I’m sitting in a LAN House now (place that sells computer time), outside it’s raining fairly violently, and I’m surrounded here by the rest of the missionaries in my zone, who are also e-mailing. Right behind me is a huge plasma tv screen with the menu of Halo 3: ODST playing. No one is playing it. If I wanted, I could exchange my e-mailing time (and break a couple rules) and play that game instead. Wow. I must love you guys a lot huh, ;) ?
So yesterday was a fun little holiday for me; I went on a division with Elder Almeida, who works in Lagoa Vermelhia. It’s three hours away. So I went on a bus through (take this description seriously) three hours of absolutely beautiful rolling hills, complete with swaying bronze wheat, farm houses in the distance with green pastures or the occassional pond, cows, sheep, horses grazing, dotted with trees, with a deep blue sky filled with puffy white clouds as far as the eye can see. I got pictures. But it was awesome. I sat in the bus and totally recharged from the last week. So nice.
Then I get to Lagoa, which is a small town, more rural than Passo Fundo, but also hás a bunch of more wealthy people who want to live out in the countryside. More hilly than Passo Fundo. Very beautiful. I would live there, serious. But, the few people we encountered were not as nice as most of the people we’ve talked to in Passo Fundo. Tôo bad. Last night I ate at a member’s house who pulled out a feast before us. Fluffy homemade bread, homemade butter, homemade cheese filled with spices, and the best part: churrasco. It’s the food of Rio Grande do Sol, food of the gaúchos (cowboys). It’s pretty much barbecue, but it was fresh and I’m pretty sure it was from a neighbor’s cow. And they eat it with this special cake which makes it way different than anything you can find in the states. I was in absolute heaven. Wow.
I’m not kidding guys. I’m in paradise here. Like seriously, it’s even actually been kind of something I’ve been having a problem with. I was ready to go out into the Amazon and sweat and bleed and find those converts by the last grasp of my outreached hand. This... is something I could never have suspected. I feel guilty. So grateful that I have been given such a good mission, so grateful for the blessings, but I also feel like I’m getting a bit fat (and not just physically). Trying to push myself is the number one thing I’m working on out here. So many hours spent in member’s homes as they give us more and more delicious food... So easy to put off contacting or finding new investigators and instead return to our same couple investigators who, while very nice, and while with very good food, don’t seem to be progressing. I know a lot of you haven’t read the Odyssey, but I feel a bit like I’m in Odyseus’ shoes. Odyseus was trying to find his way back to Ithica, his home and his family, after fighting in the Trojan War. But when the story starts, Odyseus hás been chilling on another island for 15 years, with a goddess named Calypso who fell in love with Odyseus, and who hás been providing him and his crew with an unending supply of delicious food, women, and entertainment, in hopes that Odyseus would forget his home. It’s not exactly what I’m going through, but I feel like that’s where my story is starting as well. I’ll figure it out.
Alright, sorry for that ambiguous and impractical musing/rant. Had to get it out of me.
My desk
Anyway, the language is going very well, or at least everyone tells me that. I’ve been working on listening, and every conversation hás me straining to understand every word, unlike before where I’d zone out a bit until something familiar popped out. I’m actually a bit proud of where I’m now in my listening skills. Probably at 80% words understood, but it’s interesting. I can pick out the words and what they mean, but the words come so fast that I can’t put them in context with eachother, especially with the slightly different grammar. That’s my next challenge. But it’s going really good. Really big jump in comprehension I think. Now if I can get my trainer to stop speaking English completely... I’m also having fun trying to pick up the accent of the gaúchos. It’s way fun.
Brendon, you will not understand my Portuguese when we are reunited. We have an Elder here from Fortaleza, and I can understand absolutely none of his Portuguese, because I’m so accustomed to the gaúcho accent. In all other places, Portuguese is pronounced with ´te´ as ´che´ and ´de´ as ´je´, but here it’s like it is in English, but a bit “harder”. You’d think it’d be easy to pick up because it’s close to English, but I’m basically having to relearn all the words I learned at the CTM with those sounds. And all the other Elders here, even the ones who have been here long, still pronounce words the other way. It’s fun because everybody always smiles and gets patriotic and starts talking about their heritage when I say a phrase the gaúcho way.
An other gaúcho thing is chimarrão, a hot drink that everyone drinks all the time, hot or cold, which is made out of grass clippings and hot water. The families also pass around this mug with a large metal straw so that everyone can sip the chimarrão. It’s like a peace pipe. Two days ago I spilt a fresh cup and burnt my hand quite a bit. It’s fine, a bit red. Was funny.
Let’s see... last Wednesday, Elder Losee and I had an “adventure day.” It was awesome. It was not planned. We figured out that an área we needed to be in was in a neighborhood connected to where we were only in a roundabout way around this huge meadow/forest/hilly area, so we decided to take a shortcut. I finally felt a bit like I was actually in Brazil! We trekked over hills, saw a snake, encountered a pack of dogs we scared away with picked up rocks, crossed over two little rivers, under two ramshakle barbwire fences, got my foot stuck in some mud, scaled a cool little cliff. Yeah. Sure beats cobblestone roads. Blazed some trails that day. Was fun.
I have more things I know happened, but I forgot them. I’ve been meaning to keep a mini diary for this, like Alec did, but... I haven’t. Will do now. Sorry.
Dad, thanks a lot for your e-mail. Don’t worry if it’s a bit late, I think as long as I get something about every month I’ll be fine :). I really enjoy hearing about business and what you’re working on. Such a cool idea! I wish I could see it in action, maybe after it’s implemented you could show me some screen shots or photos? Would be way cool. I will read Alma 42 again, thank you for that recommendation. I’m going through the Book of Mormon and Doctrine & Covenants simultaneously now, and it’s been a bit slow. Still in 2nd Nephi. I need some Alma to get me through the Isaiah parts :). I love you Dad. You are my idol. I still use you as an example in my lessons, and I think I probably will continue to do so if you think that’s okay. Just shows how our struggles can be used as blessings. Even our struggles now will eventually be blessings if we do our part.
Kaitlin! I loved your letter! Thank you so much! What language are you learning right now, exactly? Can I see some pictures of your new clothes? I know everyone thinks you look so beautiful. Are you watching any new Bollywood films? I’m glad you went to the library, remember when we used to go together? That was fun. I’m so excited for you on Thanksgiving, that will be so fun! Guess what? Yesterday I was eating dinner with a family, and there was a little girl, 7 years old, who was wearing a burka! I forgot exactly what they were called in Portuguese, but they are Brazilian clothes! In the olden days here, all the girls used to wear them! Cool huh? When you come visit me in 2 years you can buy one and where it out in the streets of Brazil! That will be very fun. I will wear the clothes of the gaúcho: a wide leather hat, white shirt, long leather boots, and I will have a think black mustache just like all the gaúchos here. And I’ll ride a horse, with my little sister on the back. Will be very cool, huh? Love you Kaitlin!
Rest of my family, I love you muito, and I hope everything is going well. Please send me pictures: I save every picture you send. Only a couple at a time so I can savor each one. :)
Love love love!
Elder Con
P.S. need baptismal photos! oh yeah, and is The Office playing now? is it good? Okay bye I love you!
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