - he is friends with a member who brought him to church - so we went over there and taught his parents - his mom and his ´´dad´´ which is really just his mom´s boyfriend - so the mom said that he could get baptised but the ´´dad´´ said that he wanted his mom to visit the church first and then they´d talk about it... Well his mom didn´t go to church 2 Sundays ago with us - but he did (Geovani) we went over there to teach him and he was telling his mom that he really wanted to get baptised - so she said he could - the dad wasn´t there... So Sunday morning rolled around and the dad found out that he´d get baptised that day and he got mad and said Geovani couldn´t go - but he went anyway! Wow - the enemy was really working against that one - but he DIDN´T WIN! Muah ha ha ha... I like when we win! It was really hard saying goodbye to everyone in Venda Nova! It is always hard to say goodbye! I don´t like it - but I am needed in a new area now! I´ll need lots of prayers so I don´t get too lost! He he... I´m gonna try sending pictures - we´ll see if it works out...

Love ya!
Sister Dunlop

Spencer's email - 8/29/11

Hi guys

this week was super good, we had a lot of success. Carlos was baptized but the other two weren’t because their mom didn’t let them. so that was lame. I don’t have too much time. like 5 mins... so i have to be super fast. but The transfers..... I stayed in Recanto das Emas and i am training!!!
is he crazy?!?!?!?! so we will see how it goes this week huh??!?! i hope to have a lot of success and help the newbee learn a lot!!! pretty cool!!! But yes... super stressed!! Next week i will send letters and pictures..... (i hope) i will wake up early to send letters so you don’t have to worry!!! nothing too crazy happened this week!! but one funny thing about the baptism, was that while the pool was filling up they ran out of water.... so it only have like 2 feet of water, aaaannnd then the power fell!!! so we had the baptism in the dark with barely and water!!! he had to lay down in the water to be baptized!! but it was cool after he said "too bad i can’t do that more often i think i would do it every week!!!" so that was col! just goes to show that the work of God doesn’t get stopped for anything huh?1??! haha well I’ll write better next week!! we have now a meeting with he president to learn how to be a trainer.... I’m going to need that huh??!??!?!?! I love you guys!! have an awesome week!!!! sorry it was so short it starts in 15 minutes and i have to go to the
chapel!!!! the church is true!!
Elder Dunlop

Carlos' baptism

Brenna's email - 8/24/11

Hello!!! Yes I am happy and healthy!!! I will cross my fingers that my package will get here before next Wednesday!! I can´t believe that we have transfers in 1 week! That is so crazy to me! Every transfer is flying by faster and faster!!! I am really interested to find out what will happen to me... It shall be interesting since we´ll be getting 3 new sisters! I heard that one is from Portugal and Portuguese from Portugal is really different - so that should be super interesting!!! This week has been super awesome! We had 2 baptisms on Sunday - Harrison and John ( they are brothers - Roxanne´s brothers). They were super fun to teach ( they are 9 and 10) and they are super smart - they respond better to our questions than adults do! And they are super excited about church! Shows that children really are more pure - I understand now why Christ liked to teach the children! It was pretty funny too because their cousin was over when we were teaching them and she was begging us to teach her to and begging her mom to get baptised... Haha - she went to church with them without us having to go pick them up! (the nice thing is that they are next door neighbors to the church - makes it a little easier) so we´ll see if her mom lets her! Remember the guy that went to church with us last week drunk? Well guess what?! He hasn´t drank in a week! And he is reading the Book of Mormon! And he went to church again with us last week and stayed the whole time and could actually feel the spirit - cuz he wasn´t drunk! It is so amazing to see the change that the gospel has made in his life in a little over a week! Man it is awesome! He wasn´t working because he was depressed because he was drinking and now he has already gone back to work and has a purpose in his life!!!! His baptism is marked for this weekend! He just needs to stop with the 2 or 3 cigarrettes that he is smoking everyday! But he can do it! Also - we are helping a really awesome guy named Jefferson - he is an allstar! He went to church and LOVED it and he has already almost passed me up in the Book of Mormon! It seems like he was just sitting at home waiting for someone to help him do the right things with his life - because really he was way ready - he just wasn´t going to a church! It was way interesting how we found him too because it was actually his sister that just came up and talked to us - and we went to her house to teach her but it ended up being him that we are teaching - I still have hope that she´ll go to church next week though! She didn´t go on Sunday because on Saturday night she got hit by a motorcycle and she had this really nasty deep gash in her leg so she couldn´t really walk! You could almost see her bone! Don´t worry - I took a picture! So you know what is amazing???? SUPER GLUE!! My foot was hurting way bad last week - it felt like someone was poking a neetle up my heel because it was cracked - so I bought super glue and cleaned it out really well and then glued it up! It was like magic! The pain went away! Whoo hoo!!!I think after the mission I should do super glue
commercials cuz it is so amazing! Lol Oh! Before I forget - I have something VERY IMPORTANT to say!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR CLARA! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLARA! I LOVE YOU AND HOPE YOU HAVE AN AMAZING YEAR! TRY NOT TO CRASH THE CAR OKAY? Okay - now I have another VERY IMPORTANT thing to say! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR MOMMY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE VERY BEST MOM IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD! I LOVE YOU! Okay - I had to do that before I forgot! Anyways, this week our stake is like the guinea pigs for the rest of the mission - we are doing something where for 2 hours after lunch everyday we are visiting all the less-active members - cleaning up the ward records! There are a lot of less actives - which is way sad! So far
(since we started on monday) we have only found people that have moved, people that aren´t home - AND - an AMAZING family! There is this guy who baptised a long time ago and he has a really strong testimony of the gospel - but he met a woman who had a little interest in the church but didn´t end up getting baptised - well he ended up not going to church more and they ended up moving in with eachother and now they have 3 kids - and we went there and he wants to go back to church and bring his whole family there - so we marked a marriage date for them and a baptism date for her!!! Wow! I hope this goes through because they are a really amazing family! I already love them and I just met them this week! We´ll see what happens... but I´m gonna get this family to the temple!! Well, my time is running out now - but I LOVE YOU!!! HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!!!! UNTIL NEXT WEEK (wherever I may be...)

