Familia- Whew. it was good to hear from you. I am so glad to hear everythign went well with Leila. I was worried, sort of, all week. I saw the pictueres. shes a midget, big shocker. Pretty dang cute though, im so happy for you two. i am just sad i am not going to be there to watch Brit~s attempt at fatherhood.. just kidding. youll be great man, sounds like you already are.
Guys, conference was awesome. I really wish i could go through talk by talk like i had everyone do in district meeting yesterday- here were a few of my favroites. cladia m. costa sat sesh- awesome talk about prophets (common theme? yeah.) from brazil, and mentioned my missionary scripture! hollands made me cry a little, usually does, and i LOVED mervyn be arnolds talk in the sunday session. in priesthood my favorite talk was the english dude- kearon. was that awesome or what boys? wish i had my notes with me i forgot them, had a whole bunch more to say. gotta say i wouldnt have used to be excited to sit through 10 hours of conference in a hard wooden chair, but i loved every minute, it was like a vacation. and of course monsons words were as good as always.
for starters, i have sent TWO letters to cole, so dont give me that crap, and did you not get my one for jace? i hope so. mail here is kinda scketchy, so i worry. this week. good week? sort of. i didnt progress a whole lot in the language. i was a teacher this week. for reals. guys my comp is strugglin, and he doesnt seem to be near as worried about it as i think he should be. so it bugs me. the things he asks me... seriuosly. i spend our comp study teachign him portuguese. its a lot of fun. ive also conceded to go to choir practice with him.. i held out for a long time, but i finally just said screw it. its actually been good though, the one time of the week i can be alone, so i go in the corner and study. its helped. we got our new gym done this week, not really a gym, its a room with a bowflex or two, but ill take it. i have no idea why but i could NOT sleep this week. so wierd, and frustrating, cause the first 3 weeks i slept like a baby. di, im going to put all my shirts in a HOT wash today, i hope this is not a tragic idea. but i cant take them any more. they are just too massive.
today was bittersweet... love p day. but my `parent`district left today. i had no idea i would grow this close to people here. i was completely content to remain antisocial. but i nearly cried today when elder burright woke me up at 3 to give me a hug and some advice. we used to always talk about how there could not be a greater feeling than getting on that plane to see your fam in two years.. this morning he looked at me and said you listen ,you CAN NOT have a single regret when you get on that plane. okay? ive been thinking about that all day. last night they performed their `ritual`of the passing down of the famous pete the plant. it was retarted and childish, they flashsed on and off the lights and knighted me worthy to recieve it, then painted my thumb green. again, childish and dumb but they type of wierd missionary tradition ill never forget. its kinda cool.. started as a stolen seed from the cafeteria.. been passed down to one person for 36 weeks. i will treat it as my child.
so i think i told you abuot my delicious cake? i cant wait to send you pictures of it. i named it this week. his name is bonifacio. there is this hilarious teacher here that i am way tight with, we are always fighting about whose country is better, he is black. and his name is bonafacio. so i told him i named my cake after him cause its black, from brazil, and not as good as america. he still wont play me one on one.. apparently hes good. no one is good in brazil.
this freakin place is crazy. none of you have ever seen rain. i can tell you that much. it will be like perfectly calm one minute, and then suddently just POURING. its the wierdest thing, and it can pretty much rain all day here, no exaggerration. saw some more humbling things today... kids playing in the dirt on a piece of a couch. heart breaking. so grateful to be from where i am. i told you about the language. comp still just really struggling. im trying to progress, i HAVE to start thinking it portuguese rather than englihs, cause the structure just doesnt make sense. you cant translate word for word. my teachers and pres pratt told me yesterday i have to stop saving elder harker, i have to just let him struggle and find his words when we teach, instead of just jumping in when he gives me the helpless look.
so did you guys change hours at conference? you did i think? so now its five hours? man, just think, when i am waking up every morning at 630 wyatt will just be coming home from pennys house... i laughed hard about the police thing. i mentioned something liek that in the letter im sending to him today. I was looking through pics on my camera yesterday and could not believe some from the airport.. it is seriusly a miracle i am smiling in most of them, because i will never forget the feeling that i was GOING to throw up all over all of you for that entire two hours.
i sitll love brazilians. and for some strange reason they LOVE me. as my buddy put it `for reals i think brazilians just have a natural crush on you..`for some reason i find ways to have inside joke with all these guys. they are so easy to get along with. i didnt think i could like this new district as much as the old one with elder melo but i think im even closer. its wierd. i was probably sent here for a reason or something...
i love you all. so much. send more letters. email rocks but i have to read so fast. i probably miss so much and it makes me sad. happy birthday dad. i bought you this delicious almond bar but i have no idea how i can send it. i love you. -al
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