It´s pretty rainy today. Fortunately, it seems to rain less here than in my other areas. And yes, I got my shoes, and it looks like it was just at the right time as well. I was getting pretty sick of having to avoid any water on the road because my shoes had huge holes in them. Thanks again.
This week was good. I ran into a bunch of people that I haven´t seen in a while at the Mission Office. And, last P-day, after I emailed you guys, me and my comp. had to go to the doctors office so he could get an odd looking zit on his back looked at (I took a picture. This thing is nasty.) Anyway, while we were there I ran into Elder Monterrosa. It was pretty cool. He´s in a city about 2 hrs. or so from here. We reminisced a bit. Good times.
This week the Assistantes paid us a visit. One of them is Elder Tobar, (he´s a big surfer guy from Cal. Who uses words like “Gnarly” and “wicked”. Sometimes in Portuguese as well, which is funny to see people try to figure out what those words mean.) He was a big boost to our area, and is honestly the most excited person that I´ve ever seen doing the work. Our investigators were quite blessed, as he helped a lot of those who with a lot of doubts feel more confident.
One of the guys that we´re teaching, a man named An... (64 or so) has been going to church for about a year, but still doesn´t want to get baptized as he feels quite attached to the doctrine of the church that he used to follow. He says that he lacks a “great spiritual confirmation” to tell him what do do, so we´re trying to help him recognize that he already knows. Please pray for him. Another family, named Ad... (Dad) Luc... (Mom) and Kal... (daughter. She has the weirdest name that I´ve ever heard.) and L´s mom (Her name´s kinda complicated. she´s pretty old but still manages to smoke at least two cigarettes during the lessons), are doing well in their investigating. It´s really cool to teach them, because although they have a lot to change in their life, (they have to get married, word of wisdom, other things) every time that we´ve taught something they´ve always been like “yeah, of course. We´re willing to do that.” It´s really, I dunno, for me to be teaching a family that´s so willing to accept the gospel. Ad... told us yesterday how he´s noticed how there´s been more peace in his house ever since we´ve started visiting, L... as well. A really golden family.
As for more info about the area, I´m still getting to know it. There´s a nice big grocery store close to our house that sells counterfeit Oreo´s, which is a first. Our chapel is next to some Evangelical church, so sometimes during Elder´s Quorum we get to hear the hymns of praise coming from the rock band next door. I´m trying to do better at learning everyone´s names in the ward, as usually I never remember. I still get the usual reaction of “Nice to meet you Elder. Hey, you know something, you don´t look American! Has anyone ever told you that?”
Welp, sáll from me.
Till next time.
We´re headed to a restaurant right now. All you can eat, and only 4 Reals! Ah-yeah!
-Elder Lucas
Friday, May 29, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Londrina Calling
It´s pretty nice here in Londrina. There´s a big difference in climate, especially when I think about my time in Campo Grande. It actually gets pretty chilly at night, and I actually slept in my sweatpants and hoodie. During the day it´s perfect, and I don´t think that I´ve sweated at all this week. Here´s hoping that the nice weather continues, as I´m loving the cold.
I don´t know exactly how many missionaries are in the city, but there´s quite a few. There´s actually two Zones of missionaries, whereas all other cities only have 1 Zone, so I imagine that there are quite a few missionaries here. I´m in the Zone "Tiradentes", which if you translate it sounds like it´d be “pull teeth” or “take out teeth” or something. My area is in the Northern (I think it´s northern, based on the map in our house) of the city, about a 20 min. car ride from the mission office. Our area is pretty small, which is good because it´s easier to take care of.
My comp. is Elder Cruz, from Rio Grande do Sul, that´s in the South. It´s the first time that I´ve actually met my comp. before the person became my comp. He was in Bauru when I first came into the mission, so he remembers when I couldn´t say anything in Portuguese. He´s a really good guy, and a music lover as well, so we have a good time discussing music a lot. A member lent him a guitar, so I´m learning a couple of Brazilian tunes right now. Good times.
Yep, I got my birthday package. The Zone Leaders wanted to open it as my bus from Adamantina to Londrina arrived about 4 hours late. They wanted to eat my chocolate as punishment, but fortunately my chocolate wasn´t harmed. That Plan of Salvation thingy is cool, thanks as well. I gave Elder C. a shirt, but it´s quite big on him as he´s quite a bit shorter than me, ha. I think that he´ll just use it for sleeping.