Love, Sister Dunlop

Spencer's email - 8/22/11

Hi Family!!!

I am good!! And i am happy! and Healthy! and painting my house.... just a beige color,... boring,
but i wasn’t the one to pick the paint. haha!!! No the two sisters didn’t get baptized.... They got burned by their pastor.... so they didn’t even want us to go in their house... oh man that was rough... the night before we had taught them about the book of mormon and they were super happy and stuff... like super happy "oh ill read it right now! etc. I guess the pastor must have found out and burned them.... so that was rough. but that same bay we found brenderson and robson. they are cousins. and they are going to be baptized this sunday!! A cool story about brenderson he had prayed the night before for God to change his life. the next day i talked to him on the road. He said he already knew everything was true. He went to church and loved it!! so that is super great!! Miracles!!! And his cousin is super cool too. but he was sleeping sunday so i went there and woke him up!!! so he went! and liked it!!1 that was fun, my first real experience like that!! but I’ll keep doing that!!! Also, another guy that’s going to be baptized is carlos. He went to church with us too!! and he is pretty cool!! super ready for anything!! He liked church a lot!!
the ward is super good, we didn’t even sit with them because they were surrounded by members. so that’s fun!!! So you can put these three in your prayers!!!! Brenderson, Robson, and carlos. Ok??

Haha air conditioning would be good!!! i usually take a cold shower at night because it is so hot. i don’t even put the heat on.... so that’s different.... cold too!! our fan is broken.... so nope!!! but i am using bug repellant. because they are good at night!!!

Oh geez clara driving..... that is crazy!!! I am glad i am soooo far away now because no one is safe there!!! get off the road!!!! haha!!! but geez oldy moldy!!! that’s pretty nuts....

And band camp!!! the last one for maren!!!! yikes!! that is so weird.... Maren you are old too!

But this week was a lot better!! we are finally getting the hang of things.... of course there is a lot to improve, there always will be.... but.... Hey we are imperfect!!!! Oh last pday was super cool.... they cut the water because the missionaries before us didn’t pay the bills and they weren’t even in the house.... so we were without water for like 3 days.... taking showers at the neighbors house!!! hahaha!!!! good thing they are members! yeah.... so that was fun.....

Oh every friday i am doing a english class!! so that was fun this week!! we learned about verbs and like i, you, he, she, it, we, etc. it was fun. and then at the end we played big booty! haha!! to count. But it was super super slow......................... oh yeah and you are probably thinking.... I did change the name.... to big daddy! haha! the only thing i could think of! so yeah that’s what i am up to!! today i read a really cool scripture.... 1 john 3:3 it says they perfected themselves when they had a hope in christ. cool huh???? look to perfect yourselves!!! repent, and do something different!! it is us that decides our future!!! (of course only because of christ that we can do that but we have to accept him and do good works and obey the commandments! Next week i will send pictures(i hope) this computer is too slow to send them.... i even brought my camera with me!! sorry.;.. I love you guys! have a great week!!!! play hard!!! The church is true!

Elder Dunlop

Brenna's email - 8/17/11

HELLO! Well... to answer your questions... I am trying to
keep cool - but it is VERY hot here - and just gonna get hotter - but our fan
is working now - so that has made sleeping a LOT easier! And yes I am using my
bug spray - so my hand is no longer getting attacked! Our next transfer will be
in 2 weeks! I´m kinda nervous - we´ll be getting 3 new sisters - one is from
Portugal - and apparently the Portuguese they speak there is very different -
so who knows if I´ll be able to understand her... and with my luck - I´ll be
training her... lol... In our ward we have about 5-7 young women who are
actually going to church (we added 3 when we baptised Greicielle, Greicienne,
and Cleidianne) and that is about average for the wards I´ve been in. I am just
working in one ward right now - and actually - we have 2 sets of missionaries
in our ward! Me and Sister Corbin and then a set of elders - an American and a
Brazilian (the Brazilian reminds me a TON of Jason Hadley - it is really creepy
- seriously - if Jason were Brazilian - he would be this guy...) But that has
been way nice - having 2 sets of missionaries in one ward! Though... our area
where we work is still HUGE! A few years ago - there were a TON more
missionaries in our mission - so they had like 8 sets of missionaries here...
so imagine us now with only 2.... yeah... That sounds so fun about high
adventure! I always loved high adventure!!! Yes though - you´d better get in
shape for next summer - because I expect to go on a lot of hikes! And I´m
getting a lot of practice - cuz I´m ´´backpackin it´´ everyday - and there are
a TON of hills here! Belo Horizonte - and Minas Gerais are known for the
hills... By the way.... HAPPY FATHER´S DAY DAD!!!!! Here Father´s Day is in
August - so it was last Sunday - and it was WAY OBNOXIOUS!!!! Here everyone
said they couldn´t go to church because they had to travel to see their dad or
prepare lunch for their dad... etc, etc - what about their Heavenly Dad?!!!
Seriously.... Mother´s Day was like this too - but at least we could call home
- so that made it a little better... We did end up bringing one guy to church -
turns out he was drunk though... We are trying to help him out with that - he´s
had about a month where his life has gone down the toilet because of drinks -
it is really sad - he really wants to get out of this mess - and get back to
working, etc - it´s pretty cool though because he is a composer and musician!
That is pretty rare here! We didn´t have any baptisms this Sunday - but
Terezinha recieved the Gift of the Holy Ghost - it is so neat to see her at
church because she fits in so well with everyone! We had an integration night -
which was like a big family home evening with everyone in the ward and we had a
lesson and played games there -and it seriously is like she has been a member
for years! Maybe it is because she´s been going to church for over a year...
Lol... It amazes me everyday how the Lord guides us to His children! I am
always surprised everyday how many people we find that said they were praying
for answers and then we showed up there - but unfortunately - a lot of times
these people still don´t accept that that was an answer - we were teaching this
lady, Marisa, that said she has been praying to know which church was true and
then we showed up there - she said that she was tired of searching in all the
churches so she was praying that the Lord would bring the answer to her door -
well we taught her and she didn´t go to church with us on Sunday because she
was ´´tired...´´ So we went back there yesterday and she said that she wouldn´t
get baptized because she wasn´t prepared and she wanted the Lord to bring her
to the right church - she didn´t just want to go search it out anymore - I
really don´t know any other way that the Lord would answer her prayer other
than sending us there to knock on her door Sunday morning to walk with her to
church... But apparently that wasn´t the answer she wanted... It is sad - cuz
she knows that Joseph Smith was a prophet - she just doesn´t want to believe
everything else... But I guess that is free-agency for ya... I´m learning more
and more about faith too - I like to think of it this way - let´s pretend I
want a car - I can say that I have faith that I will get this car and I can
pray every single day for a car - but will I wake up one day and have a car
sitting there on my driveway? No! I have to get up and WORK for that car! That
is real faith! I see that a lot - people say they have faith - but what are
they doing to show for that? Nothing... BUT - we are working our tails off this
week (as always) so I know that we will see the fruits of it these last two
weeks in this transfer!!! I love you all LOTS and LOTS and I hope you all have
a FABULOUS week! Until next week!!!

