JUne 2015 emails
June 1 2015
Well, a full week in Brazil and I still love it. but it is getting harder. I can really feel the language barrier between me and my companion. the last 2 days we haven't even tried to talk to each other and I'm am 100% sure she has no patience. but then again she told me that and I told her that I am still learning a whole new language and it is hard for me! but I know she doesn't understand that. and she takes the ´´missionary trainer mom´´ thing too far sometimes. she will literally hold my hand to cross the street. what the freak? I mean they have streets in the united states too! and they even have cars on them too! Woah! novel idea that in America.
not much has really happened this week. got sick for the first time. but everyone says that you get sick often. i found some weird bugs in our house and no one really knows what they are. but they laugh at me when I freak out because there are ants in our house running up and down the walls or because these weird bugs that not even the Brazilians know what they are are hanging on our ceiling. I got my first sunburn here. it actually didn't hurt at all. but nothing here really hurts. my theory is that the atmosphere is so much like a song to me that my body is only recognizing the heat. I also have my first two Brazilian blisters right on the ball of my feet. one on each foot. I am so surprised they haven't broke yet because they are pretty big. and I really wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if I use sunscreen. yesterday alone I had 5. one of them was a new investigator of the elders. he is 18 and I think his name is Phillipe. but he was trying to talk to me because the elders told him to ´´help me with my Portuguese by asking me questions´´ which didn't work out well because he ended up laughing at me and telling me I had an accent. and I was kind of like no duh I have an accent I'm from the US. but he is a pretty cool guy. I think he is gonna be baptized in the next couple of weeks. ill send you pictures.
we met with a couple new families, but it is really slow getting moving. I would be happy if I didn't have to open a new area. or at least if the next time I did that I actually spoke the language. I think that is the hardest part. but there are a couple of great people that we get to see a lot. but it is really hot. and I have never sweated so much in my life. and I get these weird stomach pains every once in a while and I think it is because the food is kinda gross. if we are being honest with each other. and everyone says ´´expirimentar! expirimentar!´´ and it ends up tasting like poop. but not all the time. just a lot of the time. and I found out that the little bird I ate on my first night here was illegal! WHAT? yep, I ate an illegal bird. and I brought some candy with me. one of the sisters I live with told me those are illegal too. and i shot a gun at a less actives house the other day. that might have also been illegal. i am not really sure. gee. the life of a Brazilian missionary. it is pretty crazy.
also had a member tell me to vai para inferno. which in brazil is not as harsh as the US. (it means ´´go to hell´´) but the meaning is more like ´´get out´´. so that's pretty much my Brazilian life. lots of sweat and tears. I miss home so much. but not in a homesick kind of way. I just miss my friends and American food. but we are making pastels today so hopefully that will make things better.
love you all so much! and its only 15 months till ill see you again!
tchau
sister Thomson
not much has really happened this week. got sick for the first time. but everyone says that you get sick often. i found some weird bugs in our house and no one really knows what they are. but they laugh at me when I freak out because there are ants in our house running up and down the walls or because these weird bugs that not even the Brazilians know what they are are hanging on our ceiling. I got my first sunburn here. it actually didn't hurt at all. but nothing here really hurts. my theory is that the atmosphere is so much like a song to me that my body is only recognizing the heat. I also have my first two Brazilian blisters right on the ball of my feet. one on each foot. I am so surprised they haven't broke yet because they are pretty big. and I really wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if I use sunscreen. yesterday alone I had 5. one of them was a new investigator of the elders. he is 18 and I think his name is Phillipe. but he was trying to talk to me because the elders told him to ´´help me with my Portuguese by asking me questions´´ which didn't work out well because he ended up laughing at me and telling me I had an accent. and I was kind of like no duh I have an accent I'm from the US. but he is a pretty cool guy. I think he is gonna be baptized in the next couple of weeks. ill send you pictures.
