Parachutes

That's basically what you can call my pants right now. I need to take them in. But that's more of a blessing than a problem.

Hello family and friends! (Although the friends are more like family...) Hope you're all well!

I apologize that my emails stopped the last few weeks. Basically it's because my time's been cut. Even today I'm running short, so this will be a quick update that my mother will add to (there were some random, Elder Buchanan-nesses in her email)

So there’s a missionary "rule" that says email needs to be 1-1/2 hours but I call that bullhonky. No one can show me in the missionary manual OR in the supplement to the manual that our president gave and I've never heard it in a training, zone or district meeting. But hey, I'll look into it. I have rules as a missionary and if that's one of them I'm going to be obedient.

This week has been a heck ton of walking. Nothing too funny to report that sticks out in my mind.

But something DOES stick out. A young woman named Otilia that we met a little while back has decided to be baptized! We're so excited for her. She said that ever since she started talking to us she's had more peace in her life. That as she's prayed and read the Book of Mormon her ability to cope with her difficulties calmly has increased. She says she has a testimony that it’s true! She is such an amazing person :) I feel blessed to have been lucky enough to have met her and seen God work miracles in her life :) Pictures to come! :)

Have a fantastic week everyone! I love you all and miss you all :)

Abraço,

Elder Buchanan

I got my camera cord!!

Check out my sweet ride!

After noite familiar (a game we played at FHE a few weeks ago)

Elder DaSilva and I ate at the castle. That's Rio Tejo behind us. Plus us chillin' on the hill.

The end of my first transfer... Elder Fortes (left), Elder Buchanan, Elder Cluff, Elder Domingos (front), Tatian (girl in the middle), Irma Carma and Gustavo

 I made some guetto BBQ chicken on the stove, next time we'll use the grill. Wasn't half bad and the sauce was pretty close, no perfect but close.

May the 4th be with you!

Sorry. Had to use it. National StarWars day. Too bad I can't celebrate it!

So Honestly I'm pressed for time, I would love to send you a lengthy update, but this 3 liner will do it for this week, perhaps my mother could include excerpt from her letter (because she takes priority, sorry all)

This week has been a good one, full of hard work and fun. My Portuguese is coming along. It's like life, only I talk to every person I can. I feel really bad about this, but that's literally all I have time to write. I miss you all sincerely.

Have a good week!

Abraço, 

Elder Buchanan

Here is a little from my letter:

I regret to say that I fell quickly out of the habit of keeping notes of my days, but I promise to restart with this week. But I can remember a few good things to tell you about.

I like the food here. It's pretty swell. Even though I haven't had a HECK ton of Portuguese dishes, I've had a few and I've liked them. I can eat just about anything.

I'm getting a hold of this language, but I'm honestly just beginning. People can understand me, but I want them to be able to pay more attention to WHAT I say and not HOW I say it. I want to be able to speak unhindered as the voice of the Lord, but I can't do that if I don't know how to form sentences well. It'll be a work in progress probably for two years. But I can understand a lot more now. 

Speaking of food (again) We were talking with two of our AWESOME members here, Soria and her mother Teresa the other day as we walked home from church. Soria's 16, strong in the gospel and hilarious, her mother is very sweet and a hard worker. Soria was saying how she believed that the two best things in life are food and sleep. I agreed and then said, "Then it makes sense why missionaries are always hungry! Because they can't sleep!" haha :) It was funnier in Portuguese.

It's been a week of ups and downs. We didn't really teach as much as we wanted, it was hard. We fasted, but that still yielded no results. But the Lord works no miracles until AFTER our faith and right now He's testing ours. So I'm just going to put my head down, work harder and keep having faith and He will give us success. Abinadi had 1 baptism, but he was the most successful missionary in history. We have the whole rest of the Book of Mormon because of him. He "had 1 baptism" but he saved thousands of souls because of that baptism. It's not the number, it's whether I was diligent :)