August 25, 2010

Sorry Mom, I know I am not a good person at writing letters.  Just wait until you read my journal... haha, it's exactly the same way. You know that I am not a talkative person and because of this I don't give very many details.  I know this, OK and it probably isn't going to change.  Everything here is good for me.  When I first got here, our washing machine didn't work.  (But a nice member washed my garments for me.)  Sister Tavares got us a new one and we got it this week, so I have clean clothes again.  We are in a branch here, which is different because it is very small.  The members don't feed us as often, they will usually just give us money.  We will either buy bread, turkey and cheese for sandwiches or we go to a place that for 5 reais you can get a plate of rice, beans and some type of meat.  I still don't like the milk here.  I pretty much don't drink it unless I have some chocolate powder to make chocolate milk with, then it makes it OK.  We hardly ever cook.  I think the only things I have made are macaroni and cheese and one of my comps wanted me to make him french toast.  I think right now I am losing weight again,  I am trying to stay around 175 lbs.  The shower system in our apartment is pretty good.  It pretty much just electrocutes the water to make it hot.  I haven't suffered a shock since my first area, so that is good.

I like my companion a ton.  He is cool because he acts like I am the senior, he lets me take control of the lessons when we teach.  He treats me like his equal and not like he always has to be in charge.

I, also, live with Elder Miller from Houston, TX.  He has been out 1 yr. and 6 mo., he was the secretary when I got to Brazil.  And Elder Ghormley from Mesa, AZ., He has been out 1 year.  They are both cool, sometimes elder Ghormley is a little full of himself, but it's all good.  Last Pday was super fun. for the first time on my mission I got to go bowling!! It was just a great experience.  And on Friday we played soccer with the branch.  Everyone was laughing at how bad I sucked.  But my team stayed in the longest, so I didn't care, haha.

I told you about Antonio, the 15 year old we have been teaching.  Things were going great, but since Saturday he has been avoiding us.  It is really hard for us, he was progressing way good and now we've got nothing.  I don't know what happened with him.  We are teaching two guys who are twins, Luca and Marcelo.  They have been coming to play soccer at the church for like 5 years but never came to a Sunday meeting until recently.  I taught them for the first time yesterday, it was way cool and super spiritual.  One of the investigators Elder Almieda started teaching before I got here, told us he is ready to be baptized.  So we should be having a baptism on Saturday if everything goes good.  My branch is way cool and super helpful and they love doing visits with us.  They are great.

Thank you for everything, I love you all so much!! Oh, and I heard I have two packages at the mission office!

***I love that Colton's letters sound like he is thinking in Portuguese and translating to English.

August 19th, 2010

I can't believe I'm at 9 months, everything is flying by so fast!  It is so good to be in Pres Prud, my new comp is way cool.  We are very similar in a lot of things like music and such, so it gives us something to talk about.  He is from Sao Paulo.  His whole family are members, they joined the church about 10 years ago.  But Elder Almeida says he did have a little bit of a rebellious period, he is 25 years old.  My new area is really good.  It is not very hilly, so that is good.  The only problem is that a lot of times the members just give us money for lunch, instead of having us over.  My companion says it is really easy to lose weight here.  It is about 15-20 degrees hotter here than in Londrina.  But it feels like summer in Utah because it is not as humid and rainy as other areas.  I live in a pretty big apartment, we live with two other elders who are both American.

We are teaching a few new people.  we are teaching a 15 year old kid named Antonio, he is way cool and progressing so much.  But it is just hard to get him excited to visit the church.  We also found a family of three who have been looking for a new church.  We just need to help them feel the spirit and know that this is the true church.

Wow, they are going to put Colin at tight end and linebacker.  I always thought you had to be big to play those positions.  Haha, I guess he is tall.

Mom, that is cool that you met up with your old friends.  I hope Bryson, Jacoby and my other friends are like that.

Yes, you should totally send Elder Galdino a package.  That would make him so happy!

Thank you Mom and family for everything that you do for me and for all of your support.  I truly don't think I could have made it these past 9 months if it wasn't for you guys!

