June 21, 2010
Hey guys.
There isn't a whole lot to report from this week. My companion and I are still working our butts off trying to find people to teach. We were able to get a few new investigators this week, but none of them went to church. I swear, people never have time to do anything but work (at least, that's what they tell us).
We did have a somewhat interesting experience. We were making contacts one night in a bairro (neighborhood) that has been mostly untouched by missionaries. My companion started talking to a middle-aged man at his house, who then invited us in. He asked us a TON of questions about the Church, from priesthood authority to church organization to baptism to everything else. We were happy to answer his questions, and we kind of turned the conversation into the first lesson. We taught him about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and invited him to read and pray. That's when things got kind of weird. He started asking pointed questions about our message that were obviously intended to make us say something that he could attack. His daughter, who had been kind of listening from the other room the whole time, came into the living room and started asking other questions. They said they were from the Congregação Cristã do Brasil, which is a pretty huge church down here. The man, whose name turned out to be something like Deus Décimo (which means something like "God Ten" in English), proposed that it was enough to just believe what we were telling us and not read the Book of Mormon. And then they basically quoted 2 Nephi 29 when they talked about how they already have the Bible and how they don't need another Bible and then they started talking about their church's beliefs like how women can't cut their hair and they have to wear skirts because it says so in 1 Corinthians 11 but it doesn't really say that and blah blah blah blah blah.
I just bore my testimony in as simple and straightforward language as I could, and my companion explained some other things and we got out of there. All you have to do is get them to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it, because it answers everything. Anyway, it was a pretty crazy night. We went back there on Saturday and agreed to go to their church if they would come to ours. And we were all ready to set up a time to go with them, and then the daughter said she wouldn't go to ours.
Actually, immediately after that appointment, I had the most absurd experience of my entire mission. I don't know if I'll be able to do it justice here.
We were walking away from Deus Décimo and his daughter's house in the general direction of our house. I saw a thin old man of about sixty years walking towards us, so I started making a contact with him. I shook his hand and started introducing us. As I was talking, my companion shook the guy's hand as well. As soon as their hands separated, something crazy happened. The old man shouted "Oh!" at the top of his lungs. My companion and I immediately stepped back and through our hands up in surprise.
"What do you guys want?" the man shouted, "Do you want to fight?!"
As he was screaming, he quickly moved back and forth in a fighting stance, and he almost kicked my companion. AND THEN, guys, he shouts "Oh!" again, and does a full cartwheel in the middle of the street, just as a motorcycle flies by and almost barrels through him. After that, he turned around and slowly walked away. My comp and I continued on our way, completely shocked. We looked back after only a few seconds, and the scrawny old ninja had disappeared into the darkness.
I still can't believe that that actually happened to me.
Anyway, I'm doing really well still. We're working hard and talking to everyone, which kind of makes me feel like a salesman. But every time we get into someone's house to teach, it gives me a little boost to keep going. My area is awesome, as is my comp. I'm doing my best and learning a lot. And I'm happy! I hope you guys are, too.
luv
booga
Friday, August 13, 2010
It's for your own good! It's for the neighborhood!
June 14, 2010
Guys! Hello from beautiful São Carlos, São Paulo, BRASIL (with an s instead of a z)!!
This week was so good. Guys, it was so good. It doesn't seem like it should have been -- our numbers were horrible, and if you only looked on the surface, it would seem like we didn't get anything accomplished.
But that's only because the elders who were here before us didn't really leave us with anything. There's a really small part of town called Gonzaga, which is apparently the only place where the last elders worked. Gonzaga is, with all due respect, a dump. It's a horribly impoverished area replete with drug dealing and prostitution. I guess the last elders were going there a lot and bringing kids to church. Sometimes missionaries like working with kids because, as horrible as it sounds, it's easier to get them to believe you. Therefore, it's easier to baptize them. Or at least that's what people think. I think it's almost always creepy and evil, whether or not you baptize them. Anyway, at every single lunch appointment this week, the members politely advised us not to even work in Gonzaga because it was causing a lot of problems. Our area isn't huge, but the members want us to expand our vision of where we can work beyond that one little section. Fine by me.
