I had a good week, a tough week,
but a good one. Let me get my venting off my chest first, as i normally
do. Brasilians can´t say No. It drives me insane. They will waste your
time, energy, money, and effort, without blinking twice before they will
say NO. I think i have mentioned an Old Lady that used to love us and
make us dinner that we were trying to help stop to smoke so that her and
her granddaughter could get baptized. When we really started cracking
down on her not smoking she suddenly started to disappear. Every time we
would mark with her (we have been leaving early in the morning at 9
a.m. to walk 45 min to her house) she was not there. We have literally
been doing that for 2 weeks trying to prepare her to get baptized.
Saturday we met with her and told her 2 Elders were coming from far away
to do the interview in an hour, she´s like yeah okay! The Elders waste
their time and money and come, not there. I call her, the minute she
hears my voice, hangs up. We have wasted SO much time on them, because
they always pretended way interested whenever we talked to them, but
never wanted anything. Brasilians can´t say no, and it makes me
CRAAAAZZZYYYY!!!!
Advice to South American Elders: Don´t waste time on people! Cut them!
Have i ever spoken about my friend named Rafael?
He´s the PUNK in the first picture of the baptism of Reni. He is that
ladies son, and he makes her cry daily. He´s super sick, but
ridiculously prideful, and super mean. (Basically he´s me) And I´m like
his counselor. So Friday we get there and his mom asks us to talk to him
cause he said he´s quitting school. (Very rare to finish high school
here) So we sit down and have a very long conversation. Long story short
as I´m trying to explain to big picture to him, cause he´s super smart,
he just keeps telling me im just like his mom and i dont understand,
that i had forgotten what its like to be 16 and have a girlfriend. It
was right about then that I looked at him and thought i was looking at
myself in the mirror. It was really weird. I then preceded to explain
WHY is was so important that he doesnt quit school, doesnt break the law
of chastity, and does serve a mission, so he could have the perspective
on life that i now have. It doesnt mean i dont remember what its like
to be him, its just that i understand so much better what things bring
happiness, and what things dont. When we are young it is so incredible
difficult to see past the next weekend, or the end of high school, then
we grow up a little and realize how little some things matter. I am
eternally grateful to the mission for that, there is no greater
blessing.
Last night we had another fun drunk person
experience. (for the 100th time) So we´re walking home a little late and
see this dude on the side of the road with a paper towel in hand. Dude
is in a BAD way, but like usual i did my customary compliment. Baaaddd
idea. Dude immediately SPRINGS forward to my comp trying to grab him,
and we jump back fists raised yelling at him not to touch us. He then
preceded to ask my comp for a "patriarchal" blessing (slightly
aggressively) and my comp still a little wigged out is like no, no i
cant. Also a bad idea, the guy gets all indignant and points his blood
covered finger at my comp and starts questioning his worthiness. (for
sure a member) By about that point I decided it was time to take off, so
we start backing up and as soon as were sure he didnt have a knife took
off. Love drunk people, especially mormon drunk people.
More advice to South American Elders: Don´t come home late!
The
mission is fun. Its so painfully devastating at times but mostly its
good. I´ve picked up a new good thing from my companion. Whenever
something crappy happens he says something to the extent of " its all
good, this is not going to affect my eternal salvation." I feel
like thats good advice for all of us. When little crappy things happen
lets remember the big picture. I´ve applied that in my mission. I am
STILL going to get married to a hot wife in the temple. I am STILL going
to be a DA in New York. I am STILL going to be saved at the last day.
NOOOOO WOOORRRIIIEEESSS. (this is for you DI, stress free!)
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