Email 9/28

Familia- Wow. Serious leyla? This is getting absolutely ridiculuos. There are only so many hours of praying i can do for that little girl. She´s stressing me out. Again, its wierd having no idea what goes on. frustrating. So, while chels is probably currently in labor, anything i have to say seems very insignificant, but seeing as how i have 17 min and ticking, i will start typing... First, let me just say. I´ve been waiting for this week for a month. it all gelled. I speak portuguese. It was SUCH a hard weak. I worked my butt off, but im starting to see results. I taught the first full lesson in portuguese, numerous times. my spanish is kicking in. my teachers tell me im way ahead of where i should be. unfortunately for as far as i am ahead, my companion is that far behind. im not exaggerating, he CANNOT say 10 words in portuguese. he always starts with0- oi, somos missionarios do igreja de jesus cristo... and then i teach the whole lesson. its sad. i dont understand it. With my comp... im about at my last strand of patience. a few days ago he stopped me on my way to gym- can we talk for a second? We had a full 30 min discussion about how i may have hurt another kids feelings for calling him retarted, and he couldnt feel the spirit all day. i wanted to backhand him across the face and say can you feel that? but i didnt, its a trial of my patience, and if i accept it well the lord will bless me. Wy- there are two ways you can serve obediently. you can go through the motions each day doin what your supposed to but all the while just trying to `get through`each day, going to bed as early as possible so time starts to go... or you can just embrace your calling, laugh with all the geeky kids at lunch, make jokes and enjoy the people that you would NEVER be friends with back home. trust me, ive done both, and im done with the first one. Have i ever mentioned i love my coutry? there is just about nothing more humbling than watching these brazilians kids walk in here with pretty much a duffle bag... it is literally all they have. i couldnt figure out why some of these guys were on a mission, cause they would sleep till 9, not really care about the gospel, i was like WHY ARE YOU HERE! but i finally realized it, TONS of these guys live way better here than at home... 3 meals a day and a place to sleep is worth it. its sad, and INCREDIBLY humbling. thats another thing i was kind of shell shocked of, how many missionaries dont want to work. i was sayin yesterday ive given up way to much of a life to come here, im going to WORK! Dad asked some questions about my roomates. (ps i didnt get those dear elder letters sent on the 10th till the 24th!, it kinda sucks, i love seeing dear elder cause it usally means like 3 letters in one envelope but they take forever) so, as i told you elder melo and elder andrage were our first 2 roomates, they came the same day i did and i was REAL close with that group of brazilians. we got 2 more after they left but i cant remember their names, im not as tight with this group. theyre good guys though and really helpful, i like them a lot. ahhh i cant remember what else you were asking about dad, i should have brought your letter. but i love brazilians, oh, and we got a few more guys from provo added to my district, i really like one of them. he played ball at a.f. It has really helped me deal with my companion situtation, im really frustrated with that. Unforunately though they brought me tales of the provo mtc that made me really jealous... american food, and they got like NICE scriptures with their names on them! i am probably gonna have to pay like 50 bucks for ones like that, and they wont have my name on them. PLUS they had a place to develp pictures and send, and a bookstore and money to spend every day. jealous. i love it here though. and im blessed to have a visa. so blessed. theres no substitute for being around brasis 24/7. So di i loved your letter about living in the moment. its kind of been my theme for the last couple weeks. im trying to be excited for things in the next few weeks/months not years. ive kind of settled into a routine here, its good because im really used to this place but someimtes i really feel like a robot not gonna lie. and you all know how much i hate being told what to do 24/7. thats my least favorite thing about being here. i need to be independent. that will probably be very helpful to get out to my mission. speaking of, ha, few thigns i heard about my mission. they are GREAT. apparentlkly from a guy that lived there pretty much all the houses are old wood... and FANTASTIC habitation for gigantic tarantulas from hell. really looking forward to that. and ALSO i am gonig to the least baptizing mission in brazil. yay! no you all know that doesnt bug me. ill turn it into the most. those europeans wont know what hit them. so like i said ive really developed a bond with my ´mentor´group. and they are leaving next week. it will be really hard. i will miss nightly prayer with them ,and our nightly hug. elder burright (my ap) and i have had some loving embraces the last few nights, our oppourtunites are coming to a close. i will be very sad. other things, weather here is unreal. it will be like bright sun, then... pouring rain. it prety much rains here 7 days a week. im convinced it never stops. family. i love you. leyla. your a joke. come out of my sister. tell byu to stop sucking. and keep writing me with updates on your meaningless lives full of sin. perverting the ways of the lord while your son/brother is doing the work of angels. jk, im not that egotistical, maybe i am. i love you. -elder allred (oh, and will you please get me ian schmutsz address!)