Love,
Sister Dunlop

Spencer's email - 8/15/11

You guys would not believe how busy we have been here... it has been ridiculous. We haven’t had a good old p-day in a long time. not even today. we painted the house today. so we were painting until 3 o’clock!!!! crazy!! so we had to run to the back (which is 30 mins walking very fast by the
way) to get our money and then come back and yeah.... so the week is starting good!! haha!! well this week was actually really good! we did a lot better than we have been, i talked about urgency in my last letter because it seemed like we weren’t being as urgent as we could, so we stepped up our game this week!! a lot better!! Last week we had 2 sisters come talk to us, and they said they
were needing a message, they had been fasting and praying to receive the gift of the holy ghost -- by the way here people are a little crazy. but they think that people receive the holy ghost when they randomly starting people a strange language, i guess it happens though.... people have seen it.... so they were wanting that.... but it wasn’t coming. so we went and talked to them about the correct way to receive the holy ghost and about authority. and they went to church! and are going to be baptized this week. so that was really cool! they actually stopped us!

also, we had another miracle, we had 7 people at church! that was super cool! i actually had never
had that happen before so that was really cool, and we are teaching a family, and i told them about your story about mom and dad. cool huh we talked a lot about temples!

So being a senior.... super hard. This transfer had definitely been the hardest yet. but i am earning a lot, super good! even how to talk and understand people on the phone... and let me tell you... it isn’t easy. haha! but its good!!! and so things are good. the president is changing rules around.... so we don’t have to report every day.... just sunday. and we don’t even have to call if we are arriving late.... he says just follow the spirit.... so it’s interesting.... and weird! but I’ll get used to it! and as you know p-day is monday. so that’s another thing that is different. my companion has 7 months out on the mission and just one transfer less, he is super good. he knows a lot and he always remembers the scriptures!! so that’s good! i still am not good with that!!! but I’ll get better!!

So now i am going to be working on really doing everything that i say i will. with goals or things i say to people, really be a man of my word! that is who i want to be, after the mission too, so that is now what i am working on. Really applying the scripture alma 52:20. I dont know it in english. e todos eram jovens valorosos e em à coragem, e também em vigor e energia. mas, eis que isto não é tudo eram homens fieis em tudo que lhes eram confiados. haha you guys can look it up!!
(Note from Teri…here it is in English. And it came to pass they sent embassies to the army of the Lamanites, which protected the city of Mulek, to their leader, whose name was Jacob, desiring him that he would come out with his armies to meet them upon the plains between the two cities. But behold, Jacob, who was a Zoramite, would not come out with his army to meet them upon the plains.) well i gotta go!! but i love you guys!!! it is super hot here!!!! like......... wayyyyyyyy hot!! but its good!! haha! have a great end of the summer. i hope to send letters next week--if i have time.

