24 July 2011 - Jardim Castelão Area (Dad)

Well happy Pioneer Day, I know the Hawkes family had a great celebration ;)

 

Well I'm an old man. I have to tell people that I am 21 now. Then once I tell them that they just laugh and tell me that I look like I'm 14. That's good right? ;) I guess when I'm 99 it'll be a good thing. The missionaries that I live with tried to surprise me but my companion walked in first and they scared him good. I was down the stairs still and my companion said, '' Uh....that was a big spider". Nice try... It was good though. I was kind of sad that I got transferred from my last area right before my birthday because things would have been better, but I'm here to teach not have birthday parties.

 

Saturday was one of the best days ever. It was one of the funniest nights I've ever had. I'll start out by saying bats in the house! We were just sitting and the all of the sudden a black bat just fell from the ceiling. My companion is scared to death of any critter so he screamed. Our Brazilian ran and started poking it and stuff. We all stared filming but then the bat got up and started flying a bit. So 3 grown men started booking it and screaming like little girls. One was up on a chair cowering in fear, the other one was already out of the veranda. It was hillarious. We tried to get it out but it kept flying so we just ran around screaming and yelling "Kill it!" "Flush it down the toilet" "It's spreading diseases!" Stuff like that. The kid on the chair just kept saying Woah Woah! Luckily I filmed it but it's not any professional footage. Then guess what?! Another bat fell down from the ceiling! It was a crazy night. Me and my comp sleep out on the veranda so I was petrified every time I heard bat chirping around us. I was sure they were gathering the bat armies to come and nibble out our eyes. Needless to say I didn't sleep very well.

 

[Suggestions from Dad that he record more events.] I've been better and writing stuff down, but I'm not sure what all I should write. Plus it's a pain to write words and letters and stuff. :) The hardest part about taking pictures is the constant fear that someone is going to stab you to death to get your camera. So It's hard to carry around your camera. I want to take more pictures though.

 

Also I have some great news. We officially have churro vans in our area! They drive little micro asian vans and they have about 5 people crammed into them. You wave them down and they are all hunched over making your churros. It's great. They only cost about 60 cents too. I'm definitely going to get a picture of them. MMM churros.

 

This area is pretty hard. We are having an awful time trying to find new people to teach. Here I am complaining but I suppose in the US the missionaries have that sort of problem for 2 years not just one area. We are going to people's houses but none of them want anything. All the references we have are weak. I was reading the other day somewhere in the Book of Mormon 2 Nephi or Jacob about how we should have patience during our times of affliction. I realized I should probably be patient and just keep going. It's hard since we live with the LZ's and I don't want to let them or Pres. Souza down. The ward is really good and the area has had success in the past so I don't know what we are doing wrong. It's a good humbling experience though. I have a lot to change so hopefully the Lord can help me in these next months before I go home. I want to be different after the mission and I want to stay that way! Sadly, my companion says that BYU-I doesn't offer Portuguese classes so that is a bummer. One of my biggest fears is losing the ability to speak! Maybe I'll learn Spanish again...maybe not :)

17 July 2011 - Jardim Castelão Area (Mom)

This week has been a hard week because I have been sick the whole time. It started out with a sore throat, then I started to get a stuffy nose. It has happened a few times so far here in Brazil. It must be some seasonal things....who knows. For the last few days I have just been pouring snot out of my nose and coughing up my lungs. Hopefully it will pass soon. I have been taking a few different kinds of medication but nothing has happened. I lost my voice for a bit so it was hard to teach people. Dad told me that you guys got a cat...weird. Well that is all I have for this week...it wasn't too interesting... 

17 July 2011 - Jardim Castelão Area (Dad)

Yep new area. It's not that far away from my last area. All of my areas are pretty close to each other since they are in the same city. They have a good bus system here. It gets a little crowded but it's good. You use them a lot. This area is small so we don't use them, but my last area we used them all the time. They also waste my few precious reais that I get! Bus rides eat all my money...I guess it's good because I can't buy food and get fat. I'll get to go back at the end of my mission and I definitely will go back to Pedras. I learned to love the people there and I have a few people that I baptized there that mean a lot to me.

