Monday, May 16, 2011
Photos Galore
1.a neighborhood we work in
2. cereal- I only bought it so i can fashion a case for my BOM out of it- I thought it was funny because it has "briegadros" which is a candy they LOVE here
3.a view of our beautiful neighborhood from our balcony
4. elder anderson and I (from school) in the CTM
5. Elders from GB in the CTM
6.me and a brasilian elder hugging
7; A view from my CTM window- little did I know it was a relatively "nice" view...
8. sister bailey and I cleaning our room
9. My CTM district- minus 4 missionaries, com irmao melo e irma scisci
10. Provo MTC with sister beus who will be going to africa- portuguese speaking
11. my MTC comps! at the map! sis schaeler just got her visa and will be here tomorrow!!!
Monday, May 9, 2011
pictures!!
picture numa 1- some pretty place they went. mayhaps the island they visited?
2- the two of them
3- birthday directions for her companion! (for those of you who can't read portuguese, it says "happy birthday"... i think)
"it looks like the house where they found osama bin laden"
Sister Fonseca and I were laughing about that until we fell asleep last night. Im glad that the nice family who let us skype in their home couldnt understand jake when he said that. The thing is that house was one of the nicer ones in this area! It was so great to see everyone yesterday! I love you all and miss you so much but its good to physically see that you are all alive and well.
Sister Fonseca and I woke up this morning and went to an island. We had no idea where it was and whether it was in our area so we asked around and found out it was close only it really wasnt at all. But we got on the bus and a ferry and found a land as beautiful as you expect brasil to be. Im sure thats what sao paulo looked like before all the people came and trashed it. It was green and lush and ah, just beautiful and if I ever find a place to get pictures developed here I will show you. I miss nature. And solitude.
But, like I said, we have a baptism date! MAy 21!! For dear Joyce. I know Brasil gets the reputation for being a country where you baptize by the millions but thats not here thats Nordeste. (north east) here in sao paulo Its more similar to our country (more or less) so getting a baptism is exciting and it was a lot of hard work. I think we taught her the 1st lesson 5x which makes since considering she didnt have the book of mormon! We taught her sister and mom a bit too. Its so great to see them understanding. We told them about the prophet and apostles we have and they seemed really excited and even more excited that elder christofferson and andersen (apostles of the lord!) were here in their city last week. Yes, this is for real people! So please, pray for joyce! She will make it to that faunt!
We had a jantar for mothers on saturday night, the men and children cooked, and let me tell you it was delicious. It was a competition and the RS pres was smart enough to have joyce help with the judging. The people in Brasil know how to cook. But as for what we eat for breakfast and dinner. I usually have a smoothie for breakfast with some oats in it and for dinner probably like and egg on toast or a ham and cheese sandwhich. We just have a big lunch and little breakfast and dinner.
We had a leadership meeting in the ward on sunday and the stake pres was in charge. It was intense and he set a goal that by august the wards attendance needs to be raised by 30%. It will be a challenge but this ward really needs it! I cant even tell you how many inactives there are. It makes me appreciate our home ward so much. The bishop here is an amazing man but can you imagine how hard it would be to have a ward very few attend and ah, he works so hard. Like all bishops.
We had some interesting lessons this week. Last week we passed a man on the street who recognized us as missionaries. We first thought he was just a creeper but when he said he has a wife and kids we thought "bingo! family!" and then we asked for his address. WHen we sat down at his house, in broken english he said " I know that this book is true, I know that this church is true"..... seriosuly! me too! and then he said something about when he was baptized. Then I got confused, I must have misundersttod the portuguese,again. So I wrote on paper to sister fonseca " is he a MEMBER?" and it turns out he was. And so was his wife. Haha and it was going to be such an easy baptism! Anyway, his family doesnt like the church so he is hesitant to return. His daughter belongs to the Universal church (you should google this, its every brasil missionaries worst nightmare) Anyway, he went on to say that every church is neccesary for gods plan and that we just need to find the one that has the correct "vibrations" for us. So were going to teach him about authority and the restoration again.
We also had a lady who is a 7th day adventist- but not because they believe in baptism by fire... which doesnt mean the gist of the holy ghost. It means you get to speak in tongues. Regardless, we taught her the first lesson and I taught the restoration and Book of Mormon part. I always am afraid people wont understand my words but when we aked her and her husband if they would read and pray about it her husband said no. She then proceeded to retell what I had said and why the Book of Mormon was so important and all about Joseph Smith. She told him he needed to read it. She understood me! And she understood what was actually important! It was an awesome moment! I hope she keeps her heart open like that!
