Hoy Familia!
Things are great out here! I am learning so much and the portuguese is so great!
I am thrilled to speak another language! We didn't have a christmas party, I
didn't say we would. We had a christmas conference. It is pretty much a super
special zone conference but instead of just one zone they had us with three
other zones. The mission president spoke, his wife spoke, the zone leaders all
bore their testimonies, we saw a slide show, had a chance to talk to all of the
missionaries from Canoas (My zone), Gravatai, Novo Hamburgo, and Porto Alegre,
and we recieved packages.
The packages. I recieved one. Sarah, your package made it! Mom and dad, yours
still hasn't arrived. For the most part we only recieve packages when we see the
mission president. This means at zone conference or possibly another time. I am
friends with the zone leaders that go up to porto alegre all the time and asked
if they could possibly bring one back that would be awesome. Apparently the
temple is going to be closed until January 20 and so I wont be able to try to
get it this trasnfer when I try to go up for the temple. So who knows. I am
trying to get it. I am excited.
Sarah thank you for your package. It was awesome, I love it all. The book is so
cool. Thank you.
My portuguese is awesome. I thank the lord in my prayers everyday for the gift
of tongues. I dont know if I have it, but from what everybody tells me, I speak
incredibly good for just 4 months in Brazil. I still struggle a lot with
understanding but it is getting better. Members tell me that I will learn so
fast and speak fluently because I talk without fear. I speak whether or not I
know how to and they say this is great help to me. I actually have trouble
speaking english. Right now I guess I am in the transformation stage. I think
and say certain words in portuguese when I am speaking English. 'Maybe' in
Portuguese is 'talvez,' 'and' in portuguese is 'e' These are the two most
frequent appearing words that slide into my english. Others too. Today Elder K.
Silva and I bumped into a returned missionary from a different area. We were
talking and he asked my companion where he was from and how long he has been out
on the mission. He turned to me and asked me the same question. When I told him
that I was only in my second transfer he looked shocked. He told me that my
portuguese is great! Aw Yeah!
I can already tell that when the time comes to return home that I will have
mixed emotions. I wont want to leave, but I will want to leave. I want to see
you guys again but there is so much out here that I will miss.
We are being well taken care of for Christmas members keep trying to get us to
come to their house for lunch on christmas but we already have a family lined up
so they offer dinner and other times that we could stop by and eat or have some
snacks. I am excited it will be great. Christmas we will be at Irmão Renaldo's
house. I love this guy and his family. They are so cool.
The phone call: I will call you on the 24th to explain some details for a brief
5 minutes. I don't know when exactly, I was thinking that I will call you right
before lunch here which is like 6:00 in the morning there. That way I will know
you will be home. I will give you the number to Irmão Renaldo's house which is
where we will be. You will call at the time that I tell you, which looks like it
will be two thirty your time on christmas day. I will be able to talk for around
an hour and then I will have to say good bye.
I'm sorry about Grandma Bullough and I hope that she makes a quick recovery. I
will pray for her. I'll try and fast too.
I am glad that you are social butterflies back home. Its fun to have little
parties like that lined up.
Oh and hans (Stephanies husband) could have served in a different Rio Branco.
Apparently they are two. Make sure he knows that I am in the one in Canoas. How
does he spell his last name? Maybe I will ask some members if they knew him.
I thought about it and I dont think that I will ditch the garment bag. At least for now. Its a nice bag and I think that I will be fine. Some day I might have to though. I loved the christmas conference because I got to talk to many people from my district at the CTM. I spoke with Elders Bowerman, Andersen, Feller, and Demille and Sister Baird. They all seem to be doing great. From what it sounds like as we spoke they can all understand better than they can speak but they feel like they can speak fairly well. It sounded like it too. I defintately dont understand as well as they do but again many people complimented my portuguese. I have a studying strategy that I think is pretty cool. When I am talking with members and I think of a story, joke, riddle, or something else that I want to say but cant, I study the words and practice with my comp and then with families. I learn many new words from this.
