Carnaval, Wedding & Baptisms

We didn't get our traditional email from Connor this past Monday because it was Carnaval and all the internet houses they go to were closed. During Carnaval things get pretty crazy and so the missionaries have to be in their houses by 6 pm each night. Carnaval ran from Friday to Tuesday. He and his companion  hardly got any teaching done this past week because of the festivities.

 

They still had a super amazing wedding and baptism combo this past weekend of the 9th. Elder O and Connor had been working with the couple from the first week he got in Sobral, but Elder M and Elder A (the elders he's living with) got to baptize them because they taught them for the last half of the discussions. It was super amazing for Connor to see them get married and baptized one day after the other.

This coming week... Connor will have his first baptism! Her name is C and she's about 40 years old. Connor says that she is super super amazing and is definitely going to be a leader in the church. Connor wrote, "She's literally the most perfect investigator and future member and she'll be my first baptism. I'm super stoked!! I've been practicing the "wording" for the baptism like crazy this past week because I really don't want to mess up my first baptism hahaha."

D & C's wedding day. Hahaha this was seriously the weirdest picture ever

.... but they wanted to do it and it was their wedding haha. We got some looks from people ;)

 

D & C's baptism!

4 Month Mark

Connor hit his 4 month mark! He wrote "only 20 more to go". Hahaha

This past week he and O went to Camocim which is right on the end of the ocean. It was super pretty there! They went there to help out a companionship in their district. They set up a table in the middle of a park and just did contacts for about four hours. He said it was actually really fun, but kind of tricky at the same time.

Connor wrote:

"So about the food. I haven't really eaten anything too weird. It's literally beans, rice, and spaghetti noodles every meal and you mix it together. There will usually be chicken or beef with it as well. I think we've had lasagna about three times and that's probably the only "different" thing we've eaten haha. Nothing too crazy! I've seen some weird stuff on the streets though. You'll be walking and see a HUGE heart from some animal with flies all over it and a puddle of blood underneath it hahaha. Kinda weird ;)"

He is happy, healthy and having an amazing experience sharing the gospel to the wonderful people of Brasil.

Teaching in Camocim

Ward Activity

1st Baptisms

Ola! Connor got his first 2 baptisms this past Saturday (1-19-13). One was an 8 year old boy and the other was a 16 year old girl. He was so happy for them and the opportunity to teach them the Gospel.

 

 

Connor encourgaed everyone to watch "The Atonement: How It Applies To Missionary Work". Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6FKiNVbw3Y

 I can't paraphrase this part and so I am posting Connor's own words:

In the poorer part of my area, I get little kids that come up to me and say "fala ingles!" ("speak english!"). And trying to be funny with them if we're in a rush, all I'll say to them is "ingles!" They all pause for a second, and then realize it was a joke and they all start cracking up. I've also had kids come up to me and ask what their name is in english. And just messing with them, I'll say something like "saggy bum". They get the biggest smile and then they turn to their friends and keep saying "saggy bum! saggy bum!" It's seriously the funnist thing in the world :)

The language is coming along, but the investigators are still struggeling to understand him.

He'll say everything correctly, but because of the tone and maybe not speaking loud enough, people have a harder time understanding him. So there have been multiple times where he's said something, the person won't understand, and then his companion will say the EXACT same thing and they'll understand. Kind of frustrating for him, but he kind of thinks it's funny too.

 He said to tell everyone that he loves them!

Notice the fly on his forehead. It had just rained and so the flies were everywhere :).

Life in Sobral

 Tracting the streets of Sobral.

 Our apartment enjoying some pizza!

Map of where Sobral is in northeastern Brasil.

My room!

Holy moly Teresina is hot!!

President & Sister Alvacir L. Siedschlag

Welcome to the Brasil Teresina Mission

Elder Steed's trainer Elder O

Comforting Elder W

I'm alive!!! :) :) :)

Holy moly Teresina is hot!! So I get an hour every Monday (my p-day) to email, but I still need to kindof make it quick! So I'm serving in the city of Sobral. It's actually SUPER amazing here! They've definitely got some of the saddest housing I've ever seen, but then they've also got some really awesome parts! I'm not going to bother sending you any pictures because it'll take to long, but I hope you look it up and possibly google map it.

My trainer is super amazing! The only bummer is that he knows very little english... hardly any. So it's been EXTREMELY difficult to communicate with him, but I think I know enough to get my point across :) His name is Elder O. I'm currently living with two other elders. They're both super awesome and they both know a lot of english which has helped me out a TON. Elder B and Elder... shoot, forgot his name haha.

Literally every day I come home feeling sticky and nasty haha. I guess this is a better area because there's more wind here.

I'm going to end this email and try to send you some pictures. If I have more to say, I'll come back and keep writing. I'm also doing a missionties letter that will be in more detail.

LOVE YOU SOO MUCH!!!

Elder Steed