Hey family!
There is a family here that is amazing. When I woke up my comp told me that we were going to go to Irmã Cris' house. She and her family are awesome. We went over there and they played games with us, gave us presents, and told us that they were going to miss us (because more than likely at least one of us will be transferred on the 3rd). Suddenly I felt like I was at home. I looked at the 18 year old with four older sisters (two of which are married) and I saw me and I realized that he would be leaving fairly soon for the mission, and I wanted him to realize how amazing his family is. Then Irmã Cris said something about how I'm a part of the family, and I saw that I don't need to feel bad; I'm far from my family, but at the same time I'm not. I'm closer to God and I'm meeting more siblings every day.
I love you all,
Elder Page
Monday, December 27, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
20 December 2010 - email
I'm in San Martin. No, I wasn't transferred; I'm here for the P-Day Especial de Natal! We took a break from soccer, volley, water fights and me realizing how skinny I am to write e-mails.
So I pretty much love December. On Sunday (not yesterday) we met a drunk woman in front of the chapel and my comp and Elder Meyers' comp took her into the church to show her around They taught her the first lesson and she cried and asked to be baptized. I didn't really believe it because she was drunk, but I was hoping. It turned out that from that moment she didn't touch alcohol again. We taught her in her boss's house (she keeps house) and also taught the boss's daughter and the boss one time. She was baptized on Sunday and she is inviting us to teach her aunt's family! It's a miracle.
I love you all,
Elder Page
So I pretty much love December. On Sunday (not yesterday) we met a drunk woman in front of the chapel and my comp and Elder Meyers' comp took her into the church to show her around They taught her the first lesson and she cried and asked to be baptized. I didn't really believe it because she was drunk, but I was hoping. It turned out that from that moment she didn't touch alcohol again. We taught her in her boss's house (she keeps house) and also taught the boss's daughter and the boss one time. She was baptized on Sunday and she is inviting us to teach her aunt's family! It's a miracle.
I love you all,
Elder Page
Monday, December 13, 2010
13 December 2010 - email
So I've been on two divisions the last two weeks (8 out of 14 days away. Also take out 2 P-days, and one Sunday). I've only been working 3 days in our area out of a fortnight (I just love that word). But in our area Cristiane, Císera, Junior, and Tiago were baptized and confirmed and Yuri and William went to church and were confirmed (finally). It was pretty awesome. On one of the divisions I went to Camocim (a small city that doesn't have missionaries right now). President is planning on opening the area and I think he's planning on joining our area and the [zone leader's] area into one. I really want to go to Camocim next. It's almost as cold as Garanhuns (not super important, but nice), the branch leadership is really excited about missionary work, it's a small city so it's easier to learn, and (most importantly) the people there are ready! They need missionaries there! The church is a house with a makeshift baptismal font and I fell in love with this city at first sight.
My English is starting to suffer, I think. I've started dreaming in Português and random parts of my personal prayers are in Português. Elder Meyers (he keeps me sane) and I made a "very special pact" (yes, that's a quote from Psych) that after we hang up the phone on Christmas we can't talk English until we call for the next year's Christmas...yeah. I don't think that sentence made sense in English. We're not insane though, we do have exceptions:
Elder Page
My English is starting to suffer, I think. I've started dreaming in Português and random parts of my personal prayers are in Português. Elder Meyers (he keeps me sane) and I made a "very special pact" (yes, that's a quote from Psych) that after we hang up the phone on Christmas we can't talk English until we call for the next year's Christmas...yeah. I don't think that sentence made sense in English. We're not insane though, we do have exceptions:
- Talking to family (really only applies on mother's day when we call)
- Teaching English (sometimes the Americans teach classes in the chapel on Saturdays and sometimes the Brazilians want to use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and learn English)
- Training an American (or helping a greenie)
Elder Page
6 December 2010
Q: What is your apartment like? Are you sharing it with other missionaries in town (are there other missionaries in town)?
A: There are two houses in Garanhuns. Last transfer there were four missionaries (Elders Meyers, De Souza, Trindade [companion], and me) in ours and two (the LZ's (zone leaders) Lima and Liguizamon) in the other. Now we have 4 in ours ( Elders Sofiatti, Meyers, Trindade, and me) and four in the other ( Lima, Woods (LZ), Cahoon, and Ferreira. Our apartment is pretty big and has been used by elders for a long time. It was really dirty but Meyers, and Trindade, and I cleaned the apartment up and it's pretty nice now.