Also, this is the first time in my whole mission that I actually know people in my Zone. Elder H., my comp. from the MTC (He´s from Las Vegas, but moved to Panguitich, so as much as he wants to make fun of Utahn's, he is one now, ha ha) is my district leader here, so we get to talk a bunch. Also, Elder Harrison, (from Orem. He knows Elder Monterosa as well) who was my DL in Campo Grande is one of the Zone Leaders as well.
The ward here is quite small, about 60 or 70 members. We learned yesterday from the Stake Pres. that there´s about 400 inactive members, so we´ve got a good bunch of less-active and part-member families to work with. The chapel was built on a dirt road about 15 yrs. Ago with the hope and thought that the area would develop. Well, the area did develop…all except the area around the chapel, which continues to be one of the only buildings on the whole street. There´s a piano here, so I get to get back to practicing. One of the young women is already the pianist, so I´m doing backup duty for now.
Welp, I think that´s about it from me. We´re off the Center to mess around there. It´s been a little while since I´ve been in a big city, so we´re gonna do something today. Exactly what, I dunno.
Cheers for now!
-Elder =w= Heperi
I don´t know exactly how many missionaries are in the city, but there´s quite a few. There´s actually two Zones of missionaries, whereas all other cities only have 1 Zone, so I imagine that there are quite a few missionaries here. I´m in the Zone "Tiradentes", which if you translate it sounds like it´d be “pull teeth” or “take out teeth” or something. My area is in the Northern (I think it´s northern, based on the map in our house) of the city, about a 20 min. car ride from the mission office. Our area is pretty small, which is good because it´s easier to take care of.
My comp. is Elder Cruz, from Rio Grande do Sul, that´s in the South. It´s the first time that I´ve actually met my comp. before the person became my comp. He was in Bauru when I first came into the mission, so he remembers when I couldn´t say anything in Portuguese. He´s a really good guy, and a music lover as well, so we have a good time discussing music a lot. A member lent him a guitar, so I´m learning a couple of Brazilian tunes right now. Good times.
Yep, I got my birthday package. The Zone Leaders wanted to open it as my bus from Adamantina to Londrina arrived about 4 hours late. They wanted to eat my chocolate as punishment, but fortunately my chocolate wasn´t harmed. That Plan of Salvation thingy is cool, thanks as well. I gave Elder C. a shirt, but it´s quite big on him as he´s quite a bit shorter than me, ha. I think that he´ll just use it for sleeping.
Also, this is the first time in my whole mission that I actually know people in my Zone. Elder H., my comp. from the MTC (He´s from Las Vegas, but moved to Panguitich, so as much as he wants to make fun of Utahn's, he is one now, ha ha) is my district leader here, so we get to talk a bunch. Also, Elder Harrison, (from Orem. He knows Elder Monterosa as well) who was my DL in Campo Grande is one of the Zone Leaders as well.
The ward here is quite small, about 60 or 70 members. We learned yesterday from the Stake Pres. that there´s about 400 inactive members, so we´ve got a good bunch of less-active and part-member families to work with. The chapel was built on a dirt road about 15 yrs. Ago with the hope and thought that the area would develop. Well, the area did develop…all except the area around the chapel, which continues to be one of the only buildings on the whole street. There´s a piano here, so I get to get back to practicing. One of the young women is already the pianist, so I´m doing backup duty for now.
Welp, I think that´s about it from me. We´re off the Center to mess around there. It´s been a little while since I´ve been in a big city, so we´re gonna do something today. Exactly what, I dunno.
Cheers for now!
-Elder =w= Heperi
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Cowboy Up!
It’s always kind of a bit different after a phone call. It kind of makes me realize that there’s more out there than my little town here of 30,000. It was great talking to you guys, and thanks for the birthday wishes. (Btw. I just completed my “sister mission” as well. Here’s hoping that I can prove myself an Elder! Ha!)
Welp, so my district leader just called, and I’m getting transferred. Actually, despite the difficulty of the area, I’ll be sad to leave. Our recent converts are the most energetic about the church of anybody that I’ve seen in a while, so it’ll be sad to leave them.
