We'll just have to work harder

Poor Sister Lindsay...(Our Sister Lindsay is being transferred her last transfer after being in our ward for 11 months) but I hope everything works out well for her in her new area.

Wow :( that's rough for the M...Family (A member in our ward had their home burn to the ground : / )

We've been getting out and working more. But of course because we're putting in more effort, our commitments started falling through more :/ We'll just have to work harder. 

We didn't do anymore sanding this week because the brother didn't call us for it. But I did start up exercising again. AND I started playing in the kitchen. Our lunch fell through Saturday and my companion doesn't cook, so I ended up making our food. (This is the 4th time this transfer I think) I made us hamburger and rice filled omelets :3 I also tried out making cinnamon flavored sweet rice and it wasn't half bad! I weighed myself this morning and I weighed 172 pounds.

I've said many times that agency is annoying... but oh well nothing we can do about it. (Our ward had a RS activity and only 20 sisters showed :p) Carl and Matt still write me and stuff :) 

And bytheway, I've found it's really easy to do stupid humor in Portuguese because they have SO MANY words that have multiple definitions like the word for sock is "meia" which also can mean half and 6 (half dozen) I've already made a few jokes just with that word. :3

I love you too!

Sanding for Service...

Something new I learned about my comp... He's not too excited to go out and work, but I think he and I will be able to help each other. I'm not too big a fan of this area because it's full of apartments which are difficult to work with so I'm not too excited to go out and work here either, but we had one day where we spent nearly 12 whole hours out and working (honestly a lot of that time was spent walking) but it seemed like he was kinda proud of himself for managing to stay out an working for that whole time. We managed to find a few of our referrals and at least one of them marked for a visit this Tuesday! This week was alright. We got to help out with a service project again. Sanding the plastered walls of a brother's new apartment to prepare to paint. Elder Moreira has decided that I've got a sanding machine in my hand because I was two times faster than him and he was the  one that was working with sanding thingy (not and electric sander, just a sander with a handle) We also had two groups of people call us out in the street to talk with us and ended up getting their contact info... sadly (for us) they live in the other elders' area. (I asked Elder Lundy when was the last time he went to the mission home.) I rarely get to the mission home. The only people that go are the Zone leaders once a month for a leadership meeting. And there are the people that need to go to take care of legal stuff and such. My bed is still in the same place. I'm just glad I've got a bed instead of that small couch. My allergies aren't too bad. We've been having a lot of rain so there's not really a lot of pollen or anything.

We've been able to help a bit more with service projects and I'm "teaching" English to my Christmas Skype host family.  I'm still annoyed with being a district leader, but I think I at least discovered why.  I don't like being the middle-man.  I asked Elder Lundy where a certain family was moving to when they come to the U.S.A..

They plan on going to Utah because they've got a medical thing set up for one of their sons there. Their son was bitten or something like that and he's alright now, but they want to make sure that he's better than alright.

We had a lot of rain lately. And it's just gonna continue until March I've heard.

Ha-ha for some reason I thought about South Carolina getting snow this week!

Anyways, I love you!

Happy New Year 2017!

I hope you had a fun vacation Dad!

S... and K... (my host family for Christmas) told us about that Passengers movie and said they were planning on seeing it.

Ha-ha did Grandma freak out when you started dismantling her DVD player in front of her?

(Dad was able to fix it for her.)

You guys don't have any snow? Lame!

Questions:

1. So how was your  week? Are you handling being a District leader as well as I know you can? I've found that being a leader doesn't win you friends, but someone has to do it. So it might as well be someone good.

2. Tell me all about your week.

3. Your new companion.

4. Your adventures.

5. Your successes and lessons learned.

6. What do they do for New Years in Brazil?

7. What plans do you have for this week?

Answers:

1. I know I can handle being a district leader. I just don't like doing it because it eats up a lot of time

2. My new companion showed up on Tuesday. We managed to visit a few people this week, but we need more investigators. And the weather was either super hot or raining  (and usually when it rains here it's super heavy)

3. Elder Moreira is 18 years old. This is his second area, I'm his fourth companion, and he's in his 7th month. He's from Fortaleza, Ceara. My third companion from there. This mission is full of elders and a few sisters from there. He and his younger brother are the only members in his family (for now) and they've both got about 4 years in the church. 