we met with a couple new families, but it is really slow getting moving. I would be happy if I didn't have to open a new area. or at least if the next time I did that I actually spoke the language. I think that is the hardest part. but there are a couple of great people that we get to see a lot. but it is really hot. and I have never sweated so much in my life. and I get these weird stomach pains every once in a while and I think it is because the food is kinda gross. if we are being honest with each other. and everyone says ´´expirimentar! expirimentar!´´ and it ends up tasting like poop. but not all the time. just a lot of the time. and I found out that the little bird I ate on my first night here was illegal! WHAT? yep, I ate an illegal bird. and I brought some candy with me. one of the sisters I live with told me those are illegal too. and i shot a gun at a less actives house the other day. that might have also been illegal. i am not really sure. gee. the life of a Brazilian missionary. it is pretty crazy.
also had a member tell me to vai para inferno. which in brazil is not as harsh as the US. (it means ´´go to hell´´) but the meaning is more like ´´get out´´. so that's pretty much my Brazilian life. lots of sweat and tears. I miss home so much. but not in a homesick kind of way. I just miss my friends and American food. but we are making pastels today so hopefully that will make things better.
love you all so much! and its only 15 months till ill see you again!
tchau
sister Thomson
June 8 2015
The work is pretty slow still. We talk to a lot of people, but the whole world down here is Catholic. We talk to them and they offer to feed us and give us water and all of these things but when we invite them to come to church with us on Sunday they won't. It is sad but at the same time I want to find the elect that are going to be strong in the gospel forever. And if that means we have to keep looking then I am okay with that. I think it is the saddest thing to see the list of recent converts that are inactive. especially when that list is longer than the active members. But this week we are working with the youth of the ward to get those recently baptized back to church! But I started the Book of Mormon again and I am reading it in English and Portuguese this time. Side by side like in the Movie The Other Side of Heaven. I like it because I am learning Portuguese and at the same time I am forced to go slower and pick up things I have never noticed before. But one thing that really stuck out to me this week was 1 Nephi 1:1. Which we have all read so many times. But I was able to just sit and think of all of my blessings. I have been so blessed not only on my mission but during my whole life. I was born of GREAT parents. And with father’s day coming up I was thinking how blessed I am to have my father! HE is such a great example to me in everything I do! From teaching me boondoggle or teaching me how to complete the Rubik's cube. Or braiding my hair. Or even just taking the time to answer my short phone call at the airport. I am so grateful for everything that you do for me, Dad! I even made Thomson Toast the other day! It was GREAT! Thank you so much! I know father’s day is not this week, its next week but I just want to be the first to tell you HAPPY FATHERS DAY!
Started off this week going to Caico again. And we had to leave at 5 in the morning to get to our Zone Meeting on time. On the way out the door, I found a way to fall down the stairs. It was great. lol! MY LIFE! But it was totally worth it because the meeting was really cool! Loved it! The other day we went and ate lunch at the house with the monkey! The members name is Luigi! LEGIT! But the monkey does not like me. He screams at me every time we go over there. But one day I will become friends with him. Next time I think I will bring a banana.
Yesterday we had 4 people supposed to come to church with us and none of them came. We left our house an hour before church to go and pick them up and walk with them and none of them were home. The elders had the same problem, but they had to walk farther. It was kind of a sad start to the day but after church we went over to Mariquinas house to have a break the fast lunch thing. It was so good! (They had the birds again, but I didn't eat the,...I ate the mango the size of my head) and I made her a keychain and gave it to her because she does SOOO much for all of the missionaries! And she told me she also had something for me. And went into her house and came out with this AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL shawl and I think she told me (because I am picking up a little more of the language) that it is for when I return to Washington and get cold. Because it is cold in Washington. HOW AWESOME IS SHE! I love her! And to make my Sunday better we had all been fasting for rain because it has been really dry here and it rained a little bit yesterday! And today it is a lot cooler! I LOVE BLESSINGS!
I and my companion had another hard week, but I think we are getting better! It's hard because neither of us likes to talk a lot and it's hard to communicate, but we are trying. And I know that it will all work out!