To describe my area a little bit better, I live on the edge of my area pretty close to the trainstation, which is pretty convenient. At the end of my street is a grocery store where we can by necessities, on the other end of the street is a barbershop and a bakery. A little further on a different street, still really close to where we live is a place to make copies of things and buy office supplies and a place to e-mail. We pretty much have everything we want fairly close. We live in the back and the lady that lives in front has a son that is a member. She apparently doesn't want to get baptized but she seems to love us because she gives us food all of the time. Yesterday night she brought us two pizzas, a two liter of coke, and cake! Aw man! Also last night Renaldo's family invited us over for dinner and surprised my companion with a birthday cake. They were singing and playing music and everything. It was great! There are dogs everywhere here. Every house has at least one but usually more. Renaldos family has 6. They are constantly barking. There are people that play some incredibly annoying advertisement music in there cars or on there bikes as they drive by trying to sell stuff. For the most part my area has just pavement to walk on but some places the road is just a bunch of dirt and rocks and sometimes cobblestone. They way people get rid of garbage is either by throwing it on the ground (there is garbage everywhere) Or they put it in this little cage looking thing in front of their house. A garbage truck drives by and usually two or three men are frantically running around trying to grab all of the trash and throw it into the truck. The truck doesnt ever seem to slow down for them. Anyways, I have to go. I will talk to you soon!
Elder Bullough
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
December 8, 2009
Hoy Familia!
Como estão coisas em Colorado? Eu estou gostando muito de minha missaõ. Eu estou num distrito com todos brasileros. Meu novo companeiro não fala qualquer ingles.
The mission is great and I love it out here. I have more funny stuff for you. I was in Niteroi before. The neighboring area is Rio Branco. It has elders K. Silva and Bostrom. Elder Bostrom had some how been in the same area for a very long time, around seven months which is pretty unusual. Now Elder Bostrom finally got transferred and I got moved over to that area with Elder K. Silva. Elder P. Silva's companion is elder W. Silva. No Joke. Because Niteroi is right next to us, sometimes if we both don't have a lunch appointment, we like to eat together. So Elder Bullough and the three silvas go eat. In my old district I had two other americans. Elder Sinden, Elder Sousa's companion was also transferred and the two new missionaries that came into our district are brasileiros. That leaves me the greenie missionary with five brazilian missionaries. Only one speaks a little english, Elder P. Silva. So I am learning very fast now. Everytime I think of a story that I can share with members or something that happened to me, I look up the words I need and practice telling the story to my companion, other missionaries and members. I am learning fast but my main problem is still with understanding. I am getting much better at it though.
Last Sunday was my first Sunday in the Rio Branco ward. I embarrassed myself in front of the entire ward. I noticed that somehow I spilled something on my pants or had a wierd stain and was looking at my pants when the first counselor said, "We have a new missionary in the ward, Elder Bullough please stand." I wasn't paying any attention. Elder K. Silva grabbed my left arm and began to shake it. He said, "Levanta! Levanta!" Levanta is to raise in english, just plain levanta is to stand up, but it can be used for raise your hand too. Because he was shaking my arm and saying Levanta, I assumed that they asked me to raise my hand so they could see who I was. Nope. Elder K. Silva then grabbed my other arm too and tried to lift me up. I thought for some reason, "oh my other arm." So I lifted my right arm. The whole ward was laughing by now. "Não Elder! Você Elder! Você Levanta!" Oh! I stood up, very red and embarrassed. aw man.
I want to send some things home but most of it would be expensive to send. I am thinking that many of the things that I want to buy for you guys and suvineoirs for me too I will buy at the end of my mission and take home. Smaller things that I can send home I will send with packages.
I am actually about ready to send another DVD home with photos and videos. It has baptismal pictures too. I am fairly frusturated because one of the photos that was taken of a family that I really love was very blurry. The guy who took it didn't pay attention to how blurry it was. i am trying to get it from another missionary.
