20 Feb 2011 - Alvorada Area (Dad)

[I mentioned that my brother Mark texted me to say he had seen me on ksl.com in the crowd waiting for the Cougars to leave TCU. I do seem to be the one thing that isn't like the rest in the picture above.] That's odd that Mark was able to recognize you from the back of your head. He must have noticed an argyle sweater that he gave you that one Christmas :) [No chance for autographs for Jeffrey from the basketball team this TCU game; success limits access.] Well I guess it's ok, because I got their autograph from last year, I'll just tell people it is from this year. The BYU scrub fans will never notice and they will be amazed. I was surprised that Elder Cusick's brother played football since the Elder Cusick he is a goofball. He is tall skinny kid and he's like a little brother, he's fun. He's clumsy and goofy and President jokes with him a lot. He got burned pretty badly but he is all smiles and he has healed up nicely. Pres. Batt is a funny guy, he always has a joke. Everyone makes fun of him because he is from Idaho, but he is clever and sharp. I'll miss him, he goes home in August. The new president is from Brazil, from Curitiba (like you know where that is ;) )

["The only place in Central America that I served in that had any terrain that wasn't flat was Costa Rica. The first area I served in there was up in the hills. When it rained, which it did frequently, walking in some of the areas could get a little treacherous. That was the only place that wasn't blazing hot too. I don't remember having the exotic fruit selection you have. All I remember are mangoes, bananas, pineapple, coconuts, papaya, oranges (green ones), and tamarind. We pretty much only drank soda pop and sometimes a tamarind drink or avena (some oatmeal thing)."] It's just flat and hot here and the terrain is perfect for flooding, which happens every time it rains. Everything is built on sand here so they always have problems because lots of water and sand don't mix. In fact, they make big holes in the ground and highways. I have a good friend in the Salvador Sul mission, he is actually singing a solo for Russel M Nelson this weekend. Carnaval is coming up in 2 weeks and I hear it gets crazy down there in Salvador. They have a ton of fruit here, and I haven't tried a lot of them. They have tamarind here too, but it's gross. They eat them raw here, they crack open their shells and eat the "meat" off of the seeds, which is suuuuuuuuuper sour. I had some juice too, but it tasted like sour dirt :) Papaya is 100% nasty and it smells nasty too. ["Man, a Winnie the Pooh wallet. I never got anything that sweet. I'm sure she enjoys your inventive drawings. Kids can be fun, huh?"] I haven't received many things from investigators and members. They people are really nice here though, if you ask then they will give it to you. I just don't ask people because I think that is rude ;) It's fun to play with the kids. They give you hugs and stuff, and even if their parents hate you, they still love you. Plus you get new wallets from them too, maybe I could convince them to put some money in the wallets first......

On the mission you have plenty of time to reflect while you are walking and stuff. Sadly, it give me time to remember how old I am going to be when I get off my mission. I just want to stay here forever, I have no idea what I am going to do when I get off the mission. I need money, an education, a major,.....a wife? maybe I'll wait on that ;) It's so much easier here, I just wake up and work then I go to sleep. I can live my dreams here, back there I have to live reality. My dream is to be a coach, I would love that more than anything in the world but alas it is a dream. I will go back home to my glorious life of cleaning toilets in the middle of the night, dancing with mops...that kind of cool janitor stuff. It will be good I guess, but I still have plenty of time to dream here in Brazil....Terra do Sol. Good luck to all of you people in reality, working everyday. I'll enjoy the coconut water and flip flops. I'll give the drunks some high fives for ya'll this Carnaval!

 Winnie the Pooh wallet