so, things have been getting better here at the ctm. the first week had to be the slowest of my life but things are getting a lot better and that is super awesome. i cant believe its already been almost 2 weeks! they elders say that the days seem like weeks and the weeks seem like days. i´ve interpreted this to mean that the days are super long becasue we´re in the same class all day, learning porutguese for 11 hours with breaks for lunch and dinner, so it seems super slow. but when you look back on the week, there arent any events that you can look back on and remember because you´ve done the same thing all day long. but anyway, its good and its awesoem prepareing for my mission.

oh! and my mission kinda got changed. the week before i left, i was talking to the smiths and they said that the mission boundaries for the rio north mission were getting changed. anyway, what ive heard is that i will no longer be in the city of rio, which actually may be a good thing because from talking to the brizilians, it sounds super sketch. but other than that it should pretty much be the same. i think the mission name is now the vitoriamission, and ive heard that it is just as beautiful and awesome as rio or maybe more so. and the state that im serving in is called: espirito santo, which means holy ghost so that´s kinda cool.

and mom, you asked about the food. so we have beans and rice everyday which is not really that bad, some fruit like pineapple and watermelon and bananas, and then some other meat or something that could be super good or could be the worst. and then the drinks they have are super sweet, pure fruit juices. they have to be the sweetest things ever and i usually water them down so my taste buds can handle it.

so today is my p-day, and it started really good. i woke up at 5 30 which is early, but we went to the temple and that was awesome. then we got back around 12, and my comp and i wandered around the city for a little bit, bought some candy, he bought some shoes, we walked around some more, and then later on tonight i think we´re going to a fireside and the area 70 is coming to talk to us. i´m pretty sure that he´s the one that spencer and I decided was the funniest looking once during sacrament meeting. his name is elder dider i think, and the only thing i know about him is that he wants all the missionaries ready 20 mins before it starts, and then once he´s going we cant eat or drink anything, can´t get up to go to the bathroom, and everyone has to take notes. apparently he´s some parisian diciplinarion or something, but it should be good either way.

my living quarters are good. i´m on the top bunk, and i´m on the top floor of the building so each night i can look out over sao paulo which is awesome. i really think the screen on my window is bullet-proof. it´s made of this sheet-metal stuff that´s pretty strong and there are super tiny holes in it too. sometimes i hear gun shots at night. well i´m not really sure what they are, because there´s a pretty big soccer stadium near us and they might be fireworks, but its either fireworks or gunshots. probably gunshots.

and i got your first letter that you sent. it sounds like i´ve missed a lot or weeding so far so bummer. i haven´t gotten the package yet but it should be here soon. thanks so much. that´ll be awesome. and i think that if you ever send something in a box and not a mail pouch, then only write on it: missionary supplies or something discrete because otherwise the customs office will jack it up.

i love you all and miss you guys a lot but it is also super fun being here in brasil. the Spirit is so strong at the ctm, i love it. my testimony or the book of mormon has also grown a ton with the personal study i have each morning, and i love testifying of it all day long and i´m super excited to continue doing that for the next two years. i love my savior Jesus Christ, and i know that He lives. portuguese is coming along, and its tricky but it should all be good and i´ve already learned a ton and can give part of the first discussion and a street contact in portuguese (although i don´t actaully go street contacting for like another month cause i still dont´know enough and can´t understand them--they talk so fast). i lvoe you guys and miss ya--

Elder Tasso