Já é Julho.... quase!?!?! (it´s already July... kind of!?!?!)

So, it´s already July kind of. Which means I´ve practically been serving the mission for about 6 months. Time sure has gone by quickly. Yet, I´m still not fluent. I am missing a lot of vocabulary still. Good news is that Brasil has made it to the next set of games in the world cup and they will be playing today. Just so you all know, everything shuts down a little while before a Brasil game. Literally everything. If you thought you were a patriotic American, just come to Brasil during the world cup. Everyone is wearing green and gold, the streets are all decorated. It´s really quite amazing.

It´s gotten a little ´chilly´ at night, so I just keep my fan off and sleep with a sheet. Someone said that they were "com frio" or with cold or cold. Oh dear, I fear people here in the Nordeste don´t know what cold is. I mean, I don´t really know what cold is, if you think about it, but I have a better idea. I´ve been to the snow a few times....

Anyway, I´m terrible at keeping track of the letters, but I think ´S´ should be fine. So ´s´ sounds like an ´s´ anytime except when in between two vowels then sounds like a ´z´ or when there are two like ´ss´ it keeps the ´s´ sound.

The Book of Mormon is truly amazing. When the day is difficult or when I just want to relax when I get home, the best thing to do is read the Book of Mormon. I think it´s because of the comfort of the Holy Ghost. When you read the Book of Mormon, the Holy Ghost is always there to help you learn and calm down. Also, another amazing thing that the Book of Mormon does is clarify things in the Bible and testify of Christ.

It´s truly amazing. There are many awesome stories in the Book of Mormon. For any of you who know me well, you know that I´m not much of a reader unless it comes down to Harry Potter. From reading the Book of Mormon I´ve discovered more of a desire to read more because I always learn something from reading it or I find an answer to something I´ve been worried about. I know that the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God written by the hands of prophets, and is another testiment of Jesus Christ. I know that if you want to learn more about the nature of God, get closer to God or if you want to understand the Bible more clearly, all you have to do is read the Book of Mormon. I know Joseph Smith was the prophet that God chose to translate the Book of Mormon, and restore His church to the earth. I love you all, and invite you to study the words of life found in the scriptures.

Love,
Elder Samuel H. Chiba