Wassup guys!
Well, I have been kind of trunky since Christmas Day, it's true. We didn't get to talk very long, in fact, of all four of us Elders in the chapel that night making calls to family, I was the one that talked the least. That's what you get I guess when you're the last one to call, there's a lot more pressure later at night when it gets close to Going Home Hours. Ah well, someone had to do it, and it looked like all the other Elders left happy and satisfied so I'm glad for that. I did want to talk more, though, it seemed like so little time. But I'm grateful for what I got.
By the way I was kind of hiding the fact that I am coughing every thirty seconds lately. One of the other Elders I am living with just got checked out by the mission doctor and it turns out that he has tuberculoses (spelling right?). It looks like I have the same early symptoms as well so I might be going to the doctor as well. It doesn't look like it's a fatal disease though so don't worry about it.
Man, big reveal of the year! You guys moved out of the house already and haven't been telling us!! That was a really big surprise, that's really crazy. So it's already been done. Ja era, the Brazilians would say. Wow. The whole reveal did leave me a bit nervous but I think the fact that I am so distanced from the whole situation (after a year and four months) helped a bit. Hmmmm...
It is true that the most important things are the wellbeing of our family and the Gospel. I would be willing to sacrifice anything just in order to see our family happy and united and strong, so if moving means that then I am ready to do so.
Thank you so much for your support, I love you guys so much and I am glad that you had a happy Christmas. I'm thankful that our family has the Gospel and that no one is feeling down but optimistic and hopeful about the future.
Hey, moving into the new year, I really want to set some goals about how make 2011 an awesome, productive year. I have already created two basic objectives of mine: 1) Finishing my mission well and 2) Making sure when I get home I can hit the ground running. It's good to know that the question of college was kind of narrowed down for the two of us. Mom, what do I need to do to make sure I can get into college there as fast as possible? You can send me essay questions or whatev. I have a feeling that that is the best option there is. I do want to keep my sights on UCLA I feel like that is a good longer-term goal for me. As for finishing my mission well, there are some things I could get from you guys that could help me out: 1) Could you guys do a count of all the mission pictures Connor and I have sent since August 2011? I hope they are all saved some where, I do not have a copy of all of those pictures we've sent. I want to make sure I have plenty of pictures to rememer Ceara. To do that I think I should match the pictures that Connor has sent, which I know is more. Do a count please! 2) I need to send New Year's Presents and a birthday present to Lynsey!! Could all of you guys send me a message containing suggestions about the others for this next e-mail? Things that you want from Brazil?
Otherwise, finishing my mission well means that I've got to continue to work hard, learn more, and have spiritual experiences so I'll be fighting for that as well.
I love you guys! Hope you have a great week ahead of ya, have a good New Year's Party! Keep everyone warm for me this winter, have as many family nights as possible and help each other with eachother's difficulties and challenges. I love you SOOOO much!!!
Your son, brother and friend,
Brendon
12-20-2010 Letter Home
Oh man, pounding headache today.
Uh... it's Christmas Week. Weird. It has been really rainy and wet here lately so it's unusually cool but it's still probably a longshot from what it's like back home. Lot's of people vacationing lately, people on holiday, lots of kids out of school roaming the streets. It's different, maybe a little slow/difficult because of the business of the Christmas season.
Hey! Valdir (Heverton's Dad) received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday along with the Gift of the Holy Ghost! Great stuff! Heverton is doing well as well, did I mention he received the Melchezidek Priesthood? Jacinta (Heverton's Mom) is still trying to stop drinking coffee. We kind of coerced her to allow us into the kitchen the other night and filled a plastic bag with 9/10ths of the coffee she had and told her that the coffee left would be the last she would drink. She committed herself to the challenge and it looks like our tough tactics are going to work. I hope we can see the family completed this transfer I would love to end my four transfers here like that.
Elder Mauricio is the bomb! I love this guy he is way cool. He tries very hard to learn English too and is getting pretty good, especialy with three other Americans in the house to practice with. Maybe we can get him on the phone for a minute during our call he has a super funny accent. He's a good missionary. We're going to have a good transfer together. Did I mention he only has three months on the mission? He has some funny qualities because he's so new, like he gets so excited when we mark baptisms and everything, after our first two days here he started saying repeatedly that we were going to baptize tons of people this transfer, like 10 or 20 and making goals and everything... kind of broke my heart when we got to the sacrament meetings on Sunday and we only got three of our investigators there, none of them new people we had taught this last week. I don't want him to lose his energy and enthusiasm, you know, that so many new missionaries have, but man, this time of the year is pretty tough and in my experience in this area... we can baptize but very few people of the hundreds we teach get to the finish line. It's a tough lesson to learn, the reality of missionary work, is that you can take nothing for granted. Every little mote of success is a miracle.
We went to the beach this Thursday!!!! Oh man it was so awesome!! President Batt took our Zone and another to the beach for the morning as a kind of Christmas Holiday. I finally saw the Brazilian shoreline after a year and three months of being here! So weird it has been so long since I've seen waves. It felt really sucky that I didn't have a functional camera with me though. All of my friends were there, everyone in P-Day clothes. I hung out pretty much the whole day with Elder Da Hora, I missed him a bunch, I get along so well with that guy. I got my feet wet in the waves, that was kind of fun. I had a guy open up a frosty green coconut for me right on the beach, that was cool. Played some frisbee, climbed some big rocks close to the waves, took pictures with tons of Elders I haven't seen in forever (I hope they'll send me some). It was a cool activity. Afterwards we played cards in a nearby chapel and ate sloppy joes prepared by Sister Batt and left the chapel ony at 4:00. So fun!
By the way, about my camera... I gave my memory card to a friend in the ward that knows computers really well and he said he'd get my photos restored and the virus removed. He said he could order a cable for the camera as well on the internet. So maybe that's the fastest way to get photos as soon as possible to you guys.
Alright, you guys want to wake up, go through presents, then get in the car and go to San Francisco and do the call there? Alright, so if you guys wake up like at 6:30 like we missionaries do (hehe, so early for Christmas!) you guys could open presents for an hour and a half, get dressed and everything ready an hour after that, drive to San Francisco (two and a half hours right?) and get everything ready with thirty more minutes to spare. I think it's safe to say that we could schedule 1:00 Pacific Time for when we get the call started. Is that fair? That means I'd have to start the call at 7:00 PM... freak, that is kind of hard for me though... because there are four other missionaries that want to use the Church Phone at night. Maybe I can borrow a cell phone and buy just enough credits to call you guys and get a phone call back. But what's the price like for international calls to cell phones? President Batt said that there are lots of offers out this time of the year for cheap, 10 cents an hour international calls. Can you guys look into that? You know what, we have lots to talk about about planning all this so I'll call you guys tomorrow at about 9:00 A.M. Pacific TIme (3:00 PM my time). I'll call Mom's cell phone.
Freak, I miss you guys so much!! Can you believe it's been 7 months since our Mother's Day phone call? That's crazy! It's also the longest amount of time on the mission we'll have to pass without speaking to all of you! Just one more phone call after this one, in five months, and by that time we'll just have three more months to go! That's nuts!
Yeah, no package has arrived yet... :( But, thanks for the money, I'm really needing it. I want to buy something for you guys and send it and also buy a few little presents for people in the ward that would really appreciate it. Thanks yo! I hope everything is great with you guys.
Until tomorrow!! Love love love!!!
Your son and brother and friend,
Brendon
Uh... it's Christmas Week. Weird. It has been really rainy and wet here lately so it's unusually cool but it's still probably a longshot from what it's like back home. Lot's of people vacationing lately, people on holiday, lots of kids out of school roaming the streets. It's different, maybe a little slow/difficult because of the business of the Christmas season.
Hey! Valdir (Heverton's Dad) received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday along with the Gift of the Holy Ghost! Great stuff! Heverton is doing well as well, did I mention he received the Melchezidek Priesthood? Jacinta (Heverton's Mom) is still trying to stop drinking coffee. We kind of coerced her to allow us into the kitchen the other night and filled a plastic bag with 9/10ths of the coffee she had and told her that the coffee left would be the last she would drink. She committed herself to the challenge and it looks like our tough tactics are going to work. I hope we can see the family completed this transfer I would love to end my four transfers here like that.
