A Message from the Mission President

Dear Family,

   We reached the end of another year of hard work and challenges but also many miracles.   We know that you have received weekly reports about our mission and what is going on here through emails and letters sent by your missionary, and at the end of the year we feel we should thank you for all the prayers and fasting and on behalf of your child and our mission. Thank you for the commitment and all the diligence in teaching them correct principles throughout their lives, which has made a big difference,  a big difference in their work as a missionary. Thank you for the great sacrifice you are making by sending your son to serve the Lord for this time, even though they are not there for you to enjoy their presence in the important moments and everyday with your family. Thank you for every word of encouragement and motivation to help them develop more and more in their faith.   It is because of all you have done to help your child be a great missionary that we are living in a wonderful time in our mission, because this year many families have had the privilege to know the Savior Jesus Christ and join his church, wards were split and four new stakes were established here.   We also know that the fact of having a child be a representative of the perfect and living Savior Jesus Christ, is a great joy and many blessings will come to your child and your family, because everything we're doing is because of him and his "work and glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."
  It is in this spirit that we give our testimony that Jesus Christ lives, He is the son of God and our Savior who redeemed us, and this has been our joy to "invite people to come to Christ, by helping them to receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.

                                  Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
                                        President and Sister Campos.
                                            Brazil Belem Mission

Im transferring to Castanhal tomorrow!

Hey mom! Good Morning! So its transfer time and you jinxed me! Im transferring to Castanhal tomorrow! Thanks haha. Its the third farthest away zone, I wont know what area of Castanhal ill be in yet, or who my comp will be, but ill know tomorrow when im in the taxi on my way there. So yea, im pretty excited to go somewhere new, but sad at the same time. Cause I love Marituba. The Bishop told me to give a talk yesterday because I was leaving, And I gave a talk on Missionary Work. And how everyone can help out, and everyone is super sad that im leaving. We had a ward party last night for me and stuffed my face with pizza. This was a great area to be born in, and I cant wait to see what Cashanhal is like. Ive heard its huge city. I have to pack all my stuff tonight, ive already packed most of it, but my clothes are still wet, and they smell bad cause they havnt dried in days, it just rains soo much now.

Im kind of glad I didnt get all my packages at once, it just leaves me something else to look forward too, and Sister Burtons package is going to last me a while. Im already half way into the jar of peanut butter and the twizzlers are almost gone! The music she put on the MP3 player is soooo legit! You def need to give her a huge hug for me!!

Ahh, so my thumb just started to bleed again, At the mission conference I was cutting an orange *Obviously my first time to cut with a realllllly sharp blade* and the blade just went right through my the top of my thumb. I hope it just goes away, But ive been keeping it clean dont worry.

At the mission conference we played Futeball and futeball americano, And then we got to watch Ratatouille *its the Disney movie about the rat that cooks* Ahhh!! Ive never been sooo excited to watch a movie in my life, halfway during to movie It almost felt like I was back in the states and then everyone is like hey look some monkeys! haha, So there were like 12 monkeys in the trees around us. Those things are sooooo sweet!

For Christmas Eve we ate all day, and for Christmas we ate all day as well, And were still eating everyones leftovers, So I actually think I may have gained weight this week, But I doubt it cause we had to walk miles to everyones houses to eat there food haha.

But yea, I loved talking to you guys, It felt like just last week I was home. But sooo much has changed for me. I hope yalls movie was good, and that yall had a sweet Christmas and going to have a even better New Years. And tell Justin that I miss him a lot and that im jealous of his DSI and will prolly steal it when I come home haha. And tell Destinee that its sooo not fair that she got an Itouch ha. And sorry, Im not going to be able to send pics today, because I packed my cord to my camera and I was too lazy to get it out. Tell Everyone I said Merry Christmas and to have a Happy New Year as well! Love you all soo much! gotta go visit some more people before I leave!! Tchau!!

you gotta do what you gotta do to survive here

Hey mom, so yea ill be calling sometime after lunch. sometime after 3 but before 4. and this is my time, so I dont know what time it will be over there. But yea, getting pretty excited for that! Its Christmas time!! And it doesnt really feel like it at all! Its going into the rainy season here and it rains like all day... It stinks.. We get soooak everyday. And the roads turn into mud, so its like walking on ice. and pants get super muddy.  But its great experiences and funny stories to tell when I get back! I wont even start on the stuff that happens in the rain. 

A Brazilian Jungle Wanderer. They are so fast! We broke it's leg though.

So the other day i was taking a shower and right when I was all soaped up and my hair all shampooed, the water turns off... So I was like shoot... and I saw a little tiny drip coming from the sink.. So I was like you gotta do what you gotta do to survive here.. ha. Man! When I get back to the States life is going to be sooooooooo easy! I washed the dishes at a members house after lunch yesterday, and they dont have sinks they have a wooden table behind there house and a huge bowl of water, so they taught me how to wash dishes, and I am sooooo grateful for dishwashers!! I have a pic ill send. 

I am so grateful for dishwashers!

So next to the big statue of Jesus here in Marituba, theyre setting up a bunch of Christmas stuff and rides! So ill try to take some pics today. And yesterday we had 2 baptisms! Theyre the coolest kids in the world! Im going to send home a bunch of pics today for yall. i hope you like them. 

The coolest kids!

