Sunday, November 17, 1968

The schedule here in the Language Training Mission and the great amount of walking we do every day dictates that for now I make entries in this journal only on weekends. I would prefer catching something of each day at the end of each day. That is impossible without breaking the rule about being in bed by 10:30. And so I will only look at highlights and overviews, hoping to remember the most important.

Thursday companions were changed in the district. The previous alignment was thus:

Elder Richard Kletting and Elder Steve Dickson
Elder Rolf Koecher and Elder Kent Gale
Elder Dean Cleverly and Elder Craig Rencher
Elder Dave Babbel and Elder John Sandberg
Elder Pat Redding and Elder David Perry

Now the Marília District looks like this:

Elders Kletting and Koecher
Elders Cleverly and Babbel
Elders Gale and Perry
Elders Redding and Dickson
Elders Rencher and Sandberg

My new companion, Elder Babbel, I knew last year at school. He lived in the same ward and same residence hall. I am certain already that we will get along beautifully as companions.

Yesterday morning I passed off with an aprovado the first discussion. Finishing that was a great relief. Elder Redding passed it off Friday and Elder Dickson passed it off just after I did. At this point we are the only ones who have passed it off. Yesterday we started the second.

Snow has fallen much of the weekend, although little remains on the ground. It is beautiful. Snow reminds me of children and Christmas. And it signifies purity.

Yesterday afternoon I went with Elder Redding to a Laundromat to wash clothes. We returned just in time to go to the old Women's Gym, where Marília won its first basketball game in the zone tournament (the first game we have played). Then we ate in the Wilkinson Center. Elder Babbel and I saw Captain Newman, M.D. and got back to the motel about 10:00.

A two-hour discussion on the gospel with Elders Kletting, Koecher, and Dickson followed. We spoke of personal revelation, faith, answered prayers, miracles, and such. When we finally went to bed, Elder Babbel and I talked somewhat longer. He has a great knowledge of the gospel. But this morning we woke up 45 minutes late. Oops! That will have to be watched.

Brother Terry Warner spoke with me one day at lunch. That was great. President Wilkins spoke in the leadership meeting Wednesday.

Since last Monday I have "lived my language," or "spoken total," every single day. In my whole stay here the longest I had ever gone before was two days. I decided why not a week. Now that I see how my ability to communicate is increasing, I think I may as well continue for the rest of my stay here, maybe even eventually including the hours outside the official day. I also feel I need to set an example as the Live Your Language chairman for the district. Yesterday was the first time the entire district has totally lived the program, but then the day was only 3½ hours long officially. They were to be congratulated on that. A few days I have been completely alone in my efforts.

This week we learned that we are leaving a week earlier than planned for Brazil because of the transportation problems Christmas Eve would create. Either December 17 or 18 is our departure date. That means only 11 weeks here and probably only making it through five discussions. But I am glad we are leaving earlier because I am anxious to arrive in Brazil.

Besides usual weekend letters to Karen and home, I wrote President Hal Johnson of the Brazilian North Mission and sent some passport pictures he had requested.

In sacrament meeting tonight I played the piano again.