I made chocolate chip cookies on sunday. It was not the same. Nothing is the same. I think I give up on my american whimsies. It just wont work here. sigh.
Please tell Lauren Martin that I have been thinking about her this week and when I get the chance to go to the post office I will write to her!
I love you all so much!
sister neptune
Sister Fonseca and I woke up this morning and went to an island. We had no idea where it was and whether it was in our area so we asked around and found out it was close only it really wasnt at all. But we got on the bus and a ferry and found a land as beautiful as you expect brasil to be. Im sure thats what sao paulo looked like before all the people came and trashed it. It was green and lush and ah, just beautiful and if I ever find a place to get pictures developed here I will show you. I miss nature. And solitude.
But, like I said, we have a baptism date! MAy 21!! For dear Joyce. I know Brasil gets the reputation for being a country where you baptize by the millions but thats not here thats Nordeste. (north east) here in sao paulo Its more similar to our country (more or less) so getting a baptism is exciting and it was a lot of hard work. I think we taught her the 1st lesson 5x which makes since considering she didnt have the book of mormon! We taught her sister and mom a bit too. Its so great to see them understanding. We told them about the prophet and apostles we have and they seemed really excited and even more excited that elder christofferson and andersen (apostles of the lord!) were here in their city last week. Yes, this is for real people! So please, pray for joyce! She will make it to that faunt!
We had a jantar for mothers on saturday night, the men and children cooked, and let me tell you it was delicious. It was a competition and the RS pres was smart enough to have joyce help with the judging. The people in Brasil know how to cook. But as for what we eat for breakfast and dinner. I usually have a smoothie for breakfast with some oats in it and for dinner probably like and egg on toast or a ham and cheese sandwhich. We just have a big lunch and little breakfast and dinner.
We had a leadership meeting in the ward on sunday and the stake pres was in charge. It was intense and he set a goal that by august the wards attendance needs to be raised by 30%. It will be a challenge but this ward really needs it! I cant even tell you how many inactives there are. It makes me appreciate our home ward so much. The bishop here is an amazing man but can you imagine how hard it would be to have a ward very few attend and ah, he works so hard. Like all bishops.
We had some interesting lessons this week. Last week we passed a man on the street who recognized us as missionaries. We first thought he was just a creeper but when he said he has a wife and kids we thought "bingo! family!" and then we asked for his address. WHen we sat down at his house, in broken english he said " I know that this book is true, I know that this church is true"..... seriosuly! me too! and then he said something about when he was baptized. Then I got confused, I must have misundersttod the portuguese,again. So I wrote on paper to sister fonseca " is he a MEMBER?" and it turns out he was. And so was his wife. Haha and it was going to be such an easy baptism! Anyway, his family doesnt like the church so he is hesitant to return. His daughter belongs to the Universal church (you should google this, its every brasil missionaries worst nightmare) Anyway, he went on to say that every church is neccesary for gods plan and that we just need to find the one that has the correct "vibrations" for us. So were going to teach him about authority and the restoration again.
We also had a lady who is a 7th day adventist- but not because they believe in baptism by fire... which doesnt mean the gist of the holy ghost. It means you get to speak in tongues. Regardless, we taught her the first lesson and I taught the restoration and Book of Mormon part. I always am afraid people wont understand my words but when we aked her and her husband if they would read and pray about it her husband said no. She then proceeded to retell what I had said and why the Book of Mormon was so important and all about Joseph Smith. She told him he needed to read it. She understood me! And she understood what was actually important! It was an awesome moment! I hope she keeps her heart open like that!
I made chocolate chip cookies on sunday. It was not the same. Nothing is the same. I think I give up on my american whimsies. It just wont work here. sigh.
Please tell Lauren Martin that I have been thinking about her this week and when I get the chance to go to the post office I will write to her!
I love you all so much!
sister neptune
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Im German and my Hair is NOT Red
Oh the lies Brasilians tell me. Whenever my companions asks someone to guess where im from they guess germany. and everyone refuses to believe my hair is any shade of red. Its blond through and through! maybe in 16 months or so it will be red again. sighs.