Also along with all of the new things that I am trying, the food (made homemade pastels last week and homemade tortillas this morning...I am writing the recipes down for when I come home), the clothes, the culture. Sister Gonçalves is really into waxing so last night I waxed my armpits for the first time in my life. It actually didn't hurt that much and then she put this gel on it and I almost cried it burned SO MUCH! But next week we are going to wax my legs too! LOL! I'm kind of excited :P #BRAZILIANlife.
Started off this week going to Caico again. And we had to leave at 5 in the morning to get to our Zone Meeting on time. On the way out the door, I found a way to fall down the stairs. It was great. lol! MY LIFE! But it was totally worth it because the meeting was really cool! Loved it! The other day we went and ate lunch at the house with the monkey! The members name is Luigi! LEGIT! But the monkey does not like me. He screams at me every time we go over there. But one day I will become friends with him. Next time I think I will bring a banana.
Yesterday we had 4 people supposed to come to church with us and none of them came. We left our house an hour before church to go and pick them up and walk with them and none of them were home. The elders had the same problem, but they had to walk farther. It was kind of a sad start to the day but after church we went over to Mariquinas house to have a break the fast lunch thing. It was so good! (They had the birds again, but I didn't eat the,...I ate the mango the size of my head) and I made her a keychain and gave it to her because she does SOOO much for all of the missionaries! And she told me she also had something for me. And went into her house and came out with this AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL shawl and I think she told me (because I am picking up a little more of the language) that it is for when I return to Washington and get cold. Because it is cold in Washington. HOW AWESOME IS SHE! I love her! And to make my Sunday better we had all been fasting for rain because it has been really dry here and it rained a little bit yesterday! And today it is a lot cooler! I LOVE BLESSINGS!
I and my companion had another hard week, but I think we are getting better! It's hard because neither of us likes to talk a lot and it's hard to communicate, but we are trying. And I know that it will all work out!
Also along with all of the new things that I am trying, the food (made homemade pastels last week and homemade tortillas this morning...I am writing the recipes down for when I come home), the clothes, the culture. Sister Gonçalves is really into waxing so last night I waxed my armpits for the first time in my life. It actually didn't hurt that much and then she put this gel on it and I almost cried it burned SO MUCH! But next week we are going to wax my legs too! LOL! I'm kind of excited :P #BRAZILIANlife.
June 15 2015
Well, last week was 100 DAYS on my mission! What a milestone...I just have on the positive side of 400 days to go :P
The work in Parque Dorado is still going pretty slow. The other missionaries in my ward were telling me that this will probably be one of my hardest areas. Which I guess is good and bad. Good because I will learn here to work hard. And bad because IT IS HARD! But I still love all of the people here. I have a moment once or twice where I will meet someone and walk away telling my companion that I love that person! Verdade! The people here are so nice.
We have a progressing INVESTIGATOR! which is really happy for me! Well, actually two of them. Benidito and his wife Maria do Carmo. They are pretty cool! And Maria is ready to be baptized but Benidito is a little hesitant. Which means that he is really contemplating the decision. I think this is a good thing because when he decides that he wants to be baptized he will KNOW that this is what he wants to do!
We also had a baptism in our ward. Even though it was in the Elders area it is in our branch! This kid 18 years old named Filipe. He is pretty cool! Is learning to speak English and helps me with my Portuguese. But he got baptized yesterday and it was really cool!
The food is still quite strange, but I am getting more used to it! I am going to buy a hede today! SEAHAWKS COLORS! I am excited! And this week I also went to the ferra for the first time! It is like a farmers market but every morning about 10 mins from my house. We went at 6:30 and bought a LOT OF FRUIT! I love this so much! I will buy fruit here for the rest of my mission (because I want to stay in Curreis Novos para sempre!)
