So, this is gonna be a quick email because I had a billion emails to read (Mom!) and I haven't even finished reading all of them, I just printed them out and I'll read them later because it's a holiday today and everything is closed, and so we're having to take turns using the church computer today instead.

So this week was good. Tuesday we worked hard, but it was raining really really hard all day, and we went to do language study, and a member called and he said he would help and we ended up going to his house and looking like sad wet puppies. He's a barber, so next thing I know, I'm being blow dried and having my haircut! Then they fed us cookies, chocolate with milk (you know how I feel about milk! No worries, I'm getting my vitamin D, since everyone keeps making me drink huge amounts of milk!) and I can't remember the word, but I think they're called meringues? They were really nice, but we didn't study the language haha. I feel bad though because we know they don't have a lot of money, not even for gas in their car because no one is getting their haircut I guess at his salon, oh and he gave us a whole bunch of like salts for the tub and for our feet and shampoos and conditioners! I felt spoiled! 

We've been working a lot with menos activos, since most of the members in Portugal are menos activos, and this week we have just been visiting as many as possible, and one, her name is Zita. She was one of the first people on the island baptized, so she's been less active for 15+ years. She says she thought the missionaries were FBI agents planning to take over the Açores! She has this dumb bird that she's crazy about. She kept talking about throwing it out in the road, and then she would kiss it. She was talking about how we know nothing because we're young, it was interesting, but Sister Davis and I talked about how to get rid of the bird because she won't go to church because it can't stay by itself. We decided Maria Boloshies (misspell) covered in kitchen cleaner would work nicely;). Just kidding!

I've also decided something, dogs know who doesn't like them. They always come right for me! Usually when I'm wearing my white skirt so they can put their dirty paws on it! Yuck! 

Oh, and also, we wandered around our area today (sorry, no time for pictures) and it actually is kind of pretty in the tourist area! Who knew! Because it's a holiday, no Portuguese people are out, and the roads are COVERED in tourists! It's gonna be a slow day, that's for sure!

Oh, and the sun came out this week! For two days! It was great, just a little bit of sunshine we needed in our lives! I've also decided that I hate running here. It's associated with waking up, and it's all hills! Though we did find a nice little semi flat dirt path nearby that we run on, and this huge dog, that looks like a bear always barks at us through the fence, I make funny faces at him, it's great. Today he didn't chase us along the edge of the fence (him on his side, us on ours, no worry, it's a brick wall with barbed wire at the top, I would say we're safe!) and it was sad. 

It's always my job to pray during contacts, and one time this week I accidently closed the prayer in English! It was WAY weird. I don't know if the lady noticed, but it was so weird sounding. I can't pray in English anymore.

My feet aren't hurting so much anymore, so that's good! I am getting a little used to all this walking, though we did walk to Arrifes the other day to look for a menos activo, and that was quite the little uphill walk! Lots of fun!

Oh, and two of our investigators dumped us this week;( Rui and Celia. Rui says he isn't a church going guy, and Celia doesn't wanna get married. Celia wasn't too big of a deal because we didn't teach her, I was still sad because I want her and her daughters to have the gospel in their lives, but Rui we've spent weeks teaching, and I almost cried when he said that he didn't want to be taught anymore:(. But now we're teaching two orphans, Rui and Paula, and also a young man named Daniel who is Ryan's Portuguese twin!

Well, I'm out of time! I wish I could say more! 

Love you all!

Love always, 

Sister Wach


from Ricki:)  I sent a lot of emails that were pictures.  I could only send two pictures at a time.  I had lots of pictures of her friend Kenzie's wedding reception, Dakota's little brothers endowments (picture in front of temple), and his farewell.  lol.  Hope she enjoys them:):)