Goodbye Rio Pardo



The Baptism on Friday with L and G :)

Dear Mom,
I just got the news that I'll be being transferred from this area.  I'm pretty sad to leave here, but we finished off the week strong.  Last week was a miracle week, and I'll get to all that in a few minutes.  I will really miss Rio Pardo, and Isaac puppy for that matter!  I just got your e-mail informing me of the bad news.  The worst is since he died on 4th of July we will always remember the day!  To be completely honest I figured he would die while I was on the mission anyways, I was just waiting to hear about how he got run over or something like that.  I'm glad he just died of old age.  Although, kind of sucks that you just bought that invisible fence thing, and now you have no dog!
     Rio Pardo has by far been the best area of my mission.  I've been with the best companion of my mission, and I've grown a lot here.  This is exactly where I wanted to be this transfer, and we finished up with 3 baptisms, and I got to hop in the water as well this time :).
     I remember how fast you got me down to get my Driver's license, you couldn't wait, and now you are all, "We'll wait just a few more months"  Poor Spencer :P.  Sometimes being first born works to your advantage it appears.
     The Davis family in our stake('s son) married my mission president's Daughter (Hence Davis instead of Wright for the last name).
     So last week was a week of miracles like I said before, obviously finishing up with 3 convert baptisms :).  Last Wednesday L told us that she did not want to get baptised anymore, the day before her interview.  We tried our hardest to change her mind, but nothing worked.  We then went over to our ward mission leader's wife Nara and asked her to talk with L. At 9:30pm, L gave us a call and told us that she still wanted to be baptised.  Holy Macaroni!  What a relief that was.  The Baptismal services went really well, and we actually had a ton of investigators there as well.
    Probably the best part of last week was Sunday Morning though.  A family that we've been working with, M and J, came to church with their 4 adorable little girls.  Seeing them happy at church will forever be a treasured memory of mine.  When we arrived there for the first time, they were losing their house, wanted to split up after 10 years together and 4 children, and were absolutely miserable.  Now they have a new better house, they are still together, and they are happy.  The change that the gospel makes in peoples lives is absolutely outstanding.  There is nothing that could bring me more happiness than knowing that I saved a family from the pains of Divorce.  What greater blessing exists than this?
     There are a ton of amazing things up and coming in Rio Pardo, but the sad news is I'm being transferred, so it really has little to no importance anymore...  Elder Black is training next transfer, and I'm excited that his greenie will have an amazing first Transfer in the mission.  I just wish I'd be here too.  But what comes around goes around, so maybe I'll inherit another area just as amazing as Rio Pardo.  I have no idea if I'll have a Brasilian or American companion.  All I know is it's time to go pack my bags.

Love,
Elder Henry


We found a gecko!  How cool is that?



 Baptism on Saturday with W



The Baptism on Saturday, all looks normal, but something in this picture doesn't belong...
(Look under the chairs)