The only problem that it creates is that we are starting from scratch here. It's been four months since there has been a baptism in our ward. But I'm not discouraged! The members here are actually really cool, and things seem to be well-organized. I've even started kind of coming out of my shell and being more friendly with them. I'm not quite sure what changed, but there you go.
We're going to have to work like crazy to find people to teach. And we are working! And it feels great! I kind of feel like, even though my last two companions were all right, they were both kind of dead. And I've figured out that I work best when I have someone else who wants to work at least as much as me. My comp now is awesome in that respect. So far we've been getting along really well together and working really hard and everything is going well.
São Carlos is cold, guys. I mean, it still gets hot during the day, but I actually feel cold at night. I even have to wear my sweater when we're out working! It's nice to finally have winter come around after a straight year of summer.
My companion and I found a great, cheap pizza place nearby. I think we only went without pizza for one night this week. Soooo good.
Oh, have any of you been paying attention to the World Cup? People are going nuts about it out here. We're allowed to watch the Brazil games in the bishop's house, and the first game is going to be tomorrow. I'm so excited. I've been able to catch glimpses of games here and there before and after lunch or whatever, and I've been a little surprised at how much I want to watch soccer. Tomorrow's going to be a blast. Root for Brazil!!
Anyway, everything is going great. My companion is awesome, as are my area, the house, the members, everything. I'm doing really well, and I hope all of you are, too!
luv
booga
Guys! Hello from beautiful São Carlos, São Paulo, BRASIL (with an s instead of a z)!!
This week was so good. Guys, it was so good. It doesn't seem like it should have been -- our numbers were horrible, and if you only looked on the surface, it would seem like we didn't get anything accomplished.
But that's only because the elders who were here before us didn't really leave us with anything. There's a really small part of town called Gonzaga, which is apparently the only place where the last elders worked. Gonzaga is, with all due respect, a dump. It's a horribly impoverished area replete with drug dealing and prostitution. I guess the last elders were going there a lot and bringing kids to church. Sometimes missionaries like working with kids because, as horrible as it sounds, it's easier to get them to believe you. Therefore, it's easier to baptize them. Or at least that's what people think. I think it's almost always creepy and evil, whether or not you baptize them. Anyway, at every single lunch appointment this week, the members politely advised us not to even work in Gonzaga because it was causing a lot of problems. Our area isn't huge, but the members want us to expand our vision of where we can work beyond that one little section. Fine by me.
The only problem that it creates is that we are starting from scratch here. It's been four months since there has been a baptism in our ward. But I'm not discouraged! The members here are actually really cool, and things seem to be well-organized. I've even started kind of coming out of my shell and being more friendly with them. I'm not quite sure what changed, but there you go.
We're going to have to work like crazy to find people to teach. And we are working! And it feels great! I kind of feel like, even though my last two companions were all right, they were both kind of dead. And I've figured out that I work best when I have someone else who wants to work at least as much as me. My comp now is awesome in that respect. So far we've been getting along really well together and working really hard and everything is going well.
São Carlos is cold, guys. I mean, it still gets hot during the day, but I actually feel cold at night. I even have to wear my sweater when we're out working! It's nice to finally have winter come around after a straight year of summer.
My companion and I found a great, cheap pizza place nearby. I think we only went without pizza for one night this week. Soooo good.
Oh, have any of you been paying attention to the World Cup? People are going nuts about it out here. We're allowed to watch the Brazil games in the bishop's house, and the first game is going to be tomorrow. I'm so excited. I've been able to catch glimpses of games here and there before and after lunch or whatever, and I've been a little surprised at how much I want to watch soccer. Tomorrow's going to be a blast. Root for Brazil!!
Anyway, everything is going great. My companion is awesome, as are my area, the house, the members, everything. I'm doing really well, and I hope all of you are, too!
luv
booga
Now the neighbors can't dance in the police disco lights
June 7, 2010
Big news, guys: I was transferred again. After spending only six weeks in São José do Rio Preto, I was shipped off to a new city called São Carlos. It's insane -- almost everyone in the whole mission was transferred. I think my mission president wants everyone to get into new ares so that when the new president gets here this transfer (!), he won't have to move too many people around. That's my theory, anyway.
