Home!

This post is from me, Elder Arroyo's mom. I want to thank everyone that has followed Elder C. Arroyo these past two years on his mission in Belem, Para, Brazil. I watched through his emails that I shared on this blog a testimony grow in his heart while he taught, made friends, endured hard ships and put all his faith in the Lord's work.
I sent out a boy that had just graduated high school weeks before he left and when he returned two years later I welcomed home a man.

Im coming home tomorrow mom!!!

Im coming home tomorrow mom!!! WOOWOWOW!! Im going nuts!! I just feel like so confused! So many things are happening and so fast! All my bags are packed and are at the mission home! And all my fruits are in the freezer!! :D:D I bought like a styrofoam box to put in the fruits so it doest melt `too bad`.

Just so many feelings right now. I went to lunch at Subway with some other Americans. But only im going home, and some other brasilians.. Its going to be crazy tonight in the mission house :) me with all brasilians!! Im going to try to sleep. I actually dont think ill have a prob with that. Im exhausted.... And RED.. hah.. Hope it tans before i get home. Yesterday we all watched the dedication to the Manaus Temple! It was awesome! My first temple opening.

But yea mom! Cant wait to see everyone! I know everyone is going to look so different! I hope I recognize you guys when I get there. And I hope yall recognize me! We´ll all be just soo lost. Well! Ill see yall in a couple days!! :!!!:!:!:!:!!:!:!!:!!:!:!:! CRAZY!!

LOVE YALL!! Everyone be at the airport or be SQUARE!!
Elder Arroyo

Ill come home with honor and ill come home working!

Wow... It feels so weird to think ill be going home next week.... Let me tell you how fast the time flies by.. Fast..! But I wont stop working till the end! Yet again we baptised this Saturday, and We have to baptise my last Saturday! It feels like yesterday that I was all over the internet looking up stuff about Brasil and Pará.. Feeling the nervous anticipation to get out into the field and work! Well, Its just about over now.

We just got back from Ver-O-Peso, We went there with a family from by ward. Its weird that I talked with this guy on Facebook before I came into the mission field. Were going to have my last family night at his house too. I got a bunch of cool things today! Yall are gonna have a blast when I get back. I got a bunch of little cool stuff. And im going to do ALLLLL I can to bring back some cupuaçu.. It just wont ever be the same without it... And yall just have to try it.

My birthday was really fun! A man that we baptised a couple weeks ago, his wife got me a HUGE cake of Cupuaçu... It was amazing. We had to bring some to members cause it was soo big. And then we had a party at a members house, and watched the opening to the USA vs Brasil game.... Heard that didnt go so good.. ha.. were still hearing about that.

So yea just as long as yall are at the airport when I get there everything will be good. As for the food... Anything but rice and beans.. Anything... ha. Maybe we can hit up a place that has like pancakes or biscuits and gravy.


Im anxious to come home! And sad at the same time.. Cause I know its going to be hard to come back here.. Im going to miss it a lot...

I just cant wait to see all you guys when I get back! Everything is going to be so much different... 2 different worlds.. Im gonna have to do something with my hammock. Im def bringing it home. That thing saved my life so many times. But dont worry. Ill come home with honor and ill come home working!

:D Love you mom!

I hope I never forget what its like to be a Paráense

Wow... Today was a fun day. I got you guys some cool stuff dont worry! And took a lot of photos!

So we baptised Saturday, and tonight were doing a movie night and watching the Testaments at a recent converts house with his not member wife!! WOO!! POPCORN!! Im living up all the days and all the hours and minutes that I can before I leave.. The time is going by so fast. I remember when I was in the MTC and just thinking that 2012 would never come.. Well, Its here. And now the end is near. Im taking in deep breathes breathing in the air. Taking a good look around. And I hope I never forget what its like to be a Paráense.. I now know the importance of serving a full time mission. I cant see how my vision would have ever opened without going through these 2 years.

Keep Justin workin hard in school! Thats great that he got all A´s.. hah. Help him start to read the Book of Mormon. So that when its his turn, He´ll be ready. I know that all these things are true.

I love you mom.
Elder Arroyo

Mother's Day with Elder Arroyo!!!

I am a very happy missionary mom!

Mom! I love you! It was great to talk to you yesterday!

I love Elder Wheeler

Wow! Just Miracles in the end.. So our investigator Magno, That Ive been teaching since ive been here, was baptised Saturday. And his wife was there and she definitely felt the spirit. He was confirmed yesterday, and wow... he looked like a stake president, he bought a nice suit, and tie. And we are going to everything we can so that he can baptise his wife this week. Yesterday at church, this guy came up to us and asked to be baptised this Saturday.. And we announced his baptism in sacrament! So im definitely going to end with Miracles.
haha, I love Elder Wheeler. We are just rolling here in Cabanagem! We are going to change this place. We are making signs to put over all the city, that we are going to teach English at the church on Fridays at 7pm. And Every Thursday were going to have activities in the church. Were  definitely bringing a lot of people to church. we have 10 investigators at church yesterday. And 3 we are working to be baptised Saturday. I know that this is the work of God.

I went to a leadership training meeting last week, it was great. But the best part was that, I got a package from Sister Burton! ha, She is letting me borrow her camera. Thank goodness it came in on time. I miss my camera so much. But now im taking pictures all the time again!

Cant wait to talk to yall next Sunday!! that went fast!! We still gotta find a place to skype. But I dont think that will be hard. We will prolly call yall on Saturday.
I know that the church is True, and that Jesus Christ lives.

