August 23rd.

No e-mail from James this week. We suspect it is because he was transfered, as he suggested in his letter last week. It is still rough to have a week with no news.

email of August 16th.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I am doing good here in Sao Luis still. We have transfers this next week and I dont really want to leave Sao Luis. I like the ward here alot, we are helping the Bishop right now with a census in the ward and we have lots of non-members to visit. This past week we baptized 2 people this past week. I baptized them both one was the mom of the two kids that were baptized about a month ago here name is Celia. I also baptized the granddaughter of a member here called Carol. We had alot of baptisms here in our Zone this week in total 10. We had to use the bus alot in this past week and alot of money too, but that is part of being a zone leader. So next week we have another transfer and I am a little nervous that I will be transfered but I dont know I hope I stay for atleast one more so I can be here for my birthday which would be cool. This past week not much has happened, just the normal out here working. I heard today that Elder Cook who is an assistant to the President and my companion from the MTC is sick in the hospital with a bacteria in his stomach. Mom dont be worried I wont get anything I am very healthy, and not planning on getting any sicknesses or anything. I am loving the mission alot, but I miss you all alot. I love you all very much and I will let you all know if I got my package next week.

Love your Son,

Elder Crittenden

August 9th. e-mail

Dear Dad and Mom, All I have to say is that the weeks are passing by really fast for me here it seems like. I am getting closer to my time leaving Sao Luis and I dont really want to leave. I am loving my time here in Sao Luis, there is a family in this ward that they take really good care of us and I am planning on coming back here to Sao Luis in 2012 just to visit the family here and some of the places that I cant visit as a missionary, like some of the beaches and other things. Today we went with them to a city called Ribamar and it was awesome, it was right by the beach but unfortunately we couldnt visit the beach so we just took photos. They also had a church there that was really cool. I love the catholic churches here, they are beautifully decorated and it is sad that they dont have all the truth. But yeah so these weeks went by really fast. We had our trainings in Teresina 2 weeks ago and they were really good I learned alot of things and it just gives us more responsibility as Zone Leaders. We also had another meeting with President on Tuesday this past week and we mostly just talked about preparing our trainings for zone conference this next week. Everything is going good with me here I am still going good with clothes and everything I things I should be good the whole 2 years. I still havent recieved my package but by next week it should be here so I will let you know. I cant believe how much is changing there in Heber. Yesterday at our lunch at a members house I showed him Heber City on google earth that he had on the computer and marked our house for him. I really love the work here in Sao Luis its a little bit difficult because there are alot of people lazy for going to church but the members like me and what I have done here. I have just one more thing for you to send for me here, There is a sister missionary here that really wants some Crocs those rubber shoes you know and they are really expensive here 50 reais so I said that if you could send some to her because she is leaving this next transfer. Her shoe size is 5 so if you could look around and try to send them to her she will be home around August 24th. (James sent her address in his letter) I am good here I love you all and we will talk more next week. Love Elder Crittenden

e-mail of August 2nd.

Dear Family,

I am doing good this past week we went to the center and yes we got to see the sites it was good. The meetings with President were good, They started everyday from 8 until 4 and then we did divisions with the elders in Teresina. I am staying healthy and all of my shoes are still in good shape so yeah. The work is going good we are teaching alot of people and preparing them for baptism. I am eating plenty there is a sister here in this ward that always makes sure that we have food in our bellies. I am doing really well. Dear Jessica I am sooo happy that you have got a great schedule for school this year and that your excited to start. I know that you will do great. This week we have another meeting with President in Teresina so we will leave tonight again at 10 and get to Teresina about 4:30 tomorrow. So it should be fun. I will pray for Jared and his wife, I am happy that they were approved to adopt a baby and even more of a surprise that its twins. It is hard to believe that I have been out almost a year. My companion completed 1 year on Saturday, so we made a cake and celebrated a little bit. But thats about it that is happening I love you all and will talk to you next week.

Love Elder Crittenden

e-mail of July 26th.

Hi Family,

Well I am still here in Sao Luis and loving it. My new companion and I are getting along really well and yes we are doing something really fun for PDay. We are going to the Center of Sao Luis and seeing some of the museums and the old catholic churches and some other fun stuff like that so it will be good and I wanted to have money in case I saw anything good that I wanted to buy I could buy it. I am glad that Kendra and everyone got to North Carolina safetly without any other mishaps. The mission will pay for our trip to Teresina tonight we leave at 10 and should arrive there around 6 tomorrow morning and we have 4 days of training and I have no idea what else planned but it should be good. I baptized another person this past week her name is Talitah Rebekah and she is 9 it was really cool. We should have maybe 4 more this next week when we get back on Saturday to baptize I hope. Well I need to go but I love you all and until next week.

Love Elder Crittenden