10-21-13

Dear Mom and Dad,

                             Thank you for the message. It´s still great to hear from you, and whatever you send is wonderful. It´s great to hear the the mission work is doing well at home. It´s pretty cool how most of the youth are now going out on their missions. It is a hard choice to make and you do sacrifice a lot. It is said about the frains. It is true that when you hit the age of 18 or above that everyone likes to ask the same questions over and over. Sort of like college. The problem is that it is a great blessing to serve, but people in the church aren´t as understanding as we think sometimes. I run into a lot of gossip and arguments that start over the smallest of things, and if a young mnan doesn´t serve a mission they think less of him.

   It wouldn´t be bad for me to pass by the dentist, even though that´s not going to happen for a little more then a year. A lot of people here take care of their teeth, but many are missing some, or could pass by the dentist. The problem is that things are expensive here in Brazil. It shows through it´s difference in the higher up Rich class, the the poverty that is mostly in the northeast, where I´m serving. Many people live in very bad condtions and don´t have the help they need. There are many who don´t have the will to fight their way out of the poverty. We have a nice house with water, a fridge, beds and a bathroom. We get fed by the members,too. I´ve gained an appreciation of everything I had before the mission, and what little we have now. Thanks for working hard  to raise me. 

   Speaking of food, I do miss American food. The food is good here, but thats only when a member goes out of their way to make something nice. We live farther away from the grocery stores downtown, so we rarely buy to much for us to eat at home. Usually it´s just a little snack in the morning and another at night. I do miss american cheeses, restaurants and all the different types of food, but I´ll be able to truck along for about another year. 

   I´m sorry that I´ve forgotten everyones´ birthdays. I´ve been to focused on everything that´s been happening with me that I´ve forgotten alittle bit about home. Happy Birthday Mom. I hope that it was a good one and that everything will get better by the next one. Happy Birthday,  Dad. Thank you for all the advice and all that you and Mom have done for me, and are still doing for me. 

Love, Jacob