Long Overdue Updates.

See additional post below. Sorry for the infrequent updates. Elder Edwards has been so busy that emails are shorter and less frequent. He is doing great and we couldn't be more proud of him. Can't believe it's already been 9 months!!!

 "Hello meus pais. This week was another good one. I took that one day plane flight to Praia because the President wanted me to attend a specialized leadership training. It was way good and made me feel like some sort of business man flying around like that. My companion bleeds blacks! My new companion is a fellow highland high rammer and we have been representing for the SLC and getting work done! This week Elder Ensign showed up and he is in my district. He is in the city right next to mine (Cova figuera) and he seemed to be in culture shock at district meeting. He is strugglying with the language but he has a huge testimony so he´ll be fine. And the area that we´re in nobody speaks portuguese. It is crazy to hear about all the new missionaries and changes in the mission work. I´m glad that I am going to be here to help them lead all out. Its not too good to hear the utes are sucking it up. Hope all is well with you. With love, Elder Edwards Oct. 28th"

October 21.

Hello my family. Its good to hear that halloween is here again. Im not gonna lie I forgot about that holiday, it doesnt actually exist here.. The bad news for the week is that I am in Sao filipe again so I cant send pictures this week. This week was the end of the transfer and once again, I am getting a new companion but luckily I am going to stay here in Relva another transfer. There is an active volcano and I do live at thew bottom of it. I really hope it explodes that would be awesome see. This mission is super weird though. Tomorrow I am going to take a plane flight to Praia, Santiago to pick up my new companion and then the next day Im gonna take another plane to make it back to fogo. This will be the first time in my life having a back to back plane trip in just 2 days.It was good to hear from you and about how life is going. I hope all stays well. Love Elder. PS GO UTES!

To Assomada And Back Again.

Ola. This week was a little bit crazy, a little bit bumpy and a lot a bit rainy but when it was all said and done we finished off this week with three baptisms. One of them was definitely the biggest successes I have all all of my mission. In my first transfer of my mission we meet an awesome college student who was close to finishing his senoir year. We was really converted and knew that this church was true but he would never take the next step to being baptized because his girl friend would break up with him and he needed her computer for college. We didnt know what to do with him and he basically was at a stand still. After 5 months of missionaries working with him and 7 different missionaries we finally helped him to take that next step and to be baptized and he asked for me to baptize him. Me going back to Assomada was a very rare thing to have happen in the mission. Now that all is said and done I know that he was the reason I had to go back there and it was great to have that experience! 
Love Elder Edwards

Picture Post.

Late.

This email was from two weeks ago and I forgot to post it. Sorry!

 I did get a new companion this transfer. I actually got two. Their names are Elder Parkinson from Layton and Elder Olsen from Boise. They both are pretty cool guys but they're sticks in the mud... anyways..  This next week is going to be CRAZY! Tomorrow morning I'm going back to my old area (assomada) to help out a missionary whose companion has to come have an interview with the President. Then Wednesday we have Zone conference in Praia and then Thursday I'm going back up to Assomada for Zone conference there and then on Friday our investigators are getting married!!! On saturday they, with two other people, are going to get baptized. I don't actually think that we are going to have a lot of time to teach this week but none the less it should be awesome!!  I hope that all is going well. Love you tons. Elder Edwards.

PS go to the Church website, LDS.org and watch the Cape Verde movie I think it's called terra de luz. Land of light in english but most of the movie is filmed in the area I am in right now and it shows where we baptized in the ocean its way sweet

Mail

Sorry it took me so long to get this up on the blog, but the following is the physical address to send mail and packages to Elder Edwards. I know the address is really long and seems odd, but you need to write it exactly as it appears to ensure it gets delivered to him (even include the phone number). Also, if you are going to send packages the cheapest way to do so is through USPS with their smallest flat-rate shipping box.   You can ship up to 4lbs and it costs approx $17. Make sure when you go to send it you have also filled out an international delivery card available at the post office. On the outside of the box we have been asked to tape pictures of Christ. This prevents the superstitious burglars from stealing the contents of the box. The packages take 3-4 weeks to arrive so make sure to send them early if you want something to arrive in time for a  holiday (Matt's birthday is coming up November 16th). If anyone does send a package he has shown interest in some Swedish Fish candies. I sent a few with my last package but couldn't fit more than one small package with all the other stuff he asked for. Thanks again for all your love and support. We are very proud of our little Matty!!!

Elder Matthew Edwards
Cape Verde Praia Mission
Rua Miguel Bombara, N8, R/C Plateau
Cape Verde, Praia
Ihla de Santiago, Sao Tiago
Cape Verde
Phone: 238 262-9403

Naming Babies.

This new calling has been crazy! I have gone to the airport at 3 to 5 in the morning 3 times this week and have been running all around town in the chruchs car. It has been way legit! Also I named one of our investigators newborn baby haha I gave it the name bear at first and she kind of liked it and then I decided that bearinho was more fitting and she loved it (inho at the end of almost any Portuguese word means little) and this week she got baptized and her child's name legally on her baptism sheet was bearinho ha. Life here in Cape Verde is awesome. I always am praying for you guys. Fique suave. With love, Matthew