Elder Mauricio is the bomb! I love this guy he is way cool. He tries very hard to learn English too and is getting pretty good, especialy with three other Americans in the house to practice with. Maybe we can get him on the phone for a minute during our call he has a super funny accent. He's a good missionary. We're going to have a good transfer together. Did I mention he only has three months on the mission? He has some funny qualities because he's so new, like he gets so excited when we mark baptisms and everything, after our first two days here he started saying repeatedly that we were going to baptize tons of people this transfer, like 10 or 20 and making goals and everything... kind of broke my heart when we got to the sacrament meetings on Sunday and we only got three of our investigators there, none of them new people we had taught this last week. I don't want him to lose his energy and enthusiasm, you know, that so many new missionaries have, but man, this time of the year is pretty tough and in my experience in this area... we can baptize but very few people of the hundreds we teach get to the finish line. It's a tough lesson to learn, the reality of missionary work, is that you can take nothing for granted. Every little mote of success is a miracle.
We went to the beach this Thursday!!!! Oh man it was so awesome!! President Batt took our Zone and another to the beach for the morning as a kind of Christmas Holiday. I finally saw the Brazilian shoreline after a year and three months of being here! So weird it has been so long since I've seen waves. It felt really sucky that I didn't have a functional camera with me though. All of my friends were there, everyone in P-Day clothes. I hung out pretty much the whole day with Elder Da Hora, I missed him a bunch, I get along so well with that guy. I got my feet wet in the waves, that was kind of fun. I had a guy open up a frosty green coconut for me right on the beach, that was cool. Played some frisbee, climbed some big rocks close to the waves, took pictures with tons of Elders I haven't seen in forever (I hope they'll send me some). It was a cool activity. Afterwards we played cards in a nearby chapel and ate sloppy joes prepared by Sister Batt and left the chapel ony at 4:00. So fun!
By the way, about my camera... I gave my memory card to a friend in the ward that knows computers really well and he said he'd get my photos restored and the virus removed. He said he could order a cable for the camera as well on the internet. So maybe that's the fastest way to get photos as soon as possible to you guys.
Alright, you guys want to wake up, go through presents, then get in the car and go to San Francisco and do the call there? Alright, so if you guys wake up like at 6:30 like we missionaries do (hehe, so early for Christmas!) you guys could open presents for an hour and a half, get dressed and everything ready an hour after that, drive to San Francisco (two and a half hours right?) and get everything ready with thirty more minutes to spare. I think it's safe to say that we could schedule 1:00 Pacific Time for when we get the call started. Is that fair? That means I'd have to start the call at 7:00 PM... freak, that is kind of hard for me though... because there are four other missionaries that want to use the Church Phone at night. Maybe I can borrow a cell phone and buy just enough credits to call you guys and get a phone call back. But what's the price like for international calls to cell phones? President Batt said that there are lots of offers out this time of the year for cheap, 10 cents an hour international calls. Can you guys look into that? You know what, we have lots to talk about about planning all this so I'll call you guys tomorrow at about 9:00 A.M. Pacific TIme (3:00 PM my time). I'll call Mom's cell phone.
Freak, I miss you guys so much!! Can you believe it's been 7 months since our Mother's Day phone call? That's crazy! It's also the longest amount of time on the mission we'll have to pass without speaking to all of you! Just one more phone call after this one, in five months, and by that time we'll just have three more months to go! That's nuts!
Yeah, no package has arrived yet... :( But, thanks for the money, I'm really needing it. I want to buy something for you guys and send it and also buy a few little presents for people in the ward that would really appreciate it. Thanks yo! I hope everything is great with you guys.
Until tomorrow!! Love love love!!!
Your son and brother and friend,
Brendon
12-13-2010 Letter Home
Agora ele ta bem batizado!
Feliz Natal todo mundo! Merry Christmastime!!! What a wonderful time of the year!
Well, first of all to kill the suspense, I will spend the next six weeks here in Fortaleza/Castelo still. I'm going to have Christmas here! That's great... I really love this ward, the people, we have a lot more opportunities still to find the elect. Still, it is interesting that the Lord wants me to stay here one more transfer... maybe I am supposed to still find that one elect person that's waiting for me. Who could it be? I'll only know when I finally leave here, I guess. But, I will not be staying with Elder Pili. He left for Juazeiro, the same area I was in during my first transfer! Wow, cool huh? I love that guy he was a good companion. Now I am back with another Brazilian, Elder Mauricio. He's from Sao Paulo, big stout guy and seems like a good dude after a short while with each other. I can tell we are going to like each other he has a good sense of humor. He has only three months on the mission!! What's up, President? Just sticking me with new guys lately, hah, I'm just shy from training. I'm also not going to be district leader this transfer. I hope it's not because I did a bad job. At least I am going to save money because I won't be taking so many buses, and I'll have my Saturdays and after-proselyting free time back. It was a great experience being the district leader and I'll welcome another chance at it in the future.
I can't believe I didn't write about Jefferson in the last e-mail! This twelve-year old kid had been going to church back when Elder Da Hora and I were companions and we never recognized it. We went to his house, taught him and his brother and his mom and the next time we passed by he had already prayed and received an answer by the Holy Ghost and read the pamphlet of the first lesson. We left him with a Book of Mormon and the next day he said he had read twenty pages already. He's a kid genius and such a good guy, he's going to be the president of the Deacon's Quorum, mark my words. Very humble family though... we might be able to baptize his brother who is nine years old and Jefferson's mother knows the church is true and wants to be baptized but needs to be married first which is becoming difficult lately. Future miracles in store!
It was funny because at Jefferson's baptism, he was super excited, but when he was there in the water with me he just froze up. The first time I said the words and put him down in the water he kind of freaked out and his legs shot up. The second time he was stiff as a board and wouldn't let his head get under the water. One of the brethren who was being a witness got a little frustrated at him (though I was being comforting and nice the whole time, don't worry) and Jefferson started tearing up and sniffling in front of the whole ward. I kinda had to josh around with him and tell a joke to get him to be confident again, and the third time I put him down into the water as hard as I could (haha!). Don't worry he was fine but I knew if I didn't really force him down in, he would get really sad and his Mom might've started having second thoughts. I guess he has a fear of water which he didn't tell us about because he was embarassed. In the end it all worked out fine but the members said that I looked funny dunking Jefferson as hard as I could in the water. When Jefferson came up this little six year old kid exclaimed amid the silence "Agora ele ta bem batizado MESMO!!" "Now he's REALLY well-baptized!!" I laughed inside so much oh man it was hilarious.
I had the awesome, awesome, wonderful experience of seeing Heverton who I baptized last transfer baptize his father this last Sunday... Man, can't even explain that feeling to all of you. You just gotta imagine how powerful it was to see someone you taught and baptized baptize another person. Heverton is THE MAN. I'm especially happy because this last transfer, five weeks ago, he was feeling really down and at one point he said to me he couldn't take the pressure any more and he wanted to return to his old way of life and that it was too hard to live the Gospel. His friends in the ward really came out for him and helped him get over that little trial and now he seems better than ever. Heverton's Dad, Valdir, is a kind of a big guy and Heverton also had to dunk him two times in order to get him "really well-baptized". What an awesome moment!!! Valdir is great as well, it's been a miracle getting him to be interested in religion, he's NEVER entered a religion or church fervently, it's a way of life just completely alien to his combined life experiences and now he's more interested than ever in every little topic of the Gospel. Cool beans!!
Well, first of all to kill the suspense, I will spend the next six weeks here in Fortaleza/Castelo still. I'm going to have Christmas here! That's great... I really love this ward, the people, we have a lot more opportunities still to find the elect. Still, it is interesting that the Lord wants me to stay here one more transfer... maybe I am supposed to still find that one elect person that's waiting for me. Who could it be? I'll only know when I finally leave here, I guess. But, I will not be staying with Elder Pili. He left for Juazeiro, the same area I was in during my first transfer! Wow, cool huh? I love that guy he was a good companion. Now I am back with another Brazilian, Elder Mauricio. He's from Sao Paulo, big stout guy and seems like a good dude after a short while with each other. I can tell we are going to like each other he has a good sense of humor. He has only three months on the mission!! What's up, President? Just sticking me with new guys lately, hah, I'm just shy from training. I'm also not going to be district leader this transfer. I hope it's not because I did a bad job. At least I am going to save money because I won't be taking so many buses, and I'll have my Saturdays and after-proselyting free time back. It was a great experience being the district leader and I'll welcome another chance at it in the future.
I can't believe I didn't write about Jefferson in the last e-mail! This twelve-year old kid had been going to church back when Elder Da Hora and I were companions and we never recognized it. We went to his house, taught him and his brother and his mom and the next time we passed by he had already prayed and received an answer by the Holy Ghost and read the pamphlet of the first lesson. We left him with a Book of Mormon and the next day he said he had read twenty pages already. He's a kid genius and such a good guy, he's going to be the president of the Deacon's Quorum, mark my words. Very humble family though... we might be able to baptize his brother who is nine years old and Jefferson's mother knows the church is true and wants to be baptized but needs to be married first which is becoming difficult lately. Future miracles in store!
