[Bats in the house. Hm, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like that. Especially the eye-nibbling part. As long as they aren't those blood-sucking bats though, I'm thinking you're pretty safe unless you sleep with fruit piled on top of you.] Luckily they were small bats. They weren't those huge fruit bats the size of bobcats.
[Scott talked about having the right to choose and choosing the right. He mentioned the acronym for choose the right in Tagalog, which was TAP, or something like that, instead of CTR. That reminded me of the one in Spanish, which is HLJ, for haz lo justo, which means do the right. Doing has a little more power behind it than choosing, so it comes across a little better in Spanish than English. I'm assuming it is the same (as Spanish) in Portuguese.] In Portuguese they kept it as the same letters (CTR) but it means keep your path. It has a different meaning when you change the language. Sometime it gives you a new perspective.
[Oh, by the way, Scott said he took about 1700 pictures on his mission. He obviously lived in a safer country and had a little different mission rules. Anyway, when safe, photos sure are great for remembering. Making a back-up copy of the photos is probably wise in case some numbskull does decide they need your camera more than you do (as I'm sure they'll be able to sell the camera for a hefty two to five dollars).] I have about 800 pictures so far, but I always wish I took more. I have been trying to take pictures of the people in the ward and stuff like that. I have a CD but I haven't sent it yet because I don't have a post office in my area still. I need to make some more DVDs though. Well speaking of the camera....I have some good and bad news.....1st I'm still alive...2nd I don't have a camera anymore. I got robbed last Pday. They took my camera and another elder's and some other stuff. I wouldn't even tell you but then I would have to explain why I don't have a camera anymore. :) He got 1000 reais in loot though, good for him. He probably thinks all missionaries walk around with all that stuff. We just got done playing soccer and he got us about 10 feet in front of our house. I was thinking of laying a smack down...but I chickened out :) I didn't want 3 bullet holes in my chest either. Don't worry though, they don't rob missionaries here, or at least that is what they tell us here. We were in our soccer clothes so that is probably why. It'll be a good story though when I get back. The ward members promise me that I'll get my stuff when the vagabond learns the errors of his ways but I doubt it.
Today the Stake President took us to a meat buffet, the best kind of buffet! It's like Texas de Brazil but it's.....Brazil de Brazil. It was a nice place, better than any place that I have been to in the US, but then again I am partial to Taco Bell.... It was good meat, it would have been better with some BBQ sauce or A-1 steak sauce.... I got to eat pickles, green olives, caesar salad dressing, and some other stuff that I haven't eaten in forever. I'll probably gain about 123 pounds though.
[Regarding the hard area, I'm guessing you aren't doing anything wrong. Sometimes we only get two talents to work with instead of five, but then the Lord expects only an increase of two instead of five. And for the times when you only get one talent in opportunities to work with, as long as you don't bury it and you do what you can with it to double it, the Lord is just as satisfied. And the next thing you know, the talents start pouring in.] I haven't thought about hard areas that way. That's a good way to think about it. I always believed that if I work as hard as I can it doesn't really matter how many baptisms and stuff I get. As long as I can say that I worked with all my heart, then my garments will be stain free!
[I wouldn't worry too much about forgetting Portuguese. It's been thirty years since I really spoke Spanish and amazingly I still remember a lot.] I try to study Portguese a lot. I love learning it. I love learning languages. I think I'll study Spanish when I get back too. I wish BYU-I had Portguese though. I try to learn a lot from the speakers though. I haven't had a Brazilian for a few months, but I've been trying to work on my accent. It's hard to gauge your own accent though. It's funny because some people call me Brazilian (by the way I speak, but my blue eyes give me away!) and others just stare at me and are like "I can't understand a word you are saying." I don't know how that works, but whatever.
[I mentioned I am reading the book, "Believing Christ."] I don't think I have ever heard of that book. Since I have gotten on the mission, I have had a real thirst and desire for more gospel books. My last companion had some books by Russel M. Nelson and I read them. I have been reading Miracle of Forgiveness for the last 3 weeks and I almost finished. :) I just love reading them. I have a few written down to read when I get home. Who knows...the mission changes you. I couldn't care less about those kind of books before the mission. I think when I get back I'll just watch sports and read church books ;) just kidding. Since I have been on the mission my mind has opened a lot too. There is so much that we have to do. So much that matters in life. Stuff like paying attention in church, sacrament, scriptures, prayers, fasting, being nice etc etc weren't really that important. I just figured you had to do them and check them off the list. They open the doors for so many blessings though. There is a lot to do, yes, but that is what life is all about. All the stuff we have in life is to help us get better. Sacrament isn't just something to do, it cleans us! It's so important that only 2 times a year, during General Conference, it isn't required. I have a lot to learn and I don't know if I will during my 2 years but I'll keep trying. I'm like a sugar-high, nose-picking primary kid sometimes....I just don't listen/pay attention. Things just go over my head. It's hard being a primary kid when everyone else is a missionary but I'll stop eating crayons and pay attention soon.
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