So I actually did get the Ensign! It
was brought to me this past week and I've been really enjoying studying it!
Thank you sooo much! And tell Grandma I said thanks! A realy cool thing in the
Ensign is there is a picture from my area (Sobral, Brazil) in the November
Ensign (pg. 59)! The chapel in the background is the stake center here! At first, I
thought it looked really familiar, and then I read the little caption and
got so excited because Sobral isn't that big (I don't think) and so it was cool
seeing that in the Ensign.
Funny thing... People think we work
at the grocery store here. The outfits are a button-up white polo with dark
slacks. And so we have had a lot of people come up to us, asking where things
are. At first we kept telling them we didn't work there and they got super
embarrassed and it was super awkward. But now since we have been there so much
and pretty much know where everything is, we just help people out hahaha.
About the language. I can talk with
my companion really well because he knows how I talk and I can pretty much get
my point across about anything I want. I'm slowly starting to ask my questions
during lesson and I'm able to follow the conversation really well if it's Elder
O talking, because its doctrine and that's pretty much all I've been
studying.
About my companion... He's been out
for a year and nine months and he still doesn't know how to plan very well. So
we have spent a lot of time standing on the side of the road deciding who we
can teach because all of our appointments fell through. All I'm pretty much
doing with him is trying to help as much as I can, but also sitting back and
picking out the things that aren't working, so I can do it better when I'm a
trainer. Super frustrating right now, but there's not a whole lot I can do
except keep going and following him and hoping he knows what to do haha.
Otherwise, things have been really good! Things aren't absolutely terrible, but
there definitely not where I want them to be when it comes to working and
talking with people. We are working with a bunch of people and its coming, but
no baptisms yet. I guess we were put in a harder area because in our ward, we
have 10% of the members. The other members live in another area. And yes, we
have two companionships working with one ward. I don't know why, but that's just
how it is haha.
This past week, we were talking with
this man on the side of the road and his kid turned around, pulled down his
pants... all the way, and then started peeing on the wall. It was hard to hold
back a smile. .......... And this is why I love Brasil.
So to answer your questions... Yes
we did work on New Years, but it was a whole lot of nothing because EVERYONE
was drinking. All I can say is that we were approached a lot by drunk people
telling us they were Jesus Christ and other absolutely hilarious things. And
about transfers, today is transfer day, so I don't know why Elder R was transferred.
And yes I'm pretty sure i'll stay with my companion (and I'm still with him
right now), but its not positive. Because my companion said he had two trainers
during the twelve weeks. Elder A is serving in Belo Horizonte, a
completely different mission from the rest of us. My district in the CTM was
Teresina and Curitiba people and Elder A was the only odd man out.
I also finally sent off that package
this past week, so I'm really praying that it'll get to you just fine!
Love you so so so much!!!
Obra missionaria até o pó!
(Missionary work in the dust!)