Love,
Elder Dunlop

Before painting

Brenna's email - 8/10/11

Hello!!!! Yes - that address is correct! I guess the mail
people just don´t know what they are doing... But I am glad that it didn´t get
stolen! I´m not really sure why the outside of the package said, ´´não
procurando...´´ it means not looking... weird. ANYWAYS! That is so great that
the family vacation went well! I was wondering if you guys would put in a
camping trip this summer! Whoo hoo! Exciting! Crater Lake is really beautiful!
We stopped there on the way back from a High Adventure one year - it is SUPER
COLD though! Sounds like mosquitoes are worse there than they are here... I
guess I should stop complaining - but it is REALLY annoying when they wake you
up in the middle of the night buzzing in your ear and you can´t go back to
sleep because you are afraid they are going to eat you alive so you want to
hide under your covers - but it is WAY TOO HOT to stay hidden under your
covers! It has been WAY hot here this week! Upper 90s lower 100s! Wow! And it
is still winter! What´s up with that?! Sounds like you guys haven´t even had
this kind of weather - and it is SUMMER there! But - this week has been great!
Remember that lady that we found that one day when we were lost? Well... SHE
GOT BAPTIZED!!! Whoo hoo! She is awesome! It was definitely her time! She
didn´t get baptized before because she was living with her boyfriend - but he
was never the best boyfriend - drinking, etc, etc - so they separated. Well
wouldn´t you know it - but on Saturday - the night before the baptism - he
showed up at her house crying - saying he wanted her back and you know what she
said?... NO! She said that she´d only get back together with him unless he
cleaned up his act - and she definitely wouldn´t live with him unless they got
married first cuz she was getting baptized!! Yes! Take that Satan! He didn´t
win this time! But man he is tricky!!! Why do things always happen the night
before the baptism?... (Her name is Terezinha). Enrique also got baptized - he
is Marisa´s nephew and he is 13 and he was SUPER excited to get baptized - he
is a really neat guy! So Sunday 2 people received the priesthood (Junior and
Leonardo) two people received the Gift of the Holy Ghost (the other Junior and
Marisa) and two people got baptized (Enrique and Terezinha). That was pretty
amazing! I´d be happy if that happened every week! That´d be ideal! Well see
about this week... We have yet to find the elects that´ll go to church with us
this Sunday to get baptized in 2 Sundays - but we will find them! For sure! On
Monday, we had our zone conference - and it was really amazing! I love
conferences! President Parrella always teaches so many amazing things - I
always learn so much! We did a lot of practiced to improve our teaching and we
have been really trying to put into practice these things - which has been
great! The goal is that if they really really understand the church that Christ
established when he was here - why they need this church - and if they really
understand apostasy - they will understand why they need to be members!
Downfall: people still have free agency and lots of people STILL don´t want to
change even if they KNOW! But - I´ll keep doing my part... Hmm... Other big
news?... Well - this week our blender broke - it is a really fun word in
portuguese (liquidificador) and so we got a new one today! Whoo hoo! I´ve been
using it a lot in the mornings! (but for the record it wasn´t me that broke
it)... This week we also have an activity in the church - and we can actually
go!! Whoo hoo! I´m pretty excited about that! I don´t know what is going to
happen in this activity - but it should be fun! Also - we just found out that
we´ll be getting 3 new sisters this transfer and one is finishing her mission -
what does that mean? It means that 3 junior sisters will become senior sisters
and 3 sisters will train and 1 area will open... I´m kinda nervous about
that... Alright mom, I guess you convinced me - I should read the Bible huh? -
I decided to read Preach my Gospel again - cover to cover and then after I
guess I´ll get started on that - there is just so much to study and so little
time! This week we are teaching some awesome people that are actually reading
the book of mormon and praying for answers - that´s awesome cuz usually we have
to beg people to do these kinds of things! But - WE MUST FIND MORE!!! I am
predicting some good nights of sleep ahead of me... Lol - anyways - I love you
guys! Thank you for everything you are doing for me! Keep writing and keep
praying for us cuz we couldn´t do it without you!

Love,
Sister Dunlop

Spencer's email - 8/8/11

Hey family!!!

Yep pdays got moved. so now pdays are on monday. so sorry about that i didn’t find out until yesterday night. so looks like i will have to go a week without an email! but that’s ok. things here in recanto are good. we didn’t have too much success this week, but happily we did have a baptism. Helton. He is the husband of a recent convert. and he finally decided to get baptized. it was really special. there was soooo many people at his baptism, and juice and pop and little snacks and stuff, really good!! that was basically the exciting thing of the week. we have been trying to work with the ward more to get more references. so that has been interesting. i haven’t ever don’t this before because all the other wards that i have been through have been pretty dead in this aspect so this is something new. this week was really rushed with lots to do and little time. But i have been learning so much. about the importance of urgency in the work because if not, nothing will happen. We also need faith and hope! I did however get letters last week so that was super good!! Well, I don’t really know what else to say. this week wasn’t too special. but this week that is coming will be a lot better. Plus i didn’t have any questions to answer. but it is getting really really hot here. so that is rough. But i have little time and i still have to get a hair cut!! sorry for the bad emails!! but i know the church is true and it changes lives. because i have seen it. I love you guys and i miss you!! (i promise next weeks letter will be a lot better!)

Elder Dunlop

Brenna's email - 8/3/11

Hello! Well - I am very glad that this package didn´t get lost or
stolen - I have no idea why this package couldn´t get delivered
because everyone else´s packages are getting delivered (my companion
has gotten 3 in the time that I´ve been waiting for this one...) So I
guess the mail system was just being dumb... But I have faith that it
will get to me! Before Christmas! And yes I still want those sandals!
The shoes I bought are not to be used until after the mission - cuz
they will get trashed here! You should see some of my shoes already...
Wow... lol Anyways... I am doing GREAT! As always! My 9 month
celebration was great - at least the P-day part - we made canjica!
Lots and lots of canjica... We were eating it until yesterday night!
It was A LOT! But the rest of the day wasn´t the greatest... both of
our baptisms fell through that day - Adriano was only talking about
Spice Girls when we were talking about baptism - it was seriously
probably the weirdest lesson I have ever taught on the mission! Really
weird! I wish someone had been recording that one! And it turns out
that Marisa´s daughter - Ludmila - will be going back to her grandma´s
house - and there isn´t a church close to her grandma´s house - so
that wouldn´t work out either! She was really sad - but she is excited
to get baptised in December when she comes back to live with her mom!
Also - this perfect family that we found - wasn´t so perfect after
all... turns out that the mom prayed and her answer was that she
needed to finish up with her ´´projects´´ in the Catholic church - I´m
pretty sure that God didn´t say that to her... but whatever - her mind
was made up - her daughter still wanted to get baptised - but her mom
said that her dad was really Catholic - and he wouldn´t allow it - so
I´m pretty sure that was the real reason... bummer...! We still ended
up pulling through a baptism this week! Whoo hoo! It was kinda funny
actually - there are recent converts and they have a 10 year old
grandson, Junior, who always comes to church with them - who wasn´t a
member - so we showed up at their house and invited him to be baptised
this Friday - and - he accepted!!! Whoo hoo! Fast preparation - but it
turned out well! In the bible it shows that we really don´t even need
time to prepare - there were apostles teaching people and they were
baptised then and there! Speaking of the scriptures... I finished the
Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants! Whoo hoo! I love those
books! I am debating whether or not I want to read the Bible now...
but I´m kinda scared... I don´t know... This last week we had
interviews with President Parrella - and it was AWESOME! I always
learn so much from him! And time goes by WAY too fast - 10 minutes is
NOT enough! I asked how I could better myself as a missionary - and he
said that improving my teaching everyday - and everyday trying to
increase my faith - which is something that not only missionaries
should do - but everyone!!! So funny story... yesterday we taught this
guy - and he was home alone - so we couldn´t enter his house - no
woman - mission rules - and he was kinda taken back by that - and
kinda offended - he kept saying ´´it´s okay - you can enter - I go to
church... blah blah blah´´ - but he just didn´t get it - and we didn´t
get why he didn´t get it! But we taught him outside his house and then
afterwards he asked us if we wanted something to drink - or if that
wasn´t allowed either - and we said of course it was allowed - but
then guess what he pulled out of his fridge? Coca-cola!! The one pop
that we aren´t allowed to have in our mission! Of course... Oh the
irony... Imagine explaining that one to him... Ugh... Oh! One more
great news!!! So Cleidiane´s parents - especially her mom - want to
get baptised - but they can´t cuz they aren´t married because she is
recieving money from her other husband who died to pay for her kid´s
school - and she thought she would lose the money if she got married -
but it turns out SHE WON´T!! Whoo hoo!! So we will be helping with a
marriage!! Awesome huh? Man I love that family! They are AWESOME!!!!
Oh - also this week it was 91 degrees!!! In the WINTER!!! Weird huh???
Anyways, I love you all!! As always, thank you for everything you
do!!! Oh - and I wanna know the marriage date for Shereen - since she
won´t tell me herself... and the temple and everything... Anywho -
until next week!

