Francisinia!

Well go ahead...how were the fireworks?

Bom dia a Todos! (Good morning to all!)

Well this has certainly been a week of highs and lows. Many interesting topics, and so little attention span, what shall we begin with? Ah yes...the francisinia.

It was...eh. I think everyone built it up too much for me in all actuality. It’s more of a culturally cool thing to have because it's unique. Like, I liked it, but I think it'll be more of a cultural thing in the future; I'll spend my time on trying other stuff here. But it was good. I forgot to take a picture! But Elder Gilbert took one in the middle so I'll ask him to send that to me. The sauce wasn't quite as spicey as I thought and the flavor of it was a bit different, but it was good. The only part I didn't like is that the piece of bread on the bottom just gets soggy and gross. bleck. But yeah. I'd recommend it for the experience. I certainly feel full, which is good. (Part of your calling as a missionary is to never be full. We just never are.)

It's crazy how much my palate has changed. Maybe its desperation because like I said, I never feel full or it’s just the culture shock that rearranged my taste buds, but I've really hardly had anything that I didn't down with ease, if not like. Strange. Maybe when I can afford to be, I'll be a little choosier again, but I think I've certainly learned that I can get down whatever’s put in front of me until I'm not hungry while smiling like I love it :) haha

I forgot to tell you I've eaten octopus!!! I totally forgot that right before I left Abrantes we ate at an investigators house and she made us this type of soup with octopus. It was actually reaaaally good :) It’s the kind of soup that’s made with rice. It's like rice with a broth as well. It's hard to describe.

Elder Gilbert and I have been making chicken noodle soup every Friday during our weekly planning (when we spend 3 hours planning for what we will do for the week, how we can help the people we're talking to, etc.) and we have gotten DANG good at it :) He learned last transfer when he and his last comp got really sick. So we've been improving on it.

I've also learned the importance of a back up fund in budgeting, because we almost ran out when we had to take more trips to Porto and to another area, Chaves, than we thought. So yeah…real life learning right there.

Fourth of July...I missed the fireworks and the fried chicken and the cool Columbia Gorge air. (2nd year in a row. I was actually in England this time last year.) But Elder Gilbert and I did however sing the national anthem like 4 times and a bunch of other patriotic songs. So yeah. 'Murica! :)

Still waiting on our new president; he hasn't received his visa yet, so we're technically still part of the Lisbon mission. But hopefully he'll get it any day now, and when he does he'll show up and we'll be the Porto mission! :)

The Portuguese are a stubborn people. I love them and at the same time don't, ya know? Not everyone here is always pleased with me because I'm a bit rigged when it comes to doing things the right way. Can't cut corners if you want things right. Something I get from my dad :) But our members are accustomed to me and I feel their love, so that’s good.

We did however get a fire lit under us. The funny thing was this last Friday we decided that we wanted to make a goal that before the end of the transfer (or rather month) we wanted to double our frequency in church to 20 people and well, Sunday, one of the leaders in the area, the Stake President, came and told us that the goal for our group to be ready to be a branch was the end of June. So he's gonna buy us some time, but we have to have a frequency of 20 if we want to be a branch. So yeah :) We're gonna work our tails off.

I love this work. I really do. It's hard, it's tiring, its frustrating sometimes, but it is worth it. I truly know that what I'm doing is true. I know without a doubt that this is restored church of Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that Thomas S. Monson is his successor as such.

I love you all very much!!

Have a fantastic week and happy late fourth of July :)

Abraço,

Elder Buchanan