A: There are two houses in Garanhuns. Last transfer there were four missionaries (Elders Meyers, De Souza, Trindade [companion], and me) in ours and two (the LZ's (zone leaders) Lima and Liguizamon) in the other. Now we have 4 in ours ( Elders Sofiatti, Meyers, Trindade, and me) and four in the other ( Lima, Woods (LZ), Cahoon, and Ferreira. Our apartment is pretty big and has been used by elders for a long time. It was really dirty but Meyers, and Trindade, and I cleaned the apartment up and it's pretty nice now.
Q: Are there two wards in Garanhuns? What is your ward like? Are there a lot of members?
A: Two wards (Boa Vista [Ours and the LZ's] and Garanhuns [stake center {Cahoon and Ferreira}]) and a branch of 30 people that calls itself a ward (Barão de Nazaré [Sofiatti and Meyers]). Our ward is really awesome. It´s more or less big and the members are really active in the missionary work! There's probably about 130-150 active members (that's pretty big for here).
A: Two wards (Boa Vista [Ours and the LZ's] and Garanhuns [stake center {Cahoon and Ferreira}]) and a branch of 30 people that calls itself a ward (Barão de Nazaré [Sofiatti and Meyers]). Our ward is really awesome. It´s more or less big and the members are really active in the missionary work! There's probably about 130-150 active members (that's pretty big for here).
Q: Do you do a lot of walking? Do you have a bicycle? What is the public transportation like? Is the traffic bad?
A: I do not have a bike. A bike would get stolen within a week here so no one in Brazil uses them. I walk. A lot. Traffic depends on the area but drivers here are worse than Provo! The motos are the worst; they weave in and out of traffic and in between lanes. It's a little scary. Public transit is buses (in Recife they have a train too) of various sizes and comfort levels. We almost never use the bus (only if we're late or going to another city). So...never...Q: Do you do your own cooking? Do you get invited to eat with the members?
A: I only cook on P-day (preparation day) and if I want breakfast or dinner. We eat with the members every normal day (not P-day) for lunch because that's the largest meal of the day. In some areas the members give us money (San Martin) and in others they eat with us (Boa Vista).
A: I only cook on P-day (preparation day) and if I want breakfast or dinner. We eat with the members every normal day (not P-day) for lunch because that's the largest meal of the day. In some areas the members give us money (San Martin) and in others they eat with us (Boa Vista).
Q: What is your favorite food to eat?
A: Feijoada e macarrão. It's that bean stuff with ALL the parts of the pig inside it and noodles with tomato sauce (not very much). It sounds really weird and gross, but it's not. I promise. If anyone decides to pick me up after the mission, I will need to find a place to buy this so they can try it. Generally people eat it with rice, but I like it with noodles a lot. Lasagna here is good, but not as good as Missy's!
Q: What is the strangest - or worst - food that you have eaten?
A: Chicken hearts and pig liver. Rubbery and drier than dry...yeah it was horrible...other than weird meat and some really nasty mayonnaise the food's all good here.
Q: Are you getting used to the weather?
A: I think it's scary how used to sweating I am now. I don't even notice how wet my clothes re until I take them off at the end of the day. Also I realized (it was a long time ago, but I'm not sure if I e-mailed this already) that the white crusties that I find on my face at the end of the day is salt...not joking. I sweat so much that when I wash my face at the end of the day it's saltier than broth! "Elder Broth, now with new Devil-Destroying vitamins!!!!!"
Q: Do people ask you many questions about America? If so, what kinds of things?
A: Do they ever. I get asked so many questions about traditions and English and holidays that it's hard to tell about all of them. My comp thinks we're crazy because we put socks on the fireplace e esperamos para Papai Noel encher elas de dolces. Whoa. I'm going to leave that just because I think that was weird; I paused to think for a second and started writing in Portuguese! "and wait for Santa Claus to fill them with candy". I'm still a little weirded out right now...wow...whoa...
Q: Do people generally like Americans there?
A: Generally. For the most part people are just interested to learn. The hardest thing to explain is the food back home. Here they're used to almost every meal being basically the same: rice, beans, and meat. Just that they have hundreds of varieties of these things. The closest I got was describing a casserole and saying that that was more or less common, but in reality we eat several types of meals...
Q: How's your Portuguese coming along?
A: I think I've demonstrated that Portugues is coming along. I promise to falar com vocês em português no telefone (that time I planned it!). 19 DAYS!!!!
Q: Is it easier to speak the language when meeting someone on the street or teaching in someone's home?
A: It's way easier to talk in someone's home than on the street. For one thing they've already accepted you to some degree in the home, and on the street there's so much noise that it is often impossible to teach.
Q: What's the second language most people choose to learn?
A: English. I've helped so many people with homework or study...it's a little weird...
Q: Have you learned any cool history facts about where you're living or Recife in general?
A: In reality...no. I need to learn more.