Other random thing last week for p-day we tried slacklining. I LOVE slack lining. It is quite fun even though I SUCK! But one of the elders in our district is REALLY good. And we all ate tacos that Sister Hernandez made from scratch! Love MY DISTRICT! And we had a surprise party for Sister Hernandez cause she turned 20 this week! Super fun! Except the day after her party, I think it was Wednesday after me and sister castilho went to bed, Sister Hernandez and Sister Gonçalves snuck into our room and started lighting off fireworks! IN OUR ROOM! AS I WAS TRYING TO SLEEP! (because sister Castilho keeps them up late a lot of the time) But it was funny :) I just have to think of something better to do for them. So if you have any great ideas let me know! ;)
Love you all! Miss you a bunch! But I love Brazil more...at least right now!
Sister Thomson
The work in Parque Dorado is still going pretty slow. The other missionaries in my ward were telling me that this will probably be one of my hardest areas. Which I guess is good and bad. Good because I will learn here to work hard. And bad because IT IS HARD! But I still love all of the people here. I have a moment once or twice where I will meet someone and walk away telling my companion that I love that person! Verdade! The people here are so nice.
We have a progressing INVESTIGATOR! which is really happy for me! Well, actually two of them. Benidito and his wife Maria do Carmo. They are pretty cool! And Maria is ready to be baptized but Benidito is a little hesitant. Which means that he is really contemplating the decision. I think this is a good thing because when he decides that he wants to be baptized he will KNOW that this is what he wants to do!
We also had a baptism in our ward. Even though it was in the Elders area it is in our branch! This kid 18 years old named Filipe. He is pretty cool! Is learning to speak English and helps me with my Portuguese. But he got baptized yesterday and it was really cool!
The food is still quite strange, but I am getting more used to it! I am going to buy a hede today! SEAHAWKS COLORS! I am excited! And this week I also went to the ferra for the first time! It is like a farmers market but every morning about 10 mins from my house. We went at 6:30 and bought a LOT OF FRUIT! I love this so much! I will buy fruit here for the rest of my mission (because I want to stay in Curreis Novos para sempre!)
Other random thing last week for p-day we tried slacklining. I LOVE slack lining. It is quite fun even though I SUCK! But one of the elders in our district is REALLY good. And we all ate tacos that Sister Hernandez made from scratch! Love MY DISTRICT! And we had a surprise party for Sister Hernandez cause she turned 20 this week! Super fun! Except the day after her party, I think it was Wednesday after me and sister castilho went to bed, Sister Hernandez and Sister Gonçalves snuck into our room and started lighting off fireworks! IN OUR ROOM! AS I WAS TRYING TO SLEEP! (because sister Castilho keeps them up late a lot of the time) But it was funny :) I just have to think of something better to do for them. So if you have any great ideas let me know! ;)
Love you all! Miss you a bunch! But I love Brazil more...at least right now!
Sister Thomson
June 22 2015
Well this week started off great! I BOUGHT A HEDE! And it is seahawks colors. (hede=hammick) I sleep in it every night! Love it so much! Actually I think i Live in it. Because I study in it. I sleep in it. I contemplae my life in it. I think about what life will be like when I get home in my hede.
Then we taught some lessons. Dont remember a lot of them because I usually leave slightly frustrated because people are SOO open to me as a person. But they WILL NOT be open to our message. But I had some pretty good expirences with specific people that I will get to in a min.
The other major occurance that happened this week was SICKNESS! First time in Brazil! HORRIBLE! Me and my companion vommitting and diarrhea I sware I lost 5lbs becasue I was so sick! And I still have pretty bad pain in my stomach. But I am beginning to think that this is going to be a normal occurance. Who knows. It might if I have to eat the stomach of a lamb again... :/
#MYLIFE
In the Book of Mormon I am reading THE BEST PART! Well I think the whole thing is the best but I finally made it to 3rd Nephi. And Literally every waking moment I have that we are in our house I am either studying this or reading Jesus the Christ! I LOVE JAMES E TALMAGE! but sometimes I think I need an english dictionary to understand this book becasue it is DEEP! My goodness it is deep! LOVE IT! But back to the scriptures, I really think that being able to read the scriptures here are building my testimony so much. I have such a different outlook as a missionary and different things pop out. But I just want to share a brief testimony of what I read over this last wek. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that he loves us! De verdade. And Heavenly Father too. He loves us and has a plan for us. And I know that we almost never know exactly what that plan is, but I have a strong belief that he knows everything. And when we put our trust in him, everything will work out. But that is what we have to learn. is how to put our trust in him so he can deliver us from our aflictions. And GEE let me tell you I think that is the hardest part. :)
So two lessons stuck out to me this week the most.