I really liked my last area, but I'm not too upset about leaving. I still hadn't really found my groove there or whatever. I hadn't gotten to know the members or the area very well, so it wasn't too big a deal to leave. And I've wanted to come to São Carlos ever since my first transfer because everyone says good things about it. I'm really looking forward to this transfer.
My new companion is an American. He's from Tennessee, which means that he's not from Utah, which is cool. He actually went to BYU at the same time as me, and we figured out that we even lived in the same dorm building. I didn't ever get to know him while I was at BYU, but I recognized him when I first saw him. Weird. He's going to hit a year on the mission in a few weeks, and I'm his first junior companion. That's exactly how it was with my last American companion, except now I speak Portuguese a little better. Even though I learned and grew a ton with my last two companions (Brazilians), I am definitely excited to be with a gringo again.
Like I said, almost everyone in the mission was transferred, including my new companion. We both arrived in our new area a few hours ago, and we don't know anyone or anything yet. This will be an adventure, for sure. I'm a little apprehensive about everything (but I always get nervous at transfers), but I'm excited! We're both going to have to fight just to keep our heads above water, and it's going to be awesome! And hard!
We had a good end to the transfer yesterday. There was a special stake conference broadcast from Salt Lake to something like 96 stakes scattered throughout São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. We heard from Elder Mervyn B. Arnold and W. Craig Zwick of the Seventy; Julie B. Beck, Relief Society General President; and Elder Christofferson of the Twelve. I didn't even know that those guys spoke Portuguese! It was cool to hear some general authorities give counsel and training directly to members living in Brazil; sometimes it seems, at least to me, like the Church is really located in the States. It probably has something to do with all the Church headquarters being located in the States, I guess. And the Church is comparatively weak out here. Anyway. It was a good conference.
And now I'm here in a new place with a new person and with new experiences to be had! Transfers can be discouraging because I always kind of feel like I'm starting over, but it's a good opportunity to try one more time to fight against my little insecurities and try my best to serve the people and the Lord. This transfer is going to be good because it has to be!
I love all of you! I hope you're doing well! The Church is true!
luv
booga
ps Winter's just starting up out here. I hear it's supposed to get pretty cold in this city. I'm looking forward to it -- it kind of feels like summer hasn't ended since it began this time last year.
Big news, guys: I was transferred again. After spending only six weeks in São José do Rio Preto, I was shipped off to a new city called São Carlos. It's insane -- almost everyone in the whole mission was transferred. I think my mission president wants everyone to get into new ares so that when the new president gets here this transfer (!), he won't have to move too many people around. That's my theory, anyway.
I really liked my last area, but I'm not too upset about leaving. I still hadn't really found my groove there or whatever. I hadn't gotten to know the members or the area very well, so it wasn't too big a deal to leave. And I've wanted to come to São Carlos ever since my first transfer because everyone says good things about it. I'm really looking forward to this transfer.
My new companion is an American. He's from Tennessee, which means that he's not from Utah, which is cool. He actually went to BYU at the same time as me, and we figured out that we even lived in the same dorm building. I didn't ever get to know him while I was at BYU, but I recognized him when I first saw him. Weird. He's going to hit a year on the mission in a few weeks, and I'm his first junior companion. That's exactly how it was with my last American companion, except now I speak Portuguese a little better. Even though I learned and grew a ton with my last two companions (Brazilians), I am definitely excited to be with a gringo again.
Like I said, almost everyone in the mission was transferred, including my new companion. We both arrived in our new area a few hours ago, and we don't know anyone or anything yet. This will be an adventure, for sure. I'm a little apprehensive about everything (but I always get nervous at transfers), but I'm excited! We're both going to have to fight just to keep our heads above water, and it's going to be awesome! And hard!
