They make me feel like I'm only what I see sometimes

The mission is having transfers today, but I'm not. We found out on Saturday that my companion and I are both staying in Leme, thank goodness. We didn't have any baptisms last transfer, although we came close a few times before our investigators tore our hearts out and spat in our faces, so I'm glad that I get to stay here to follow through with the work we have been doing for the last six weeks.

A twentysomething named Bruno stopped us on the street on Saturday and asked how he could become a Mormon. He appeared to be sober, so we took his address and went to his house the next day. We taught him the message of the Restoration. He paid close attention and seemed to understand the lesson pretty well. The Spirit was strong. We invited him to read 3 Nephi 11 and come to church with us the next day. We met up with him early in the morning yesterday, walking for miles to his house, and then many miles more to the chapel. We talked. He read 3 Nephi 11 and prayed about it. Still waiting on the answer.

Church was sort of a disaster. The Gospel Principles teacher never prepares a lesson, so he's been working from the first lesson in the class manual (it's about the existence of God) every week since I've been here. He treats our investigators like children. I mean, like stupid children. Like stupid baby monkeys, maybe. He singles them out one at a time and asks confusing questions. The first thing he taught yesterday was that there was a council in heaven before the earth was created, and that God was conversing with many other gods when he created man. So now our investigators probably think we're polytheistic like the Greeks. Anyway, Bruno didn't seem to notice that the class was a joke. I think he enjoyed it.

We had testimony meeting afterwards, and this one girl (lady? woman? she's thirty, but she still lives with her parents) started flirting with Bruno and sat down with him in the back of the chapel. This girl (lady? woman?) is nice enough, but she's kind of a snake. She was persistent in getting my companion's and my emails when we had lunch at her house a week or two ago (we gave her fake addresses), and apparently she flirts with all the missionaries who pass through Leme. We tried to save our investigator by offering to sit with him up front, but he and the girl (lady? woman?) politely refused. Bruno left right after sacrament meeting, alone. He said that he liked it though, so who knows.

We had another activity that no one went to or cared about. This branch needs an activities committee.

It has been so hot this week. It's hard to smile and talk to people when you walk for miles and miles every day under the blazing sun, but I still try to do it anyway.

I think I've sounded pretty frustrated in my emails lately, especially about the members. Don't misunderstand; I am incredibly grateful to be here on the mission, and in Leme. The members here are really kind, generous people. I learn a lot about sacrifice and diligence from them.

Jamie asked me what my diet is like. My companion and I have developed an addiction to off-brand Frosted Flakes (every other cereal is insanely expensive), so I eat those every morning. The real-life Frosted Flakes were on sale last week, so I bought and ate four boxes of them. I always have some kind of fruit in the house to munch on before we head out for the day. Apples and bananas are usually the only fruits that aren't insanely expensive (everything in Brazil is insanely expensive). We eat at members' houses for lunch. We have rice and beans every day, usually served with any number of the other Brazilian staples: chicken, beef, spaghetti, mashed potatoes, and potato salad. They always place a 2 liter bottle of guaraná (soda) on the table. We rarely have any kind of vegetable. For dinner, I just eat a snack before bed because we get home so late. I'm going to get fat and die.

I think that's plenty for this week. I love all of you very much. The gospel is true, and President Monson is a living prophet of God. The Church is the Church of Jesus Christ. All the other churches down here are false and scary.

wif luv,
booooooga