4 Aug 2010 - Brazil MTC (to Dad)

Boa Tarde

[It has been over 100 degrees every day and is forecast to be over 100 for at least the next ten days, so we're thankful for air conditioners.] It's been pretty cold here lately, just cloudy. It doesn't rain much in the winter though, I have only seen it rain once and that was when we went to the temple so I got soaking wet. [You asked who Michael's home teaching companion is: it is Brother Dixon, but he's been out of town a lot.] Yeah he leaves in the summer, but that would be a good home teaching companion. [Wow, doing temple work in a language you're learning would be different. One thing that might be interesting as you master the language is listening for differences in words that might clarify meaning in English when the English word could have multiple meanings--you can do the same thing with the scriptures. Sometimes how something gets translated makes it clearer what the intent was in English, if that makes sense.] I like the scriptures more in Portuguese, they say stuff differently and it is interesting how they mean different things like you said. [The end of summer is fast approaching--well, not really the end, but the time to take Michael and Lauren to BYU. It is kind of scary in a way because it will be awful quiet, lonely, and boring with a nearly empty house and I know I will miss having all of you around.] Yeah you will be almost all alone in the house like old people. You better find something to do like soap carving or learn how to do weird grandpa things so you can show the chitlins weird stuff. You should also save up quarters so yuo can take them out of all the kids' ears. Nothing interesting here much we got 5 elders. 2 from my other disctrict so that was cool. We saw a brazilian smashing in a car at night the other day too after a fight, that was awesome!!!!

4 Aug 2010 - Brazil MTC (to Mom)

From what I have heard Fortaleza Mission is like Arizona and 110 degrees and dry, except for on the coast where Fortaleza is. Yeah I bet some of it is rich but the rest of the city is ghetto. Where are you guys going? [Speaking of upcoming trip to Utah, presumably.] dropping off lauren and michael? The swivel chairs are the best. [We bought a couple of chairs from IKEA (exciting, huh?).] You could always just travel instead of being a Scandanavian Viking IKEA cashier. Yeah its pretty much a compound. [The MTC.] Here in Brazil it's even worse, at least in Provo you got to walk outside and see light. I haven't seen natural light for weeks, well since last p day and through the windows. Yeah I got the package. Just for future reference I hate those Werther's Original Candies. But I liked the letter and the book about the apostles. It took me awhile to figure out that there was our family picture on it though....oops; Elder Holland is a good speaker, he is my favorite I think and not just because he has the coolest 1st name ever. He shows a lot of emotion, that was my favorite part about that talk I showed you. Eyring is good too, they are all good I suppose. I want all of that too, its a lot easier to want it here, but not much easier to obtain it. However, you got have a lot more powerful spirit and the mantle of apostleship (kind of) and that makes blessings pour in. Love ya