Ahhhh. I Just had the best hour in my life, I think, the last month. Wow. I seriously am having a hard time typing because I can feel , literally, the euphoria of being with my family for a little while through your words. Everybody, thank you so very much for all the letters, pictures, mom for the blog... Wow. I really needed that. The other missionaries here said it was okay to go onto my blog and Brendon’s, and I spent a long while going through Brendon’s, and then through mine, remembering every step of the journey so far. I really loved it. Thank you mom.
This week was good. It had rough patches, and I’m still overcoming the homesickness I mentioned last week, but I really feel on the top of the world now, and I’ve been getting better for the last couple of days so I think I have a really good chance getting over it completely this week.
Last Thursday we had zone conference, where all of the companionships in Passo Fundo and the surrounding countryside (16 elders) met together with the Assistants and President Pavan for a six hour meeting and interviews, and an excellent buffet lunch... more on that later. In my interview with the president I was finally able to vent some of my "saudades" and other little problems, and it was so awesome. President Pavan is the man. I love him already. He told me a bunch of advice that seemed to be directed exactly at me, and he talks to you as if you’re the only missionary in the mission. I came out of that meeting beaming, and after he gave an excellent talk on how to have the right attitude in missionary work, on having faith, and on getting along with your companion. Pretty much exactly what I needed to hear. I truly have a testimony that that man hás the keys of the missionary work going on here in Rio Grande do Sol. His wife is also so very wise and friendly and... Actually they really remind me alot of Grandad and Grandma, and I feel close to them already. I feel very blessed to have them as our leaders here.
After this, Elder Losee and I had an excellent... and dare I say a little bit teary-eyed companionship inventory, and I am really getting to love him and like being his companion. This wasnt as easy for me as it was with Elder Feller, and I’m not exactly certain why. I know see that I was actually really lucky to have Elder Feller as a companion, and that I have a much longer way to go on learning how to be with one person for 24 hours a day and stay best friends despite all of our differences. I guess I never described Elder Losee... He’s from Delta, Utah. He’s the second youngest of a nine-person family. His family hás a ranch. He hás a very strong testimony and a very strong desire to be a good missionary, and he’s been doing a good job. He’s been a good trainer, and I’ve learned a lot from him, and a lot from being with him. There have been very specific things that I know Heavenly Father meant us to learn from eachother. It’s been a bit rough in the past, but now it’s good. For surely the advice Presidente had about companionships is inspired because after having a long and heartfelt talk with my companion on what was bothering me and what I could do better and what we could do better, the work just completely raced along like it never hás before. We’ve been getting many new investigators, and been able to teach many lessons, and are becoming more and more confident in approaching strangers on the street. The spirit is flowing and we’ve been more open with eachother about our feelings and are sharing more of our successes and difficulties together. It’s good.
I really like making things. I am very proud of the tools I’ve made here to do missionary work. For example, Elder Losee and I have the largest map in the mission here, and it’s because of a dream I had, to make a big map and plaster it over an entire wall. It took a lot of work finding a place to buy a map, finding a place to make that big of a copy, find ing a way to laminate it... But it’s beautiful.
Elder Losee and I colored it, and gave each of the áreas seperate colors and names, for example the south of our área is comprised of “a selva, os morros, o vale” ( the jungle, hills, valley). There’s 11 seperate áreas. Then we gave the map a huge title over the top “The Kingdom of Boqueriao!” (our ward), and signed our names. It’s great. Then, at the end of every night we take stickers, and write the names of the people we met throughout the day, and mark them on the map. Then, when we plan for the next day, we can easily visualize our route through Passo Fundo, and make sure we’re not missing anyone. It’s helped A BUNCH with our planning, because before that we just tried to remember who was where. I liked making it. I think I’ll make one in each one of my áreas.
I also made a paper to be placed in the front of Books of Mórmon, with page references for special scriptures and answers for important questions about life. We have 40 Books of Mórmon now with that page in the front, and it hás been helping in our contacting a lot. I made two different visuals for teaching lessons, and a chart for helping investigators know how to pray, and I made a really cool box to hold Books of Mórmons in my backpack without making the covers get bent. It’s fun to make stuff and then get to use them. That probably sounded really boring, I know, but I’m proud of it. :)
I’m waking up at 5:30 every Day now ( a full hour before we are required to). I really like reading the Book of Mórmon by flashlight. The other night I was reading about Nephi on the ship when he was bound by his brothers, and one of the most intense storms I’ve seen was going on in the background. Lightning flashes and thunder constantly, the wind loud and battering the walls, and me alone in my living room reading by flashlight about the same thing happening to Laman and Lemuel on the seas.
Was cool.
I set a goal before I arrived in the Field that I would be fluent in two months into the Field, in time for Christmas. It still looks doubtful that I’ll be able, but I have faith, and am putting forth the effort required, I think. I would really love to just have na experience like in the movie "The Other Side of Heaven", where that guy just wakes up and starts speaking Tongan. It Will happen. :)
This week two funny things happened. Yesterday we were returning home, and both of us were, in Brazilian terms “very close”. Meaning we needed to go to the bathroom. And we were way far from our house. So we see this old abandoned building a little bit off from the Road. We decided that would be enough cover to do our business. But it was dark, and the closer we got the more we didn't want to go in. But we did anyway, because our need was great. After finishing, I went a bit further into the house, and after looking around a corner, jumped in the air, shouted, and started for the door. Elder Losee screamed and darted out and was halfway down the street before I started laughing and told him it was a joke. I felt a little bad afterward because I don’t think I realized that he wasn’t quite finished yet, and I messed him up. It was the end of the day and he needed to wash some other clothes and it was funny enough so there were no hard feelings, but man I still can’t hold back a chuckle when thinking about his reaction. That was a bit mean, I know, but funny.
I miss the dunes, Dad. I really wish I was there with you. It seems like a world away. And I totally forgot about Thanksgiving! IT completely left my mind! Wow. I hope you guys have a super fun week with the family. Dad, I will answer your questions next week, sorry for not getting to them. I know I talked about a bunch of less interesting things, but I spent so much time reading that I didnt leave enough for writing. I know you will probably read this to the family there in Arizona, and I’m sorry that this wasn’t as big of a deal as it should have been. However, I love you, and I am again SOOO thankful for your letters. I feel %200 better now, thank you so much. I especially liked hearing about the news about being EQ president, and I am so proud of you dad. Again, I am probably talking about you at least 3 times a Day here, and it is a story that always brings the spirit to the families here. I can testify of the power of the scriptures to change our lives and families because of you. We have a lot of good times ahead, I feel.
Unfortunately, I really need to go. Mom. My mom! Thank you so much for the letters and for making the packages. I am excited! I love you Mom. You are with me here.
Sisters, I pray for you muchly, and thank you so much my sisters for your letters. You have no Idea how much I cherish them. You really lift me up here. Have fun with cousins!
Brendon, I got to go, but I loved hearing about your baptisms and other stories on your blog. Wish I could comment more, but - Remember going to the theatres, you and me, empty parking lot, driving around crazy and listening to sweet tunes and the cool air in your face? The movies were usually horrible, but being with you was awesome. "Blood Diamond", "Silent Hill", "1408", "The Mist", "Cloverfield", "Hot Fuzz".... others. Love you man. Thinking about you lots. Oh yeah, and I just heard from my other companions that we can send e-mail directly to one another, and we can do the same for all e-mail addresses of immediate family. Do this! Because apparently I missed a lot of the stuff you've sent!
Other family, wish I was there! Love you and think about you much!
Have a good week all! Love love love!
Elder Con
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