4. Adventures? I don't really think I had any. I did some physical labor this week! We helped out with sanding a wall so the "Ir..." can paint his new apartment sooner. My whole right side of my back was aching the next day ha-ha. Just imagine if he and his wife had to do it all alone... ugh...

5. Well on Sunday I was the last person to bare testimony during sacrament meeting. I almost didn't go up but I ended up hearing a little voice in my head telling me what I had to say was more important than how I felt about speaking in front of everyone. Now I just need to remember that.

6. Oh and for New Years, you guys beat me. I went to bed around 11 because I was tired and didn't feel like forcing myself to stay up. The fireworks woke me up at midnight but I just stayed in bed and rolled over to face the wall.

Lots and lots of fireworks and parties. 

7. We're going to search for new investigators. We've got a number of referrals in a place close to our house, but I've never been there before and I don't have a map so we'll actually have to search.

I love you!

Love You

Transfer and Skype

Mom and Dad Skype on Christmas
With Elder Lundy!

2 very intent Elders Skyping

Wonderful Hosts

Working on English

I'm staying here. My new companion is someone I've never met. Elder Alves says my new comp has 5 transfers in the mission. I'm going to be District Leader again. (We congratulated Elder Lundy on his new responsibilities) Thanks, I am happy about one thing though! Elder Ewerton will be a zone leader starting tomorrow! (What did you do after we Skyped?) We stayed with the family for the rest of the day. After the call we ate, and then I helped K... with English a little (the family is planning on moving to the U.S. at the end of July) then we watched the Saratov Approach (missionary kidnapping movie) then ate a bit more, then went back to our house.

Love you

A new Nephew a week before Christmas!

(Elder Lundy got a new nephew on Sunday. Ethan William Lundy!)

Seriously... you've got no idea but you provided them with one of the best meals ever made for a zone conference. Almost all of mine have been sandwiches (super basic ones) with a banana, yogurt, a brownie thing, and pop. This week we had a change of pace with our zone conference meal but yours was still way better.

I'm glad you had a lot of fun with the Haworth's!

Okay... so you mentioned that like it was nothing too big but, woah... Rachel got married already? I mean yeah, we're already 21 years old but it's really weird hearing about someone my age getting married!

Questions/Answers:

 1. When is the next transfer? Is that when your companion finishes his mission?

Two days after Christmas. Elder Alves finishes his mission in February. (Elder M. Pereira will be ending his mission today, a week early, because his parents are coming to get him. If you don't remember, he was my second official companion in the field.)

2&3. What kind of Christmas music are you hearing? What would be traditional Christmas decor down there....?

People don't do much for Christmas here. I haven't heard any Christmas music outside of the church hymns, and there are a few people who have put lights out and some people have trees in their homes, but that's pretty much it. Oh and everybody always makes you wear red ties if you're an Elder... It's annoying because I've only got one red tie.

4. How did this week go for you? What was it like?

This week was alright. I had our "Christmas" zone conference and the only thing Christmas-y about it was the decorations on the lunch tables. Then at the end of the week we had a three ward devotional which consisted of lots of hymns, President and Sister Silcox giving talks, then a large dinner. (The next day, pretty much everyone that ate had stomach trouble because of something that went bad that was served) Other than that, we managed to visit some people but they didn't want to make or fulfill commitments.

5. Are you staying well?

More or less... I already had a bit of stomach trouble lately so I'm not sure if the trouble I'm having now is from that devotional dinner or something else. I also need to start exercising again. I've gained a few kilos and I can feel a difference in my belly chub... not happy about that because that means I'm gonna have to work really hard once I return to not gain a lot of weight again.

6. Are your shoes holding out. In other words, do you still have shoes to wear?

I'm down to two pairs. The Doc Martins that Ron and Bridget got me and the black tennis shoes. I use the Doc Martins on Sunday only, and the tennis shoes every other day. The sole is starting to come off the tennis shoes but I'll probably buy some glue soon. 