First with Benidito and Maria. LOVE THEM! But Benidito has been really hesitant about getting baptized. And so we invited the Elders to come with us to a lesson with them. Elder Cragun had a great idea to call Elder W Silva who was the initial missionary who taught them. I have never seen Benidito so happy in my life. He was SOOO happy! And miracles happen. He wants to be baptized. They came to church this sunday and we went to go pick them up and they were so cute getting ready for church! Benidito had just taken a shower and was putting on his nice clothes and Maria was showing me all of her perfume. She even sprayed some on my. I dont know if this was becasue I stink cause the sweat :P But I think it was becasue she was just so excited! I love it when I get to go to church with people that are EXCITED to go! Made my sunday.
And the second one is a little more sad. But I just love the example that this less active member has. So after church on sunday we went to his house. Because it is a really sad story i am not gonna tell you his real name. But we can call him joe. (Cause thats a very american name :P) So Joe has 4 children. 2 of them are in prison right now. And this week his 2 daughters ran away to Natal. And he is divorced so right now he has no one at home. But to make it ALL WORSE. This week there were a LOT of girls go missing from natal. Kidnapped of a sort. For Prostitution and Sex trafficing. Joe has no idea where his daughters are. He has no one at home. No one to talk to. And we went over to his house to talk to him and he has such strong faith, he kept telling us that he has trials and everyone does. But that the Lord knows us and that he will never lose his faith. WOAH! And he kept asking what he can do for us! I almost cried. Here we are. Living a pretty good life. I am helping others develop faith in their Savior and he had all of this happen to him in the space of ONE WEEK and he is asking what he can do for us?!?!?!?! WOW. I dont even know what to say. He is a pretty amazing guy. And our district is keeping his family in our prayers!
Love you all a ton! My motto this week is: if Brady could do it, I sure can! :P haha (especially since I spent a lot of time sick! Love ya Brady!)
And I just have to share this because I thought it was the CUTEST thing in the WORLD! Read my email this morning and I have a lovely talk from my sister. She gave it yesterday for fathers day. Then the said she missed me. And asked ´´how is Berlin?´´ WHAT? LOL when did I go to Gernany? I LOVE YOU SAMMIE! SO MUCH! But just for the record, I am not in Berlin, Brazil. But almost the same........nope...but close ;) I mean people here think I am German, so maybe that is why :P
Happy Fathers day too!
Love you all! Have a great week!
Sister Thomson
Then we taught some lessons. Dont remember a lot of them because I usually leave slightly frustrated because people are SOO open to me as a person. But they WILL NOT be open to our message. But I had some pretty good expirences with specific people that I will get to in a min.
The other major occurance that happened this week was SICKNESS! First time in Brazil! HORRIBLE! Me and my companion vommitting and diarrhea I sware I lost 5lbs becasue I was so sick! And I still have pretty bad pain in my stomach. But I am beginning to think that this is going to be a normal occurance. Who knows. It might if I have to eat the stomach of a lamb again... :/
#MYLIFE
In the Book of Mormon I am reading THE BEST PART! Well I think the whole thing is the best but I finally made it to 3rd Nephi. And Literally every waking moment I have that we are in our house I am either studying this or reading Jesus the Christ! I LOVE JAMES E TALMAGE! but sometimes I think I need an english dictionary to understand this book becasue it is DEEP! My goodness it is deep! LOVE IT! But back to the scriptures, I really think that being able to read the scriptures here are building my testimony so much. I have such a different outlook as a missionary and different things pop out. But I just want to share a brief testimony of what I read over this last wek. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that he loves us! De verdade. And Heavenly Father too. He loves us and has a plan for us. And I know that we almost never know exactly what that plan is, but I have a strong belief that he knows everything. And when we put our trust in him, everything will work out. But that is what we have to learn. is how to put our trust in him so he can deliver us from our aflictions. And GEE let me tell you I think that is the hardest part. :)
So two lessons stuck out to me this week the most.