 

[Did Mom tell you that we got a cat?] A cat!? ewww. We use cats for kicking practice here..just kidding :) The cats in Brazil are the size of large pumas so I never mess with them. I like kittens but then they grow up and claw and bite plus they smell...and they have rabies.

 

This last Sunday I was thinking about what it would be like at home...just for a few minutes mind you. I was thinking what I could use that I have learned so far to help my family and myself. I was trying to measure what I learned here. I don't have any standout super crazy miracles that happened so I decided to think a bit. I started to write it down. Then I realized a lot of stuff has happened. Little miracles, medium miracles. I just hope I remember it all. I have been slacking on the journal writing thing sadly. I just want to remember these 2 years. I worry that I will forgot a spiritual moment or that I will forget someone. I know these are 2 wonderful years. I have learned many things in only a year. I could have learned a lot more, but I'll try harder during these next 11 months. I know without a doubt that the Lord is my Savior. I know that we are here to have a family and to learn and grow with them. I know that this gospel is the ONLY thing that can bring us true happiness. This is the only time we have to prove our love, please don't waste it. I have already been reminded by my loving Heavenly Father that this time on earth is short but so precious. We have mercy on our side........use it while you can. God will give us another chance but only if we take advantage of His atonement in THIS life.

10 July 2011 - Jardim Castelão Area (Dad)

Well this week was transfers again. I got sent to Jardim Castelão. That is where the state stadium is for soccer. Too bad it is closed for renovations for the 2014 World Cup. I guess that will lower my chances of getting stabbed and killed by crazy soccer fans on game nights. You saw how crazy Canadians got with hockey...imagine the Brazilians with soccer. Beer and sharp objects are too easy to get here. Oddly, my new companion is also from Texas. I have been companions with all the Texans on the mission. Well, he is really from Spain, but lived in Texas for the rest of his life. His name is Elder Perez...which gives away his Spanish origins. We live with the Zone Leaders....booo..... :) The new President hasn't changed too much stuff yet and I have yet to see him. This transfer will only be 5 weeks instead of the usual 6. At least I have a post office in my area now..no more living in the boonies called Pedras. Although my love for those people grew a lot this last transfer. I'll miss them a lot. Everybody was crying and giving me the usual advice "Have a good mission, work hard, may success follow you" the generic stuff. It was good though. I'll definitely go back at the end of my mission. The last transfer they let us travel to our old areas on P-Days.

It's weird sometimes talking about missionary work to the members and stuff. They look at us like we are doing something so hard and we are giving up so much. I don't see it as that epic and intense. Of course it is the best thing I have ever done, but while you are doing it, it just seems normal. Recent converts look at use like we are angels sent from heaven. We didn't do anything though! They prayed, they went to church, they read the scriptures, and then God gave them the answers!

3 July 2011 - Pedras Area (Dad)

[I never associated hillbillies and rednecks with Brazil. Do they have a guy named Jose Bob Claus that leaves moonshine bottles in your dirty socks and have a possum egg hunt in the backyard too? You look a bit different with a mustache. Hopefully that permanent marker isn't really permanent.] Well down in the South they are all farmers and stuff. They don't have a guy named that but that's because they have a lot of people the do that here ;) It was a make-up pencil so it came off easily. I was going to part my hair down the middle too but my hair wasn't long enough. I even tried to use egg whites as gel...it doesn't work as well as grease does...

[Sean's birthday is this week, the 9th. He'll be 42 or something like that. Not too long until your ageometer rolls over another tick too.] Yeah...I have been playing soccer on P Days (which will probably end because of the new President) and my knees are like a bowl of grits and they hurt too. Hopefully I'll stay in this area so they can throw me an awesome birthday party or something like that. If not I'll be in a new area for like 10 days and nobody will even know me. It reminds me of my birthday in the MTC with my district of my companion and me. He forgot it was my birthday though. :(

This week was a good week. We have two marriages lined up, which is a miracle here in Brazil. Hopefully, I will be able to stay here and see them but who knows. They are really great people and the members here are perfect. They are always helping them and they are always trying to help them feel the spirit. This is definitely an area that I will remember. I love the people here, the members as well as the investigators. We have worked hard to get these people married, but the Lord has blessed us and blessed them so much. This surely is the true church. No other gospel can cause such changes in people. People are giving us their moonshine in dirty socks and are forsaking it from that day on. I've been a member for a long time but I would have a hard time changing things that they so easily give up. These people are so much better than I am and I love them for it. They are truly elects of God and they catch on the things so fast. I'm just bouncing along, tripping and falling while they run full speed past me. I can say it is one the best feelings ever. I testify that there is no other feeling. I hope all of you at home strive to feel that feeling again!