We had a good end to the transfer yesterday. There was a special stake conference broadcast from Salt Lake to something like 96 stakes scattered throughout São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. We heard from Elder Mervyn B. Arnold and W. Craig Zwick of the Seventy; Julie B. Beck, Relief Society General President; and Elder Christofferson of the Twelve. I didn't even know that those guys spoke Portuguese! It was cool to hear some general authorities give counsel and training directly to members living in Brazil; sometimes it seems, at least to me, like the Church is really located in the States. It probably has something to do with all the Church headquarters being located in the States, I guess. And the Church is comparatively weak out here. Anyway. It was a good conference.
And now I'm here in a new place with a new person and with new experiences to be had! Transfers can be discouraging because I always kind of feel like I'm starting over, but it's a good opportunity to try one more time to fight against my little insecurities and try my best to serve the people and the Lord. This transfer is going to be good because it has to be!
I love all of you! I hope you're doing well! The Church is true!
luv
booga
ps Winter's just starting up out here. I hear it's supposed to get pretty cold in this city. I'm looking forward to it -- it kind of feels like summer hasn't ended since it began this time last year.
Monday, May 31, 2010
My lips are near but my heart is far away
May 31, 2010
Bom dia, everyone! I survived another week out here, even though I'm slowly going crazy.
Bom dia, everyone! I survived another week out here, even though I'm slowly going crazy.
I think it's easier to think of things to write to you guys when the work is going really well. It's kind of hard for me to think of what's been going on this week.
We had zone conference on Tuesday. It was, as always, a really great spiritual boost for me. It's still kind of obnoxious how often the mission leaders talk about baptisms baptisms baptisms, but I guess I've gotten used to it. At this conference I saw Elder Woodhouse, my companion from the CTM, for the first time since my first day on the mission. Having a real friend among all these elders really makes a difference, and I loved catching up with him and telling each other mission stories and all that. I can't believe that it had been six months since we had seen each other -- is time really passing that fast?
At every zone conference, the missionaries who are going home that transfer have the opportunity to bear their testimony to everyone for the last time. I think it was during that part of this conference where I had a quiet, special moment to myself. I can't really explain how it felt, but as I was sitting in that crowd of elders and listening to the mission vets talking about the blessings that have come from their missions, I felt a strong feeling of peace and gratitude. I guess I just realized how wonderful this opportunity is and how much I love being a missionary. It took a while for me to figure it out, but I love it out here. For the first time in a long time (maybe ever), I was grateful to have such a small amount of time on the mission. I get to wear the Savior's name on my chest for another year and four months. What an honor and a privilege!
Of course, that doesn't mean that it's easy. Even though I love my companion -- he's easily the coolest Brazilian that I've met so far -- I struggle with different challenges every day. He's hitting his year-and-a-half mark this week, and he's pretty trunky. He's a great teacher, and he doesn't sleep in or anything, but there are a little things that I wish the two of us did better. For instance, we rarely even study as companions anymore. I think it's easier for me to work hard when I have a companion that wants to work more than me; I'm not a very proactive person. Perhaps that's the lesson to learn from all this: self-motivation, personal responsibility and all that. It's definitely something I need to work on.
I don't think I ever told you guys, but this is my mission president's last full transfer. He's supposed to serve for another year, but he's leaving for some reason (I think it's because he received a higher calling). I guess it's a pretty huge deal, but I won't really see the effects of all this until next transfer. I'll keep you guys posted.
We have a few good people we're teaching. That guy that went to church and a bar last week, João, is progressing nicely. We've been working with him to put an end to his smoking habit, and he has actually been improving. Unfortunately, he didn't go to church yesterday. Dunno what happened there. We did have an investigator there, though: his name is Catarino. He's an old ripped black guy who obviously smokes a lot. We just stopped by his house this week and quickly explained the Book of Mormon to him. He assured us that he would go to church on Sunday, but I was pretty skeptical because we hear that a lot. But sure enough, he went to church clean shaven and everything all by himself. The bad news is that he's going to be in São Paulo for two weeks, so we're not even going to hear from him until after this transfer is over. Who knows if I'll even be here when he gets back.
We're teaching this old couple named Elídio and Nalva (Brazilians have such weird names, guys). They have raised six kids to adulthood in the Catholic Church, so they're apprehensive about changing religions or even making big commitments with us. But Nalva, the wife, has read every part of the Book of Mormon that we've marked for her, and it seems like she understands the importance of our message. They decided to hang out with their family in a chácara (a small countryhouse kind of thing) yesterday instead of going to church. Bummer.
