Week 12

Man it was a really good week this week. I honestly couldn´t tell you a single thing that I did Tuesday but I have it written down in my journal. So that's great.

Wednesday I had exchanges with the ZL's and went to his area to work. I loved his area. It really felt like Brazil. Because he actually has forest area in his mission. The only problem though is the area is HUGE!!!!! But it was so cool!!! Lunc was really sad that day though I seriously almost cried. They made us lunch which is super nice of them and I'm grateful for it but the meat she cooked was literally covered in salt and I gaged just from that. And their house is dirt floors, 7 people live there and its the size of maybe my old room. But as we were leaving I saw a rat climb into the pot of rice and start eating.

 

Thursday I had exchanges with my other set of missionaries living in the house. We were in my area and I was the leader. It was a pretty decent day. We talked to a referral from one of the members. This guy isn´t really all there and its super hard to teach him anything. When we asked him to pray he read the explanation to what a prayer was at the end of the pamphlets we gave him.

 

Friday had exchanges that night and we went out with our bishop as well. Elson is such a cool freaking guy!!! He lives in the same complex as us and he comes over all the time to talk to us at night. And he´ll buy us pizza every once in awhile. Anyway we went to talk to two of our investigators with him. Both went really, really well!! Both families need to be married and have problems with the word of wisdom. But they both said they would come to church on Sunday.

 

Sunday came around and our investigator José came. He´s the dad in one of our families we are teaching. One we talked to with the bishop. But he came for the last hour of sacrament. Our other family didn´t show up!!! So disappointed and sad about that. I hope it was because someone got sick or something and they didn't just blow us off. Because I really like them!!! 

That was about all my week. What else do you want to know??? I dunno haha I love you all and pray for you each everyday!!!

 

Okie dokie so my other companions.... Elder Ross he is from Jackson County Missouri!! He´s a super awesome guy and a really good friend. He just got a reassignment yesterday and is being transferred and is gonna be the new district leader somewhere else. I really really love Elder Ross. We´ve become really good friends. 

 

Then there is Elder Severiche. He is from Bolivia. I don't think he has ever done real work ever in his life. He doesn't help clean around the house which irks the crap outta me!! And Saturday morning we had a service project helping out a lady with her roof. He needed to be told to do every little thing. I asked him Elder what are you doing? DO you know? Cause I don't and you need to be doing something. He was like ok.

More or less this week my main goal is to gain more patience. In Preach My Gospel we have a niffty section just for patience to this week that's what I´m studying.

 

Because Elder Olviveira is DL it's not busier I usually just have more exchanges and I talk to the ZL at night because I´m technically senior companion. That's about it.

 

Yeah the language is still difficult but only because they have rules that they actually follow. Haha English has rules but no one really follows them. Also its just hard to remember all the conjagations for words. And all the irregular verbs. 

Oh yeah we walk everywhere pretty much. When we can we try to use the bus if we can. But more often than not we just walk.

Laundry I usually do it on Monday or if I need to wash my shirts or pants I just do it. And hang em out to dry. Pretty easy. 

 

Our area is pretty big. Oliveira hasn't been everywhere. He's been here for 3 transfers now. But we usually don't knock doors we just talk to everyone on the street. And if they give their address or come to church we go to them. We still get referrals but not many.

 

P-days after we email we go out and buy lunch at a restaurant. Usually a meat place with awesome food!!!! Which is my favorite part about P-day.  After that we come back after buying groceries we need and usually they all go to bed. I'll stay up and clean usually. Then after I finish, sleep for an hour or 2. I try to make eggs and toast everyday for breakfast. And dinner usually something small. NO biggy. That's about it.

 

Every two weeks we get 60 real. It is enough but I´m starting to eat again and I usually have to buy food every week. And we use the buses every once in a while. So thats usually 6 real. If not more. Because when we use the buses we go to another area and have to use money for two buses and then to come back too.

 

So honestly I could alwyas use more money. But I'm doing alright. I probably gained a couple pounds back but I'm not sure. I still have headaches and yesterday was reallly bad. But luckily the member we had lunch with had some asprin.

And right now its actually pretty cold, it's like 60 something. It so weird I feel like thats cold. lol

 

I love ya Momma!!! You´ll get some letters pretty soon!! Hope you have an awesome day!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st Baptism Pictures

Week 10

Hey Hey!!!!

SO this past week was really good!!!! Monday had a great lunch at a cheap place with bomb foood. It made my stomach hurt afterward though. But that didn't stop us. Went back out after 6 and went to work.

Nothing really happened during the week until Friday. So I´m compainions with the District leader so that means that the Zone leader has to interview our investigators for baptism. Marcos passed with Flying colors!!! He will have difficulties with smoking but I have faith in him. When we were setting up the meeting with him he asked me to be the one to do the baptism. I was just honored to do it. It went really well. I said all the words right and he went all the way down on the first try!!!

So excited that I was able to be the one the Lord worked through and was able to baptise Marcos. 

It was stake conference yesterday so we anounced him a member before the whole stake and confirmed him a member in front of every one too!!! SO COOL!!

Something that was a bit differnt with stake conference here. They still pass the sacramnet..So that was pretty interesting.

Week 9

Momma I'm sorry that I've been horrible at sending details. I'm not a writer I'm a talker - lol.

Lets see I am in the city of Grajau. Its humongus!! I can't even begin to think how many people live here. Everywhere is just homes. Bricks atop of bricks. It seems like one huge structure but there is division in it and you wouldn't even know it. Mountains of homes mom. Then the occasional palm tree or some other kind of tree. 

 

This week its rained pretty regularly. Most days right now are really hot and humid. When it does rain it does help till it stops and gets hot again. 

The ward.... At church during church everything is great and it is outside of it too but the people are different. Not church. But anyway... I don't even know the ``ward mission leader`` if there is one. Usually we just talk with one of the bishopric members who lives in the same complex as us. There are tons of members. This week was a little small because a ton of the youth weren't there.   I don't know for sure but I think the went up to Rio for Carnival. It's so sad to see kids here. Walking around I see kids that are 12 or 13 and they´re smoking crack and girls are pregnant at the same age.

The mission home is like 30 minutes away. We use the metro to get there. But for the most part we walk. Unless we are going to the Chapels around here for zone meetings then we use the busses. I think some drivers try to play the game of who can I make fall on the bus. Or how close can I get to the stop light before I should stop. And they jam pack everybody on the bus. During the day it isn't too bad but at night I'd rather walk the 3 miles back to the house than use the bus. I don't understand how the bus can function with that much weight in it.

Yeah packages need to be sent to my mission home. I don't even know my address. And neither do the mail services usually. The way they do the numbering of house is so idiotic. There really isn't a system other than they use numbers lol. 

My week with my investigators has been crazy!! Both good and bad and super weird.

Good- Our investigator finally came to church with his recently baptized wife and son.

Bad- After church we were walking home and caught him smoking!! I yelled out,``Marcos!!! O que voce fazendo?!?!`` What are you doing? He just looked ashamed. I told him its hard for us to not do those things that we've done for so long but if and when you ask for help and have faith that you can recieve help you will!!!! And I could say that because I know first hand!!

Weird- Our other investigator Fabio Jr.... He kind of had like an excorsist experience with him yesterday... I honestly don't know what happened. It was pretty scary for me just because I couldn't understand what the heck was going on!!! lol He stopped us and prayed like 3 times by himself on his bed and randomly started yelling at his wife saying some pretty bad stuff..

 

But I need to get off now. Next week I will tell you all about how the days go for us. But now I'm going to go eat...

 

Bye Momma!

LOVE YOU!!!