26 June 2011 - Pedras Area (Mom)

It was a good week here. We got to do a lot of stuff. We made some homemade bread. Some members showed us how to make it. They wanted to put ham & cheese inside and roll it. But we're Americans and we put apples and cinnamon. It tastes soo good, it's like cinnamon roll. All we need is frosting. We also made some brownies because my comp got 2 packages from his mom. They were the best brownies I have ever had, I'm not sure why. This past Saturday was the best ward party that I have ever been to! It's called Junino. It goes all June and part of July. It's a Brazilian holiday. Everyone dresses up like hillbillys and they paint mustaches and stuff. It was fun. I did some square dancing with my companion too. It was a fun time. We won the best couple award. 

I had an epiphany the other day. I'm going to be a waiter at a Brazilian restaurant when I get home. That way I can eat the food whenever I want. Mexican food is better though :)

My companion was telling me about his mom the other day and I had another epiphany! You should go back to school and then you can go work! It'll give you something to do.

Teaching is a good way to teach yourself. I spend a lot of time studying so that I can teach. It's hard to keep it all in your head though. I want to be better at knowing scriptures and stuff like that. My scriptures are all marked up in my pretty marking system, so that helps me a bit. It's hard to teach different things though. I always try to teach in a new way, or say new things. It's too easy to get into a routine.

I've been thinking lately about when I was set apart. Grandpa told me to write it down in my journal. One of the things that was said is that I was close to the spirit and I should grow and recognize that more. I have never felt that I was close to the spirit, but I guess I have to grow and learn.

26 June 2011 - Pedras Area (Dad)

Good news, this last Thursday I resumed my roofing services. It was fun, but I got a sunburn on my knees since I was sitting on the roof all day. More perilous rotten wood stunts :) I can't think of a better time to die: On a mission doing service :) Maybe drowning while you baptize someone. [We will keep in mind your newly acquired skills for when the next round of hail passes through Fort Worth.] Well if you have switched to terra cota roof than I'll be in business. We are only allowed to provide service for member. When I 1st got here we could help whoever, but the people started using the missionaries as slaves and president stopped that. Speaking of President...he leaves tomorrow :( We got some good news today as well. Apparently, they opened a new branch in Trindade which is in Piauí (another state) from what I hear. I didn't know that we had another state in our mission. It's in the middle of nowhere. I think they have 4 missionaries there. They will be doing some pioneering. It's all good news. 

We had an awesome party this weekend at church. I sent pictures. You dress up as a hillbilly and do redneck stuff. It was cool, I like it a lot. I got to square dance with my companion. I also got to have a mustache and beard. It's always good to have an excuse to be a redneck.  

This week we had a miracle happen with one of our investigators. We were teaching a reference but we realized that they guy wasn't really paying attention. I was talking about the Book of Mormon and then my companion pulled out the Word of Wisdom pamphlet. He said he felt like he should teach it, but I didn't know that at the time. Usually we wait a bit before we start throwing out the commandments. It started out rocky... they had problems with 4 of the 5 things. They were the 1st people that I have taught that were drinking black tea. Then we asked the man if he would stop drinking and I was thinking "He is going to say no..............blah blah blah" but he said yes. He stood up and grabbed a bottle of vodka from the fridge and gave it to us. When he did that, I felt the spirit like never before. Everyone was teary eyed and I'm sure everyone felt the spirit. It doesn't matter to me if he keeps drinking, it won't take away what we all felt. It'll be sad for sure, but it will be his loss. It's always hard to see the wife trying to follow Christ but the husband has no interest. They usually bring down the wives and then nothing happens.