It was funny because at Jefferson's baptism, he was super excited, but when he was there in the water with me he just froze up. The first time I said the words and put him down in the water he kind of freaked out and his legs shot up. The second time he was stiff as a board and wouldn't let his head get under the water. One of the brethren who was being a witness got a little frustrated at him (though I was being comforting and nice the whole time, don't worry) and Jefferson started tearing up and sniffling in front of the whole ward. I kinda had to josh around with him and tell a joke to get him to be confident again, and the third time I put him down into the water as hard as I could (haha!). Don't worry he was fine but I knew if I didn't really force him down in, he would get really sad and his Mom might've started having second thoughts. I guess he has a fear of water which he didn't tell us about because he was embarassed. In the end it all worked out fine but the members said that I looked funny dunking Jefferson as hard as I could in the water. When Jefferson came up this little six year old kid exclaimed amid the silence "Agora ele ta bem batizado MESMO!!" "Now he's REALLY well-baptized!!" I laughed inside so much oh man it was hilarious.
I had the awesome, awesome, wonderful experience of seeing Heverton who I baptized last transfer baptize his father this last Sunday... Man, can't even explain that feeling to all of you. You just gotta imagine how powerful it was to see someone you taught and baptized baptize another person. Heverton is THE MAN. I'm especially happy because this last transfer, five weeks ago, he was feeling really down and at one point he said to me he couldn't take the pressure any more and he wanted to return to his old way of life and that it was too hard to live the Gospel. His friends in the ward really came out for him and helped him get over that little trial and now he seems better than ever. Heverton's Dad, Valdir, is a kind of a big guy and Heverton also had to dunk him two times in order to get him "really well-baptized". What an awesome moment!!! Valdir is great as well, it's been a miracle getting him to be interested in religion, he's NEVER entered a religion or church fervently, it's a way of life just completely alien to his combined life experiences and now he's more interested than ever in every little topic of the Gospel. Cool beans!!
Elder Pili had the pleasure of baptized Nezinha this Sunday as well. Another miracle, Nezinha. She was a reference, she is 20 years old, and we taught her in three weeks, and she really took to Elder Pili they became good friends. She's a little flirty (like most Cearense girls *cough* *cough*) but really honestly converted as well to the Gospel. She called me one night at 10:30 as I was getting in bed and was crying about how she received an answer to her prayers about the Church, and I didn't understand anything cause she was just bawling you know, but I could feel the Spirit so strong and I'm so glad she was touched and changed so much.
I love all these people! I love my mission! This is great stuff!!!
By the way, I saw a bunch of my friends today at the chapel where we have transfers. I saw Elder Da Hora and we went to Burger King together. He's doing great and says he misses me alot. I do to, I had such an awesome three months with that guy! I saw Elder Carvalho and Elder Matias for the last time... they are going home this transfer! I'm going to miss them a bunch. Soon I'll have only friends who are younger on the mission and I'll be the older missionary. Freak! So weird!!
Time is running out, but, I want you guys to all know that I love you all and I am praying for all of you. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers and kind words I know you guys are making miracles in my life even half a world away!
So bring us some figgy pudding so bring us some figgy pudding...
EU SOU O CARPINTEIRO!!! (As one of my Brazilian friends would say...)
hehe,
love,
- Brendon
I love all these people! I love my mission! This is great stuff!!!
By the way, I saw a bunch of my friends today at the chapel where we have transfers. I saw Elder Da Hora and we went to Burger King together. He's doing great and says he misses me alot. I do to, I had such an awesome three months with that guy! I saw Elder Carvalho and Elder Matias for the last time... they are going home this transfer! I'm going to miss them a bunch. Soon I'll have only friends who are younger on the mission and I'll be the older missionary. Freak! So weird!!
Time is running out, but, I want you guys to all know that I love you all and I am praying for all of you. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers and kind words I know you guys are making miracles in my life even half a world away!
So bring us some figgy pudding so bring us some figgy pudding...
EU SOU O CARPINTEIRO!!! (As one of my Brazilian friends would say...)
hehe,
love,
- Brendon
12-06-2010 Letter Home
Hey everybody! Is this my 67th P-Day? Man that is wild. It was a pretty good P-Day, we went to the institute building close by again, with the whole Zone, we celebrated it all together. Played some RISK, had barbecue for lunch, watched a movie with the whole Zone. We didn't get to watch the whole movie though dang it because we started the movie too late and had to run to use the internet. A good P-Day to end the transfer.
Transfers are coming up soon. I am kind of feeling ready for a change. Three transfers is perfect for an area. If I left this next week for a new area I would feel a lot more energetic about the work. It seems like I've already done so much and covered so much ground in Ala Fortaleza Castelo that I don't know where to go next, you know? I love the members here and our investigators and the people we baptized... this has become my favorite area on my mission, definitely, I'm had so many awesome experiences here, but I think if I stay here much longer it's going to ruin my feelings about it. It's good to have a change once and a while.
Yesterday was Fast and Testimony Meeting at the Church. Heverton bore an awesome testimony in front of the whole ward and kinda broke out into tears, there were a lot of other members too that did so. His parents were sitting there close to the front row and they got really emotional as well. I guess it had been a long time since Heverton said "I love you" to his Dad and he told everyone that he just had to say it, and the moment he did Valdir, his Dad, just kinda started bawling, it was very spiritual. Heverton is the man, I'm so glad he is making all these good choices in his life and helping his family so much accept the Gospel. Valdir is going to be baptized this next Sunday! Jacinta, Heverton's Mom, might wait a little while longer. She's been going to church longer and has a testimony and everything, but they own a small shop that sells fried chicken that is their livelihood and she doesn't feel good getting baptized and still leaving the shop open on Sundays, when they sell the most. She's gonna get there but it'll take a bit longer. I love this family!!!
Igo and Jenaina got married in the center of Fortaleza on the third of December. It was awesome for them and for us. Igo was so great, holding an umbrella for Jenaina the whole walk there in the hot sun, even when we got to walk in the shade he didn't put it down he wanted to be sure that Jenaina was as comfortable as possible. Cool couple. They seemed really happy to be married, it was a very short, civil ceremony but they were very happy. Unfortunately they still haven't been to church, despite their testimonies in the Gospel and many visits from members... its tough, they live far from the chapel... they've got to make big sacrifices, wake up early and get ready and walk over there somehow. Members will continue to teach and visit them and some day they are going to get to church and then they can be baptized. At least now they are married and they'll be blessed a lot for it.
I'm going to get a disposible camera soon, I hope, to mail you pictures of baptisms and other important stuff. Unfortunately Elder Pili's camera doesn't have a cable to plug into the computers here so he can't help me out too much. I'll probably end up sending you the camera with your late Christmas presents and you can get it fixed and buy a new cable.
Man, you guys sent so much good info and everything I want to talk more about all of it, but I gotta go, time is running out!!! I love you so much and I can't believe the Christmas Talk is almost here!! Let's start planning right now! Enjoy the freezy cold up there for me, I miss that a lot too!
I love you guys so much! You are the best family ever!!!
Your son, brother, friend and relative....
Brendon
Transfers are coming up soon. I am kind of feeling ready for a change. Three transfers is perfect for an area. If I left this next week for a new area I would feel a lot more energetic about the work. It seems like I've already done so much and covered so much ground in Ala Fortaleza Castelo that I don't know where to go next, you know? I love the members here and our investigators and the people we baptized... this has become my favorite area on my mission, definitely, I'm had so many awesome experiences here, but I think if I stay here much longer it's going to ruin my feelings about it. It's good to have a change once and a while.
Yesterday was Fast and Testimony Meeting at the Church. Heverton bore an awesome testimony in front of the whole ward and kinda broke out into tears, there were a lot of other members too that did so. His parents were sitting there close to the front row and they got really emotional as well. I guess it had been a long time since Heverton said "I love you" to his Dad and he told everyone that he just had to say it, and the moment he did Valdir, his Dad, just kinda started bawling, it was very spiritual. Heverton is the man, I'm so glad he is making all these good choices in his life and helping his family so much accept the Gospel. Valdir is going to be baptized this next Sunday! Jacinta, Heverton's Mom, might wait a little while longer. She's been going to church longer and has a testimony and everything, but they own a small shop that sells fried chicken that is their livelihood and she doesn't feel good getting baptized and still leaving the shop open on Sundays, when they sell the most. She's gonna get there but it'll take a bit longer. I love this family!!!