Love,
Sister Dunlop

Oh! I almost forgot! We had a really cool thing happen this week - it
really shows how the Lord leads us to His children that are ready hear
the gospel! This week we got way lost - we were looking for this one
street and no one knew where it was - finally we asked this man - and
he said - oh it is way easy - and he told us where to go - well when
we got there - that street WASN´T there - and no one had even heard of
this street - we didn´t know what to do! We were kinda frustrated
because we were wasting time and this street wasn´t on our map and no
one knew where it was! So we just started walking down a street -and
there were 3 women there and we decided to ask them... and turned out
that one of the women knew where it was and she invited us into her
house! Turns out that this women had been going to church on and off
for more than a year - she hadn´t gotten baptised before because she
was living with her boyfriend - but they broke up and so we invited
her to be baptised and she accepted - she is preparing for this
Sunday! Cool huh?! The Lord really leads us to where we need to go! We
really are just instruments in His hands! His servants! We just have
to follow!

Spencer's email - 8/2/11

Hi Family!!

How are you doing?? I am doing great! I am feeling a lot better, i just didn’t eat for 2 days so i got sick. but then i went and bought some food and got a lot better!! haha its amazing what food can do for you huh??? um we walk a lot here. like a lot... the area is super big and unfortunately we have investigators in both sides of the area. But it’s good. I am liking being senior. its stressful at times. but also super good. we had a rough start but i am finally getting the hang of it. so it’s getting going.

so this week, eduardo didn’t get baptized.... we had the interview all set up and everything and the district leader came (1.5 hour trip) and he ran from us (i know what you are thinking.... how can a man in a wheel chair run from 2 teenagers....) well he actually got in a car and drove away (no he wasn’t driving) and so we waiting and then he came back so we went to talk to him.... and then left again.... and then again.... so that was frustrating. so didn’t happen. also we found that family and they didn’t go.... just the 9 year old son.... the mom didn’t want to go... she had some business to take care of. Buuuut.... God is so merciful. there is a man in the ward that has been going for about a year and hasn’t wanted to get baptized. But a member decided to go there and talk to him. and just said what do you think about baptism, and he responded saying you can mark a date. so he will be baptized this week! so cool!!! so that was really really good!!

the house... actually the president is going to come by tomorrow and see how it is. pretty sure we will be moving soon... but i dont really think it is too bad. I’ll take pictures for you guys!

This week was a battle but that’s how it should be, i really am learning a lot!! and i am loving it!!! i don’t have too much time this week!! but i love you guys so much. and maren and clara i sent letters. I hope you (mom and dad) had an awesome vacation!!! super cool!!! you´ll have to tell me more about that!! and keep on going fam!!! love you all!!! the church is true!

