Everything here is going well. The office work is hard but I enjoy it. We don't get to teach much but I'm still enjoying the work. I'm happy to say that it doesn't rain as much here as it did in the jungle. It also isn't as hot which makes things easier on me.

Transfer meeting was Saturday. It's kinda lost its zing now that I know everything that is going to happen, but it was still fun. Elder Brower my old comp from the MTC will be walking with us for 3 weeks and then after another missionary leaves three weeks early Elder Brower will take his spot. So I'll be Brower's comp again for a few weeks. It's cool being in the office because I know a ton of stuff that is going to happen that no one else knows. Its just kinda cool to see peoples reactions when they do find out especially with transfers. As for my other MTC buddies, Elder Spaulding is going to go to my old area in Beira and be in the branch presidency which is pretty cool. He's going to serve in the jungle area I was in in Manga. Elder Clegg will be training this transfer as well which is cool.

Our investigators didn't come to church again this week We'll see what happened. Their names are Tanha (Tanya) and Nelsia. They are way smart and really fun to teach. It took 2 weeks to get through the 2nd lesson with them because they asked so many questions. Hopefully they progress. But we will go to a new area and get a bunch of new investigators this transfer. I'm excited to work in this new area. The missionaries who were there said it was a very good area with alot of good people. We are starting to get more and more caught up in the office but there is still alot of stuff to do.

Here we did hear alot about Obama's speech. It's kinda funny yesterday I saw a magazine that had a picture of Obama that said "O Presidente do Mundo!" (president of the world) People here went nuts when they found out that we have a black president! Everyone thinks that because he's black he will "flood the streets of Mozambique with American money!" Just because he's black apparently he is going to give all the Africans a bunch of money. Ha ha I think they are going to be dissapointed. Oh well, Everything is going really well here, I still like the work alot and I'm happy with what I am doing. Anyways I have to run, but I hope you guys have a good week! Love you all! Love, Elder Filho

QUESTIONS:
1. Where do you work? Is there air conditioning? Is it in an office building? DESCRIBE PLEASE!!!!
In the mission office that is also the Maputo 1 and 2 chapel. It is a nice office and has AC it has 4 floors with the office on the 3rd floor, distribution center on the 4th and the chapel on the first 2 floors.
2. Do you work closely with the Mission President? AP's?
ya we do, we live with the APs. We work with the mission president all the time. We have to handle things from new missionaries to travel, to bills, cars, everything so he is very involved. I really like him, he is a good guy.
3. What is your branch like? Where do you meet? How many members?
Weird! everything runs almost like it should! I'm not sure how many yet sorry.
4. Do you see anyone from the MTC group you were with?
Ya I see them all the time, Clegg is in a place called Magwanine. Spaulding was in Matola but is now going to Beira, and Brower was in the city so I see them about every week. Thanks fam!

Wow that was an amazing story about the airplane, I saw that on a tv while I was in a restaurant eating. YES THEY HAVE FOOD HERE!!!!! The city is way cool, they have alot of really good food and it doesn't feel like Africa but at the same time it still doesn't feel like the US. I really like the city though. Everything in the office is going good and we are starthing to get caught up a little bit but we still have alot of stuff to do. I really like the office. There's a senior couple here and the husband doesn't speak portuguese so I've been designated his "co-pilot" as he calls it to go with him when he needs a translator. We've been fighting with the department of immigration since I got here because they have 5 of our passports and have been holding on to them for 6 months. He comes but doesn't help much because he can't speak the language and it doesn't make sense to translate when I'm just arguing with them. So we got up to the director of the department. Apparently everyone thought we were from the 7th day Adventist church. They don't like them because they fired all the Mozambicans and brought in foreign ministers. So that's why they wouldn't process our passports. But I told him that we were from a different church and explained it all to him. The senior guy pointed out that we had a stamp from the department of religion (who won't stamp the papers for the 7th day) So we got the passports back.
I really like the work I do, it feels like the work I do isn't wasted. Some times while I was teaching it felt like the people I was teaching weren't progressing so it just felt like a waste of time some times. But here all the work I do counts for something so I really like it. Also I get to drive in the city which is fun! People drive crazy here so I fit right in! Oh about the question, we have 3 elders in the office so on paper yes I'm still a Jr but there isn't really a senior here just someone who has been here longer.
We taught 2 lessons this week. (more than average for us) and they were pretty good. They are 2 sisters, they are very smart and understand the bible really well. But at the same time they are open to new things so its really nice. Also THEY SPEAK PORTUGUESE!!! Maputo is great! Everyone speaks Portuguese really well! Anyways, they have alot of questions so we can only teach one principle at a time but I really like teaching them. Have fun in the snow while I'm stuck here in the blazing hot sun walking in ankle deep water and sweating like a fatty! I'm just kidding. Thanks! love you!

