WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, so Cissa was baptized this last weekend and it was really special; it was amazing how fast she was baptized. It was only about 5 weeks that we taught her and that she was baptized really it was a blessing from the lord. 
  
I can’t explain the story I have had the last 7 weeks, I have learned so much and I have really found out why I was 
  
sent here to Brazil.
  
It says in my patraricle Blessing that there are people that only I will he able to help and to bring the gospel. Ever since the first time I met Cissa I felt like I knew her and I felt a obrigação to help her. I wanted her to know the truth and I wanted her to be baptized, it wasn’t easy that is for sure. 
  
She grew up in the Catholic Church and she went every Sunday! She did things totally different then us; she prayed differently she thought of god way differently She drank coffee, todos os dias and she had a lot of friends saying false things about our church, I saw gods had in the conversion of Cissa but also I saw the destructed battle with Satan. 
  
With a lot of prayer, fasting, and help from the members Cissa found the pathway of God! The baptism was so special it was amazing! 
  
I can’t even put it into words! After the baptism Cissa turned to me and said " Elder Reiss thank you so much for what you have done for me, thank you for your patience and for showing me the pathway! With tears in her eyes and tears in my eyes all I could do was smile, I was speechless! 
  
The feeling I had was the best in the world. After her baptism she was like a new person, it was unbelievable how much she had changed; We visited her later that night after the baptism, and she couldn’t stop smile and she thanked us for everything. 
  
God has a plan for every one of us. 
  
He has a plan for me her in São Paulo. He has sent me here to reach out to people; I am a strong believer in Foreordination. I was sent here for a reason, to talk to certain people to help certain people and to baptize. 
  
I am so grateful for the spirit and for him guiding me everyday. 
  
It’s a lot easier to follow the spirit when we are worthy and we are obedient to the commandments of god, 
  
I love my mission, it is amazing I am having the battle of my life, but I love it, I have two feelings, 1. I don’t want to come home. and 2. I want to come home. 
  
 The first one is clear, I don’t want to come home because I love my mission I love the people I am serving and the things I am learning. The second one, I want to come home because I, in a way, have a new start. 
  
Before my mission I had all my future planned out, I knew what I wanted and what I was going to do, but now a lot of things have changed and its starts all over for me when I get home.
  
I have a lot more knowledge that I didn’t have that will help me with my family and with work. I am excited to get home and to continue preaching the gospel and apply the things I have learned in my life. 
  
O yea, for all of you that don’t know yesterday was my ONE YEAR MARK. WOW it goes by so fast, it kind of scares me, haha! I can’t wait for this next year I have got a lot a head of me.
  
Dang, this week was really good! 
  
 
  
So Sunday we had a great opportunity to have dinner in President Jackson’s house ,WOW!. It was amazing the fist American dinner I have had in one year. It was my favorite TURKEY AND MASHED POTATOS. After dinner we had cake and ice cream, mmmmm. WOW it was amazing. Well I hope everyone had a good week like I did and I hope everyone is as happy as I am.
  
 
  
Micah thank you so much for the stickers and the CARD…..it made me laugh really hard, I love you so much and thank you for your support. ZACK my man I hope you are doing better now you are out of the hospital and thank you so much for the email you sent me I am really proud of you for reading the book of Mormon, I hated to read before my mission but know I have learned how to love it. 
  
In the mission I have read the book of Mormon two times and  Doctrine and covenants once and the pearl of great price once, Now I am working on the New Testament but I kind of like the book of Mormon a lot better. 
  
But yea if I was you Zack, I would buy the bible and book of Mormon separate.
  
But get what you like the best. 
  
I am going to miss you two but bud, it’s going to go by so fast. 
  
You better be getting ready for me, cause when I get home I am going to take you down hahaha
  
I am always praying for you guys. Thank you so much for your support and all for you do for me. It means so much. 
  
Hey dad I was wondering if you or mom could write to Cissa, you can just send it to me because she lives in the favela and doesn’t have a mailing address. 
  
I know she wont be able to read it but I will translate it for her. IT would mean a lot. 
  
 
  
Again thank you so much I love you guys 
  
 
  
and BOA SORTE esta semana!