Elder Dunlop

Brenna's email - 7/27/11

WOW!!!! ADAM IS GOING TO BRAZIL???!!!! That is awesome! No - Drew didn´t tell me...! My companion just told me that it is part of São Paulo! Cool! They baptise a lot in São Paulo! The church is really strong there! Parabéns Adam! You are gonna love Brasil! And... I can´t believe about the engagements... that is CRAZY!!! When are the dates set??? And... I wanna see pictures! And... I can´t believe that I am halfway done already! In the beginning time was going by slow - but now it is FLYING by! I can´t believe it! It seems like yesterday was my 6 month mark... WOW! And yes - I did think about Clara´s 1/2 birthday... I told my companion about it and she thought it was funny... I think we are gonna go explore this place that is like COSTCO and see what goodies we can find... yay! SO.... another AWESOME week! Man, this place is really blessed - I love it here! Sunday we had 3 baptisms - and they were 3 baptisms from 3 different families! Leonardo FINALLY got baptised! He has been wanting to for a long time - but his work has been crazy busy lately - but he got baptised! Yay! He lives with a member - so that is how we found him. Also, Junio got baptised - he is way awesome - we actually met him because we were looking for someone and they gave us the wrong address - and he answered the door - we taught him at his doorstep and he accepted! He actually really had no problems at all - which was really nice - and it is so cool to see the change in him! We actually had him teach us the lesson the other day which was really neat! Marisa - got baptised too! She is 26 - she is the one that has had a really hard life - but she is already so much happier! Her daughter usually stays with her grandma - but she has been visiting for 2 weeks (she is 8) and she came and watched the baptism and the whole time she was begging to get baptised too... Lol - she is really cute - when we go there she always says, `´I´m gonna say the first prayer!´´ We had her pray about the church and about whether she should get baptised and she said she felt a really cool feeling in her heart. Cute! Anyways, I have a lot of really neat stories for you guys this week! First I am going to talk about answers to prayers - I love how the Lord responds in ways that we will understand. Marisa was really hesitant about baptism - she wasn´t sure that she was ready - or if it was the right thing - so we said that she had to pray and ask if it was right - so the next day we went back and we asked her how her prayer went and she said that she was going to get baptised! Apparently - she was at the sink and she had forgotten to pray earlier in the day - so she stopped what she was doing and asked if it was the right thing - and then she finished her prayer and went back to doing the dishes and then her 2 year old came into the room with a picture of Christ that we had given her and he told her to put it away - just randomly - and she said she knew that that was her response! How Junio got his answer was - he was at a party - sitting there and his friends were drinking and he was sitting there thinking about whether he should drink or not - he told himself he wouldn´t - but then he thought he should - he just kept going back and forth about the matter - and he was praying for strength - and then another friend came over and started talking to him and he forgot about the drinks - and that moment he realized that he really could keep all the commandments and follow Christ! Interesting - 2 completely different ways of answering - but God knows how we will understand! Cool huh???!!!
Oh my goodness - last night we taught one of the most amazing lessons in my entire mission - the spirit was SO strong - we taught this amazing family - mom, daughter (14 years old), and son (9) - the dad was working - but when we told the first vision - oh my goodness - the spirit was amazing! The daughter was crying - and they all accepted baptism - I am so excited to teach this amazing family! I love the gospel and the spirit! I love how we are guided to the people that are prepared to hear!!! Amazing! Oh man, I am running out of time - and I have so many more stories to tell this week! But one amazing thing we bought is this mosquito zapper - I LOVE it! It looks like a tennis racket - but it ZAPS the mosquitos! And you can see a spark! Unfortunately - at night I can still hear the mosquitos buzzing past my ear... Annoying... Anyways - I gotta go! But I love you all! Lots and lots and lots!!! Still no package... But I have faith that it´ll get here someday...

Love,
Sister Dunlop

Spencer's email - 7/26/11

Hi family!!!

How are you guys??? I am good, a little under the weather today, but hey 1st time is 9 months... not too bad huh??? we did have a birthday party! it was cool a less active family bought a huuuuge cake for me and there grandson, so that was fun. we took pictures.... of the cake. then my battery died, but don’t worry ill go back and take pictures with all of them, they are probably one of the funniest families i have ever met. super funny. birthdays aren’t too different here. so it was practically the same! haha! but no.... no baptisms.... we tried and tried and tried so hard this week to have someone to baptize but they didn’t have really any investigators when i came so that was a big bummer. but this week we have a baptism, his name is eduardo. he is super cool he reminds me of Joe Vandomelon. He is just super calm and he used a wheelchair. yes i said it... i don’t know exactly how to baptize him.... but we will figure it out. about a year ago he was shot, and a bullet went into his spine. so now he is paralyzed from the chest down. sad huh? it is super strange, at night and in the morning it is super super cold, but during the day is it hot. so.... both. that is some crazy news!!! ribero preto, i have heard of it, unfortunately i have no idea where it is (from Teri, that was a comment about Adam Hopper going to Brazil for his mission).... and weddings?!?!?! goodness how strange! (From Teri, that was a comment on a few engagements.) My new comp is great! it is a little different here because 1 he is a brazillian, 2 we live just us two. so different but good too. the ward is super good, they like to help a lot and the missionaries get a lot of references. But the house.... well its struggling i guess it is the worst house in the mission. but we are looking for a new house to move so it´ll improve. Well that’s about it! we are doing good! i am good!! i love you guys!! an interesting thing i learned this week. john 16:33. ... be of good cheer... the most broken commandment of them all! we need to be happy to show the world about our special message! i am so grateful for my savior that he died for me so i can be happy--with you guys!! have an awesome week!! i love you!!

Elder Dunlop

PS. Maren you will get one next week, i wrote it but the post office is super far.