I'm teaching my Brazilian companion to be a stereotypical, indignant black teenager. I've already taught him how to say "You don't know me!" and "You don't know what I've been through!" My favorite, though, is when he says "What am I supposed to do without my cell phone?!" That's not racist, is it? Oh gosh, I'm sorry.
Anyway, I'm doing fine. If anyone asks you how I'm doing, just tell them that I love the people, I love all of my companions, I love teaching the gospel, and I LOVE Brazil. You would be telling the truth if you said all that.
Anyway, I hope you're all doing well. The Church is true! I love you!
Tchau,
Booga
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up
May 24, 2010
I made a contact with a dude yesterday he cut me off in the middle of my spiel and said he couldn't attend to me. He said a few things I couldn't understand and then showed me the handle of the gun he was concealing in his pants. So I tried to be polite and took off. I could have gotten shot! Wouldn't that have been cool?
We went to a little health clinic on Friday so my companion could get vaccinated for swine flu (I was already vaccinated in Leme). While we were waiting in line, a nurse came out of the vaccination room with a syringe so she could administer the vaccination to an old man. The guy didn't seem to realize what was going on, so he sat quietly until the needle entered his arm, which made him shout a quick "Ah!" He did it again when the nurse pushed the medicine in. As she quietly explained that there would be a little prick before she gave him the second shot, he continued to sit in silence. The nurse gave him the shot, and the old man shouted, "Ah!" again. Everyone in line was laughing. The nurse politely assured him that he didn't need to yell like that. The old man replied, almost in tears, "But it hurts!" Poor guy.
That same day, we went downtown to a huge hospital so we could give our bishop a blessing. He has cancer of some kind and has been in the hospital for the last week or so. He specifically asked that we go and give him a blessing, though I still don't know why. The hospital ward that he's in has very strict rules about visitors: only two people can enter his room per day, and they cannot enter together. A senior missionary had already visited the bishop before us that day, so it looked like only one of us would be able to go in. At the last minute, the doctor in charge of the ward allowed the two of us to go in and administer to the bishop. I had just learned that same day how to anoint someone in Portuguese, so I was pretty nervous. Everything turned out fine, though. Our bishop is the kind of person who is always enthusiastic and genuinely interested in what you have to say, so it was a bit disconcerting to see him in such a weakened state.
I bought glasses last p-day. It was crazy because we only went to one glasses store, and I ended up buying the very fist pair that my helper placed on the table. I had already been to a bunch of other places before that, and I never found anything that looked good on me. That's not to say that my glasses are right for me or anything -- they're thick and square and black and plastic. Awesome. I look like such a dork when I wear them, and I love it! They have been helping me a lot: I can see things much better now, and all the snakey girls are staying away now.
Oh, speaking of which, I had my first real snake encounter. I was doing a division with Elder Jeffery, the other American in our district, and we were trying to find an address that I had. We started walking down a street, and a teenage girl passed by us. She was kind of staring at me the whole time, so Elder Jeffery said hi to her to make things less awkward. In response, and without stopping, she said "Nossa, que moço bonito!" (Basically, "Wow, what a handsome boy!") We spent the rest of the day trying to figure out which of the two of us she was talking about.
We only have one progressing investigator right now. His name is João. He was the guy who came to church last week semi-wasted. He accepted baptism, so we have been working with him to help him stop drinking and smoking. He's been doing well so far. But he didn't go to church yesterday.
We taught the first lesson to a few people this week, but they're lazy or they don't get it or their crazy wife is a rude Catholic or something, so none of them went to church yesterday, either. We need to do something to get the work moving faster around here.
My companion is awesome even though he's pretty liberal with the mission rules. My area is awesome, even though we don't have very many good people. My testimony grows every day, as long as I make good use of my study time.
The Church is true!
Eu amo vocês!
Abraço,
Elder Wing-eez
I made a contact with a dude yesterday he cut me off in the middle of my spiel and said he couldn't attend to me. He said a few things I couldn't understand and then showed me the handle of the gun he was concealing in his pants. So I tried to be polite and took off. I could have gotten shot! Wouldn't that have been cool?