To answer some questions, american resturantes here aren't easy to find but they are definately here. You have to go more into the city to see them. None in Niteroi or Rio Branco but yes in Porto Alegre. Yes they have regular shopping malls but that too you can find in the city. I think that eventually I will have to buy new shoes out here. I still have a while but the ones that I have had the longest that weren't new, are too small and hurt my feet. I try to keep them polished and shiny and where them to church and the temple and things I want to look nice in. One pair still looks just find but the other... Remember that pair of shoes that when we bought it at Men's Warehouse I didn't want them and didn't like the way they looked? Well, I love them and wear them all of the time! The heels of my shoes are peeling off and I was told that super bond fixes that. This is the first day wearing them with super bond and so far it works. I will probably eventually have to get new shoes though. Two months into the field and one pair is too small and the other is falling apart. I still have one really good pair. To be completely honest with you on how all of my stuff is working out, I would say great. I advice anybody that is going on a mission to use a backpack. They save your back from so much pain. All of my pants are doing fine. I sewed the pocket back onto my shirt that ripped, but I had to throw out the one that a pen exploded in while I was in the CTM. I don't have enough garments and will probably have to buy some the next time I go to the temple. Somehow, while at the ctm three bottoms to my garments disappeared. I have ten tops and seven bottoms give or take one or two. The garment bag that I came with is very nice but totally unnecessary. The transfer was only to the neighboring area but the garment bag made it very hard. I hate to say it but next transfer I might have to ditch the garment bag. My skin is healing quickly. I dont know what happened before but it was really bad.
To continue, thank you for sending pictures! I havent gotten them yet but I am excited to have something to show others. I hope you were able to send an album. If not I can probably get one here somewhere.
PACKAGES: To clarify everything, The address I gave should be correct, I havent recieved any packages yet because aparrently we only recieve them once per transfer. When we have our zone conference all of the packages are brought to the conference and we pick them up there. I will get all of my packages probably on the 21st which is when we will have our conference. If i dont get anything then, I will be worried.
My area is Rio Branco. I love the house better, the ward is bigger, and I am learning so much more portuguese. Our house is in the back again, and it is behind this nice lady who brings us food all of the time. Which is so cool because we dont spend much money on food and it helps out a ton. Just down the street from our house we have a barbershop where I can get my hair cut and a bakery that sell sonios. Hmmmm Sonios. Sonios (Dreams in english) are pretty much a donut loaded with mumu. Mumu is similar to carmel but definately not the same thing. Next to our house down the street in the other house is a big market where we can buy our necessities. The area is across the highway from niteroi and looks the same, it is a small area with lots of dogs. The houses vary in size. There can be a huge house next to a tiny shack. I dont like my companion that much. He is lazy and likes to slack off. Lucky with my enthusiasm and love for the work, I push us. Our old zone leaders told me once that they took the average number of lessons taught per day and everyone was teaching an average of 2 lessons. That is pathetic. We should be able to teach at minimum 3 on a bad day. Not to get stuck on numbers or anything but he is right! I hate walking from one side of the area to another without talking to anyone. It is a waste of time. As we walk to appointments we should be talking to people. My first full day here Elder K. Silva said that our goal for the day on lessons taught would be 3 but I said no. I said that we would teach 6. We accomplished that goal. We actually do work pretty well together. My enthusiasm combined with his experience, sometimes I have to force him into a situation where he has to talk because he doesn't like tracting. Nobody does. Some people are rude.
Anyway we got a baptism date yesterday! Luciano a reference from my old bishop in Niteroi! On the 9th of January! Oh yeah!
Time is up for the day, I got to go! Love you a ton and I will let you know about the packages!
Elder Bullough
Como estão coisas em Colorado? Eu estou gostando muito de minha missaõ. Eu estou num distrito com todos brasileros. Meu novo companeiro não fala qualquer ingles.
