This is probably my last email...

So, this will in all likelihood be my last e-mail, as next Monday we´ll be at the mission home in Londrina. The flight leaves on Tuesday, and the secretaries said that I´ll be setting foot in our lovely deseret on Nov. 3rd 11:15 Wednesday morning. Woo-hoo!

Actually I have a lot of mixed feelings about all of this ending. I remember back at the MTC thinking that when this time came, I´d be bouncing off the walls, and while there is a little of that, I´ll also be way sad too.

I´m going to really miss Brazil, especially the people and the food. I consider it one of my greatest accomplishments that I learned to like and eat tomatoes out here. I´ll show you guys when I get back. I´m sure Mom will be proud.

To sum it up, the mission was definitely worth it. Yeah, it kicked my butt a lot of the time (language, people, companions, just about everything come to think of it) but I´ve definitely enjoyed my time here.

I feel like my testimony has grown a bunch as well. It´s now clearer to my why the Church is so important, and why we do what we do. I´ve felt confirmations about things that I knew very little about here, and I´m happy with the progress that I´ve been able to make. It´s become more real to me that God does live, and that He is involved with our lives on a daily basis. Many a time I´ve felt and seen my prayers answered, though almost never in the way that I thought or wanted.

Jesus is the Christ, and I´ve seen his atoning sacrifice at work in my life and the lives of my investigators, some of which have a lot more faith than I do.

Joseph Smith is the Prophet of the restoration, and I´ve seen how important the truths that he restored are, and the world is pretty confused in general. His teachings are so important.

President Monson really is the Lord´s Prophet here on the earth today, and I´ve seen how his teachings and revelations guide us. (Just this week, Lu..., an investigator who reads a lot but has a very hard time remembering anything, read Pres. Monson´s “Sugarbeets and the Worth of a Soul” article in the Liahona and felt touched and that it applied to her)

The Book of Mormon is true, and though I´m only beginning to really understand it´s truthfulness and how good it actually is, I´ve found a deeper love for it out here.

Also, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints really is Christ´s church here on the earth, of which I´m glad to be a member.

Simply put, I´ve learned tons, and I see that I have to learn a lot more as well.

It´ll definitely be weird coming back home, and sad to leave here, but it´ll be good as well.

Welp, I´ll see you guys around town next week.

Anyone who happens to run into me, please give me a nice big hug and a can of root beer, both of which I´ve been without for a little while.

-Elder Heperi, over and out.


p.s. I´ll see you guys in a little more than a week. Oh, and for dinner, I wouldn´t mind anything, as long as you make it Mom. Cheers!