And no, I havnt received any packages yet. But tomorrow is our mission Christmas party, and were going to play futeball and EAAAAT! Its going to be GREAT!! and theyll bring all the mail there so hopefully ill have something!! And you said you sent a bunch of letters too? Would be great. I love letters! And in the Liahona magazine, it talks about my mission. I think it just might be the Brazilian one, but dunno. Our stake got split last week, So Im no longer in the Cabanagem stake, Its growing soo much here! 

SO who else is preparing for a mission? Anything new? How are the missionaries there? The number ill be calling from for Christmas is xxxxxxxx. Just saying. Oh, and if you could send me some pics from home, like my one from fireman, that was my profile pic. and some other good ones of stuff, cause everyone wants to see pics!!  I love you guys! And cant wait to hear from you on Christmas! tchau!!
Elder Arroyo

wish them all a Feliz Natal!

Hey mom! So I cant remember anything that happened this week!! Agh! Ok, So this week was pretty ordinary. I am talking Portuguese like a pro! ha, I wish, I still have a huge American accent. But the people love it, so its all good.


Ok, So my pants are a lame fabric because every time they come out of the washing machine, they have white stuff all over them. I dont know whats up. But I have to haaaaannndd wash them. My shirts are showing the work that im doing, slightly turning yellow.

So it doesnt feel like Christmas at all. Its still as hot as ever. They dont have snow decorations no. But they have Christmas trees. really tiny ones. No one uses the full size ones. And some people put lights on there homes. But this is Marituba and its super ghetto, so no one really has the money to buy stuff for Natal. Papai Noel is the name of the man in the big red suit. And all the kids know him. They all are super excited for Christmas. 12 days till Christmas! And no I havent gotten any new packages. I hope they hurry!! I cant wait to see what yall got me!!! And yea, ive been in Marituba for 2 months now. Im getting pretty close to the ward! And Ill prolly stay another transfer or two. But if I get transferred I want to go to Santarem or Macapa! Those are areas super far away! In Macapa you can visit the equator and in Santarem you have to take a plane and an 8 hour boat ride! Its more deep in the Amazon. and Macapa is just more north.

Im feeling better. Dont worry. I have a thing of hardcore vitamins that the mission gives us for free. and every six months they give us Worm medicine. So I think ill be good.

Ummmm, A message for the ward? I dont really know what to say, Im getting nervous! I feel like im about to give a talk or something haha. Just let them know that I want them to keep me in their prayers for my health and my strength, and that this mission is turning me into a humble, Beautiful man. haha That I love all of them and wish them all a Feliz Natal. I dont know, you can add some more stuff if you want from my other letters or something Just make it good.

So yea, Ive been emailing Mark now for like 2 or 3 weeks, and hell ask his mission pres if he can continue emailing me! Hope so! Sorry that this email stinks! But theres like 6 kids playing WoW next to me and theyre just playing it sooo wrong! haha, Let the Austins know I love them! And thank them for all the times they fed me when I came over. Ahh! And thank sister Bradford! For being my seminary teacher! And tell her im sorry that I was such a slacker, I regret it now. But ill be waiting for your packages!! Cant wait to see what Santa got me this year! I love you mom! Have a great week!

Com Amor,

Elder Arroyo

there was a spider protecting an egg nest that it was growing on my shirt.

Hey mom. Ahhh, Thats soooo great to hear that I have stuff coming to me!! I love you guys!! For reals! Justin is hooked to shooting guns?? Oh great.. haha. Get that kid back on video games. So yea.... about the baptism this week.. It didnt happen. Long Story. But were going to baptize 3 families for Christmas. Pray for them to keep progressing! 

Where we baptize

My stomach is doing great actually! When I get home, Im prolly never going to get sick ever again. But the other day, We were walking and I almost past out on the street. Like my eyes got super dizzy and I just sat down on the side of the road. My comp said its the water here getting to me. So that was pretty scary. And I feel weak right now and my eyes are turning dark. So I hope its nothing super bad. But its almost guaranteed to get Dangi Fever here. So pray for me not to die. aww man, this morning I went out to get my clothes off the clothes line (which never dry) and I took one of my shirts off the clothes line and there was a spider on it protecting an egg nest that it was growing on my shirt........ Lets just say, im wearing that shirt last. 

Me lookin good

So guess what, I have already lost a little over 50 pounds so far... crazy huh? And its still just melting off of me everyday. I dont know if ive told yall yet, but its required that we take 2 showers a day here cause we sweat so much, and just to like check your self for like crazy bugs and stuff. But the showers are freezing... I dont remember what a warm shower feels like, Its sooo hard to take the morning showers here, cause its just like ice water being poured on you right when you get out of bed.. But im getting use to it. And after my morning shower, I make an Amazon milkshake. With like 3 different fruits in it, and then I put in some oatmeal and milk, and drink that for my breakfast. Its pretty amazing. When I get home I want to run in Marathons! For real! I dont know why, but that’s all ive been thinking about. My clothes are getting pretty big on me. and I have 3 new belt holes in my belt. 

oh man. So there is this bird, that just loves to scare the crap out of us. It will just fly into the house like a torpedo and fly back out. and I swear its the same bird every time. Its pretty frightening when your not paying attention. Theres nothing better than hearing your comp scream like a girl. Oh and mom that package was great! I use that Gold Bond stuff for my feet everyday.. it helps a lot. And the peanut butter was.. heaven.. MY comp was like ahhh let me have a little of that. And I was like no way man, I need this stuff. It was amazing and so were the candies. I love packages. Were running a little late today! So im going to have to end it! And I dont have any pics.. sorry! Well! Actually, ill send one that I took just messing around! K! Love you guys! Family! Pray for me!

Love, Elder Arroyo