The mission is great and I love it out here. I have more funny stuff for you. I was in Niteroi before. The neighboring area is Rio Branco. It has elders K. Silva and Bostrom. Elder Bostrom had some how been in the same area for a very long time, around seven months which is pretty unusual. Now Elder Bostrom finally got transferred and I got moved over to that area with Elder K. Silva. Elder P. Silva's companion is elder W. Silva. No Joke. Because Niteroi is right next to us, sometimes if we both don't have a lunch appointment, we like to eat together. So Elder Bullough and the three silvas go eat. In my old district I had two other americans. Elder Sinden, Elder Sousa's companion was also transferred and the two new missionaries that came into our district are brasileiros. That leaves me the greenie missionary with five brazilian missionaries. Only one speaks a little english, Elder P. Silva. So I am learning very fast now. Everytime I think of a story that I can share with members or something that happened to me, I look up the words I need and practice telling the story to my companion, other missionaries and members. I am learning fast but my main problem is still with understanding. I am getting much better at it though.
Last Sunday was my first Sunday in the Rio Branco ward. I embarrassed myself in front of the entire ward. I noticed that somehow I spilled something on my pants or had a wierd stain and was looking at my pants when the first counselor said, "We have a new missionary in the ward, Elder Bullough please stand." I wasn't paying any attention. Elder K. Silva grabbed my left arm and began to shake it. He said, "Levanta! Levanta!" Levanta is to raise in english, just plain levanta is to stand up, but it can be used for raise your hand too. Because he was shaking my arm and saying Levanta, I assumed that they asked me to raise my hand so they could see who I was. Nope. Elder K. Silva then grabbed my other arm too and tried to lift me up. I thought for some reason, "oh my other arm." So I lifted my right arm. The whole ward was laughing by now. "Não Elder! Você Elder! Você Levanta!" Oh! I stood up, very red and embarrassed. aw man.
I want to send some things home but most of it would be expensive to send. I am thinking that many of the things that I want to buy for you guys and suvineoirs for me too I will buy at the end of my mission and take home. Smaller things that I can send home I will send with packages.
I am actually about ready to send another DVD home with photos and videos. It has baptismal pictures too. I am fairly frusturated because one of the photos that was taken of a family that I really love was very blurry. The guy who took it didn't pay attention to how blurry it was. i am trying to get it from another missionary.
To answer some questions, american resturantes here aren't easy to find but they are definately here. You have to go more into the city to see them. None in Niteroi or Rio Branco but yes in Porto Alegre. Yes they have regular shopping malls but that too you can find in the city. I think that eventually I will have to buy new shoes out here. I still have a while but the ones that I have had the longest that weren't new, are too small and hurt my feet. I try to keep them polished and shiny and where them to church and the temple and things I want to look nice in. One pair still looks just find but the other... Remember that pair of shoes that when we bought it at Men's Warehouse I didn't want them and didn't like the way they looked? Well, I love them and wear them all of the time! The heels of my shoes are peeling off and I was told that super bond fixes that. This is the first day wearing them with super bond and so far it works. I will probably eventually have to get new shoes though. Two months into the field and one pair is too small and the other is falling apart. I still have one really good pair. To be completely honest with you on how all of my stuff is working out, I would say great. I advice anybody that is going on a mission to use a backpack. They save your back from so much pain. All of my pants are doing fine. I sewed the pocket back onto my shirt that ripped, but I had to throw out the one that a pen exploded in while I was in the CTM. I don't have enough garments and will probably have to buy some the next time I go to the temple. Somehow, while at the ctm three bottoms to my garments disappeared. I have ten tops and seven bottoms give or take one or two. The garment bag that I came with is very nice but totally unnecessary. The transfer was only to the neighboring area but the garment bag made it very hard. I hate to say it but next transfer I might have to ditch the garment bag. My skin is healing quickly. I dont know what happened before but it was really bad.
To continue, thank you for sending pictures! I havent gotten them yet but I am excited to have something to show others. I hope you were able to send an album. If not I can probably get one here somewhere.
PACKAGES: To clarify everything, The address I gave should be correct, I havent recieved any packages yet because aparrently we only recieve them once per transfer. When we have our zone conference all of the packages are brought to the conference and we pick them up there. I will get all of my packages probably on the 21st which is when we will have our conference. If i dont get anything then, I will be worried.