By the way, I plan on buying more or less a new wardrobe during the transfer before I return. I already have some pants but I need more. I've got enough shirts now too. (more or less... you know I love t-shirts of heroes and stuff and can never have "enough") I'm also thinking about buying a new suit if I can find a good one for a cheap price. But I'll probably wait for that too because what I wanna buy doesn't follow mission standards (light brown slim suit) (I'm not a big fan of brown clothes but I have to admit I looked better in a brown suit I borrowed from an Elder once.)

Anyways... 

I love you!

a FHE/birthday party

I miss snow! :(

That's cool that you're doing splits with the Elders - Dad! And I'm sure the elder is grateful for the ride to the mission home. I'll probably end up having to travel all alone.

I'm doing alright. I've actually gained 3 kilos lately (not happy about that because it's a result of me not exercising... aka bad omen about when I go back home) I guess lately when I say I'm not eating too well I mean that I'm not eating very healthy stuff.

This week was kinda slow... we didn't have too many visits because of the issue that you got to know this week (people not being home) and on top of that the weather has been either raining or super hot and the hotter it gets the more difficult of a time I'm having. I start sweating just getting dressed in the morning and if I stay out in the sun too long I feel like I'll get sick :( but oh well, just keep working

There was a fun thing that happened this week. This Saturday was Elder M. Pereira's 20th birthday and a member from our branch invited all six elders from the three wards in our chapel to his apartment for a FHE/birthday party.

We haven't taught anyone new lately, but this week we should be getting some new investigators.

ohhhh I miss that style of a breakfast meal! Especially the biscuits and gravy! (I might be able to make it here... I just don't have time and I'm too lazy) [We had a Ward Christmas Brunch on Saturday and I fixed one of Elder Lundy's favorite breakfasts] And that was mean what you did right there describing the Mexican style meal you're preparing for the zone conference! Mexican food almost doesn't exist here! :,( 

Oh so Brazil had a special conference this Sunday with Jeffery R Holland, Elder Maynes, Elder Claudio R. M. Costa, Elder Joaquim Costa, and I can't remember the Sister's name. It was good. Elder Holland is (slowly) learning portuguese! He said that his grandson is serving in Brazil and guess who his companion is right now... the grandson of Elder Faust! Pretty cool haha :)

Jeffery R. Holland

Maynes

Claudio R. M. Costa,

Elder Joaquim Costa

Anyways, I love you!

Planning ahead ;)

Okay so the Skype call's not going to have to be at night. All three wards that use our building will get together at 9 am for the sacrament meeting then church will end for the day. We'll probably go to lunch a little after that then we'll have to see from there still but I think it might be in the afternoon... but what time would be better for you?

My head is alright. Yup a hammer to the head. But really it didn't fall that far so it didn't do much. After two days I was completely fine. Others are using the bunk bed and I've got a bed box with two flimsy foam matresses but it's better than the couch. I've been eating more, but seriously... I ate three whole meals yesterday and I was super full by the end of the day. (And my stomach isn't too good today)

That's really great all the support that you're giving Michael. The couple that took care of me in Taubaté when I was sick called me their other son and this really helped me relax a lot.

I'm excited for Tiffany and Chris too! I've been telling everybody I'll have one more nephew soon haha :) Have fun with decorating for Christmas!

All the members are asking about our Christmas plans, but I think we might end up staying in our house. The mission had a Christmas party last year (missed it because I was sick) and this year we'll just have zone conferences :( I don't know why President changed it but NO ONE is happy about it. Victor will enter the MTC on the 14th. He invited us to a FHE at his house on the 12th.

We had more success with visiting people this week. Something cool that happened this week is that we were walking to the farthest part of our area one day and we heard someone yell for us. When I turned around I saw the bishop from the São Mateus ward! 

He recognized us first as missionaries then remembered me from my time in the neighboring ward Jardim Tietê. He bought us water (offered more but I only accepted that) then offered us a ride but we planned on searching for people while working our way to our destination. But it was really cool to see him again and that he remembered me even though I never really was a part of his ward!

Anyway, I love you!