Monday, January 21, 2013

Week 10


Happy Holiday Folks! 

Thought of the day:  

If you are not as close to God today as you were yesterday, guess who moved!

Life in Brazil is going good! I made a list of different experiences that I had this week that I think are pretty noteworthy so I will begin with that: 

 1. Lizard. So there are lots of really cool lizards here. I enjoyed seeing them climbing on walls and moving around outside... but the other night we returned home and we immediately started doing our planning for the next day. We start our planning sessions by kneeling down by our desks and saying a prayer. I knelt down and I am really glad I looked before I got all the way on the floor because I found a lizard on the floor. I didnt go as crazy as I did with the cockroach in the shower at the ctm, but I was pretty taken aback. I actually caught the lizard in a bag and put it outside. You all should be proud. I also took a picture so I will try to send that as well. 

2. The members in the ward provide lunch for us which I am really grateful for. We usually go to the house of the family and they prepare some large meal with rice and beans and salad and some sort of meat. Usually good. But, this week one of the sisters in the ward came and picked us up and took us out of our area to a shopping center to OUTBACK Steakhouse. Ah, it was so good! We ate so much and it was so delicious and I knew exactly what I was eating. It was awesome. The woman that took us her name is Laura and she is an English professor which is awesome because we can communicate fully.  

3. Cat and Bluebird. Okay this is a weird one. So Sister Victorio and I were visiting an investigator for the first time that actually called us to come teach. His name is Adimar. He is awesome and definitely ready to be baptized, but is preoccupied because he has already been baptized before and does thinks it is an abomination to be baptized again. Other sisters have visited before and he really likes the missionary program we have in our church and really respects that the young people of our church leave everything to serve the church for this time. Anyway back to the story. We sat outside on his patio area for the lesson and while we were talking his cat came up with a bluebird in its mouth. This bluebird was dead... I am pretty sure it died a death by cat... but it was pretty large. Like bigger than the head and neck of the cat. Anyway I sat there and watched the cat eat that entire bluebird on the patio. I was the only one that was facing that direction and I didnt know if I should say something... like oh hey... your cat is eating a large bird on your patio is that okay? I ended up not saying anything at all. It was really gross to watch... but I stayed composed and the lesson went well. 
 
4. Mayonnaise Ketchup and Mustard...and butter. (Sorry is I spell anything wrong... this computer says I spell everything wrong because it is set to portuguese) But these three condiments are much loved by my companion. I think I may have said this last week... But nothing I could have said could possibly describe her love for these things. One of our lunches fell through last week and so we ate some fruit and had bread. I just put a little butter on my bread and heated it up. She loaded her bread with these condiments all of them nothing else and ate it. Another borderline horrific spectacle! Just kidding... but really strange. I have a picture of her pizza with mayonnaise ketchup and mustard that I will also try to attach! 

5. Carlos... Carlos is a menos ativo member of the church. We found his name on a list and went to visit him. He was crazy. Seriously crazy and kept saying things like Mentiras and christ is dead and everything we believe is wrong because he found some sort of information on the internet. We got out quick but he was loco. 

6. I still dont speak super well. Actually I still speak pretty bad, but I understand what people are saying for the most part. We were walking and started talking to these girls around 8 to 10 ish years old. Sister V. spoke first and they started laughing at her because her pronunciation of portuguese has a spanish accent. They didnt understand her when she asked a question... they looked at me expectantly and I asked the question again for them... and they laughed at me too. I was not altogether too pleased that little kids thought I was stupid because my language was rough. Perhaps that will be enough motivation to try harder! 

7. Morning Hymns. Ha ha ha. Really though. Sister V and I sing a hymn every morning and it is terrible. Sometimes I know what the tune is supposed to be but trying to sing the tune and the right words in Portuguese is difficult for me and she is not particularly musically inclined either. I am just glad no one else has to hear it. 

8. First Portuguese telephone call. I actually talked on the phone in portuguese! Not a long conversation. But, apparently Ben called the mission office last week because my pday was so delayed? All is well here. I am alive and I guess sometimes pdays will get switched so dont get worried about me! 

Okay these are my stories for now! The people here in Guara 2 are awesome. We have a few progressing investigators and we know a lot more people in the ward now. We are a lot better at finding places here now too which is good. I walk a lot... unfortunately the mission is not a solid weight loss program for us! I learned the word gordinho... But... all is well =) 

I love you all and hope that you all are doing well! You should all send me real letters to my mission home address because I like letters and such! 
 
Love Sister Hoopes

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