My area is Rio Branco. I love the house better, the ward is bigger, and I am learning so much more portuguese. Our house is in the back again, and it is behind this nice lady who brings us food all of the time. Which is so cool because we dont spend much money on food and it helps out a ton. Just down the street from our house we have a barbershop where I can get my hair cut and a bakery that sell sonios. Hmmmm Sonios. Sonios (Dreams in english) are pretty much a donut loaded with mumu. Mumu is similar to carmel but definately not the same thing. Next to our house down the street in the other house is a big market where we can buy our necessities. The area is across the highway from niteroi and looks the same, it is a small area with lots of dogs. The houses vary in size. There can be a huge house next to a tiny shack. I dont like my companion that much. He is lazy and likes to slack off. Lucky with my enthusiasm and love for the work, I push us. Our old zone leaders told me once that they took the average number of lessons taught per day and everyone was teaching an average of 2 lessons. That is pathetic. We should be able to teach at minimum 3 on a bad day. Not to get stuck on numbers or anything but he is right! I hate walking from one side of the area to another without talking to anyone. It is a waste of time. As we walk to appointments we should be talking to people. My first full day here Elder K. Silva said that our goal for the day on lessons taught would be 3 but I said no. I said that we would teach 6. We accomplished that goal. We actually do work pretty well together. My enthusiasm combined with his experience, sometimes I have to force him into a situation where he has to talk because he doesn't like tracting. Nobody does. Some people are rude.
Anyway we got a baptism date yesterday! Luciano a reference from my old bishop in Niteroi! On the 9th of January! Oh yeah!
Time is up for the day, I got to go! Love you a ton and I will let you know about the packages!
Elder Bullough
December 1, 2009
Hola todo mundo!
I am sorry to say that I have no funny portuguese mistakes to report this week! Mom, my back is doing okay and my portuguese just keeps getting better. I had burger king. Probably the first and the last time that I will ever have it here. It was so expensive. 16 reais for a value meal! That is about equal to maybe 9 dollars! Whoa! I am staying healthy out here though and many people have complimented me on how thin I am getting (dont worry nothing bad). I have lost a couple of pounds from all of the walking but I am eating alot and I try to excercise in the morning. I am excited to recieve your packages! I will let you know of any necessities. I do have a question I guess. My face is breaking out. Pretty badly, some of the other missionaries told me that with the hotter air and the more humidity I am probably having some sort of reaction to it or something. It hurts to shave the right side of my face sometimes. I went to a lotion type store and asked them what to do. I bought from them some type of sensitive skin shaving cream that they said would help. When I put it on, it burns! I guess that means its working. What do you think? I have only used it for one day so far because I bought it yesterday.
The portuguese is coming along, I have the opposite problem that everyone has, I can actually speak portuguese okay, but I dont understand anything. A person will talk and I don't get what they are saying but when they write it down, I know exactly what they are saying. We had a good week today. We have grown really close to Neli's family. Neli and her soon to be husband, Jaime, and their four kids, Gabi, Laura, Lisianne, and one that I cant quite pronounce and kind of dont really know... Neli and Jaime signed the marriage papers this week and I guess are legitimatly married now. Neli and Gabi will be baptized this saturday and also have a wedding ceremony and a big party. Its awesome. Jaime doesn't want to get baptized because of tithing but I know that in time, whether or not Elder P. Silva and I are around, he will. He is the kind of person that if he joined the church he would go all out just like he should. He would pay tithing whether or not he has the money for it. That scares him, he doesn't want to damage his family by paying tithing when they dont have that much money to begin with. Elder P. Silva explained that tithing is a law of faith and that he just needs to rely on the lord to help him. He still wont budge.