Brenna's email - 7/20/11

7/20/11

Hi!!!! Well guess where I am now???... It´s like Where´s Waldo? Except it´s Where´s Brenna... Okay - it isn´t really the same at all - it just came to my mind so I went with it... Anyways - I am still in Venda Nova with my same companion!!! Whoo!!! It was pretty funny because we didn´t believe it - Monday was the day of the phone call - and we didn´t get a phone call - but we were still waiting because we were pretty sure that we would get a phone call - so on Tuesday we were still waiting... Well - now - we are finally sure that we are staying - We didn´t believe it because we thought that more sisters were coming - but I don´t think we got any new sisters... So - all that worrying for no reason! Anyways, I am excited to stay here for another transfer! We are lining up a lot of people for baptism this week so it would have been pretty hard to leave before Sunday!!! I am excited to stay here with Sister Corbin too - she is a great worker! Well... the news of this week: this family that we baptised is AWESOME! They are super excited about everything! They are reading the scriptures, going to all the activities, starting personal progress, etc - it is so fun to see their progress and change!!! We were kinda mean yesterday - because they knew that transfers were this week so we went to their house and they asked us what was gonna happen - and we said that we were both being transferred - and then we said we wanted to bear our testimonies - and so I bore mine and then after Sister Corbin bore hers and at the end of her testimony, she said, ´´and I am greatful that we get to stay here 6 more weeks with you guys...´´ he he... Mean huh? But after we taught about testimonies - so it was a good lead in... right?... Last night we had an awesome family home evening - there were over 20 people there - this is a thing that we are starting in the ward - ward family home evening - and it has been AWESOME! Everyone is really excited about it! That´s been fun! So - as I said, we are teaching some amazing people - one is Marisa and she went to church with us, we´ve been teaching her - but I felt like there was something that was missing - something that she needs in her life - well I asked her about it and it turns out that she has had a really hard life - a while ago - her mom died, and then when she was trying to get over that, her husband died - leaving her with a daughter, and then her brother died, and then her dad left her, and then she was living with this guy and she had a son with him and when she got pregnant again, her boyfriend got mad that she was pregnant again - so he left her all alone - she has had a really hard life - so now we are showing her that she can have the happiness that she needs throught the gospel! Wow! We are also teaching a guy named Adriano - who walked by one day when we were teaching his friend ( a recent convert) and we invited him to church - and he actually went! He loved the church - turns out he has been searching his whole life for the true church - he was training to be a pastor in the Igreja Universal ( I don´t know the name of this church in english) but they were telling him that he needed to yell more - be more theatric - and he didn´t agree with that stuff... So he left... But now he has found the Church of Jesus Christ!!! We are teaching this guy that is kinda shy too - his name is Elvis - and he is really hard to get to participate in our lessons - but we know that he LOVES soccer - so we started comparing everything to soccer! It´s kinda fun... the commandments are like rules in soccer, tryouts - and making the team are like baptism, etc etc etc - it is helping! He is participating a lot more!!! Just gotta think outside the box... Lol... Well great - I just wrote this long email and now there is no internet connection here.... I hope it comes back soon... Cuz it is kinda important to have when I want to send an email!!! Maybe before the end of my mission I´ll get my package... Lol - I can´t believe they have to do an investigation!!!! And - I think it is hotter here - IN THE WINTER TIME - than it is there in the summer time... weird... But it has been way hot here! 32 degrees celcius... Ugh... But - I LOVE THIS WORK!!! And I LOVE THE GOSPEL!!! I can´t believe that I didn´t want to go on a mission my whole entire life - because it is the best thing that has ever happened to me!!! I am learning SO much! And I love helping people here! It makes me SO happy!!!


Have a fabulous week! I love you!


-Sister Dunlop


I think the internet came back... But I am really scared to send this and not have anything happen... We´ll see how this goes...

Spencer's email - 7/18/11

To my wonderful family,

Hey guys!!! Another week, and another transfer gone! woosh.... it goes fast!! Sounds like you guys are having a good week! with lots of rain, well it hasn’t rained here yet... ever since.............. a long time, we are in the dry season so it doesn’t rain until like september.... but yeah. Well transfers... duh duh duhhhhh.... I got transferred! I am in recantas das emas, with my comp elder Félix. Yes brazillian, and i am the senior comp. talk about big change.... that was a big surprise. But i hope it´ll be good. i sure will work hard.
I was pretty sad to leave planaltina because i really liked it there. it is super good there. We had a baptism of helioza this sunday and it was good. She was really happy. She has so much faith.... its crazy!!! only going to church 2 times and being baptized. But yeah. and we went and saw caio and aparecida and that was sad too because aparecida cried.... that was sad. its crazy how much you can really love the people so quickly. But hmmm what else happened. we had a festa junina.... a june party.... its like a ho-down haha! a coyboy party. they play country music and dress up and eat a lot of food made from corn.... well it was fun, ill send pictures later.,... this computer is terrible (as you can see from my typing-bad keyboard too) but yeah. But i loved serving with elder morris, he was super fun! And this week... i need to baptize! that´ll be super cool!!! i don’t really have too much more to say.... this week was super good we worked super hard. I know this church is true and it changes lives. i know that God loves us, so much that he even sent his first born son to suffer and die for us. what a blessing. I know that joseph smith was a prophet of god and that Thomas s Monson is the prophet today. I love you guys!!! today is really rushed! but have an awesome week!!! thank you for all the birthday wishes and i miss you!!!!

Elder Dunlop

Thanks!! just a little surprising!! goodness! 1st brazillian and senior comp and new area..... woah. a little stress maybe!! haha!!! have a super week mommy!!! i love you alot!!!! (a big hug)