Questions this week:
1. What's happening with your feet?
Well I was looking at them this morning acrually and they are healing up fine. Some how the worms died and now its going away. both feet are almost completely better.
2. What restaurants do you eat at? What was the first American restaurant you went to?
Well they still don't have American places here. They have a KFC but its not the same. We went there and to a place called Steers.
3. Are you not going to get p-days anymore or is it just because you're busy and trying to get caught up?
well we kinda get half pdays, we write, shop, eat and then have a little time but we usually do work throughout the day when needed.
4. Do you do missionary work in the evenings? What do you do? Are you teaching people right now?
Most days no just office work but we get out and teach when we can.
Thanks fam!!!! Love Brady

Elder Okazaki and Elder Brown

Everything here is great! I am loving the office! I really like it alot, even though I'm not teaching as much I feel like my work is actually helping and that I am making a difference. I like the work I'm doing alot. And I get to eat out every day. It's really different but I really am liking it alot. It's crazy all the stuff I have to do. It's weird going from having almost no resposibility being a Jr. comp to having a TON of it! I have to book flights and set up hotel reservations for missionaries, the mission pres and GENERAL AUTHORITIES!!!! What if I mess up and they get stuck somewhere!?!? I might get excommunicated!!! No it's not bad, I also have to make sure the missionaries visas don't expire, get new missionaries set up for their visas, make sure we pay all the bills and stuff, order supplies from Salt Lake and South Africa and tons of other stuff. I spend more time in Embassies and in front of a computer than anything but I still love it. I had a great birthday and Elder Okazaki and Elder Fiallo (APs) sung happy birthday to me. We ate cake and played board games. I'm living with them so I get to live with my trainer again which we were way excited about. If you remember he is a hockey player too. So we talk about it alot and it makes me miss it. He feels the same way so we might try and find time to do a pick up league together while he is going to BYU.

We went to a zoo which was an experience. Lots of crocodiles, monkeys, and hippos. And all in a rusty chain link fence for a cage. Ha ha kinda dangerous but fun. We went and bought a chicken and threw it in one of the crocodiles cages and watched him eat it! It was pretty cool! Well unfortunately I do not have a p-day anymore, there is too much work to do here. My emails might be a little short some times but I'll try and write longer ones. But I'm doing good and I really like the city even though I kinda felt like the missionary in the otherside of heaven when he got off the boat to come home when I got off the plane.
Thanks! Love you! Elder Filho
Questions:
1. How's your new branch? Do you have any callings?
The branch is strong... super weird, I don't have to do anything because right after sacrament meeting I have to do office work
2. Who is your companion? Are you in a 3-some? Who do you live with and where are they all from?
I'm with Elders Harris and Udall, I know them both from my old zone. Udall's from Arizona and Harris is from Logan. I live with Elder Okazaki (my trainer) and Elder Fiallo from Brazil.
3.How was your birthday? Did you make your cake?
Yes everything was great! The cake turned out good and I took pics, thanks for the presents! I loved them!

Christmas at the Orphanage in Dondo

Click on the pictures for a better view..................................... Supplies the Missionaries brought......Orphanage OwnersSaying goodbye

First of all I had a bit of a shock last night. President Packard called me late last night and told me that he was doing a "mid-transfer transfer". He told me that I will be leaving Manga, and going down to Maputo and I will be serving as an office missionary for the next few transferes and that I would leave on Tuesday... So I am going to Maputo tomorrow. I know alot of missionaries think the office sucks but I think I'll like it. You get a car, a nice phone, you work close with President and the other leaders. There is a saying here that office elders were less valiant in the pre-mortal life ha ha ha... that use to be so funny. No I'm excited. I get to drive again!!!! In a stick shift truck!!!! and everyone in Maputo drives crazy so I'll fit right in!!! I probably shouldn't be as excited as I am but I'm way excited! It's kinda sad that I have to leave everyone so soon but oh well at least I have a few days to do it! I'm also going from the jungle to the biggest city in the country so that will be a big change. I'm excited to get to Maputo and see it. It's a completely different mission. They have good food, big grocery store, nice houses. It should be good.
For Christmas we went to the orphanage and I gave out all the toys, it was fun and the kids loved them. I took a bunch of pictures also. We just did like a fishing thing with the toys through the window and then played some games. They sang some cool African songs which was cool. After that we went to the big chapel and watched "It's a Wonderful Life" which was way good! Maybe it's just cuz I haven't seen a real movie in so long but I really liked that movie. Then we ate and did a gift exchange it was pretty fun. It was the first time I really missed everyone though but the next day wasn't bad just that night. For New Years we went to the chapel in the city and played a bunch of board games, ate, and we also watched "Madagascar" and "Remember the Titans". I really liked "Remember the Titans", I don't think I had seen it before but it was a really good movie.
This week nothing really happened, with all the parties it's hard to find people at home so we didn't get much work done. But we did teach the diamond dealer and it was a great lesson! He said that he really felt something about what we were saying and that he would read and pray about the BofM. He's a great guy. Anyways that's about all I have. Thanks for everything! I love you! Elder Filho
Questions:
1. Tell us about the ward party. We didn't stick around, but we found out they started a fire in the primary room to cook with...
2. In some of the pictures you are eating at restaurants. What kind of food do you get in restaurants there? Do you like it? They have something kinda like a steak, and then they put a fried egg on it with rice and french fried potatoes. Or they have hamburgers, or pizza, beans lots of stuff. Its pretty good I like it.
Thanks fam (Click on the pictures to make them bigger)