Ionice went to church again, but this time in a different ward. When we did divisions with the Zone leaders a while back, I went to the area of Elder Green, one of the zone leaders, and taught with him. One family of investigators that he is teaching gave me the reference of Ionice. Ionice is there grandma, or the father of the family's mom. She went to their ward last sunday. She did say that she wants to be baptized and we are working on getting a baptismal date set up this week.
Many of our other investigators have come and gone. We feel like we are making progress but then they stop keeping commitments. We eventually have to drop them, but we have met some new cool people. We taught these two nice old ladies and they were very excepting. I hope I am not getting my hopes up too high, but they are really taking in everything we say and seemed excited to go to church with us this upcoming sunday. We will walk by their house and try to walk with them to church. Its awesome.
One thing that I did notice that will be helpful in the future that isn't too big of a deal right now is that axe, deoderant, and sunscreen are very expensive here. If you could slide some stuff like that into the next package that you send me that would be amazing.
I am glad that you had a good thanksgiving. I don't even remember what day was thanksgiving. we didn't do anything special, just worked. For christmas though, we have a big christmas conference and they split the mission into two parts. They have two different conferences at different times and afterwards I think that they take a big mission picture. I will get a copy of the one I will be in and one of the other half of the mission.
This is the final week of my first transfer here and I will probably stay here in the same area with my companion elder P. Silva for another transfer. After that from what I here, I will stay here another transfer, but recieve a new companion. That's apparently what happens to all of the newbies. I am growing to love brazil more and more but there are some difficulties. I will tell you one problem I had and then tell you the positive things next.
You have probably realized that missionaries, and home teachers too, always ask, "Is there anything we can do for you or anything that you need help with?" They always say something like that. Sometimes the members like to joke around and say stuff like, "Yeah you can paint my house" or "Yeah you can wash my cars" and everyone laughs and then the members says no we are fine thank you. Well we have one family of recent converts that we have been visiting because the husband will be baptized someday but is working on some problem that no one will tell us. The bishop I think knows but we dont. Anyway, I dont understand anything that is going on ever and I didn't realize that we had a service project. We wake up one morning and start getting ready and elder P. Silva says, "Elder we need to leave the house early today for a service project." We get ready and go to this family's house. The man's name is Jose. Our service project was to wash his two cars, his motorcycle, and Spray the floor of his garage. First off he has two cars and a motorcycle, most people here have to walk everywhere they go. this means that he is pretty wealthy and I dont think that washing his cars is a greaty use of a missionariy's time. I did realize though, that I have been called to SERVE. So I thought, "okay, keep your head up, be patient, and help this man." I started helping clean the car and he kept telling me I was doing it wrong. I wasn't doing in wrong, I was just doing it different. I could tell that he was trying to fine "Little kid" jobs for me because he thought I didn't know how to work. One problem was that I couldn't understand almost everything he said and the other was that everytime I tried to do something the way I would have back home got frusturated and told me I was doing something wrong. He told me to start sweeping all of these little tiny leaf thingys that fell from a tree in his front of his house off the sidewalk. I tried to, but the broom wasn't picking up anything. So I grabbed the house and started spraying it off. The same way we use the house back home to clean our driveway or patio. As I was doing it Elder P. Silva was busy cleaning the car while this man, jose, just stood there watching me work and said mean things about me. I may not understand a lot but I am no idiot. I heard him say something about americans and work. When jose ran back inside the house to grab something, I asked what he said. Elder P. Silva explained that he said I look like an american who has never had to work for anything in my life and my parents probably just give me anything. Elder P. Silva felt uncomfortable telling me this because he really disagrees with jose. I was so mad, I am at this man's house wasting my time. We gave up our study time to help him. I could have been improving my knowledge of the gospel or helping someone who needed it. I continued working and he continued to make fun of me.
