I sang christmas carols and gazed at the skyline of Manhattan

Excerpts of João'e e-mail to the family on December 21, 2009

I love you all so much, and today it just felt right to write to you as a family. So perhaps gather around and have each one take a paragraph.

It has been a beautiful week of miracles, and a week filled with the spirit of Christ. Proclaiming the gospel is so rewarding and so sweet. I was in Manhattan this last Sunday and attended the American Sign Language Branch service. It was a unique experience, not much talking going on yet the spirit was still felt. I was asked to give the closing prayer. It was a humble and simple prayer of course. I had learned how to pray previously from being around the American Sign Language Elders.

Their baptism was wonderful. You could feel angels encircle that room rejoicing for this man's decision. There were many of the members that bore their simple testimony and even music was "sung."

As we returned home we sang christmas carols, laughed and gazed at the skyline of Manhattan. The sun was setting make it absolutely magnificent.

Our stake cancelled church services because of snow, and we were grateful for the oportunity to attend the small American Sign Language Branch in Manhattan. We continued to visit our investigators and we are confident that we will come out successfull.

I am excited to talk with you this week. I am so happy to hear that Ana was accepted into BYU-I. It really made my day. It would make me so happy to have her close by. I am making a list of everything I want to talk to you about. But really I want to hear more from you! Perhaps I'll prepare some questions. I'll give you a call the day before to set a time to call since I don't know exactly how things are going to work out.

Love

Elder Teixeira

Christmas is approaching

Excerpts of João's email to his mother of December 14, 2009

Returned to Brooklyn. What a city! This last Sunday was one of the most memorable for me. Many of the recent converts that I baptized while I was here before came and embraced me and remembered me, and to be with them was perhaps one of the sweetest experiences.

We have a good number of investigators and I can already forsee much success here. This week I taught several people in French, it was hard but the received help from on high. I need to continue to pray for the gift of tongues, I am reading teh Book of Mormon in French.  Christmas is approaching, it is a good time to talk to people... this Christmas I am going to invite people to listen ou message and sing Christmas carols!

Good laughs and working hard!

Excerpts of João's email to Ana on December 114, 2009

If I could sing to you I would, If I could hug you I would!!!! Happy Birthday. I woke up and immediately thought about you. I wrote in my planner that today was your birthday. I wish I had something for you, at least something more than this e-mail. But I hope you know that we are best friends forever. Happy Birthday!!!

I had a really busy week and being a Zone Leader is no joke, a lot of things to take care of and a lot of missionaries are looking up to us to know what is acceptable and what is not. I enjoy my companion Elder Pape. We were together Christmas in Staten Island. He is just a little older than me in the mission. From Oregon. We have really good laughs together, and we are working hard. I've talking a lot of french too, and I'm picking up Creole, a twisted french they speak in Haiti. It's been good for me.

This next week I am going on exchanges with the ASL (American Sign Language) missionaries, and I am going to vist Manhattan. They work there as well. I was given an ASL name, I don't know if I ever told you about that. When I get home I'll show it to you.The area I work in there are a lot of Jewish people, and they are all celebrating Hannukah. There is so much diversity in New York. No one is really from New York here.Well I have to get going, I love you, and I miss you so much, you don't even KNOW!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!