I’m being transferred to Londrina, which is quite cool. That means that I’ll have served in the three states that our mission has: São Paulo (Bauru and Adamantina), Mato Grosso do Sul (Ponta Porã and Campo Grande) and now Paraná where Londrina is. We’re getting more towards the cooler part of the year here, and I hear that Londrina gets a bit chilly during these months, so I’ll be happy with that. It’ll be interesting to see how’ll that’ll be. Elder U. will be staying and getting somebody else who I don’t know. I’m still waiting for the Zone Leaders to call to tell me when I’m leaving. Also, when you’re leaving an area and going to a new one here, they never tell you where exactly you’re going or who exactly is going to be your new comp., so you just always arrive there at the bus station with no clue. So, while I’m going to Londrina, I might end up at another city outside of Londrina. I guess you guys will have to wait to next week to find out. Oh, the tension!
This week was pretty low attendance at church. I’ve noticed that Brazilians take their holidays pretty seriously, so that if any relatives show up at their house, they put all the stuff on hold to spend time with them. A good attitude, to a point, I guess. Less than half the people that are usually at church were actually there, including a lot of the leadership. They served lunch afterwards for Mother’s Day, so we got to eat lunch twice in one day. Whoo hoo!
On a closing note, I saw something that really became the highlight of the week. It was kind of a difficult day Monday night, as after P-day we had an appointment about 45 min. away on foot with a family that we felt was progressing pretty well, only to show up and find out that they skipped out on us. Then on Tuesday, we were standing in line to pay out light bill and I was thinking about how that was pretty annoying and hard. Then I noticed the guy at the counter had a hat that said on it, (in English) “Are you gonna COWBOY UP, or just lay there and BLEED?” with the word “bleed” in huge red letters. I started laughing, as I felt that it was a personal message for me to keeping going, and “Cowboy Up”!
Welp, sáll from me for this week.
Sorry for the shortness, but I know that I’ll have a bunch to tell with the new area next week. ´till then!
Welp, so my district leader just called, and I’m getting transferred. Actually, despite the difficulty of the area, I’ll be sad to leave. Our recent converts are the most energetic about the church of anybody that I’ve seen in a while, so it’ll be sad to leave them.
I’m being transferred to Londrina, which is quite cool. That means that I’ll have served in the three states that our mission has: São Paulo (Bauru and Adamantina), Mato Grosso do Sul (Ponta Porã and Campo Grande) and now Paraná where Londrina is. We’re getting more towards the cooler part of the year here, and I hear that Londrina gets a bit chilly during these months, so I’ll be happy with that. It’ll be interesting to see how’ll that’ll be. Elder U. will be staying and getting somebody else who I don’t know. I’m still waiting for the Zone Leaders to call to tell me when I’m leaving. Also, when you’re leaving an area and going to a new one here, they never tell you where exactly you’re going or who exactly is going to be your new comp., so you just always arrive there at the bus station with no clue. So, while I’m going to Londrina, I might end up at another city outside of Londrina. I guess you guys will have to wait to next week to find out. Oh, the tension!
This week was pretty low attendance at church. I’ve noticed that Brazilians take their holidays pretty seriously, so that if any relatives show up at their house, they put all the stuff on hold to spend time with them. A good attitude, to a point, I guess. Less than half the people that are usually at church were actually there, including a lot of the leadership. They served lunch afterwards for Mother’s Day, so we got to eat lunch twice in one day. Whoo hoo!
On a closing note, I saw something that really became the highlight of the week. It was kind of a difficult day Monday night, as after P-day we had an appointment about 45 min. away on foot with a family that we felt was progressing pretty well, only to show up and find out that they skipped out on us. Then on Tuesday, we were standing in line to pay out light bill and I was thinking about how that was pretty annoying and hard. Then I noticed the guy at the counter had a hat that said on it, (in English) “Are you gonna COWBOY UP, or just lay there and BLEED?” with the word “bleed” in huge red letters. I started laughing, as I felt that it was a personal message for me to keeping going, and “Cowboy Up”!
Welp, sáll from me for this week.
Sorry for the shortness, but I know that I’ll have a bunch to tell with the new area next week. ´till then!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Rain and sickness...
Work-wise, this was easily the least productive week that I’ve had.