Love you mom. Elder Arroyo

I wont stop working till the end!!

Holy Smokes! This is my LAST TRANSFER!! Man, I did not want Elder Rocha to get transferred.. But hes leaving.. And im getting Elder Wheeler! An American. I think he is from Washington. I have never seen him or talked to him before. I think he has about a year. But yea...Last transfer..

So a almost sacrificed a sheep the other day from reading the Old Testament so much! The other day an investigator that we have been teaching since I got here, told us that he wants to be baptised this Saturday! Wow! We were amazed! We are going to do all that we can, So that he will be baptised juntos with his wife. But for now, His wife says that she is not ready yet.. YET! Saturday I know that she will be ready. But the work here is going really great. We found a good bit of new people this past week to teach and I know that we will have baptisms every week till I go home!


We have been playing B-Ball, Every Saturday at the church. and today I amazing myself... I wish dad would still have up that promise about the Slam Dunk.. Cause today my comp went to shoot a goal, and I jumped and made an Ally hoop! I can dunk easy with one hand.. Its the two hands thats hard. But ill get there.

So today, a missionary that was going home passed by our house with his mom! I was like, man.. I would like to do that when I go home.. Who knows, its open if yall wanna come get me. Or Jimmy or something. But if not its ok. I wont stop working till the end!!

Elder Arroyo

I know that blessings come from being obedient

My knowledge of the gospel has been expanding. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, And I have studied and pondered it my whole mission. When this year started I made a goal to read the bible. I never gave much attention to it, because I thought it was hard to understand, and just never gave it a chance...  But since January I have seen my vision of the church and the world and my life and everything changed. Many gospel principles were made clear to me now. Today I finished 2 Samuel and now ill be going into Kings. I feel like I understand so much more now, and I cant stop reading it! Its like playing a video game for me. I cant put it down..

So these past couple weeks Ive been talking with my comp about my clothes.. Theyre all way too huge..!! So I prayed and asked the Lord of what I should do. and Saturday, a guy from our ward gave me a pair of pants that he said were left behind in the temple.  And I tried them on, they are perfect fit on me. And perfect length as well. I was surprised. and he said he has another pair of pants for me, that his wife just needs to sew  a little.  And as well. I will send you a pic of my belt another day. But it is awful.. for reals.. Ive taped it  i dont know how many times.  And yesterday at church,  a member said to pass by his house to pick up my new belt. Man, I know the Lords hand is in this.

We have been teaching a family since I got here. They are awesome!! Just need to jump in the water.. I know the Lord will prepare them.

This is the only true church in this world, there doesnt exist more.. Without the Holy Melchizedek priesthood, all ordinances are done in vain. I  am grateful to have been raised in the standards of the church. never more will I take that for granted.. I know that blessings come from being obedient ao senhor. and being obedient and fulfilling our covenants with God. we can have our place in the Kingdom of God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love you mom. Elder Arroyo

Monkeys start flying out from everywhere

Woo! So we baptised this Saturday! The baptism machine is starting back up here! Every week vai have a baptism! We played basketball this morning. Just to get the blood running.. Its been a while since Ive exercised because of this cold.

Wow, I wish I could send a video of what happened the other day. So I was studying and my desk is next to the door of our apartment. Were on the second story, and the road in the front of our apartment has a huge wall that separates the city from the forest. And I see a little tiny monkey on the wall. I was like cool, Im going to take its picture. So I go out on the balcony and start taking pics, it was like 20 yards away. And like 3 little kids in there underwear start throwing bread at the monkey. And literally 5 seconds later the trees in the forest start to shake and monkeys start flying out from everywhere haha. I took a video, and there ends up being about 15 monkeys on the wall dancing to get food thrown at them. It was pretty cool. Ill see if I can at least send a pic.

I see 3 monkeys in the photo.
Two monkeys are sitting on the wall and one monkey is just above the one on the right sitting on a branch.

Every week it seems harder to think about what to write.. Im running out of things to say. Thats crazy that school is over in a month.. And in about 3 weeks ill be able to call home for the last time. And yea, Its way easier to buy stuff where I am now. If anyone wants something specific let me know.

I know the church is true. That Thomas Monson is our prophet and revelator in these days, and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.

Elder Arroyo

bunches of little tiny monkeys.

Man, Every time Jimmy gets sick, we have to get sick at the same time.. haha. I remember the time that I stayed home from school sick to play halo, and Jimmy came home after seminary hahah `sick` to play with me.. Great times.. Ive been sick since last Tuesday. .And.. All I can say is LAST COLD  ON THE MISSION!! We already went to the street market and I bought tons of fruits. So Im hoping by tomorrow Ill be fine..

I love my ward sooo much!! Its almost like a ward from the states!! Well as close as it gets! I bore my testimony yesterday, I think everyone thought I was crying, but it was my cold. I was practically dieing in the air conditioner.

So yea!! before the mission I met a guy from  Belem on Facebook!! and chatted with him a bunch! And turns out that hes from this ward! His family is awesome!

How was Easter for us? Lets  just say that the Easter bunny forgot to pass our house hah. I  forgot that it was even Easter. But I really got to expand my knowledge of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Everyone here eats fish on `holy Friday`.. It was good. It made me homesick for Bragança ..

Oh! Just a little cool thing that happened the other day.. We were walking down a road as always and we passed by a huge mango tree, and in it were bunches of little tiny monkeys.. It was a cool sight..

Thats crazy that Desto is preparing to drive!! Shes growing up..

I miss everyone a lot! And cant wait to see yall in a little!!

Love you mom!!
Elder Arroyo