Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
19 Dec 2010 - Alvorada Area
I will call you guys and tell you what number to call, which will be the phone at the chapel. Yes I have a cell phone, this is the 21st Century. I didn't call last weekend because I didn't have the number in California and you guys were already there. I will call sometime this week to let you guys know. I didn't email Mom because there wasn't much to say. So she shouldn't get mad or anything :) We went to the beach this last week with our President. It was fun and I got a lot of pictures. The water wasn't very clear, I guess I need to go to another part of the beach. Fortunately, it wasn't sunny or else I would have been BBQed because I'm pretty sure the sun scrapes the tops of the trees as it goes by...
It has been raining, but sadly only during the night so it doesn't really do much but get all of the clothes dirty and wet that are drying outside. Then it is hot and muggy during the day.
It has been raining, but sadly only during the night so it doesn't really do much but get all of the clothes dirty and wet that are drying outside. Then it is hot and muggy during the day.
Monday, December 13, 2010
12 Dec 2010 - Alvorada Area (Mom)
Transfers were today but I stayed and a new Elder came...Elder Oliveira Santos. He is from São Paulo, I like him so far. I was glad of the change because my other companion was lazy and made it much more difficult to follow the rules..mostly concerning the morning hours. He is a DL so I will be traveling on the weekends to do interviews and stuff, but it should be good.
[Mom broke the news that she didn't use the photo Jeffrey sent for our Christmas card. Each of the kids was supposed to provide a photo with them and one of the digits of 2010. Below you'll see Jeffrey's contribution for the number 0.] That picture was awesome, I can't believe you didn't use it. You take away my creative art :) I could use some brisket maybe you should send some down here :) I had to save money these last few weeks so I was eating bread and eggs for awhile. Somehow I'm still fat, so I will have to work on that. My new companion walks 2352 mph so that should help.
I didn't get the Christmas package yet but I should get it tomorrow, but these mailman here are thirsty for american goods. They charged me an arm and a leg to send Evan some catholic saints... punks. My pants are ok, but they are changing colors from the sun I guess, but they are still good. Shoes are still good, ties are ok. I don't have very many so most of them are from other Elders, since they trade when they leave. I will have to start giving up the ones I like. Elder Ferreira took the tie that you liked :)
[Mom broke the news that she didn't use the photo Jeffrey sent for our Christmas card. Each of the kids was supposed to provide a photo with them and one of the digits of 2010. Below you'll see Jeffrey's contribution for the number 0.] That picture was awesome, I can't believe you didn't use it. You take away my creative art :) I could use some brisket maybe you should send some down here :) I had to save money these last few weeks so I was eating bread and eggs for awhile. Somehow I'm still fat, so I will have to work on that. My new companion walks 2352 mph so that should help.
I didn't get the Christmas package yet but I should get it tomorrow, but these mailman here are thirsty for american goods. They charged me an arm and a leg to send Evan some catholic saints... punks. My pants are ok, but they are changing colors from the sun I guess, but they are still good. Shoes are still good, ties are ok. I don't have very many so most of them are from other Elders, since they trade when they leave. I will have to start giving up the ones I like. Elder Ferreira took the tie that you liked :)
12 Dec 2010 - Alvorada Area (Dad)
I can't keep up my English grammar and Portuguese, so I will ramble in English.
[Dad reported the latest on BYU sports.] At least some team is doing well in BYU ;) I figured out that my last companion (Transfers today so I have a new one) was a secret Brazilian Utes fan....disgusting. He had a pillow case and a shirt of the Utes. It was like Provo MTC all over again when my roommate was a WR for the Utes...who knew they served missions :) [Response to a comment Dad made about not having served in a resort town like Fortaleza.] Oh and I'm not serving in a resort town, they are poor as dirt, and the dirt is terrible here, very cheap. Fortaleza, and the state of Ceará has the most deaths than any other state due to murders. However, I have never seen any action like that. I saw a few kids with guns trafficking drugs. They have a drug lord here that is only 15 years old that hangs out around a part of town we go to often.
[Questions about how the Christmas phone call will work.] Pay phones aren't pay phones. You have to have a card to use them. So you buy a card and stick it in and use it. So I would just buy a card/cards and use them until they ended. I have heard this, or using the church phone because you would use a card too and the church is a little apostate here ;) or a member's phone/cell phone. Who knows. I don't.
[Told him of Isaac Hadley, Andrew Munguia, and Chris Colby returning from their missions.] They will be jealous of me that I am still on my mission, I have no need to be jealous of them coming home :)
[Told him of a new elder serving in our ward who received his patriarchal blessing from Grandpa.] That's cool that he met Grandpa. A few things happened this last Sunday. 2 Seventies came to split my stake into 2...duh. They spoke during stake conference and then 4 general authorities had recorded something for 4 stake that were splitting in Brazil. 2 in Fortaleza (my old stake and my new one) Belém, and Rio. They talked about tithing and temples a lot, something that doesn't really pertain to me as a missionary since I can't pay tithing and I have no temple here :) Just kidding, nonetheless it was good to hear from my old pals Dieter F Uchtdorf and Elder Andersen. The church is growing rapidly here in Fortaleza, hence it is one of the best missions in the world. literally.