We went to a little health clinic on Friday so my companion could get vaccinated for swine flu (I was already vaccinated in Leme). While we were waiting in line, a nurse came out of the vaccination room with a syringe so she could administer the vaccination to an old man. The guy didn't seem to realize what was going on, so he sat quietly until the needle entered his arm, which made him shout a quick "Ah!" He did it again when the nurse pushed the medicine in. As she quietly explained that there would be a little prick before she gave him the second shot, he continued to sit in silence. The nurse gave him the shot, and the old man shouted, "Ah!" again. Everyone in line was laughing. The nurse politely assured him that he didn't need to yell like that. The old man replied, almost in tears, "But it hurts!" Poor guy.
That same day, we went downtown to a huge hospital so we could give our bishop a blessing. He has cancer of some kind and has been in the hospital for the last week or so. He specifically asked that we go and give him a blessing, though I still don't know why. The hospital ward that he's in has very strict rules about visitors: only two people can enter his room per day, and they cannot enter together. A senior missionary had already visited the bishop before us that day, so it looked like only one of us would be able to go in. At the last minute, the doctor in charge of the ward allowed the two of us to go in and administer to the bishop. I had just learned that same day how to anoint someone in Portuguese, so I was pretty nervous. Everything turned out fine, though. Our bishop is the kind of person who is always enthusiastic and genuinely interested in what you have to say, so it was a bit disconcerting to see him in such a weakened state.
I bought glasses last p-day. It was crazy because we only went to one glasses store, and I ended up buying the very fist pair that my helper placed on the table. I had already been to a bunch of other places before that, and I never found anything that looked good on me. That's not to say that my glasses are right for me or anything -- they're thick and square and black and plastic. Awesome. I look like such a dork when I wear them, and I love it! They have been helping me a lot: I can see things much better now, and all the snakey girls are staying away now.
Oh, speaking of which, I had my first real snake encounter. I was doing a division with Elder Jeffery, the other American in our district, and we were trying to find an address that I had. We started walking down a street, and a teenage girl passed by us. She was kind of staring at me the whole time, so Elder Jeffery said hi to her to make things less awkward. In response, and without stopping, she said "Nossa, que moço bonito!" (Basically, "Wow, what a handsome boy!") We spent the rest of the day trying to figure out which of the two of us she was talking about.
We only have one progressing investigator right now. His name is João. He was the guy who came to church last week semi-wasted. He accepted baptism, so we have been working with him to help him stop drinking and smoking. He's been doing well so far. But he didn't go to church yesterday.
We taught the first lesson to a few people this week, but they're lazy or they don't get it or their crazy wife is a rude Catholic or something, so none of them went to church yesterday, either. We need to do something to get the work moving faster around here.
My companion is awesome even though he's pretty liberal with the mission rules. My area is awesome, even though we don't have very many good people. My testimony grows every day, as long as I make good use of my study time.
The Church is true!
Eu amo vocês!
Abraço,
Elder Wing-eez
Shout at the world because the world doesn't love you
May 17, 2010
I hit eight months on the mission yesterday! Hooray! Does it feel like it's going fast for you guys? It does for me (sometimes)!
I hit eight months on the mission yesterday! Hooray! Does it feel like it's going fast for you guys? It does for me (sometimes)!
This week went by pretty quickly, and I think it's because we had a few days where we didn't get much work done.
On Wednesday I went to the eye doctor. I've noticed that my vision has gotten worse since I came to Brazil, and it has been bugging me for a while. I'm not blind or anything, but it has been difficult to see things clearly at a distance. So we scheduled an appointment with a doctor for Wednesday and headed downtown after lunch. The visit was pretty routine; the doctor pointed flashlights into my eyes and made me look through weird machines. He had me read letters on the wall and I did well until he screwed everything up and made the letters really small. I didn't do so well then. He told me that I'm not the kind of person who would depend on glasses to be able to see, but that I could use them to help me out. He gave me a prescription. My companion and I spent the next few hours walking through the city and stopping at various glasses stores to see if we could find a good pair for me. I almost bought a really huge pair of black plastic ones, but I wimped out at the last minute. The rest were either too ugly or too expensive, so we're going to go back down there today to try to find some chic specs for me.