First with Benidito and Maria. LOVE THEM! But Benidito has been really hesitant about getting baptized. And so we invited the Elders to come with us to a lesson with them. Elder Cragun had a great idea to call Elder W Silva who was the initial missionary who taught them. I have never seen Benidito so happy in my life. He was SOOO happy! And miracles happen. He wants to be baptized. They came to church this sunday and we went to go pick them up and they were so cute getting ready for church! Benidito had just taken a shower and was putting on his nice clothes and Maria was showing me all of her perfume. She even sprayed some on my. I dont know if this was becasue I stink cause the sweat :P But I think it was becasue she was just so excited! I love it when I get to go to church with people that are EXCITED to go! Made my sunday.
And the second one is a little more sad. But I just love the example that this less active member has. So after church on sunday we went to his house. Because it is a really sad story i am not gonna tell you his real name. But we can call him joe. (Cause thats a very american name :P) So Joe has 4 children. 2 of them are in prison right now. And this week his 2 daughters ran away to Natal. And he is divorced so right now he has no one at home. But to make it ALL WORSE. This week there were a LOT of girls go missing from natal. Kidnapped of a sort. For Prostitution and Sex trafficing. Joe has no idea where his daughters are. He has no one at home. No one to talk to. And we went over to his house to talk to him and he has such strong faith, he kept telling us that he has trials and everyone does. But that the Lord knows us and that he will never lose his faith. WOAH! And he kept asking what he can do for us! I almost cried. Here we are. Living a pretty good life. I am helping others develop faith in their Savior and he had all of this happen to him in the space of ONE WEEK and he is asking what he can do for us?!?!?!?! WOW. I dont even know what to say. He is a pretty amazing guy. And our district is keeping his family in our prayers!
Love you all a ton! My motto this week is: if Brady could do it, I sure can! :P haha (especially since I spent a lot of time sick! Love ya Brady!)
And I just have to share this because I thought it was the CUTEST thing in the WORLD! Read my email this morning and I have a lovely talk from my sister. She gave it yesterday for fathers day. Then the said she missed me. And asked ´´how is Berlin?´´ WHAT? LOL when did I go to Gernany? I LOVE YOU SAMMIE! SO MUCH! But just for the record, I am not in Berlin, Brazil. But almost the same........nope...but close ;) I mean people here think I am German, so maybe that is why :P
Happy Fathers day too!
Love you all! Have a great week!
Sister Thomson
June 29 2015
Well, I am almost to the 4-month mark. But I still have eternity left. And this week is transfers. But I know that me and my comp are going to stay here. I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. but we are going to make it a good thing.
My week was pretty normal. We meet people and set up appointments and they are not there. Or they are really catholic and don't want to listen. Or they have other reasons. But yesterday we met a man who seemed open and said that he was going to church, but he never showed up. We waited 30 mins for him and he never came. It was really sad, but we will go visit him today. It is really hard to find the elect, but we are going to keep looking.
We did have a weird experience with one of our families. They have been together since they were 16 and are really cute together. Now they are almost 80. We asked them to get baptized, but the husband was always so hesitant. He said things like he didn't know enough and he didn't feel ready. His wife PRAYED EVERY NIGHT that he would be ready the next Sunday because she is ready. She even cried with us because she wants to get baptized with her husband, but he keeps telling her not this Sunday, not this Sunday. Well, then we asked our district leader to give him the interview because we thought he was ready. AND we find out that his wife thinks that he is cheating on her because he leaves the house at weird hours and has no explanation. And we find out that he has another mulher. He has a girlfriend. HE IS ALMOST 80 YEARS OLD! I am not really sure what to do. Elder Cragun set some goals with him and as soon as he leaves his girlfriend he can be baptized. But his wife will not get baptized without him. This is such a weird sticky situation. Sometimes I ask myself am I on my mission or am I in a telenovela?