Igo and Jenaina got married in the center of Fortaleza on the third of December. It was awesome for them and for us. Igo was so great, holding an umbrella for Jenaina the whole walk there in the hot sun, even when we got to walk in the shade he didn't put it down he wanted to be sure that Jenaina was as comfortable as possible. Cool couple. They seemed really happy to be married, it was a very short, civil ceremony but they were very happy. Unfortunately they still haven't been to church, despite their testimonies in the Gospel and many visits from members... its tough, they live far from the chapel... they've got to make big sacrifices, wake up early and get ready and walk over there somehow. Members will continue to teach and visit them and some day they are going to get to church and then they can be baptized. At least now they are married and they'll be blessed a lot for it.
I'm going to get a disposible camera soon, I hope, to mail you pictures of baptisms and other important stuff. Unfortunately Elder Pili's camera doesn't have a cable to plug into the computers here so he can't help me out too much. I'll probably end up sending you the camera with your late Christmas presents and you can get it fixed and buy a new cable.
Man, you guys sent so much good info and everything I want to talk more about all of it, but I gotta go, time is running out!!! I love you so much and I can't believe the Christmas Talk is almost here!! Let's start planning right now! Enjoy the freezy cold up there for me, I miss that a lot too!
I love you guys so much! You are the best family ever!!!
Your son, brother, friend and relative....
Brendon
11-29-2010 Letter Home
Honey Chicken
This week went pretty well! On Wednesday we had a leadership training at the center of Fortaleza. Only District Leaders, Zone Leaders, and the Assistants were invited to have this meeting with President Batt. It was kind of a cool to be part of the leadership club, you know, and to hear about the mission a little bit more indepth. President Batt gave us a lot of advice on how to help the other missionaries we are responsible for, what we should be focusing on and everything. Specifically, that we need to be using the Area Book more, that we need to work closely with the Ward Leadership, and that we need to do more contacts. That's what we'll focus on until the next leadership meeting. So, I've already been preparing for a good training in District Meeting to help communicate these things to the District.
On Thursday, man, I was so tired for some reason. We came back to the house after lunch and I just collapsed on my bed. Elder Pili tried getting me up to go work but it felt like someone just turned my switch off, I couldn't get up. After a little while though I got back to my senses and I got up to go work for the day. Fortunately I am feeling better but this week was marked by just a wave of exhaustion I started feeling around mid-week... mentally, emotionally, physically tired. In moments like these the only thing that can keep you going is the Savior Jesus Christ. He passed through so many other trials and pains than us... what we are expected to do is so much less than He had to do and that He did.
We spent the whole Saturday contacting all of our investigators to get them excited about Church. I don't think we taught one new investigators (which generally is a bad thing...) But man did it help our Sunday! We more than tripled the number of investigators that went to church, from 5 to 16. That was really a miracle for us and we ended the week very well. We are also very close to baptizing Heverton's parents, both of which have gone to church multiple times. Heverton is being a great help as well, it is so awesome to see him grow spiritually and stay firm to the Gospel without much work from us. He is making the right choices in his life.
Igo and Jenaina didn't go to church. They are having a lot of problems unfortunately. We might not get to baptize them after all this transfer. But our prayers are with them.
Dude, my camera has a virus that completely locked down the whole thing, I can't even take pictures. And I can't go in and fix it because for some reason THE CABLE is missing. I've been looking everywhere for it but no luck. I have no idea what happened to it. If I am going to get pictures to you guys, I've got to get that cable and then get my camera to a computer doctor. Any ideas?
I love you all, thank you for your great support, I miss you immensely. Hope Thanksiving was a blast. We did celebrate Thanksgiving! They don't have turkey here but for Thanksgiving all four of us American Elders at home bought a big thing of fried chicken and had a short feast after proselyting. There was soda and also honey!!! We dipped the chicken in honey it was very good. But, yeah, paled in comparison to the huge feast you guys probably had... *mumbling murmuring* ;)
I love the other guys that I am living with this transfer has been very fun.
Yeah, my e-mails have been lacking as well lately, I think I've gotten lazy in explaining things with detail and all that. After a year and three months here everything feels completely humdrum normal... even spiritual experiences, surprisingly. I need to do better with that.
This week was a lot better. Missionary work is generally stressful and it really is a proof that the Church is True that missionaries aren't always frustrated and depressed, hah. If you paid someone off the street to do all of this they surely would complain of their job and grumble all the time, but for us that happens only occasionally. I guess I am slowly entering that stage of my mission where home seems just around the corner but also far away and where my body is just getting so tired... I need to keep up and keep my energy until the end of the mission you know, I don't want to spend the next eight months walking around like a zombie, so I need to pray a lot for strength.
I love you guys so much! I know you have probably had hard times as well but you never really let on to it, so, well, thanks for always being so supportive. I miss you!!! We're going to talk soon!!!
Super love!!!
- Brendon
Thanks for the pictures. Ah, long car trips in our suburban.... :)
This week went pretty well! On Wednesday we had a leadership training at the center of Fortaleza. Only District Leaders, Zone Leaders, and the Assistants were invited to have this meeting with President Batt. It was kind of a cool to be part of the leadership club, you know, and to hear about the mission a little bit more indepth. President Batt gave us a lot of advice on how to help the other missionaries we are responsible for, what we should be focusing on and everything. Specifically, that we need to be using the Area Book more, that we need to work closely with the Ward Leadership, and that we need to do more contacts. That's what we'll focus on until the next leadership meeting. So, I've already been preparing for a good training in District Meeting to help communicate these things to the District.
On Thursday, man, I was so tired for some reason. We came back to the house after lunch and I just collapsed on my bed. Elder Pili tried getting me up to go work but it felt like someone just turned my switch off, I couldn't get up. After a little while though I got back to my senses and I got up to go work for the day. Fortunately I am feeling better but this week was marked by just a wave of exhaustion I started feeling around mid-week... mentally, emotionally, physically tired. In moments like these the only thing that can keep you going is the Savior Jesus Christ. He passed through so many other trials and pains than us... what we are expected to do is so much less than He had to do and that He did.
We spent the whole Saturday contacting all of our investigators to get them excited about Church. I don't think we taught one new investigators (which generally is a bad thing...) But man did it help our Sunday! We more than tripled the number of investigators that went to church, from 5 to 16. That was really a miracle for us and we ended the week very well. We are also very close to baptizing Heverton's parents, both of which have gone to church multiple times. Heverton is being a great help as well, it is so awesome to see him grow spiritually and stay firm to the Gospel without much work from us. He is making the right choices in his life.
Igo and Jenaina didn't go to church. They are having a lot of problems unfortunately. We might not get to baptize them after all this transfer. But our prayers are with them.
Dude, my camera has a virus that completely locked down the whole thing, I can't even take pictures. And I can't go in and fix it because for some reason THE CABLE is missing. I've been looking everywhere for it but no luck. I have no idea what happened to it. If I am going to get pictures to you guys, I've got to get that cable and then get my camera to a computer doctor. Any ideas?
I love you all, thank you for your great support, I miss you immensely. Hope Thanksiving was a blast. We did celebrate Thanksgiving! They don't have turkey here but for Thanksgiving all four of us American Elders at home bought a big thing of fried chicken and had a short feast after proselyting. There was soda and also honey!!! We dipped the chicken in honey it was very good. But, yeah, paled in comparison to the huge feast you guys probably had... *mumbling murmuring* ;)
I love the other guys that I am living with this transfer has been very fun.
Yeah, my e-mails have been lacking as well lately, I think I've gotten lazy in explaining things with detail and all that. After a year and three months here everything feels completely humdrum normal... even spiritual experiences, surprisingly. I need to do better with that.
This week was a lot better. Missionary work is generally stressful and it really is a proof that the Church is True that missionaries aren't always frustrated and depressed, hah. If you paid someone off the street to do all of this they surely would complain of their job and grumble all the time, but for us that happens only occasionally. I guess I am slowly entering that stage of my mission where home seems just around the corner but also far away and where my body is just getting so tired... I need to keep up and keep my energy until the end of the mission you know, I don't want to spend the next eight months walking around like a zombie, so I need to pray a lot for strength.
I love you guys so much! I know you have probably had hard times as well but you never really let on to it, so, well, thanks for always being so supportive. I miss you!!! We're going to talk soon!!!
Super love!!!
