Great stuff!

So, conference was absolutely amazing!!! I really loved the Women's Conference and also really every single talk given in General Conference. It is awesome how they promised peace, happiness and security in this world by just doing what we already know we should do: study the scriptures daily, pray with heart, and increase daily in faith. The simple things are what bring happiness. I am so everlastingly grateful for the opportunity that I have to be a member of this church and to enjoy the blessings that that membership has to offer. Of course we want to baptize people... we want them to enjoy all the blessings that we enjoy: Visiting and home teachers weekly, friendships with the best of the best, general conferences and revelation from inspired leaders that we receive on a weekly and monthly basis. I was studying in Preach my Gospel this morning and I loved that in the section about how the Gospel blesses families it mentions so many blessings that we can and should be enjoying now there were about three paragraphs on it. Then in one sentence it talks about how our families can be together forever. I really love that we don't have to wait to be happy, we can and should be enjoying the many blessings that the knowledge of the fullness of the gospel has to offer.

Today we have the great opportunity to help a member of the ward here in Braga. She is the one that had a fire in her home a couple of weeks ago. We have been cleaning and scrubbing the walls and everything and getting it ready and today, because it is a holiday here, the ward has organized a big painting party. The bishop was already on his way there when we headed out to do e-mail, and there are a lot of other members that are also on the way. It is such a blessing to be part of this great organization that takes care of us in more ways that one.

The work is going well, Maria dos Remédios and her friend Albina came for the Women's Conference and absolutely loved it. We also had an amazing zone conference on tuesday and learned a bunch of great stuff to organize our work better. It is going to make a huge difference! We are really excited to make the changes we need to make to do the work how the Lord wants us to, because His is a house of order.

Anyway, time is ever so short....Hope your anniversary is great Mom and Dad. 33 years flew by just like a dream with all of us great kids didn't it. You never even had to work very hard....Just joking! Thanks for all the back-breaking work you have done! Coming up soon some old man will be turning 62 if I'm not mistaken... Happy Birthday to the old geezer! Good thing he still maintains the figure he had in high school, it helps him to look much younger..if only he had retained some of the hair...

As you can tell I'm in a bit of a funny mood today. I sure do love all of you and pray that you're doing well.

ellen