Dear Friends & Family,

Chris has decided to have fun with his "old" mama today.  Have your own fun with Google translator today to find out what his Portuguese message to me says, or just scroll to the end of the email for the translation I will provide.

Now, onto the email.

No proxima semana eu vou escrever uma velha...hehe...estou a brincar.

Happily you don't understand Portuguese and I can write whatever I want in the subject line without worry, unhappily you have Google translate. Just know I love you. hehe.

So, ya gonna be turning over a new year huh? Another birthday, right? You're gonna "make a year" as it is said in Portuguese? Feeling wise? Tired? Ready to roll another eighty? How are you spending this week? School as normal or something abnormal to spicen and reward my lovely mom? Get something nice. Do something with Dad. So something with your sisters. For heavens sake drop the school crap on Saturday, don't think the word school for the day. Restaurant? Home movie? Family time? What?
What am I going to do for your birthday? Well, I bought some African boxes and am sending them with a missionary couple going home. It'll be late (mid May or so) when they get back to Utah, but I do hope you enjoy them.

My week? Same old same old. We talk to a bijillion wonderful(and some not so wonderful, but they are far and in between luckily) people and try and teach them about the gospel and bless their lives. We started working in a different part of Maputo than normal (long story why, don't ask) and are finding that the transition is hard. We are still in the "few families" stage so we spend a lot of time walking. "African missionaries sing as they walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and teach a lesson and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and collapse into bed dead." Yup, we just need to find the families and then we will have more lessons throughout the day and less walking. We will still walk a ton (find as you teach, teach as you find, never just do one) but it'll be less and lighter on my body.

I'd really like to send you pictures of my area, it is crazy different than Munhava (psh, I'm in the city. There's none of the walking in knee high water stuff[kinda miss that]) and yet still very interesting. But, unhappily, hold on, I think I did take some with Elder Coomb's camera-deixa me ver.

Gift of tongues. That is a true gift. Especially when teaching. The Lord has opened my mind. I am trying to more perfect it, but I am speaking well now. Ok, I don't think I will ever attribute the term "fluent" to me, but with the Lord's help I am doing quite well.

Crimeny, let me tell you, time loves to fly. Gosh, three examples: A. Nine months gone. B. Internet time flying by at the speed of light. C. OK, only two examples, I'm lazy.

Good news, I got the package. Bad news, I might get sick because of the candy. hehe. LOVE YOU!!! The dictionary is wonderful.

Random thought for you: what is the Wartena Homeschool Academy's mascot? Surely it has one. If not, hehe, have fun with it. Ben and Jo will like this one.

Lastly:

A. Congrats on the Prom ask! Go Nate! no kissin'.
B. Josh moving out? Crazy. insane, tell him bye for me. wake him up that morning with a bucket of water in the face as a going away gift. hehe.
C. Muslims are extremely nice people.

Well, Love ya'll, enjoy the email that I know is rushed and lacking,

Love ya'll more than Papa Murfey's pizza (that's saying something),
Elder Wartena

P.S. DAD IS GRADUATING!!! AAAAAAAHHH!!! Congrats. Wish I could be there


Promised Translation:  "In the upcoming week I am going to write an old woman ... hehe ... I am playing."

I hope that was fun for you.  We love having the opportunity to share Chris's mission to Mozambique for the Lord with you.  Please let us know what you think
Happy day to you.

Signing off for now,
The Mama