Ok, so the other day my companion had a meeting for leaders since shes training so I went on exchanges with another american who probably speaks worse than me. AND we had to take the bus. Which is SO scary! But we lived! Were here. We even taught 3 lessons and learned a lot. Sure, we cant speak perfectly but we can teach. Its real! During one of the lesson an investigator asked
So what different about brasil?
resposta: todas coisas!!!!
the way you knock on doors (ie clap and yell their name) because every door is behond a metal gate
the way you flush the toilet
the way stray dogs are everywhere and poop everywhere
the way sweet potatoes are NOT the same vegetable
the way papagaious (parrots) are in everyones home even though its illegal and annoying. (someone, search the consequences of parrot murder for me)
the way the milk comes in boxes and doesnt have to be refrigerated till after you open it
the way ten year old girls dress.... ooooohhh mmmmmyyy
the bus (oh the horror) its crowded to the max times a million. its like a highschool dance
the way funk music plays everywhere! imagine rap on crack cocaine
the way it rains and pours and pours
the way we greet people, a hug and a kiss on the cheek, always
the way you buy bread at a bakery... like in olden days and its so cheap!
the way you have to buy things. You buy paper at the paper store, fruit at the fruit stand, drugs at the drug store. There is no one stop.
the way you put your trash in baskets outside the house and they clear them 3 times a week
the traffic
the soccer games
the HUGE easter eggs, but no hunts
the way people rarely ever decline a visit to hear about the gospel but are somehow never home! haha
oh the list can go on and on, and perhaps it will... next week!
mom- tell margo shaw the flip flops she got me are brasilian and they are SUPE|R chic here. Like they are upper class footwear. Havianas.
Ok so the american dollar is worth twice as much here but everything is twice as expensive and two times more cheap. Do that math, I lose here.
This area needs a lot of help, sister Fonseca and I are really excite about helping it change. Our investigators are all pretty new and no one is on date for baptism. We havent had one since january! One family is pretty close to golden if it wasnt for the smoking and the not being married thing (people dont get married here. seriously, its rare. they just say they are married) but I really do believe they can do it. Pray for Jose, altemera and Danilo!
My hand is finally healing from the freak lemon/sun accident and I can see my knuckles again! So things are looking up!!! Ok, I love you all and please write to me so people think im popular! my mission address, the mission home one is always the one to write to!!
And thats all for now. There are those things that my zone leader just says we dont tell our mothers about. in his words " dear mom: its great here, people love us! miracles happen everyday! 3 baptisms this week and did I mention the people on the bus are so polite, they even let us have their seats! Brasil is the greatest! the mission rocks!!"
Haha, but really. I love it. Its a struggle and some moments i just want to be home but when im working hard I just want to be here with my 3 year old vocabulary and complete lack of comprehension! beides, i love beans and rice!
love sister neptune!
Ok, so the other day my companion had a meeting for leaders since shes training so I went on exchanges with another american who probably speaks worse than me. AND we had to take the bus. Which is SO scary! But we lived! Were here. We even taught 3 lessons and learned a lot. Sure, we cant speak perfectly but we can teach. Its real! During one of the lesson an investigator asked
So what different about brasil?
resposta: todas coisas!!!!
the way you knock on doors (ie clap and yell their name) because every door is behond a metal gate
the way you flush the toilet
the way stray dogs are everywhere and poop everywhere
the way sweet potatoes are NOT the same vegetable
the way papagaious (parrots) are in everyones home even though its illegal and annoying. (someone, search the consequences of parrot murder for me)
the way the milk comes in boxes and doesnt have to be refrigerated till after you open it
the way ten year old girls dress.... ooooohhh mmmmmyyy
the bus (oh the horror) its crowded to the max times a million. its like a highschool dance
the way funk music plays everywhere! imagine rap on crack cocaine
the way it rains and pours and pours
the way we greet people, a hug and a kiss on the cheek, always
the way you buy bread at a bakery... like in olden days and its so cheap!
the way you have to buy things. You buy paper at the paper store, fruit at the fruit stand, drugs at the drug store. There is no one stop.
the way you put your trash in baskets outside the house and they clear them 3 times a week
the traffic
the soccer games
the HUGE easter eggs, but no hunts
the way people rarely ever decline a visit to hear about the gospel but are somehow never home! haha
oh the list can go on and on, and perhaps it will... next week!
mom- tell margo shaw the flip flops she got me are brasilian and they are SUPE|R chic here. Like they are upper class footwear. Havianas.
Ok so the american dollar is worth twice as much here but everything is twice as expensive and two times more cheap. Do that math, I lose here.