On Thursday we walked all over our area to try to visit people, but it was one of those days where no one was home.
On Friday I did a division with the other American elder in our district. We had lunch at the stake patriarch's house. The food was great -- she even made us french fries -- but my comp couldn't stomach it. While the patriarch's wife was talking on the phone in the other room, he sprinted to the bathroom and puked his brains out. I figured he wouldn't want to work too much because he was feeling so gross, but we actually got a lot done that day. We made a ton of contacts and made a visit to the lady I baptized, where we gave her photos from her baptism.
We are once again in that stage where we're finding new people to teach. We taught the first lesson to a few new people this week, but only one of them went to church, and he was only partially sober. He kept interrupting during the Gospel Principles class with awkward comments. Between the second and third hours, everyone was mingling in the hallway. A recently returned missionary was talking to me about his mission and stuff, and when he heard that I was from California he mentioned that the San Diego temple is beautiful. Our investigator, João, commented that people say that the light is there. When asked to elaborate, he said that the light that the founder of the Church saw is there. That's what people say, anyway. He doesn't even know what a temple is. He was pretty wasted.
We actually saw him as we were walking to lunch yesterday; he was drinking and reading the paper at a bar. I guess he went straight to the bar after church. I guess the lesson about repentance didn't really register.
I'm having a lot of trouble doing this in English -- can you tell? Sometimes I write things in here or in my journal and become completely lost in the middle of a sentence. Sorry if none of this makes sense.
So that was my week. Not a lot going on lately. We're just trying to find new people. I'm still liking my area and my companion a lot. He told me the other day that he's been feeling pretty trunky, which complicates things. He only has six months left on his mission, so I can't really blame him. We're still working hard, though, which is what matters.
I love you guys and hope all is well back home. The Church is true! Tchau!
luv
luv
booga
Jack of all trades, master of none
May 10, 2010
Hey everyone!
Hey everyone!
It was so great to talk to all of you yesterday! Even though my time with each of you was short and I couldn't think of a lot to talk about, I really really enjoyed my phone call home. It was nice to remember that you guys (all of us, I guess) are still basically the same despite all the crazy changes that have been happening to everyone.
I guess I don't have too much to say beyond what we talked about yesterday in the phone call. I don't know if I told everyone, but I had my first real baptism on Saturday night ("real" meaning that I was actually at this one). We baptized a lady named Ivanilda who we've been teaching since I got here. Sometimes she says things that are a little weird because she used to go to churches where people just yell and speak in tongues and stuff, but she was definitely ready to be baptized. Honestly, I was kind of taken aback by how fearless she was about the whole thing. She agreed to be baptized a while ago, and nothing has happened to keep her from doing it. She has been going to church alone, which is huge. I was the one who baptized her. I was nervous because it was my first time baptizing anyone, but everything went well. The bishopric confirmed her in sacrament meeting yesterday. It looks like she has every reason to stay firm in the church; we've done everything we could so far, anyway.
Other than that, this week wasn't too exciting. My companion and I helped the first counselor in the bishopric move, and I hurt my back the day after as a result. I'm doing fine now, but those few days were pretty rough.
Oh, I saw another dog die, too. I told Andrew, Sam and Dad on the phone. The dog was hit by a truck right in front of my companion and me. It had run out into the road and saw the truck coming, and it looked like it couldn't decide whether it should finish crossing the street or turn around. So it stayed in the middle of the road and was pulverized by a truck that didn't even slow down. The truck drove off as the dog urinated on itself and began to screech and roll around. It limped off into someone's yard as everyone started coming out of their houses to see why the dog was screaming. I'm pretty sure it didn't survive.
It's a crazy world down here, guys.
I guess I shouldn't end on a downer like that. It was really great to talk to you guys and hear how you're all doing! I miss you!
luvz
boogaz
(I was going to send you guys photos from the baptism but this computer won't let me. Oh well.)
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