We finally bought a house in Arizona and I have been super busy. I realized today that I'm several weeks behind on Kyle's blog. I've attached bits and pieces from the past few weeks. These were weeks with lots of change. His area was closed down...he was transferred...another new companion. Always a little stressful for Kyle. But he loves the area now and is finding success.
So this week the second counselor of the area presidency
came to talk to us and picked me to have an interview with him. It was cool to
talk to him, hes Brazilian but he lived in New Jersey so he speaks fluent
English, it was my first interview in english since I left São Paulo kind of
strange.
São Luís is like 8 hours away from Teresina. Its in the
same state as Imperatriz just way North, Imperatriz is more in the south. Its
super hot here too. Its always hot. There are rumors that our mission is
amongst the hottest in the world. I wouldnt doubt it. Its freaking hot. Luckily
theres a nice ocean breeze that makes it bearable and not nearly as bad as
Teresina. But unfortunately our house doesnt have a washing machine. Ive been
hand washing my clothes for 3 weeks now, the washer should be arriving sometime
this week hopefully. The new area is good, theres alot of really good members
that want to help. I spent all week organizing FHE groups in different parts of
the area to help reactivate the large number of less actives and help the
members. We work mainly with less actives. Oh yeah when I was in Cohatrac the
bishop had a car accident and his wife went into a coma and she died this week
after about a month. It was crazy, I had lunch in her house like a month ago
and she was like ok and now shes gone. Its crazy how things like that happen,
the bishop is pretty upset, hes not doing so well.
Well I love you guys, im excited to talk to you guys next
week. Eliana is gonna take us to dinner at some fancy restaurant on Christmas.
Shes awesome, the highlight of my mission for sure. And we have 4 baptisms this
week. 3 little kids whose parents are members and a guy whose family is active
and he just never got baptized. ill see you guys next week byeeeeeeeeee
I spent alot of time thinking back to the beginning of my
mission cuz I hit 10 months yesterday and I thought some things were really
funny.
I remember my first bus ride here on the bus with no AC It is so crammed full of people that the doors usually close on somebodies arm
and all the dirt roads hitting cars that are parked badly and just driving away
I remember being terrified like what have I gotten myself into and now its all
just normal. part of the mission. Or getting flagged down by drunk girls to
talk about the US and how they will go there one day and I have to let them
stay at my house is always amusing. It was a good time looking back and seeing
how all the crazyness of Brasil is now just normal. I remember wondering why
arent these people freaking out and its cuz its just part of the culture here.
Its funny, Brasil is a funny place. Im hoping for some better things to come in
my new area.
São Luís is awesome. Its an island. My mission is the
poorest states in Brasil but where we live is incredible. There are apartments
that value over
4 million and they are building massive buildings
everywhere. its growing really quick. The only downside is its an island so
theres only so much space. My area is the ghetto of the city but the people are
really humble and the members want to work. they have been in limbo trying to
split the ward and get a chapel for about
10 years. The sent the papers to split and they got
denied because out of 34 men in the ward 9 of them arent paying tithing, they
missed the cut by 3 men. Crazy how something so small wrecked a ward. So we
have to baptize reactivate or motivate 3 people to pay tithing to split the
ward. I havent been this excited since I left Imperatriz. I cant take pictures
very much cuz of thefts so I dont pack my camera anymore. but I bought a book
of pictures from a member to send you guys. Tell Colin and Nathan to keep doing
work and tell Rora to stay away from the coyotes. Love you byeeeeeeeeeee
So this week was crazy i got transfered to another part of
são luís. but elder leite got transfered too, the zone leader didnt tell us and
he almost missed his bus. so i was with elder batista, but later that day elder
batista got transfered again and now im with elder G.Silva. hes from my group
we arrived on the same day. oh and we live in a mansion. its nothing really
just 3 rooms 5 bathrooms a front yard backyard giant living room with 4
couches. its the greatest thing ever. and the area is awesome. oh and its on
the beach. if only i wasnt a missionary..... the problem is the
area is massive and doesnt have a chapel so the members have to take 2 buses
for almost an hour to get to church so getting people to go is hard. but its
awesome what ive seen so far I really like. the members want to work and help
the missionaries we already talked to some members and they want to take us to
their friends family everybody. the area has alot of potencial. its poor, my
run of better off areas ended but i really like the feel of this area.
I liked my area though. It was an area that got split to
make 2 and shouldnt have been split. There wasnt enough work or anything and
only the other area here was having real success. But I met some really cool
people here that I love. There was on guy named James. I dont know what I did
but that man loves me. He doesnt talk to my comp just me. He calls me over and
talks about his life and everything and how hes going to get 4 million reals in
the next year and when he does hes going to visit the US and that I have to be
his translator. Hes a good guy I really liked him. But im out of time so ill
talk to you guys next week and its only a few weeks til Christmas and we will
be able to talk then! byeeeeee
But anyways, we are getting taken out of the area. The
President is closing the area. Its dumb cuz I really dont want to be transfered
again and leave Elder Leite but I have no desire to stay here so its kinda
weird. But last night I Bible Bashed with this lady. We stopped to help her
with some yard stuff and we started talking to her about the church and she
kept saying stuff like we dont need prophets and there doesnt exist any
churches cuz we are the church and that only the Bible exists. So I tore her
apart using the Bible and she still didnt accept anything. She started it....
