So just last week I was in my area, Nacional. I had been there for almost one month. We had baptized five people already, and had just started a big weekly branch activity. The work was catching fire there. The members were excited, my companion was the man, we were living in the best house in the mission with two other excellent missionaries. It was going so well in fact that in my interview with President Frei that he has with every missionary each transfer I specifically asked to stay in my area with my companion for the next transfer.
But that all ended on Saturday morning while I was in the shower. Elder Tolotti knocked on the door shouting "it's President!" I got out of the shower to talk to him. I don't remember exactly, but he said something along the lines of, "I know you want to stay in your area, but unfortunately that's just not going to happen." I remember him citing that hymn "I'll go where you want me to go" or whatever it's called. He told me to get my bags packed because the following day he would be passing by the house to pick me up to bring me to my new area, where I would be serving as the Financial Secretary of the mission. Granted, I was a little surprised.
"Me? A music major? Financial Secretary? Are you serious?"
But, as promised, on Sunday afternoon after church he passed by and he and I drove back to his house where I sat around and hung out with him and Sister Frei until the current Secretaries could pass by to pick me up.
So, I'm back in the center of Belo Horizonte, living in the Staff House- the very same house that I spent the last 4 1/2 months of my mission in, only this time I'm here as the Financial Secretary in training. We're in a trio now (Elder Anderson, the current FS, Elder Rodrigo, the Executive Secretary, and me), and will stay until the end of next transfer (six weeks). In about three weeks Elder Anderson will officially sign the mission over to me, and he will no longer be in charge- but will stick around for a while just to make sure the transition goes smoothly.
Here are some perks to the job:
- My office is next door to President's; I see and work with him every day
- I'm in the center of Belo Horizonte
- Learning stuff that will be beneficial in the future
- Christmas here with President and the Staff will be infinitely better than if I was anywhere else in the mission (last year they had T-Bone steaks. I don't even think those exist here)
- I have a sweet flip phone and no more "80 Minutes a month business"
- I get mail the day it shows up at the office and don't have to wait for large group meetings to get letters
- Our area is doing very well at the moment; I came at a good time

And some downsides:
- My PDay is now on Thursday, unlike everyone else in the mission whose PDay is Wednesday
- The secretaries haven't had a real, full PDay in 7 weeks. Something always happens that needs to be tended to. Even today, my first PDay, I spent here in the office (that's why it took me so long to finish this email, I've been running all over the place getting stuff ready for transfers next week and writing when I have a chance)
- The Financial Secretary usually stays in the office for six to eight months, but since there will be a change of mission presidents in July, it's very possible that I'll be here for a long, long time
- Dealing with the Lord's money is scary business.
So that's the news. It's pretty good, I think. I was really sad to leave my awesome companion and awesome area, but it's okay. It's going to be cool working here.
The picture is of Elder Rodrigo and I at the Hard Rock Cafe. We went there this morning before everything in the office got all hectic and we had to work. It was probably the trunkiest thing I've done on the mission so far. There was a band setting up and practicing for a show that's going to happen there tonight.
I wrote this all very hurriedly, I hope it's comprehendable.
Love,
Elder Sisco

Last PDay a bunch of missionaries from our zone went to the center to play soccer on this indoor court near the LZ's house. It was awesome, we played for like two hours, and everything was dandy, except that I wasn't aware of how painful turf actually is when you slide on it. It seemed really soft walking on it, but when I slid to try and keep Elder Tolotti from scoring, I'm pretty sure I left the other half of my leg on the ground. Taking a shower in the days following was brutal, and it's still all scabbed up and nasty. I have pictures, but out of respect for Mom, I will refrain from sending them. On the plus side, Tolotti didn't score.
After the game we went to get the bus home and ended up waiting at the bus stop for over an hour. Every bus that passed going back to our area was packed with people. Literally, so packed that there were people smushed up against the doors and windows like human sardines. I was surprised they didn't pop out.
Eventually a white VW Van passed by and the guys called for anyone going to Bairro Nacional (our area), so we got in. Then more people got in behind us. Then more still until they could fit no more. We were no better off than the sardines on the buses, except it had more of a "Mexican-fleeing-to-the-

border" feel to it.
On Saturday night, we saw the first torrential downpour that this town has seen in several months. And of course, when it rains, it RAINS. We were lucky enough to be waiting in the church for a meeting with our Ward Mission Leader when it happened, so we just waited it out there. Elder Frost and Elder Tiago however, were not so lucky. They got stuck in the rain, which was so hard that it destroyed both of the umbrellas that they had and ruined all of their books, scriptures, DVDs, other teaching materials... They went straight home to dry off, and when they got there saw that the wind had blown all of Elder Tolotti's clothes that he had left out to dry that morning off of the line and into the street, our neighbors yard, etc. so we had to go home and gather them up.
Some of his clothes had been blown into a corner of the little walkway we have outside (we live on the third floor), blocking the drainage pipe and causing this sort of dirty rain water pool effect (pictures included).
And of course the highlight of the week was walking down the street conversing normally with Elder Tolotti, him stopping suddenly and with fear in his eyes saying "I had a brown day." Meaning that we had to go back to the house so that he could take a shower and get cleaned up. Luckily, this hasn't happened to me yet. I figure if I can make it nine months without a problem, what's 15 more? Keep those prayers going.
We're teaching the girlfriend of this kid in our ward, whose name is Fernanda. She's only 15 but she's really receptive, and has already been to church a bunch of times. She should be baptized this Sunday after Stake Conference.
Last night we met her dad, who is Buddhist. I think he's the first non-Christian that I've met in this country. We talked to him for about half an hour about Buddhism, but he's only been Buddhist for four years so he didn't know much about the history or origins. He did know his daily prayers, though and recites them quite well.
That's all for this week.
Love and miss you all,
Elder Sisco


The pictures are of Elder Tolotti (my companion) pulling his clothes out of the pool of water on our walkway, and Elder Tiago (Frost's companion, who also happens to be the son [as in, was trained by] Elder Franklin), using one of the destroyed umbrellas to fill up the tanquina to do laundry(we've graduated from using the two blender jugs. This way seems to be more efficient).