Sorry it's been so long. No excuses. It has been a hectic 2 weeks. We had some problems with the computer systems we are using for our church work. The system is set up to allow only employees, and since we are paying for this opportunity instead of getting paid, we are not consider employees. We contacted the systems help desk in Salt Lake and worked with them to trying and figure out how to get around that problem but they couldn't, so the area director in Sao Paulo had to work through this until we were finally given an employee number and then we could enter the systems. We are now employees of the church, but our pay is deposited in a heavenly account.
Janet has started teaching a English class in the ward here. There are quite a few people who attend; about 7-8 the 1st week, but now it has about 15-20. They all want to learn how to speak from an American. We also have attended a seminary class and an institute class. It is interesting; each ward or branch is expected to have at least one seminary class and one institute class. Part of our job is to enter attendance into the church's CES system, so we have 22 seminary classes and 22 institute classes for which we have responsibilties. The seminary classes meet 4 days a week and the institute classes meet once a week. This classes are as close as 1/2 mile to as far away as 225 miles.
This past week end we traveled to Vitoria da Conquista, about 150 miles away, to meet with the stake presidency, do some teacher training and attend an Institute class. We request or hotel room through Sao Paulo, but because there was a big concert there on the same weekend, there were no rooms available. We called one of teachers there and she gave us the name and number of the 2nd counselor in the stake presidency who is over seminaries and institute. He was very kind and we stayed with him and his family. It was good to see the church works the same every where in the world. We also had to opportunity to talk in church the next morning. We returned to Itabuna Sunday afternoon. One thing to know; Vitoria da Conquista is quite high in the mountains and it was cold.
This week we had the opportunity to meet the mission president and his wife. There was a zone conference here in Itabuna and he invited us to it. We had an enjoyable time. They are both very sharp and very kind. Well, that about does it for now. It has been a good 2 weeks and the Lord has bleesed us. The work is going well. The church is true.

We spent the last of our two weeks in Sao Paulo visiting Institutes and Seminaries. We are really over loaded with information.

On Saturday, Ausgust 8th we went to a small city outside of Sao Paulo with two other missionary couples. There were many arts and craft booths and stores. We had a leisurely lunch at an ourdoor cafe.

Sunday we spoke at the MTC at a branch sacrament meeting.

On Monday we left for Itabuna early in the morning. We had a stop in Belo Horizonte, Salvadore and finally Ileus. We arrived in Itabuna by taxi. Our apartment is nice with three bedrooms, two baths and very little furniture.

We spent the week working with the former Institute director, We went on an official visit to a city south of here, Vittoria da Conquista.

July 30 -August 1,2009

It is Saturday here. We finally had a day without rain. There was some sunshine to. We spent most of yesterday in a city about 40 miles away called Jundiai. We went there to work with the secretary at that Institute who had been the previous secretary at the Institute in Itabuna. We stayed there overnight in a motel called Intercity. It was like being in the US at a Holiday Inn or Ramada Inn. It was very nice and the free breakfast was great. Lots of fresh fruits, taost, scrambled eggs and such. The secretarty showed us how to use the Church's web site for CES to find out about the the seminaries and institutes for which we will have responibilities.
On Thurday, we spent about 6 hours at an Institute (Taboao) that is about 1/2 mile from were we are staying. There we learned about the various classes that are avaiable, how the schedule is put together, what resources an institute has and so forth. We came back to Sao Paulo in the early afternoon and are now relaxing. As we get more at ease with this blogging, we will do a better job of keeping you posted. It is great to be here to serve th Lord.