Ok...I am kind of freaking out right now...

So there were transfers today right? We got the call on Monday night saying that neither I nor Elder Affonso were going to be transferred. Woot! 6 more weeks of the repetitive streets of Julio de Mesquita...and...Elder Affonso...

But that's not really the reason why I am freaking out right now. I am sick to my stomach right now because I just got the call that I got moved to District Leader here. Yes...the little boy Parsons will now be in charge of 7 other Elders...5 of which have more time on the mission...3 of which have more than a year and 4 months on the mission...and 1 in his last transfer of the mission. I really am so scared...

Duties of the District Leader for those who don't know:
-Give the training or delegate somebody to give the training at District Meeting every Monday
-Call all the areas in the District every night to follow up on the work in the area and their baptism dates
-Do divisions (splits) with the other areas to provide training and to see how each area is going
-Do all baptismal interviews for the District. The Zone Leaders will do my area's baptismal interviews.
-Follow up with the zone leaders every night about each area.
-Collect my districts numbers for the week every Sunday.

I am pretty sure there is other stuff that I have to do but that stuff above is everything that I know at the moment. Next week I will go to São Paulo to get the "New District Leader Training". May God have mercy on my new District.

Well anyway, on with the news from the week! We had Arielle's baptism this Sunday after the first week of church in our new Chapel. It was awesome because we used to have like 70 or 80 in church at the old chapel but this week we had 130! The place was packed.

The baptism was freaking awesome too. It was the best baptismal meeting that I have ever seen and was one of the most spiritual experiences I have had here on the mission. The young women of the ward had a special musical number that was way good and one of them bore her testimony to Arielle which pretty much made the whole room cry. Then we had the baptism. We both changed into our clothes and the walked into the frigid water because unfortunately the heater was broken. I had to baptize her twice because her knee came up which was really funny and sad because she was shivering like crazy and I felt bad doing it again...but you know...the price of salvation young woman!

Then we went back to the chapel and her mom and her shed tears of joy for a while and it was all awesome. That night the parents Alexandre and Rute who we reactivated as well told us with tears in their eyes that we have done so much for their family and that we are literally part of their family now.

Mom, just wanted to say that Rute took me by the hand and looked into my eyes as she cried saying that I must have one of the most amazing mom's in the world because I have turned out to be such an amazing person (her words...not mine!). I just looked back and I told her that I really do.

However, we have been focusing so much on reactivating this family, getting their son excited to serve for a mission, and baptizing their daughter that we didn't have tons else going for us. Now that we accomplished what we wanted we have to start all over now...literally. We are now literally searching the area for more less active families to reactivate and baptize their children haha. It is what this area needs.

Well...now more than ever I will need everyone's prayers...I hope President knows what he is doing with this whole DL thing. Oh yeah! It will make 9 months that I am here on the mission next week! Whoever got frisky with someone and got pregnant the day I left should be having their baby by now! Ryan...

Love you all!

-Elder Brent Parsons