I was also encountered by a drunk man. And he walked up to me and my companion on the street. HE grabbed my hand and stared at my hand and my ring without saying anything for a long time. Then in REALLY bad slurred Portuguese he asked where I was from. My companion answered for me because of my accent. She said I was from Rio Grande do Sol. Which is actually pretty realistic because they are fair down in Rio Grande do Sol. And this guy just laughed and kept saying ´´não! você não é de esta pais´´ like no you are not from this country. No, you are from somewhere else. I was pretty scared and my companion kept saying I was Brazilian. And he got all creepy and asking me if I was from France, or Germany, or the US. I just shook my head and let my comp answer for me. And he asked me if I had a boyfriend or was married. I HATE BARS SO MUCH! and more than bars I hate drunks. BUT on the positive side I have never in my life had so many people compliment me so much on my hair and eyes. And sometimes I think people compliment me on my skin too, but I am not 100% sure about that one :)
other awesome (sarcastic awesome) thing that happened this week is that we do not have running water right now. yesterday morning we woke us to NO WATER! I want to cry. It has been 2 days since I have washed my hair. And I tried to do a sponge bath kind of thing but it is so hard to wash your hair like that. And today if my day to wash clothes, but our washer has no water either. I miss Las Vegas A WHOLE BUNCH RIGHT NOW! and on top of that no one in my house has money right now either. we don't know where it went, but we have had no money for the last 3 days and have been eating bread and coke for 3 days. I spent my last money last week on fruit so at least every morning I get a healthy smoothie so start off the day. Tomorrow is PAYDAY tho! or whatever we want to call it. But we get money tomorrow! I have definitely learned patience. And I have just enough money for internet today to email YOU GUYS! So that is more important that food any day! haha :) But if this keeps continuing I found what my next house will look like :) (photo)
And I had another weird experience this week with sister Gonçalves. SO WEIRD! We were talking about something I do not remember. But it was right after exchanges and I spent the whole day with her. And we were talking after I think about people who hold grudges. And I didn't understand a whole bunch but all of a sudden she sounded just like Ashley. With all the wisdom and knowledge that Ashley has when it comes to being a loving person (because we all know she is more loving than me) And I just started bawling because for a couple of seconds it was like I was talking to Ashley. I don't think I have really been homesick until that moment. I just broke down in hysterics and poor sister gonçalves had no idea why I was crying. And I tried to explain that she just reminded me of my sister and I was just homesick, but she didn't get any of that. And then she made sister Hernandez come talk to me and not the whole world was worried. But it was fine. Just a little moment of being homesick. But I think now I am home sick more often. AND IT DOSENT HELP THAT ASHLEY DOSENT EMAIL ME! lol, love ya ash! But now every time I talk to sister gonçalves I think of my family and my freaking sister :P can't wait to see you all again! #freakinghomesick
Miss you all a whole bunch!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! When I get home we will have a HUGE birthday for you! SO many fireworks and fun! I can't believe that I will miss 2 4th of Julys! SO SAD!
Love you!
Sister Thomson
São João celebratory photos. I dont know why we all had to look hideous, but I guess that is part of the celebration. People also had fire in front of their houses and for the whole month have been setting off fireworks. #brazilianholidaysthatnooneunderstandsnoteventhebrazilian
My week was pretty normal. We meet people and set up appointments and they are not there. Or they are really catholic and don't want to listen. Or they have other reasons. But yesterday we met a man who seemed open and said that he was going to church, but he never showed up. We waited 30 mins for him and he never came. It was really sad, but we will go visit him today. It is really hard to find the elect, but we are going to keep looking.