This area needs a lot of help, sister Fonseca and I are really excite about helping it change. Our investigators are all pretty new and no one is on date for baptism. We havent had one since january! One family is pretty close to golden if it wasnt for the smoking and the not being married thing (people dont get married here. seriously, its rare. they just say they are married) but I really do believe they can do it. Pray for Jose, altemera and Danilo!
My hand is finally healing from the freak lemon/sun accident and I can see my knuckles again! So things are looking up!!! Ok, I love you all and please write to me so people think im popular! my mission address, the mission home one is always the one to write to!!
And thats all for now. There are those things that my zone leader just says we dont tell our mothers about. in his words " dear mom: its great here, people love us! miracles happen everyday! 3 baptisms this week and did I mention the people on the bus are so polite, they even let us have their seats! Brasil is the greatest! the mission rocks!!"
Haha, but really. I love it. Its a struggle and some moments i just want to be home but when im working hard I just want to be here with my 3 year old vocabulary and complete lack of comprehension! beides, i love beans and rice!
love sister neptune!
Mais uma Semana
Oi!
I guess there isnt much to talk about this week, just lots of language, lessons and learning. Sister Bailey and I have been working really hard on our lessons every day and our portuguese and teaching has improved. Its really difficult and time consuming the way we outline but it has helped a lot! I have learned so much since being in this CTM. I am really grateful I got to spend this month here. I dont know that I would have learned as much portuguese if I were in provo, well I know I wouldnt. Its still really difficult but I am beginning to comprehend more and more each day. It will be bittersweet to leave next tuesday, the 19th. I love it here so much! i love my teachers and the other missionaries and our district is finally down to the coolest people!
We are having the greatest pday today! I went to the SP temple this morning and only got a little motion sick on the bus, in an hour were going shopping with the CTM pres wife. (which should be kept on the down low) we told her we wanted a couple more skirts because we brought heavy ones. She told us about this store. We asked if it was in our boundaries and she said " i dont know, ill get someone to drive you" shes so very fabulous. I adore her, and she likes my outfits and my hair and my face so shes basically just a really great person to be around- see ill miss this about the CTM too! For lunch/dinner were going to a brasilian restaurant with our teachers. Our district is down to 6 now so its just a lot of fun!
I thought id share the most amazing ability i have developed while on my mission. That talent is sleeping wherever/whenever. I used to be so fussy about sleep, the temperature needed to be right, the clothes had to be the perfect texture of cotton, the lights and the noise had to be just so. Not anymore. If you arent talking to me or I dont have a task to accomplish im likely asleep. I can sleep on busses, in the temple, for a minute or 2 hours. Note to family and friends: when I get home from my mission I will sleep for 1 week straight.
I wish I could share pictures with you. I hope I can print some or upload some when I get to the field next tuesday morning! I am going to the field next tuesday morning, ready or not!
We have had some really amazing lightening storms lately. They are loud and beautiful! Anyway, sorry this is short. We need to get going on laundry and stuff. Pdays always seem to be the shortest days of the week. Eu sei que este igreja e o unico igreja verdadiero em a terra. Eu so grato pro o evanghelo. Joseph Smith fui um profeta! Eu amo o amo voces mutio!
Hopefully my emails will be more exciting starting next week! Pray that I wont be sent to the sketchier parts!
I guess there isnt much to talk about this week, just lots of language, lessons and learning. Sister Bailey and I have been working really hard on our lessons every day and our portuguese and teaching has improved. Its really difficult and time consuming the way we outline but it has helped a lot! I have learned so much since being in this CTM. I am really grateful I got to spend this month here. I dont know that I would have learned as much portuguese if I were in provo, well I know I wouldnt. Its still really difficult but I am beginning to comprehend more and more each day. It will be bittersweet to leave next tuesday, the 19th. I love it here so much! i love my teachers and the other missionaries and our district is finally down to the coolest people!
We are having the greatest pday today! I went to the SP temple this morning and only got a little motion sick on the bus, in an hour were going shopping with the CTM pres wife. (which should be kept on the down low) we told her we wanted a couple more skirts because we brought heavy ones. She told us about this store. We asked if it was in our boundaries and she said " i dont know, ill get someone to drive you" shes so very fabulous. I adore her, and she likes my outfits and my hair and my face so shes basically just a really great person to be around- see ill miss this about the CTM too! For lunch/dinner were going to a brasilian restaurant with our teachers. Our district is down to 6 now so its just a lot of fun!
