Olá!

This week is transfers here. I will be staying here in Cotia with a new companion. I haven't met him yet. We will be going to São Paulo to switch companions tomorrow. All I know about him is that he is American. So now there will be 2 Americans in Cotia! It will be different. I am super excited, but also a little nervous for the change.

This week went by super fast. We worked and walked a lot. One day we were supposed to go about 2 kilometers away from our house for lunch. The bus didn't stop though and we ended up another 3 kilometers from the other direction. So we ended up walking 3 kilometers to lunch, then another 2 back to our house and then another couple to the other side of our area where we had a lesson set up with someone. This was all in the burning hot sun. Another day we walked quite a bit also, so this week was pretty exhausting. It was crazy one day as we were in a car with a member going to lunch and as he stopped for a pedestrian a motorcycle slammed into the back of us. He was fine, and their car wasn't too damaged, but it was a little bit of a jolt. With how fast and crazy people drive here I am surprised I haven't seen or been in more accidents.

It is hard right now because no one is working, but everyone is partying or traveling. So there are barely any members and trying to find new people to teach is very hard. From Christmas until Festival (the end of February) everyone here parties. It is crazy. There are so many fireworks and motorcycles. We also saw people buying so much beer. I saw one person with four shopping carts full of beer. Haha. On New Year's eve we went home at the normal time, but when midnight hit, it woke us up with all the fireworks. Our house is at the top of a hill and so we looked out over all the fireworks going off. It was pretty cool. A little scary when there were some going off right outside our window, though.

We had Church at 5 on New Year's Day. We combined with another ward, but there was still not that many people there. I led the music during Sacrament Meeting and other Elders helped pass the sacrament. We also brought one investigator (Sabrina) and her sister. The class was a little interesting as there was only about 5 or 6 members, 8 missionaries, and the teacher. It was basically a big lesson for our investigator. She was asked a lot of questions but was able to answer all of them. She has been reading The Book of Mormon a lot and we are getting her ready for her baptism.

We keep working with Raulino's family. They are always so welcoming. With the holiday's it has been hard for them to come to church, but they love the gospel and us. Wesley said that he is going to be marrying his girlfriend and that they bought a house not too far away, but not in our area. It is a little sad we won't be teaching him, but it is awesome that he is starting to change his life more and more. We also met a new young couple. They probably only have 18-20 years, but they are married and have a kid. They were super welcoming and receptive to the message.

Everyone here feels like family. It will definitely be hard to leave. It is hard for my companion right now as he is leaving, so I definitely will try to make the most out of the next 6 weeks I have. It is crazy to think that I am entering my third transfer in the field. I think I have just about 14 left. Time is so much different on the mission. I want to use every opportunity I have to serve. This is the only year in my life that I get to serve every single month. 2016 was 4 months and 2018 will be 8 months, but 2017 will be every single month, week, and day. I am so grateful that I have this opportunity to serve. In 4 short months, I have changed so much and I am excited to see how much more I will change and become more like the Savior. It really is all about Him. His Atonement is sufficient for every person. It can soften any heart and change any life.

Amo vocês!

Elder Johnson

An investigator family.

Learning the good stuff in life.

Recent convert family we spend Christmas with.