Unfortunately, Elder U. got sick Monday night, and by Tuesday we had to head down to the hospital, (it’s called the “Holy House” in Portuguese. Who knows why?) And, I got to observe the Brazilian health care system. The mission has a health care agreement, but unfortunately this hospital didn’t take our card, so we had to head over to the free-medical care clinic. It was interesting, but after three hours of observing in the waiting room (Man there were a lot of people!) it was getting a little tiresome. Two ladies came up to us and wanted to know a bit about the church, so I got to teach a bit to them. Unfortunately, one of them was a little old and kind of deaf, so I had to practically shout to make sure she’d understand. Finally after the three hour wait, Elder U. went in, and it turns out he’s got Bronchitis. (At least I think its Bronchitis. That’s what the disease sounds like to me in Portuguese anyway.) So he’s been recuperating in the house.
I managed to arrange with a brother in the branch to stay with him for part of Saturday while I went and did some visits with the Branch President, but other than that it’s been a lot of study and reading for me. I’m quite sick of our house by now, but, hopefully Elder U. will be up and running by Wednesday. That’s what the doctor said anyway. (On a side note, I found out from the Zone Leader that more than half the zone got sick this past week, so it´s not just us. Fortunately, I´m completely fine).
Oh, while we were waiting at the hospital, we ran into two of our investigators who we had just taught the night before, and the lady had brought along the lesson pamphlet and was doing a bit of reading there. It was cool to see, as I was really hoping that they had understood the lesson we gave. It was a good lesson just that their 2 yr. old kid was running around and yelling a lot during the lesson, so I was thinking that they didn’t understand the message. But, it turns out that the Spirit was able to get thru the kid’s yelling to help them out. Yay!
Today’s pretty cool, weather-wise. It’s been raining a bunch, and is actually quite chilly outside. I’m loving it, as I get the chance to use my BYU hoodie and sweatpants for the first time since I left Ponta Porã, my 2nd area. But, due to my comps. condition, I think we’ll just have a day full of letter writing and napping. Other than that, things are going OK.
I’ll get the number and everything to you guys for the phone call later on in the week. Until Sunday then! Peace
-Elder Heperi
Unfortunately, Elder U. got sick Monday night, and by Tuesday we had to head down to the hospital, (it’s called the “Holy House” in Portuguese. Who knows why?) And, I got to observe the Brazilian health care system. The mission has a health care agreement, but unfortunately this hospital didn’t take our card, so we had to head over to the free-medical care clinic. It was interesting, but after three hours of observing in the waiting room (Man there were a lot of people!) it was getting a little tiresome. Two ladies came up to us and wanted to know a bit about the church, so I got to teach a bit to them. Unfortunately, one of them was a little old and kind of deaf, so I had to practically shout to make sure she’d understand. Finally after the three hour wait, Elder U. went in, and it turns out he’s got Bronchitis. (At least I think its Bronchitis. That’s what the disease sounds like to me in Portuguese anyway.) So he’s been recuperating in the house.
I managed to arrange with a brother in the branch to stay with him for part of Saturday while I went and did some visits with the Branch President, but other than that it’s been a lot of study and reading for me. I’m quite sick of our house by now, but, hopefully Elder U. will be up and running by Wednesday. That’s what the doctor said anyway. (On a side note, I found out from the Zone Leader that more than half the zone got sick this past week, so it´s not just us. Fortunately, I´m completely fine).
Oh, while we were waiting at the hospital, we ran into two of our investigators who we had just taught the night before, and the lady had brought along the lesson pamphlet and was doing a bit of reading there. It was cool to see, as I was really hoping that they had understood the lesson we gave. It was a good lesson just that their 2 yr. old kid was running around and yelling a lot during the lesson, so I was thinking that they didn’t understand the message. But, it turns out that the Spirit was able to get thru the kid’s yelling to help them out. Yay!
Today’s pretty cool, weather-wise. It’s been raining a bunch, and is actually quite chilly outside. I’m loving it, as I get the chance to use my BYU hoodie and sweatpants for the first time since I left Ponta Porã, my 2nd area. But, due to my comps. condition, I think we’ll just have a day full of letter writing and napping. Other than that, things are going OK.
I’ll get the number and everything to you guys for the phone call later on in the week. Until Sunday then! Peace
-Elder Heperi
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