From Alex

Gente, I am in Bahia! haha Abrantes is everything that you have ever heard about Bahia. Hammocks,parties, and pretty much everything else. It is so different then anywhere I have ever been. It is beautiful and full of history. For instance, it has the ocean and its surrouned by sand dunes. It has trees with every fruit of everykind. The history is that you can see the African culture here and the effects of slavery. In one whole lot there is one family but the whole family! And 10 houses one after the other. I love the people here.

My week was interesting. Monday night was my last bus ride back to Salvador and my last little time with Sister Stone. I miss my friend. I feel strange and honestly a little lonely without her. But I love Sister Do Vale! She is from Sao Paulo and super shy. She is so sweet and we are having fun! We are going to work super hard. She is super cool and is so willing to learn which is good bc I am too!

But back to my week. We ended up eating at burger king (heaven) and waited for our new companions. When they came I went to my new area. Which I am in love with, Its a little cramped (the city) but its like 20 min from Salvador which is way cool and close to the beaches.

This week was a weird one for me and I really dont remember a lot of it. haha but we are teaching a lot of good people. And our ward is AMAZING! The church has only been here for 5 years and its already a ward! Our chapel is the coolest part though... ITS OUTSIDE!!! We had sacrement with the birds and trees. Its so cool. I am so excited to be apart of the ward. Sunday was for sure the best day of the week. I asked one member when we found him on the street if he had any firends we could teach and he took us to 3 families!! Super cool.

You know what I am so thankful to be a mormon. If we live our standards right we are so blessed. Its been really cool being a set apart missionary. You really see the world differently. You see the things that make God sad. President Kimball said "The setting about (of a missionary) may be taking litterally; it is a setting apart from sin, apart from carnal; apart from everything which is crude low, vicious, cheap, or vulgar; set apart from the world to a higher plane of thought and activity. The blessing is conditional upon faithfull performance." Literally I see the world different. I see the love of God and feel apart of his pain. Its going to be weird to step back in the world. Im am glad though that I have the fruit and that I wont be drawn into the world. Even though now the Tree is literally in the great and spacious building I can have the strength with the Lord to be set apart from it. I sure love you! Have a good week and always remember faith is pointed to the future!

Sister Powell