- Brendon
Thanks for the pictures. Ah, long car trips in our suburban.... :)
11-22-2010 Letter Home
Hey Family,
The week started out very well. We had Zone Conference which really got me energetic and spiritual and everything. But, it looks like some of the best investigators we found didn't go to Church... except for Mara. We found her two weeks ago and we're having a lot of good spiritual experiences with her, she really wants to right the course of her life. She went to Church and said she liked it. We'll have to pass by soon this week and encourage her to continue learning more and to feel more of the Spirit. Good stuff, the Lord really is blessing us. But, I was kind of hit pretty hard when some people we've been working with for a while decided not to go to Church for some reason... I don't know, just feeling a little down. It also looks like Heverton and Vera, two huge converts we taught and baptized last transfer, are facing various problems. Especially Heverton.
News about Jamie didn't feel too well either. Everyone must be going through some difficult times right now, then, back home, right? I love Jamie so much, I am really going to miss her. The Gospel was very strong in her life though, and when we have the Gospel we need not fear anything, or be sad about anything. Everything happens for a reason.
I love all of you so much, my friends, family and relatives. I know I can't be the biggest source of hope and concilation, I can't say anything to make everything seem a little easier to bear, but I am filled with love for my Savior, and for all of you. I want so badly to see all of you, all of my loved ones, safe and sound at home at my return, but those who the Lord calls... I know that they'll be safe and sound at Our Home in Heaven when we all get there one day.
Thanks for all of your prayers and keep them coming please,
Love love love,
Elder Brendon Carpenter
P.S. Yeah, I did get the Halloween package, thanks a bunch! I loved the hot chocolate, they don't have that here! After this next transfer I might have a new area and a new companion who knows! Give my best to Ryan Schnell that's crazy he's coming home! And Jordan Hamzawi is getting married? Very cool! Good stuff.
The week started out very well. We had Zone Conference which really got me energetic and spiritual and everything. But, it looks like some of the best investigators we found didn't go to Church... except for Mara. We found her two weeks ago and we're having a lot of good spiritual experiences with her, she really wants to right the course of her life. She went to Church and said she liked it. We'll have to pass by soon this week and encourage her to continue learning more and to feel more of the Spirit. Good stuff, the Lord really is blessing us. But, I was kind of hit pretty hard when some people we've been working with for a while decided not to go to Church for some reason... I don't know, just feeling a little down. It also looks like Heverton and Vera, two huge converts we taught and baptized last transfer, are facing various problems. Especially Heverton.
News about Jamie didn't feel too well either. Everyone must be going through some difficult times right now, then, back home, right? I love Jamie so much, I am really going to miss her. The Gospel was very strong in her life though, and when we have the Gospel we need not fear anything, or be sad about anything. Everything happens for a reason.
I love all of you so much, my friends, family and relatives. I know I can't be the biggest source of hope and concilation, I can't say anything to make everything seem a little easier to bear, but I am filled with love for my Savior, and for all of you. I want so badly to see all of you, all of my loved ones, safe and sound at home at my return, but those who the Lord calls... I know that they'll be safe and sound at Our Home in Heaven when we all get there one day.
Thanks for all of your prayers and keep them coming please,
Love love love,
Elder Brendon Carpenter
P.S. Yeah, I did get the Halloween package, thanks a bunch! I loved the hot chocolate, they don't have that here! After this next transfer I might have a new area and a new companion who knows! Give my best to Ryan Schnell that's crazy he's coming home! And Jordan Hamzawi is getting married? Very cool! Good stuff.
11-15-2010 Letter Home
Calma e Cansado
I just figured out today that my freaking camera got a virus which deleted all of my pictures. Darn it!! That's retarded. LANhouses here are always so full of viruses. I hope that they don't piggyback on e-mails as well.
We had a good week, we are working really hard. I really am having a good time with Elder Pili he's way awesome. There are some little challenges with him not knowing the language too well, but for how much time he has in Brasil I think he is doing great. He'll be one of the best American speakers of Portuguese here, I'm certain of it!
We had to cancel the marriage of some of our recent investigators. Two days before the wedding we had planned he told us that he had used drugs recently. We knew he had a problem with that but he had always told us that he was passed it. The good news is that he is still the same man and is super repentant and wants to change and be a better husband and father. She kind of got mad of him and for a day or two she wanted him to leave the house for good but after a lot of talking we got them to give it another chance. We are passing by their house every morning, talking about eternal families and temples, singing hymns and just strengthening them like crazy. It's going to work I know it is... but it will take us a bit longer to see them in fancy clothes and exchanging rings. It's a hard life to escape from, the life of drugs and crime and with so little education, but they are worth it and going to make it I know it.
Raphaella was baptized finally. We had taught her completely last transfer but she faced some challenges with her family. It didn't help that when we scheduled the baptismal interview the last time, she went to a relative's house in another neighborhood and the Zone Leaders suggested sending another District Leader over there to interview her so that she could be baptized that Sunday. We called her up and her aunt as well and talked everything over, but the District Leader passed by their house at 8:00 at night in which time the aunt had left and her Evangelical uncle arrived... You can imagine the reaction and it kind of hurt Raphaella's progress for a bit. But she was happily baptized this Sunday night and is now part of the Castelo Ward! Yay!
I've been feeling kind of down and homesick lately for some reason. Really homesick! I'm just doing the same thing every day and dealing with such difficult people... having spiritual experiences, but at the same time having people disappoint me and to see them not choosing the right... it can be discouraging. Every member in this church is a miracle, they really are, and my family is a miracle of a miracle. It doesn't seem like such things should exist, happy families obedient to the Lord, they are so rare down here and the only place you can really find them is in the Church. In many ways this neighborhood I work in is kinda like the Devil's playground... I discover more and more bad things that are going in the lives of people. Some times I feel very powerless to stop it all or just tired of trying so hard many times without an effect. But I am super happy that I had been able to find the Elect that are seeking truth and that I've been able to guide their lives a little bit. That is a big privilege.
I am so excited to hear where Nick is going!! No one sent me any info about his call! It is so awesome he will go through the temple I hope he has a great experience. I've been feeling really disconnected lately from the extended family... just getting little tid-bits every once and a while, you know, and just through pictures and e-mails. And I'm working so hard every second and worrying so much about people here its just... I feel my mind is so separated from all the people that I love back home. I hope Nick is really happy with his missionary call, really excited and pumped up to serve!! What an awesome time!
*sigh* Well, I'm going to sign off a little sooner than normal. I love you guys so much!
- Your son, brother, friend and relative,
Brendon
We had a good week, we are working really hard. I really am having a good time with Elder Pili he's way awesome. There are some little challenges with him not knowing the language too well, but for how much time he has in Brasil I think he is doing great. He'll be one of the best American speakers of Portuguese here, I'm certain of it!
We had to cancel the marriage of some of our recent investigators. Two days before the wedding we had planned he told us that he had used drugs recently. We knew he had a problem with that but he had always told us that he was passed it. The good news is that he is still the same man and is super repentant and wants to change and be a better husband and father. She kind of got mad of him and for a day or two she wanted him to leave the house for good but after a lot of talking we got them to give it another chance. We are passing by their house every morning, talking about eternal families and temples, singing hymns and just strengthening them like crazy. It's going to work I know it is... but it will take us a bit longer to see them in fancy clothes and exchanging rings. It's a hard life to escape from, the life of drugs and crime and with so little education, but they are worth it and going to make it I know it.
Raphaella was baptized finally. We had taught her completely last transfer but she faced some challenges with her family. It didn't help that when we scheduled the baptismal interview the last time, she went to a relative's house in another neighborhood and the Zone Leaders suggested sending another District Leader over there to interview her so that she could be baptized that Sunday. We called her up and her aunt as well and talked everything over, but the District Leader passed by their house at 8:00 at night in which time the aunt had left and her Evangelical uncle arrived... You can imagine the reaction and it kind of hurt Raphaella's progress for a bit. But she was happily baptized this Sunday night and is now part of the Castelo Ward! Yay!
I've been feeling kind of down and homesick lately for some reason. Really homesick! I'm just doing the same thing every day and dealing with such difficult people... having spiritual experiences, but at the same time having people disappoint me and to see them not choosing the right... it can be discouraging. Every member in this church is a miracle, they really are, and my family is a miracle of a miracle. It doesn't seem like such things should exist, happy families obedient to the Lord, they are so rare down here and the only place you can really find them is in the Church. In many ways this neighborhood I work in is kinda like the Devil's playground... I discover more and more bad things that are going in the lives of people. Some times I feel very powerless to stop it all or just tired of trying so hard many times without an effect. But I am super happy that I had been able to find the Elect that are seeking truth and that I've been able to guide their lives a little bit. That is a big privilege.
I am so excited to hear where Nick is going!! No one sent me any info about his call! It is so awesome he will go through the temple I hope he has a great experience. I've been feeling really disconnected lately from the extended family... just getting little tid-bits every once and a while, you know, and just through pictures and e-mails. And I'm working so hard every second and worrying so much about people here its just... I feel my mind is so separated from all the people that I love back home. I hope Nick is really happy with his missionary call, really excited and pumped up to serve!! What an awesome time!