I thought id share the most amazing ability i have developed while on my mission. That talent is sleeping wherever/whenever. I used to be so fussy about sleep, the temperature needed to be right, the clothes had to be the perfect texture of cotton, the lights and the noise had to be just so. Not anymore. If you arent talking to me or I dont have a task to accomplish im likely asleep. I can sleep on busses, in the temple, for a minute or 2 hours. Note to family and friends: when I get home from my mission I will sleep for 1 week straight.
I wish I could share pictures with you. I hope I can print some or upload some when I get to the field next tuesday morning! I am going to the field next tuesday morning, ready or not!
We have had some really amazing lightening storms lately. They are loud and beautiful! Anyway, sorry this is short. We need to get going on laundry and stuff. Pdays always seem to be the shortest days of the week. Eu sei que este igreja e o unico igreja verdadiero em a terra. Eu so grato pro o evanghelo. Joseph Smith fui um profeta! Eu amo o amo voces mutio!
Hopefully my emails will be more exciting starting next week! Pray that I wont be sent to the sketchier parts!
p is for proselyting
So last friday tose missionaries in my district who were to leave this week had the opportunity to go proselyting in dowtown sao paulo. They were nervous and excited, then the ctm decided we should all go. so without 1 hour prep time we were given 5 book of mormons and 2 hours. my teacher marched us into the city center, gave us a few boundaries and said "see ya!" At 1st I was a bit mad that we didnt have enough time to fully prepare but in retrospect it was just perfect! I didnt ever want to leave the CTM but now I cant wait! Sister BAiley and I said a quick prayer and then started walking. a man stopped us because he wanted to sell us something. I thought "perfect opportunity!" so I began speaking to him and he spoke english (more or less...) He said he already had a portuguese bom and wanted an english one. We got his email and said our goodbyes then he grabbed me in a side embrace and kissed me square on the cheek! a big kiss! I didnt see it coming and thats definitly not sister missionary kosher! Apparently this is how you greet in brasil, lesson learned! Next we ran into some teenage girls and we were able to muster our message. They accepted our book, probably out of pity but oh well! Then I started using my social psychology face reading skills (Brittany- imagine Michaels bird finagling) I found some sweet woman sitting on a bench, approach, speak give! they were so kind and helpful and genuinely interested. Then we found some more woman. Everyone is christian here and so accepting so its that much easier. By that point we had given away all 5 books and decided to take a stroll in a park that might have been the amazon jungle. As we were walking this old man was smiling at us and I just knew I had to speak to him. His name was Ozvaldo and he was from campinas. I introduced us and then he automatically said "ah, you have a big beautiful church in campinas!" and yes, yes we do. that is called the temple! he loved the temple. We had nothing to give him though. I saw some other missionaries and ran to them and asked for a spare book. Ozvaldo was so happy and was willing to pay for it! It warmed my heart. I know we were in the right place at the right time for him! After talking to the rest of our district we realized that our companionship did the best (not saying its a contest) we were not rejected once and we gave out 6 books! We didnt speak well but we spoke what we knew and just smiled. I think people take well to two inoccent girls who can hardly speak a word, who came from america for a year and a half to share this message! And... I realized I DO have a gift! i have a gift for finding, so deemed by my companion and my district. I may not have the gift of tongues but I have a gift for finding people. Ill take what I can get!
Today we went to the Sao Paulo temple and it is beautiful! Driving in the city always makes me nervous but all is well. We lost a bunch of friends this week, brasilians and americans alike but more and more american are coming. I met some senior missionaries who live in the same apartment complex as my mission presidents and the area is supposed to be gorgeous. oh and the reason there are 5 missions in sao paulo, 4 in the city alone, is because this city is huge beyond imagination. And apparently it has the largest independent helicopter fleet in the world because the wealthy wont travel through the traffic. I love this place.
Today we went to the Sao Paulo temple and it is beautiful! Driving in the city always makes me nervous but all is well. We lost a bunch of friends this week, brasilians and americans alike but more and more american are coming. I met some senior missionaries who live in the same apartment complex as my mission presidents and the area is supposed to be gorgeous. oh and the reason there are 5 missions in sao paulo, 4 in the city alone, is because this city is huge beyond imagination. And apparently it has the largest independent helicopter fleet in the world because the wealthy wont travel through the traffic. I love this place.
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