We did have a weird experience with one of our families. They have been together since they were 16 and are really cute together. Now they are almost 80. We asked them to get baptized, but the husband was always so hesitant. He said things like he didn't know enough and he didn't feel ready. His wife PRAYED EVERY NIGHT that he would be ready the next Sunday because she is ready. She even cried with us because she wants to get baptized with her husband, but he keeps telling her not this Sunday, not this Sunday. Well, then we asked our district leader to give him the interview because we thought he was ready. AND we find out that his wife thinks that he is cheating on her because he leaves the house at weird hours and has no explanation. And we find out that he has another mulher. He has a girlfriend. HE IS ALMOST 80 YEARS OLD! I am not really sure what to do. Elder Cragun set some goals with him and as soon as he leaves his girlfriend he can be baptized. But his wife will not get baptized without him. This is such a weird sticky situation. Sometimes I ask myself am I on my mission or am I in a telenovela?
I was also encountered by a drunk man. And he walked up to me and my companion on the street. HE grabbed my hand and stared at my hand and my ring without saying anything for a long time. Then in REALLY bad slurred Portuguese he asked where I was from. My companion answered for me because of my accent. She said I was from Rio Grande do Sol. Which is actually pretty realistic because they are fair down in Rio Grande do Sol. And this guy just laughed and kept saying ´´não! você não é de esta pais´´ like no you are not from this country. No, you are from somewhere else. I was pretty scared and my companion kept saying I was Brazilian. And he got all creepy and asking me if I was from France, or Germany, or the US. I just shook my head and let my comp answer for me. And he asked me if I had a boyfriend or was married. I HATE BARS SO MUCH! and more than bars I hate drunks. BUT on the positive side I have never in my life had so many people compliment me so much on my hair and eyes. And sometimes I think people compliment me on my skin too, but I am not 100% sure about that one :)
other awesome (sarcastic awesome) thing that happened this week is that we do not have running water right now. yesterday morning we woke us to NO WATER! I want to cry. It has been 2 days since I have washed my hair. And I tried to do a sponge bath kind of thing but it is so hard to wash your hair like that. And today if my day to wash clothes, but our washer has no water either. I miss Las Vegas A WHOLE BUNCH RIGHT NOW! and on top of that no one in my house has money right now either. we don't know where it went, but we have had no money for the last 3 days and have been eating bread and coke for 3 days. I spent my last money last week on fruit so at least every morning I get a healthy smoothie so start off the day. Tomorrow is PAYDAY tho! or whatever we want to call it. But we get money tomorrow! I have definitely learned patience. And I have just enough money for internet today to email YOU GUYS! So that is more important that food any day! haha :) But if this keeps continuing I found what my next house will look like :) (photo)
And I had another weird experience this week with sister Gonçalves. SO WEIRD! We were talking about something I do not remember. But it was right after exchanges and I spent the whole day with her. And we were talking after I think about people who hold grudges. And I didn't understand a whole bunch but all of a sudden she sounded just like Ashley. With all the wisdom and knowledge that Ashley has when it comes to being a loving person (because we all know she is more loving than me) And I just started bawling because for a couple of seconds it was like I was talking to Ashley. I don't think I have really been homesick until that moment. I just broke down in hysterics and poor sister gonçalves had no idea why I was crying. And I tried to explain that she just reminded me of my sister and I was just homesick, but she didn't get any of that. And then she made sister Hernandez come talk to me and not the whole world was worried. But it was fine. Just a little moment of being homesick. But I think now I am home sick more often. AND IT DOSENT HELP THAT ASHLEY DOSENT EMAIL ME! lol, love ya ash! But now every time I talk to sister gonçalves I think of my family and my freaking sister :P can't wait to see you all again! #freakinghomesick
Miss you all a whole bunch!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! When I get home we will have a HUGE birthday for you! SO many fireworks and fun! I can't believe that I will miss 2 4th of Julys! SO SAD!
Love you!
Sister Thomson
São João celebratory photos. I dont know why we all had to look hideous, but I guess that is part of the celebration. People also had fire in front of their houses and for the whole month have been setting off fireworks. #brazilianholidaysthatnooneunderstandsnoteventhebrazilian