Heliose's baptism

Brenna's email - 7/13/11

Well... at least my package is in Brazil... I guess... You think it´ll get here by next week??... Cuz transfers are next week! I can´t believe it - this transfer has FLOWN by! That is probably because the Lord has really blessed us in this transfer - we got a phone call last night and they said that Venda Nova (my area) is number 1 in our zone! That we smashed everyone else with our numbers... pretty cool huh? But it is definitely the Lord doing the work - we are just the lucky ones that get to enjoy the fruits of His labors! But this week was really really awesome - as I said - last Wednesday was Adilson´s baptism - and it was AMAZING!!! He was SO happy - as you can imagine - he has been waiting for this day for 2 YEARS!!! But it finally came! And his son got baptised too (he just turned 8) - and after his long wait the Lord is blessing him immensly - on Sunday he recieved the Gift of the Holy Ghost, a calling in the ward, and the priesthood! He got to help with his son when his other son also got the priesthood AND he baptised 3 people on Sunday! Busy day huh??? So basically... it was way worth the wait! And the Lord has a plan for everything - in His own time! Even if we have to wait 2 years... Cool huh??? Well - the 3 people he baptised - were our baptisms - so we had 4 baptisms this week! Cleidiane´s siblings got baptised (Greiciene, Greicielle, and Marcos Vinicius) and it was awesome - they were SO excited! I´m pretty sure that one day their parents will decide to get married too - their mom is loving church - and in relief society we had a lesson about eternal marriage - and I asked her what her favorite part about church was and she said that it was that class... hmm... planting seeds... We had an AWESOME family home evening last week - it was really cool - we have a man in our ward who is really awesome - he is always helping out - always going above and beyond to help in the church - but his family has no interest in the church... I don´t know why... but we had family home evening in their house and we brought a cookie - and we said that they had to make a cookie - exactly the same as the cookie that we brought - we had the ingredients there and everything - and we said, ´´ready, go!´´ Of course, no one was able to make the cookie the same - and the different groups all had different results - one group made a ´´cookie´´ that looked right - but it didn´t taste at all the same - and one group made a cookie completely wrong - didn´t look right or taste right - and then we compared this to apostasy and prophets - a prophet is like a recipe - durning the great apostasy - the people had the ingredients - (bible, etc) but they didn´t know how to use this stuff - so we ended up with a lot of different churches, a lot of different truths - BUT with a prophet (recipe) we know how to use/interpret these things to gain salvation - we had a perfect church with a true prophet of God!!! Pretty cool huh? - we came up with that one day during our companionship study! It turned out pretty awesome! Yesterday, we went out with a member all day - and it was great - he is the ward mission leader and he is WAY into missionary work and helping out - he is always going out with the elders - normally we can´t go out with a man - but he called President Parrella and President let him! But he just helped us out all day long - it was great to have a member in our lessons with us - and it made me think of what it would be like to go out with dad on the mission - cuz he even bought us a little snack! Oh - and I had a kinda scary experience this week... I probably shouldn´t tell you this - but I´m going to anyways... So - the showers are kinda different here... We don´t have water heaters - we just have shower heads that heat up the water right then and there - so we only have hot water in the shower - well anyways... I was taking a shower the other day and I heard this noise - and I looked up and THERE WAS A FIRE!!! It burned through the electrical tape! Yikes!!! I was really freaked out for a second - but it went away right away when I turned off the shower - well I didn´t really know what to do because I was covered in soap and the shower was being strange... My companion said I should just turn it back on - so I did and the fire came back! But then It had burned all the way through the wires and the electrical tape - so there was no way it would happen again - so I had to finish up my shower with cold water... Boo... But now it is fixed! So no worries! He he... Oh - the adventures we have here... I just bought really awesome shoes today! I really liked them - so I bought them - and then I realized that I´m gonna be REALLY tall in them... Oh well... I shouldn´t let my height limit me - right?! But they are awesome! I think I´m gonna buy lots of shoes here because they have AWESOME shoes in Brazil! And they´re cheap! By the way... just for future reference... What are Maren and Clara and mom´s shoe sizes?... So - I´m kinda nervous to see what´ll happen this transfer!!! It is SO hard to wait to get our phone calls!! Urg! If 2 sisters come this transfer - one person will become senior companion, 2 people will train, and one area will open... hmm... Well see what happens!!!! Well... I LOVE YOU ALL!!! Have a fabulous week!!! Keep writing me - cuz I love letters! And pray for my package... Cuz I want it... Lol - Oh - and everyone should read Doctrine and Covenants cuz it is AMAZING!!!!! I started yesterday and I´m already in Section 21 - cuz it is way awesome! Cuz the church is amazing - I am reading 3 Nephi and D&C at the same time - and it is way cool to see that the church is set up exactly the same when Christ was here and now!!! Awesome, awesome, awesome!!! Anyways, goodbye for now!!

-Love, Sister Dunlop

Hey Family!!

How are you all??? Luckies! you went to the beach and maren is in california! that’s awesome! But hey i guess I’m in a pretty cool place too huh?? This week was a lot better for us, we had a baptism!!! Caio. remember him? He is Aparecisa´s son, so that was cool! it turned out really well. He was really excited, and his mom loved it! So that was the highlight of the week. But this week we had a lot more success. we taught a lot more and we found a lot of awesome people. We met this Lady named Heloisa and she went to church and loved it, she had a date for the 24th (my birthday) but we decided it would be even better to do it this week, sooooo she is going to get the day off of work because she works every other day so she is going to trade with someone so she can get baptized this week. and yeah.... so its going super good!! and we have some people preparing for baptism for the 24th! so it is going super good!
So for my funny story of the week. We were teaching Heloisa one day, and her friend walked in-- kelly. So we were teaching the law of chastity, and kelly is a very snakey lady (you guys know what snakey means??) anyway the conversation got on about how we can’t date on the mission and stuff like that... So she was like "oh it would be so good to find a guy that helps me be better and stuff" anyway we said well you can find one at church this sunday. She was like oh. and then we jokingly said we will find one for you!! and then she said "well can i choose??" we were like "sure..." and then she pointed at me and said "him" ... ... ... so i had to explain that i am a missionary and everything but she was like "I’ll wait" ... awkward... but yeah... she even said she would go to the United States... so that was my awkward/funny/snakey story of the week!
But this is the last week of the transfer so i will be emailing on Monday next week! so don’t forget! but i really loved this transfer, we worked super hard, and i learned a lot!! oh and i did get my package, and i have to confess.... i opened it!! I’m not going to lie!! But i love it!!! I was super happy when it opened it!! ill the stuff to give to kids!! oreos!! some sweet shorts! (basketball shorts are a delicacy here.... they don’t have them) and i loved the testimonies! the birthday stuff and frosting! whoa! that was super fun!! great idea mom!! you guys are the best!! and You know i will for sure be doing?!?! Baptizing!! i can’t think of a better thing than that!! whoa!! and it’s cool because my birthday is a sunday! so i can do it on my birthday!
Well I love you guys so much! I just like to say that i know this church is true, i learned a really good lesson this week. we started off really slow this week, and we realized that the only thing that changed was the zone lowered the goal for the zone to 15 contacts. so were were teaching like 3 lessons.... each day. But e went back to 25 contacts and our numbers shot up to teaching 5-6 ish members, 13 lessons each day!! it was crazy! so i learned that the more we do the more God does. I love the scripture in 1 nefi 16:8-9 that says the after Lehi had completed all the commandments then God gave him more instruction and let him progress. we need to do all of our part before we can even think about expecting blessings! but i know that they always do come!
I love this church, and i love you guys!! have an awesome week!!!

Elder Dunlop