*sigh* Well, I'm going to sign off a little sooner than normal. I love you guys so much!
- Your son, brother, friend and relative,
Brendon
11-8-2010 Letter Home
Breaking the Sound Barrier
This week was great! One more of those work-a-holic weeks where I can't even remember what we did really because we were just flying around our area teaching like crazy. We upped the ante definitely, taught 27 new investigators and challenged 20 people to be baptized. Infelizmente, we didn't have a baptism this week which is kind of a downer for Elders in the Brazil Fortaleza Mission... next week should be good though. We have a couple of teenagers that went to church for the first time and could be baptized this week if we work hard and we also are going to wed and baptize a couple that we've been working with since the first transfer, Igo and Jenaina. I hope it all works out alright.
My companion is awesome. Elder Pili really knows how to work hard and he's a good, loving, spiritual guy outside of lessons and in them. All he needs to do is learn to speak Portuguese and he's going to be a fantastic Elder in this mission, really gonna tear it up, he's great. And I'm sure we are going to see a lot of miracles this transfer!
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| Elder Pili and I |
Ahhh, missing all of you so much! I want to see ya and talk to ya right now! I can hardly wait for our Christmas call... I am also getting really excited for Nick, I can't wait to see where he is going on his mission! Will he be leaving very soon or have to wait four months like we did to leave the country? All of the little kids in all the pictures you guys send me seem to be growing so fast... Everything is going to seem so different when I get back in that and other things.
The whole "I've Been Away From Home For More Than A Year" Syndrome is starting to hit me. I'm still focused on the Lord and reaching more and more people to help them out but I really do think that by the time I get to August 2011 I am going to be absolutely empty, energy-wise, and very emotionally fragile, haha. I want to leave here with absolutely nothing left but my testimony and spiritual knowledge and life experiences, that's it, and just get ready to move on to a completely different phase of my life. I've started thinking a lot as well about what is going to happen after the mission, plans and stuff... the time has come, I think, to at least start thinking about all of that. I can't believe I've got just 9 more months, where'd all my time go?! The majority of my mission has already been written! It's kind of scary and kind of relieving, you know? *sigh*
Well, done pouring out my soul to all of you. I love you all so much and I know that our Savior Jesus Christ lives and loves us all and that this is His Church!!
Well, (to answer the question about the comment I made last week) we had bought a lot of Coca-Cola at the end of the transfer so I kept on guzzling it for a few nights after the interview until we ran out. From now on it's my goal to drink Coke only at lunches and during the day, but to never bring home Coca-Cola or I'll end up drinking after work at night because it's so tempting!! I did stop eating breakfast just to get more time in the morning to do other things, and to save on money, but maybe that wasn't such a wise decision. Now I am eating an egg sandwich every day with juice and it is helping me have more energy... good stuff too! Breakfast is fun!
The weeks are flying by it is crazy!
I did get some new shoes, and some new pants, and new ties. Let's see, what do I want from home... see if you can find some of that anti-fungal cooling spray for feet, Elder Pili brought a can with him and it's awesome, I've never seen it before. That could come in handy here in Ceara especially since I've got a slow but determined case of athlete's foot. Make sure to send candy that is well wrapped because the ants here are really crazy and get in everything. Reeses maybe, Reeses Pieces... more hot chocolate! Hmmm... more peanut butter... I don't know, stuff like that...
Can't wait for the Christmas call its been so loooonnnggggg!!!!
Your friend, brother, son and relative,
Brendon
Your friend, brother, son and relative,
11-1-2010 Letter Home
"Hotel California"
Yeah! Transfer day! No way, what happened, Elder Carpenter?
Well, let us begin.
First of all my last week with Elder Da Hora was kinda slow, you know, we began to take it a little easy and, I don't know, it passed by really quickly without too much happening. I had my interview with President Batt which went very well, he said that I need to stop drinking so much Coca-Cola before bed and I'll have more energy to work every day, and that I need to start eating breakfast again. Alright, that's a can-do.
The rest of the week we found some new people to teach, worked with some older investigators too. Melissa has a ton of friends for us to teach. One night we found her with a bunch of friends from school and we sat down on the pavement with them and shared the first message with the whole group of youth. We got around to teaching seven new people just from that little street lesson. We were also working with Calay, who is fourteen years old and a big drama-theatre buff, funny guy. After he went to church for the first time last Sunday he told us that he had a feeling during sacrament meeting that he was born to be a member in this church that he didn't belong any where else. He made a bunch of friends, read chapters of the Book of Mormon and that was that. Yeah! Great kid.
It's so funny, three months ago we got here and there was only one young man in the Priests/Teachers/Deacon's Quorum (they are all combined here) and Jamerson, a recent-convert, had just been called to be the Young Men's President. He told us that first night we were here "Elders, I don't know what I am going to do. The Lord gave me my first calling and I've got to be the Young Men's President but there isn't anyone to preside over! What am I going to do?" Elder Da Hora promptly said, "Look, just leave that to us we're going to baptize some young men for you." And, three months later, we've got a thriving, fun little group of young men! Renan, Humberto, Diego, and now Calay and Tiago, just enough to make Jamerson happy and give him the opportunity to serve the Lord. Yeah!
I will be staying here in Ala Fortaleza/Ala Castelo for at least one more transfer. I love it here this area is great! My new companion is Elder Pili and he's from Riverside in California. I heard that lately Brazil has been in a "visa war" with the United States (each one denying visas in order to pressure the other to make legal concessions for whatever little thing) and so Elder Pili waited six months in the United States to get his visa!! He was serving in the Marietta Georgia Portuguese/Spanish-speaking mission while he waited. Finally the visa came in for him, and he got to Fortaleza three weeks ago! Looks like a cool guy. He's gone to culinary school for a year and wants to run a restaurant. I hope he can teach me how to make some creative breakfasts! My first American companion! We're going to have a great transfer together!
So, the Elders that were living with us, Elder Ferreira and Elder Padula, were both transferred to other areas and other companions. In their place, Elder Deffense and Elder Johnson will be working in Ala Palmeiras and Ala Sitio Sao Joao. Wait a minute... Elder Deffense is from Los Angeles, and Elder Johnson is from Orem, Utah but was born in California. Does that mean... what I think it means... ?
Yeah it does... CASA CALIFORNIANA!!! Four Californians in one house for one entire transfer... this transfer is going to be insane! Hehehe. But, yeah, that's pretty weird right? Cool...
Oh, one funny story... I got my wet clothes out of the wash and instead of hanging them up to dry I placed them in a sink close to the washing machine and I forgot about them. Turns out that a bat came in and slept in the roof above the sink and... CRAPPED ALL OVER MY CLOTHES!!! Argh noooo!!!! What the heck what is the chance that would happen? Bats have never slept in that room before...
Well, that's all for now. I love all you guys! Hope you like the pictures!
Elder Da Hora is gone!!! Nooo!!! We had a great three months together I love that guy, we had so much fun. I'm going to miss him a lot. He'll have a good companion though, I think, another American named Elder Way. Cool stuff.
Love you all, have a great week!
Tchau tchau!
- Elder Brendon
Yeah! Transfer day! No way, what happened, Elder Carpenter?
Well, let us begin.
The rest of the week we found some new people to teach, worked with some older investigators too. Melissa has a ton of friends for us to teach. One night we found her with a bunch of friends from school and we sat down on the pavement with them and shared the first message with the whole group of youth. We got around to teaching seven new people just from that little street lesson. We were also working with Calay, who is fourteen years old and a big drama-theatre buff, funny guy. After he went to church for the first time last Sunday he told us that he had a feeling during sacrament meeting that he was born to be a member in this church that he didn't belong any where else. He made a bunch of friends, read chapters of the Book of Mormon and that was that. Yeah! Great kid.
I will be staying here in Ala Fortaleza/Ala Castelo for at least one more transfer. I love it here this area is great! My new companion is Elder Pili and he's from Riverside in California. I heard that lately Brazil has been in a "visa war" with the United States (each one denying visas in order to pressure the other to make legal concessions for whatever little thing) and so Elder Pili waited six months in the United States to get his visa!! He was serving in the Marietta Georgia Portuguese/Spanish-speaking mission while he waited. Finally the visa came in for him, and he got to Fortaleza three weeks ago! Looks like a cool guy. He's gone to culinary school for a year and wants to run a restaurant. I hope he can teach me how to make some creative breakfasts! My first American companion! We're going to have a great transfer together!
