We are in Brazil

We arrived in Brazil Friday morning after a very long day (24 hours) in airports and on the airplane. It seems like we have not stopped or had a free minute since we arrived except to go to bed and exercise for about 30 minutes each morning. Meetings, Orietations, Parties with Brasilians (two so far) and date night with the MTC presidency. We have also had a tour of the city, more meetings, more orientation on our job responsibilies have been non stop until this very minute. Our trainers left tonight at 6:00 and we are now on our own.

I survived my first choir performance. Half way through the practice (30 minutes before the preformance) I decided to just have the missionaries sing the hymn. I had the pianist and the floutest play the interlude from the regularly scheduled number and a brief ending after the choir sang the four verses of Come Follow Me. The four verses alternated between English and Portuguese. I was so nervious all I could do was count one two three, one two three, and move my arms. I kept the beat but could hardly look up at the choir. I was so pleased that I did not cry and that we were right after the opening prayer so I could enjoy the rest of the meeting.

Most of us have referred to little experiences that have touched our lives with the spirit as "tender mercies" following the talk of Elder Bednar in General Conference a few years ago. We had such an experience this morning. It touched us deeply and helped us be reassured once more how mindful Heavenly Father is of us.

When we arrived at the Guarulhos Airport in Sao Paulo a bus driver hired by the Church met us and asked for us to give him our passports. He checked of each name. The younger got on the bus and we went with Elder Jim Smith in one of the mission vehicles. The driver returned all the passports to the other missionaries on the bus. We however thought that he had given them to the mission secretary for safe keeping at the MTC and didn't give a second thought to the passports. Yesterday we learned that neither the MTC staff nor the Area Office had our passports and the the driver had returned them all to the missionaries on the bus. We came back to our apartment and looked everyplace we could think of.

It's very hard to live here without the proper documentation. We could not cash checks, use a debit card, get permission to drive a car or do many other things which will be required of us. Somewhat paniced we ask for the Lord's help last night in our prayers. We arose early this morning to exercise. As mom was walking around the track she silently prayed again that we would be able to find them. Then the inspiration came. "Look in Dad's suit coat pocket...again.
We came back to the room and they they were. Dad was sure he had looked there already but obviously had missed them. God does answer prayers and watches over us.