Elder Joey Burt: "It is a positive exercise, except probably Elder Proulx thinks I am crazy."

The flag

The fantastic burgers

The feast

YOoooo family,
This week was nice, arguably the social highlight was JULY 4!!! YEAH crazy party in the apartment, check the photos. I threw on the jeans, the Nikes, a tiger shirt, and we ate cheeseburgers, chips, soda, brownies, and cereal. I have never been so patriotic in my life. I even got out the kazoo to play/beatbox The Star Spangled Banner, ill times.
Anyway, the week was good in terms of actual stuff too. We FINALLY got Ivonete to go to church. She liked it, but wishes there were more people. I know how she feels. But she is stressin in a good way about keeping the commandments like the WoW and stuff. Things are going very well, and she is gaining a strong testimony.
One problem with a lot of our really good investigators is that they are hard/impossible to find at home!! Lourdes has taken up traveling to Cascavel and staying there for long periods of time as a hobby, making it impossible for us to teach her. So that's basically a matter of perseverance.
So Brasil was eliminated, I must admit I am not disappointed. I was sick of their cocky attitudes and lack of faith until results started showing. So I hope Holland can win this thing, but my goodness... Germany must be the most in-form team in the history of the world cup! 4-0 over Argentina (which gave the Brasilians a chance to use their unspent fireworks), 4-1 over England, 4-0 over Australia... It is difficult to hit 4 ONCE in a world cup, and the Germans have done it thrice against good, organized defenses. I can't see them being stopped. But the Spaniards have basically found a way until now, so only time (about 5 hours from now) will tell.
So President Leal left last Wednesday. The zone leaders already met President Tavares, they said he is nearly the opposite of Leal. So far the only change in effect is that we have time for breakfast AND language study. So I have been doing a lot of reading and lesson giving in the bedroom, recording myself on my camera to make sure everything is actually understandable and trying to find the best way to present things. It is a positive exercise, except probably Elder Proulx thinks I am crazy. He is probably right.
I scored big time when we received mail on Monday! I got the package with ELEVEN packages of PB Eminims, two of sour skittles, the Conference Ensign (Tearin it up already) and those cool little things for each country of the world cup. Also the DVDs of music and stuff, so I'm stoked for that. Also got letters from the two roommates from USU, Scott and Philly, so that was pretty exciting.
Here is something interesting: The letters that the young men wrote to me several months ago (postmarked March 24) got here just now. I am absolutely baffled as to why it could have taken so long for them to get here, but it was worth the wait.
We have Zone Conference for the first time with the new president tomorrow, so that is exciting.
I got a haircut today. I am so sick of haircuts.
Love you all
Joseph