So, the Elders that were living with us, Elder Ferreira and Elder Padula, were both transferred to other areas and other companions. In their place, Elder Deffense and Elder Johnson will be working in Ala Palmeiras and Ala Sitio Sao Joao. Wait a minute... Elder Deffense is from Los Angeles, and Elder Johnson is from Orem, Utah but was born in California. Does that mean... what I think it means... ?
Yeah it does... CASA CALIFORNIANA!!! Four Californians in one house for one entire transfer... this transfer is going to be insane! Hehehe. But, yeah, that's pretty weird right? Cool...
Oh, one funny story... I got my wet clothes out of the wash and instead of hanging them up to dry I placed them in a sink close to the washing machine and I forgot about them. Turns out that a bat came in and slept in the roof above the sink and... CRAPPED ALL OVER MY CLOTHES!!! Argh noooo!!!! What the heck what is the chance that would happen? Bats have never slept in that room before...
Well, that's all for now. I love all you guys! Hope you like the pictures!
Elder Da Hora is gone!!! Nooo!!! We had a great three months together I love that guy, we had so much fun. I'm going to miss him a lot. He'll have a good companion though, I think, another American named Elder Way. Cool stuff.
Love you all, have a great week!
Tchau tchau!
- Elder Brendon
10-25-2010 Letter Home
"Waterfall at 35 Celcius"
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| Now you understand the title of my weekly e-mail... It's a cool waterfall that is in front of the local shopping mall that was close to the Institute Building. |
Hello everybody!
This transfer is winding down and we've already got hit by end-of-transfer slowdown. Not that we are sleeping in or something, but Elder Da Hora and I can both feel that we are dragging a bit. The week was so hot! We got up to get haircuts one morning at 7:30 and after walking for just twenty minutes we were both sweating like crazy - the Sun is just insane here. The haircut was pretty bad by the way, left a lot in the front.
It was a good week in the end... we did a lot of visiting investigators and visiting recent converts... we have so many people that need our attention it is getting difficult to meet and teach new people! But we've been very blessed with all the people we've met, all of our friendships, and it seems like we are doing the right thing by focusing on our teaching pool right now instead of expanding it.
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| Ride the Frog |
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| Silly Statues |
Melissa is 14 years old and I first met her with Elder Lopes, our Zone Leader. She went to church the first Sunday she could, prayed about the Church and the Book of Mormon, received a response from God, and then decided to get baptized. It doesn't get any easier than that! Wow, a really great young woman, she was already living all of the commandments and just needed to know the right place to worship God.
Rayla and Walison are sister and brother, we've been teaching them for a lot longer, since the third week of the last transfer. We thought their family would never get to church after we taught them everything we could, and we kind of stopping passing by, but one night, the two of them just showed up at Seminary. Our awesome ward youth showed them that they are the best group of kids on the planet and they just kept on going to Seminary, every night, even though they have to walk more than twenty minutes to the chapel. Then they started going to Church every Sunday, largely without our assistance. The members kinda jumped at us to baptize them as soon as we could, but we waited to see if this would influence their parents. So we taught their family again and hoped the parents would go to church but unfortunately it looks like its not their time yet. So, we planned a baptismal service and bam, now they are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!
It was pretty funny, when it came time for the picture I was standing by Rayla and she gave me a huge hug (not-allowed) in front of all the members and I turned bright red as I had to explain that she can't hug missionaries. The members laughed their heads off. Always funny to see an American get embarassed, haha.
It looks like Heverton is dating a returned missionaria (sister) in our ward already, haha! No, I don't know if they are, but they were holding hands and so now everyone is talking about it. He's been going to a lot of Young Single Adult activities in the center of Fortaleza and loving it. I'm loving it to, because he is feeling totally appreciated and accepted in the ward! Go members of Ceara! they are the best!
Today we had our Zone P-Day. We went to a big Institute Building of the Church that has a swimming pool and a soccer quad and an inside area, kitchen, fusball tables, billiards. We did not go swimming, hah, not even if I wanted to break the rules - it was way dirty. It was very fun. We played frisbee football, pool, watched a movie, went out to eat, drank a bunch of Coca-Cola. It was a good P-Day I liked hanging out there. Got some funny pictures from our experience there for you guys.
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| Pictures of the Institute Building, playing fusball and also FRISBEE!!! |
On a more grimmer note, this last Sunday as we were walking home from the baptismal service we heard a loud noise and turned around see a man on a motorcycle hit into the side of a passing car and then bounce off onto the sidewalk and the man was thrown to the ground. Looks like he had been drinking unfortunately. We rushed to the scene and found him face down on the ground. At first I thought he hadn't been thrown very hard and had just been knocked out, he was breathing at that time. Then the blood started pooling around his head and I realized it was pretty serious. We didn't mess with the body so I don't exactly know what happened, we just got someone to call Emergency Services, and then as the other people arrived and we didn't want to be spectators so we just left. We had a dinner appointment at a nearby member's house. I felt bad... there was nothing I could really do, ya know. When we came back after forty-five minutes, the police had cordoned off the area and there was a big crowd of people around the crash site. We saw the man, he had been covered up, left in the same spot we found him and it was pretty apparent that he had died. Hmm.
Unsettling experience in all, not that I knew the guy but... who knows, the other people there said he lived a few blocks away, maybe we had passed him or seen him during our time here, shared glances. Sad sad sad.
Bad note to end the letter on.
I love you all! Thanks for everything that you guys do! For your prayers and comments and love!
Have a great week!
- Elder Brendon
Description of photos:
Me sitting with Elder Da Hora waiting for dinner at Lurdinha's house. We go there every Sunday night to have an end-of-the-week dinner. She's awesome and cooks awesome too!
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| I heard something! It's a T-Rex! |
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| No wait... its a sentient cloud of smoke? |
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Quick, act like a mushroom! |
Drinking Coca-Cola like the Nephites did!
Hahaha.
10-18-2010 Letter Home
Hey Family,
Weird that summer passed by back home without a bit of a fluctation in the weather here. In Ceara its still really really hot and dry! (with modest comforting winds, at least).
I need to write longer letters, huh? That is very true! But I have to say, I was writing the highlights of the week, there hasn't been anything too interesting happening besides what I already wrote.
This week started out with a great division in Pindoretama (you can Google Map that), a little town close to Fortaleza that has a chapel and a single companionship of Elders: Elder K. Olsen and Elder Batista. They live out here an hour away from Fortaleza just the two of them! Their house is pretty cool, very close to the chapel, they have a big yard (quintal) out back that has chickens and huge mango trees that is shared by all the neighbors.
We took the bus there on P-Day morning (air-conditioned, very nice, most of the buses here don't have air-conditioning), spent the day with them watching movies at the church, it was nice chilling out eating ham-sandwiches and drinking freezy Coca-Cola with friends. Then we worked P-Day night, went to District Meeting Tuesday morning all four of us, then Elder K. Olsen and I went back to Pindoretama to work and Elder Da Hora and Elder Batista went back to our area.
At night we got home and I pulled my District Leader "card" and said that we would have a challenge to see who could teach the most people and make the most contacts in two hours: Elder Batista and I, or Elder K. Olsen and Elder Da Hora. We talked with everyone we could and in the end we taught 10 new investigators and set up 9 baptismal dates and had a few contacts as well. The other companionship got 4 new investigators and a handful of contacts. So we won! Yay! That was a fun night. From the call I got last night from Pindoretama it looks like some of the people we taught that night turned out to be very promising, looks like they are progressing.
We got to sleep late because we talked up a storm, and we woke up early because the house there is right by the main road in Pindoretama so we get going when the traffic gets going. The other Elders had to rush off to a quick appointment at 7:30, leaving Elder Da Hora and I to get ready for the District Meeting in the house. An old Brazilian lady knocked on our door a little while later and we treated ourselves to a hot Cearense breakfast that apparently she brings every morning to the missionaries there (she's a member). Lucky dogs!
Spent the day with Elder K. Olsen. Turned out he had a lot to get off his chest, having some companionship problems nothing too big. We had a pretty easy day and he treated me to pizza at one of the most expensive pizzarias in the city. It was great! Fun to speak English for a whole day. A great friend. We returned the next day to Fortaleza and as soon as we swapped comps we had another division with the Zone Leaders so one more day without Elder Da Hora :( . But it was awesome, I liked Elder Lopes, one of my LZs, a lot we taught some good lessons.
