Minha Famila!
Hello from São Paulo, Brazil! Thank you so much for your letters, I have enjoyed them sincerely. Letters are the most coveted object out here in the CTM. Every paragraph you send is like a Christmas present. Unfortunately, parents, I didn't have time to write a written letter this P-Day, because we went to the São Paulo temple. I think I will be able to get everything I want said out in this email though. I hope.
Sao Paulo Temple
So the same day I sent you my last update, we later went out into the city just to explore. We found the central park of Casa Verde (neighbourhood where the CTM is located) and it was very dirty, but also very cool because it had a lot of grass and trees! We only see vegetation like that when we go to the temple! Anyway, we saw a bunch of elementary schoolers playing soccer, and for a while we just stood by a cheered for every goal for them (they really liked that they had an audience), but then me and 5 of my companions joined in and started playing! Fortunately, we managed to hold our own, but they were crazy good, and also like a third of our age! It was hilarious. We were all laughing the entire time. We had to end it when my companion accidentally tripped one of the kids and then they all stopped playing and glared at him until we left. We joked around with them a little more and they were back to smiling and laughing again, but we decided to call that the end of our futebol experience.
So yesterday the Brazilians that arrived three weeks ago had to leave, and it was a sad day. I really grew close to those guys, and we were all pretty misty as we said goodbye forever to them. Makes me think of how hard it will be to leave the rest of my district, or Brendon. Man. Actually, we might be leaving a bit earlier than I thought. The rumor going around now is that my district only will be leaving for the field on the 21st, because our mission president hás a meeting later when we would otherwise come. I love the fact that I could be in Porto Alegre 8 days from now, but am also scared and don't want to think about leaving Brendon. I think I'm ready though: there’s only so much learning I think you can do out here without being completely immersed in the culture, the language, and the work, 24/7. I ready to get out there and work!
Right now I'm trying to finish the New Testament before I leave. I'm actually really enjoying it! I'm in 2 Corinthians now. It actually really supports and expounds a lot of doctrine we learn in the Book of Mormon. I love the Bible. I'm hoping that me knowing the Bible well will help me when I get out to Porto Alegre, where I hear there are many well-read evangelicals who base their lives on the New Testament. Cool.
I'm starting to miss my family more and more now; I think I am now officially away from home longer than I ever have been before. Wow. I'm hoping that I'll be able to accept the homesickness and get used to it, so I can turn it into a strength. I am however, grateful that I have something to be homesick for; one of the Brazilians we became good friends with, Elder David, was an orphan who lived on the streets with a gang until he met some missionaries. He was way cool, but I cant imagine being in his shoes.
I would like to bear testimony of the power and reality of the spirit. We are truly guided by God through our lives, but I think its just a bit more noticeable in the mission field. A couple of days ago I felt impressed to fast (I didn't know for what), and also to extend scripture study through our gym time. Later in the day, one of the other people in our district had a really tough time in his milestone lesson (a test on how well a companionship can give a specific lesson out of Preach My Gospel). He’s been having a little rougher time out here than a lot of us, and also some problems with being really shy, I think. Anyway, he couldn't speak during his entire milestone. My teacher sent him down with his companion into an empty room with his companion to pray and figure out how they could receive help for this problem. I didn't know about any of this, because they were in a different room. Then my teacher comes in while I'm doing personal language study and tells me that I am the one that that the Elder needs to help him. I didn't know at all what I was going to say, or what the problem was, but I went into the room, and felt the Spirit I think stronger than I ever have, and the words just came about what I think this Elder needed to hear. We were probably in there for about 45 minutes, and I was just completely astounded at how thoughts and words just came. So we figured out how to solve the problem, and all felt really good, and the spirit was so present, and we embraced and everything since then with this certain elder hás been just awesome. It certainly wasn't me that helped the Elder out, it was the Lord. I'm just thankful that on that one day in particular, I had been prepared to be more able to listen to the spirit to be a more effective tool for the Lord to take care of his sheep. Way cool.
Anyway, this hás been an otherwise uneventful week, but it is going well, and I am so excited to start this work in the field. Thank you so much for being there on the other side supporting me and my brother with your thoughts and prayers!
I love you all. In Brasil they have a word, “Saudade”, which means, in short, “a deep, intense longing for home and family.” That's certainly what I have for you all, and especially my family. I guess I'm turning Brasilian already! You’re in my thoughts and prayers!
Love love love,
Elder Con
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