[Dad reported the latest on BYU sports.] At least some team is doing well in BYU ;) I figured out that my last companion (Transfers today so I have a new one) was a secret Brazilian Utes fan....disgusting. He had a pillow case and a shirt of the Utes. It was like Provo MTC all over again when my roommate was a WR for the Utes...who knew they served missions :) [Response to a comment Dad made about not having served in a resort town like Fortaleza.] Oh and I'm not serving in a resort town, they are poor as dirt, and the dirt is terrible here, very cheap. Fortaleza, and the state of Ceará has the most deaths than any other state due to murders. However, I have never seen any action like that. I saw a few kids with guns trafficking drugs. They have a drug lord here that is only 15 years old that hangs out around a part of town we go to often.
[Questions about how the Christmas phone call will work.] Pay phones aren't pay phones. You have to have a card to use them. So you buy a card and stick it in and use it. So I would just buy a card/cards and use them until they ended. I have heard this, or using the church phone because you would use a card too and the church is a little apostate here ;) or a member's phone/cell phone. Who knows. I don't.
[Told him of Isaac Hadley, Andrew Munguia, and Chris Colby returning from their missions.] They will be jealous of me that I am still on my mission, I have no need to be jealous of them coming home :)
[Told him of a new elder serving in our ward who received his patriarchal blessing from Grandpa.] That's cool that he met Grandpa. A few things happened this last Sunday. 2 Seventies came to split my stake into 2...duh. They spoke during stake conference and then 4 general authorities had recorded something for 4 stake that were splitting in Brazil. 2 in Fortaleza (my old stake and my new one) Belém, and Rio. They talked about tithing and temples a lot, something that doesn't really pertain to me as a missionary since I can't pay tithing and I have no temple here :) Just kidding, nonetheless it was good to hear from my old pals Dieter F Uchtdorf and Elder Andersen. The church is growing rapidly here in Fortaleza, hence it is one of the best missions in the world. literally.
Monday, December 6, 2010
5 Dec 2010 - Alvorada Area (Mom)
[Mom asked if he teaches the Gospel Principles class for investigators.] No we don't teach that class because it's not my job. :) In fact we aren't supposed to to teach it, since they have a calling for it. Sometimes the teachers forget to prepare a lesson and tell us to give it, but President Batt told us to politely decline. We just attend and say things because they have 2 Gospel Principles classes here, one for old members and one for 1 year and less members (since baptism) so we attend the newer one and help with comments and stuff. [We did have a good lesson on the sacrament yesterday.] We didn't talk about that this Sunday... we talked about the life of Jesus Christ :)
This week was good here, we had a few references that turned out to be good. They are really open and they are making strides not just the little steps like usual. One of them even gave us 2 references to teach two of her friends. They are helping more than the ward does :) One of them we were teaching and had a pamphlet out for the 1st Lesson ( Restoration of the Gospel) and she was talking about how her husband died and how she was sad etc etc so I slipped the pamphlet back into my bag and grabbed the 2nd Lesson (Plan of Salvation). It turned out to be a really good spiritual lesson, which is obvious because the spirit told me to do it :) It's good when you have the spirit guiding you and telling you what to do, it makes teaching easier and a lot more spiritual. Well I don't have much to say this week. The stake is splitting next week so some Seventies will come and then transfers, so I might stay or move.
This week was good here, we had a few references that turned out to be good. They are really open and they are making strides not just the little steps like usual. One of them even gave us 2 references to teach two of her friends. They are helping more than the ward does :) One of them we were teaching and had a pamphlet out for the 1st Lesson ( Restoration of the Gospel) and she was talking about how her husband died and how she was sad etc etc so I slipped the pamphlet back into my bag and grabbed the 2nd Lesson (Plan of Salvation). It turned out to be a really good spiritual lesson, which is obvious because the spirit told me to do it :) It's good when you have the spirit guiding you and telling you what to do, it makes teaching easier and a lot more spiritual. Well I don't have much to say this week. The stake is splitting next week so some Seventies will come and then transfers, so I might stay or move.
5 Dec 2010 - Alvorada Area Photos (Dad)
I put some random pictures in, one of Thanksgiving dinner and the other ones just random stuff I took on the street.
5 Dec 2010 - Alvorada Area (Dad)
[We're going to California for Christmas.] Mom told me that you would be going there. If the time difference is only 5 hours, I wake up at 6:30 so I'll probably call you at 6:45 AM my time ;) Just kidding. I'm almost certain I will call, from the chapel or even a pay phone on the street who knows I have heard both. [We look forward to hearing some amazing Portuguese.] I will speak too fast for you to be able to understand :) I'm pretty sure you will be able to understand everything anyways, it's not that different from Spanish. I don't know when they will tell us what the plan is. We are going to the beach next week with President Batt so that should be fun, since it's against the rules otherwise as of lately. It will be nice to see the nice sandy beaches with clear water and palm trees. Unlike the beaches you have pictures of, dead fish and dirty water :)
I sent Mom the pictures today, since I might have forgotten. They are good though.
Today was P-Day of the Zone so we played some soccer and ate mangos. It was good, it's always good to meet up with your fellow missionaries and it's the only chance I have to speak English too :) We had it at an institute building which was just a huge house, I mean huge for Brazil. It was big and nice, it even had a swimming pool too ;) We had barbeque so the zone will all probably sick this week because of uncooked meat. Just kidding. Well I have nothing else to say....
I sent Mom the pictures today, since I might have forgotten. They are good though.
Today was P-Day of the Zone so we played some soccer and ate mangos. It was good, it's always good to meet up with your fellow missionaries and it's the only chance I have to speak English too :) We had it at an institute building which was just a huge house, I mean huge for Brazil. It was big and nice, it even had a swimming pool too ;) We had barbeque so the zone will all probably sick this week because of uncooked meat. Just kidding. Well I have nothing else to say....
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