August 11th, 2010

So, today I was transferred.   I am now in Presidente Prudente, my new companion is Elder Almeida.  He seems like a really cool guy and I am so happy to have a new companion.  My comp. has been in this area six months, so he knows the area and the members really well. So. that should be good.  My interview with President Taveres went really well.  I tried to explain what was going on with Elder Alves, but I didn't want to just complain about everything he was doing wrong.  I know that he was totally trashing me in his interview, but I did not want to go down to his level.  I am just happy to be in a new area, with a new companion and a chance to get back to working hard.  But I don't know anything about this area yet. 

The other day I was really missing Colin.  We were at a home and they had a little boy who was playing the PS2.  He was having a really hard time with the game he was playing.  So I was giving him some pointers to help him out.  I wasn't playing I was just talking to him about it.  Elder Alves, of course, got mad at me and told me I was breaking the rules.  I told him I wasn't playing, just helping.  He told me there wasn't a difference.  I don't know I was just trying to bond with the little boy, but oh well.

Cool mission news: Elder Galdino is the new AP.  He is so awesome,  I know he will do a great job.

Your trip sounds like a lot of fun, even if all you saw were Palaces and Cathedrals.

I got one package today.  Why did you send me a pillow?  Haha  Thanks!

I can't believe Trace is going into the MTC i week before I hit my 9 month mark.  I still think he should have gone in with me, that would have been so cool.  But at least he gets to wear a skirt! Haha

I am so excited to be in this new area.  I will tell you more about it next week and hopefully have some pictures.

Love you all so so much.

August 4th, 2010

This week we helped some members paint their house.  They have been remodeling and needed help with the painting, it was some fun stuff.  I think this was the first time I have ever painted walls.  I was pretty good at it.

Things with my companion have gotten a little better, but at the same time not really.  We aren't fighting as much,  but we do not agree on how to teach people.  For some reason he likes to teach The Law of Chastity on the second visit, sometimes the first visit.  I feel like we should start with The Plan of Salvation and The Restoration.  When they have felt the spirit and have a testimony of these things, they understand why having a family would be so important and then it is much easier for them to understand The Law of Chastity.  We have lost a lot of really good investigators because of this.  But he has his mind set on it and he will not change.  Sometimes it is very frustrating.
It has rained a lot lately.  On Monday it decided to rain a butt load.  I got poured on once before lunch and  the two more times after lunch.  It was crazy and I didn't have an umbrella, mine broke in Marilia and I haven't ever replaced it.  Haha
Tomorrow I have my first interview with President Tavares, that should be good.
Love you all.

July 28th, 2010

This week was not a very good week, I really don't think I can handle my companion much longer.  Yesterday we had a pretty good yelling match.  We had an appointment at 7:00 and I was getting ready to go and start heading to our appointment.  My companion says, "No, follow me."  I ask "Why?  We have an appt at 7."  He told me not to worry about it and just follow him.  I said I wouldn't follow him unless I knew what we were doing.  This went on for a few minutes.  So, I just stopped and told him I wasn't going any further until he told me why, we had an appt to be at.  Then he yelled, "OBEY ME OR I WILL CALL THE PRESIDENT."  I told him to go ahead and call the president.  So, he talked to President Taveres and then I did.  Things haven't really changed.  I have tried so hard to get along with him, but he pushed me to my limit.  I am really hoping one of us will be transferred.

Thank Grandpa for the newspaper articles.  I love getting them and getting updated on things even if it is a little late.

I can't believe both the Bryson's will enter the MTC today!! It is crazy.  Sometimes I wish I had waited and had a little more time to have hung out with my friends.  But I know that I wasn't suppose to do that.  I need to be here right now, because there is someone here for me to find and help.  I try my hardest everyday.  I am proud of where I am and what I have accomplished up to this point in my journey.  I know that we truly receive so many blessing form the Lord when we look for them.  The Lord will never let someone not like there choice of serving, I know this for a fact.

I love you all so much.  Thank you for everything.