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