After that, the week kinda slowed down. Elder Da Hora and I got back together and we were kinda exhausted after three action-packed days of work. I took a nap after lunch and we slept in until 4:00 by accident, nossa! Gotta.. keep... working... ah, its really tough sometimes. We were working all week with Heverton! Had a film night and watched "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration". He was baptized on Saturday night and on Sunday was confirmed. I finally baptized someone with a car! Hehe, what an awesome guy, I'm going to remember this weekend forever. It was a very special service and we are proud as heck to see Heverton becoming just one more awesome member of the Lord's Church. He even came into church with Sunday clothes!! For his first Sunday as a member! Wow! That night we celebrated, went out to eat Pizza with Heverton, his Mom (who went to Church for the first time this Sunday) and some member friends.
This transfer is wrapping up, and who knows, come the 1st of November I may be in a new area with a new companion. We have already seen so many miracles in this area, found and taught and baptized some really memorable awesome people. I am very pleased with how things went down here and just getting ready to see what's gonna happen next. Just feeling great, though (and hungry right now, I still haven't eaten today and it's mid-day!)
Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! I'm glad that it was unique this time around, hah. I can't wait to get to know San Francisco better! So cool. Christmas is going to be here before we know it and we'll talk up a storm! I thought it'd never arrive.
I love you all, and I hope things are doing great. Thanks again for your prayers, and you have mine as well.
Love love love!
Brendon
EU ESCOLHO FELICIDADE TAMBEM!!!!!!
So the photos: I included a picture of my naked chest because I have a weird tropical rash going on (but, I have applied a soothing creme that should kill the bacteria in a week). Just to scare Mom a bit (haha). It doesn't hurt, just kinda irritating.
I'm making tropical fruit smoothies almost every day, freak they've got some awesome fruit here. I am already planning to fill my suitcase with frozen fruit pulp which should be allowed into the States you guys gotta get a taste of this stuff!
Much love from the Nordeste!
Weird that summer passed by back home without a bit of a fluctation in the weather here. In Ceara its still really really hot and dry! (with modest comforting winds, at least).
I need to write longer letters, huh? That is very true! But I have to say, I was writing the highlights of the week, there hasn't been anything too interesting happening besides what I already wrote.
This week started out with a great division in Pindoretama (you can Google Map that), a little town close to Fortaleza that has a chapel and a single companionship of Elders: Elder K. Olsen and Elder Batista. They live out here an hour away from Fortaleza just the two of them! Their house is pretty cool, very close to the chapel, they have a big yard (quintal) out back that has chickens and huge mango trees that is shared by all the neighbors.
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| The pictures of the road are of Pindoretama outside of the missionary house. |
At night we got home and I pulled my District Leader "card" and said that we would have a challenge to see who could teach the most people and make the most contacts in two hours: Elder Batista and I, or Elder K. Olsen and Elder Da Hora. We talked with everyone we could and in the end we taught 10 new investigators and set up 9 baptismal dates and had a few contacts as well. The other companionship got 4 new investigators and a handful of contacts. So we won! Yay! That was a fun night. From the call I got last night from Pindoretama it looks like some of the people we taught that night turned out to be very promising, looks like they are progressing.
We got to sleep late because we talked up a storm, and we woke up early because the house there is right by the main road in Pindoretama so we get going when the traffic gets going. The other Elders had to rush off to a quick appointment at 7:30, leaving Elder Da Hora and I to get ready for the District Meeting in the house. An old Brazilian lady knocked on our door a little while later and we treated ourselves to a hot Cearense breakfast that apparently she brings every morning to the missionaries there (she's a member). Lucky dogs!
Spent the day with Elder K. Olsen. Turned out he had a lot to get off his chest, having some companionship problems nothing too big. We had a pretty easy day and he treated me to pizza at one of the most expensive pizzarias in the city. It was great! Fun to speak English for a whole day. A great friend. We returned the next day to Fortaleza and as soon as we swapped comps we had another division with the Zone Leaders so one more day without Elder Da Hora :( . But it was awesome, I liked Elder Lopes, one of my LZs, a lot we taught some good lessons.
After that, the week kinda slowed down. Elder Da Hora and I got back together and we were kinda exhausted after three action-packed days of work. I took a nap after lunch and we slept in until 4:00 by accident, nossa! Gotta.. keep... working... ah, its really tough sometimes. We were working all week with Heverton! Had a film night and watched "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration". He was baptized on Saturday night and on Sunday was confirmed. I finally baptized someone with a car! Hehe, what an awesome guy, I'm going to remember this weekend forever. It was a very special service and we are proud as heck to see Heverton becoming just one more awesome member of the Lord's Church. He even came into church with Sunday clothes!! For his first Sunday as a member! Wow! That night we celebrated, went out to eat Pizza with Heverton, his Mom (who went to Church for the first time this Sunday) and some member friends.
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| The one with Heverton looking cross-eyed is a joke, haha, but he did pull a good funny face. |
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| We left the drain shut and had to open it after the baptism. I wanted to get back into my wet clothes and go in after it, but Elder Da Hora had less patience than I and got totally soaked in his hair-brained idea of going in with his pants-legs pulled up! haha! |
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| pictures of our baptismal pizza party!! Yeah |
Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! I'm glad that it was unique this time around, hah. I can't wait to get to know San Francisco better! So cool. Christmas is going to be here before we know it and we'll talk up a storm! I thought it'd never arrive.
I love you all, and I hope things are doing great. Thanks again for your prayers, and you have mine as well.
Love love love!
Brendon
EU ESCOLHO FELICIDADE TAMBEM!!!!!!
So the photos: I included a picture of my naked chest because I have a weird tropical rash going on (but, I have applied a soothing creme that should kill the bacteria in a week). Just to scare Mom a bit (haha). It doesn't hurt, just kinda irritating.
I'm making tropical fruit smoothies almost every day, freak they've got some awesome fruit here. I am already planning to fill my suitcase with frozen fruit pulp which should be allowed into the States you guys gotta get a taste of this stuff!
Much love from the Nordeste!
10-11-2010 Letter Home
"Gettin Wet"
I am currently in a little interior town called Pindoretama about an hour from Fortaleza. It is a cool tranquil place. We're spending our P-Day here with the Elders and afterward we are going to do a division and spend the day with eachother's companions. Elder K. Olsen has been my good friend since Ala Veneza, we have a lot of the same interests, so it's gonna be a fun division.
Great, all of my attachments are failing, as we speak, to stick to this e-mail. So maybe you won't get to see who we baptized this week! Argh!
Diego and Humberto were invited to Seminary by the ward youth (who seem to be more effective missionaries than we are, they talk about the Church to all of their friends!) and they liked it a lot, as well as the soccer games they always have afterward here. Diego is the oldest of six other little kids, but he lives mainly with his grandparents, who are loud and proud Evangelicals, who live close to the chapel. We talked with his family and they explained that Diego never showed real interest in religion until he started going to Seminary, and they are really excited that he will join any church. They said that they want to encourage Diego to be a missionary like us. They'll be receiving missionaries a lot more frequently now that Diego is a member! Who knows, maybe a little bit later down the road they will be baptized as well.
Humberto has kinda the same story, only his family is really devoted Catholics. He has a couple of cousins going to Seminary as well, we will be working with them as well soon.
Well, I hope everything is going well back at home, and with Connor as well. Hey bro, I love you man, that's a cool armadillo you found! Send me one? Haha.
Love love love!!
- Elder Brendon Carpenter
I am currently in a little interior town called Pindoretama about an hour from Fortaleza. It is a cool tranquil place. We're spending our P-Day here with the Elders and afterward we are going to do a division and spend the day with eachother's companions. Elder K. Olsen has been my good friend since Ala Veneza, we have a lot of the same interests, so it's gonna be a fun division.
Great, all of my attachments are failing, as we speak, to stick to this e-mail. So maybe you won't get to see who we baptized this week! Argh!
Diego and Humberto were invited to Seminary by the ward youth (who seem to be more effective missionaries than we are, they talk about the Church to all of their friends!) and they liked it a lot, as well as the soccer games they always have afterward here. Diego is the oldest of six other little kids, but he lives mainly with his grandparents, who are loud and proud Evangelicals, who live close to the chapel. We talked with his family and they explained that Diego never showed real interest in religion until he started going to Seminary, and they are really excited that he will join any church. They said that they want to encourage Diego to be a missionary like us. They'll be receiving missionaries a lot more frequently now that Diego is a member! Who knows, maybe a little bit later down the road they will be baptized as well.
Humberto has kinda the same story, only his family is really devoted Catholics. He has a couple of cousins going to Seminary as well, we will be working with them as well soon.
Well, I hope everything is going well back at home, and with Connor as well. Hey bro, I love you man, that's a cool armadillo you found! Send me one? Haha.
Love love love!!
- Elder Brendon Carpenter
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