In the Mission Field!

Derek is now in the mission field! Here is the latest:

Well.... I'm officially a missionary now!!!!!!!!!! I am in the field as I am typing right now!  How great is that?  My comp is awesome and he's from CA also.  I know we're going to get along and do so much great work here in Sao Paulo Leste. 

We had to leave the CTM at 5:30 this morning and that was rough.... but then we took like a 35 minute bus ride and we were at our mission office.  It was so close!  We all had interviews with our Mission President and (Presidente Ferrin) is so awesome I love him to death already!  Then we went to the Mission Home for more training and had lunch there.  It was really good!  We then went back to the Mission Office and learned who our new companions were and mine is great!  He told me that we basically already have 6 baptisms set up!  How wonderful is that!   We then had to get on a bus and drive for what seemed like forever to get to our area (I still don't know what its called so I'll tell you next week) and it was really hard because the buses here are super sketchy and imagine me trying to hold these 2 giant suitcases on a tiny bus bouncing up and down throughout Brasil.  Then had to walk 45 minutes to our apartment.... dragging my luggage through the streets... I was dragging this luggage and sweating so much!  I don't think I have sweat this much in my life.... my clothes are soaked I can't even stand it.  Then as soon as we arrived to our apartment I had to drop my things off and turn right around and go to a dinner appointment at a member's home.  It was delicious...guess what we had...amazing rice beans and carne!  It was so good!   We went to a recent convert's home and he is blind in his right eye and cant use his right index finger.  He is very poor and it was so humbling to see him in his life and he offered us water right when we arrived.  It was awesome!  Then we went to go meet the bispo, but he wasn't there and now I'm emailing you.  I'm about to drop from exhaustion.  I did get your packages but I haven't had any time to open them yet!  I haven't even unpacked!  So thank you for the things you have sent!  We have a district and zone meeting tomorrow so I'll tell you how those go next week when I have more time!  I love you all and I'll figure out how to send these letters I have next week!  I love you and I want you to know that I am safe and sound in Brasil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!