A couple days later we had family home evening with their family. When we showed up Jose wasnt even home and they hadn't started preparing anything. Jose finally got home and we told him that we need to leave at nine so that we can get home ontime. We have to be back in our house by nine thirty. He told us that it doesnt take that long and we should leave at nine thirty. Again Elder P. Silva is doing all of the talking because I dont understand. The man took us to the grocery store to buy some stuff for dinner. We got to back to their house at nine fifteen. We knew that we needed to leave so we asked if we could share a quick message. Jose put us off and kept telling us to wait. I dont know much about the culture and what is rude and what is not so I didn't say anything, but I had the words ready. Nos precisamos sair. We need to leave. Anyway, they had dinner for us ready at nine thirty and we didnt leave there house until ten. We got home at ten fifteen. Forty five minutes late. We missed our planning time and pretty much just went to bed. This man knew that we were supposed to leave at nine and we actually had to beg him for a ride home. He wouldn't give us one until his daughter begged too. Man I was mad.
The good that I mentioned earlier is that we had two other service projects this week and they were for people who needed it. One project we weeded a yard for a family. The mom is not a member but her sons are. The oldest is 16 and he gets everyone to church every sunday. I was happy to help. We also helped another man who recently got out of the hospital clean up a big storage garage. I felt good helping these people.
Life is hot out here. There have been a few days where I have taken three showers. One in the morning, one after some sort of labor, service projects, or on P-day when we play sports and then one at night. The missionary health guide actually tells us that we should take at least two showers a day. Pretty crazy huh?
I have stopped worrying about the language so much. As long as I do what I am supposed to, it will come. Fear only gets in the way, fear is the opposition of faith. I have finished my Search for happiness. It is a great book. I learned a lot. I am in alma in the book of mormon and have been slowly going through it because I read other material also. I love you guys and think about how you are all doing. Keep working hard at home. I learn more and more everyday. My purpose as a missionary is not to baptize. It is to INVITE others to come unto Christ by helping them recieve the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, recieving the holy ghost and enduring to the end. Notice that the purpose is to INVITE others not force them not make these choices for them.
Work hard and I will see you all in August of 2011!
Elder Bullough
I am sorry to say that I have no funny portuguese mistakes to report this week! Mom, my back is doing okay and my portuguese just keeps getting better. I had burger king. Probably the first and the last time that I will ever have it here. It was so expensive. 16 reais for a value meal! That is about equal to maybe 9 dollars! Whoa! I am staying healthy out here though and many people have complimented me on how thin I am getting (dont worry nothing bad). I have lost a couple of pounds from all of the walking but I am eating alot and I try to excercise in the morning. I am excited to recieve your packages! I will let you know of any necessities. I do have a question I guess. My face is breaking out. Pretty badly, some of the other missionaries told me that with the hotter air and the more humidity I am probably having some sort of reaction to it or something. It hurts to shave the right side of my face sometimes. I went to a lotion type store and asked them what to do. I bought from them some type of sensitive skin shaving cream that they said would help. When I put it on, it burns! I guess that means its working. What do you think? I have only used it for one day so far because I bought it yesterday.
The portuguese is coming along, I have the opposite problem that everyone has, I can actually speak portuguese okay, but I dont understand anything. A person will talk and I don't get what they are saying but when they write it down, I know exactly what they are saying. We had a good week today. We have grown really close to Neli's family. Neli and her soon to be husband, Jaime, and their four kids, Gabi, Laura, Lisianne, and one that I cant quite pronounce and kind of dont really know... Neli and Jaime signed the marriage papers this week and I guess are legitimatly married now. Neli and Gabi will be baptized this saturday and also have a wedding ceremony and a big party. Its awesome. Jaime doesn't want to get baptized because of tithing but I know that in time, whether or not Elder P. Silva and I are around, he will. He is the kind of person that if he joined the church he would go all out just like he should. He would pay tithing whether or not he has the money for it. That scares him, he doesn't want to damage his family by paying tithing when they dont have that much money to begin with. Elder P. Silva explained that tithing is a law of faith and that he just needs to rely on the lord to help him. He still wont budge.
Ionice went to church again, but this time in a different ward. When we did divisions with the Zone leaders a while back, I went to the area of Elder Green, one of the zone leaders, and taught with him. One family of investigators that he is teaching gave me the reference of Ionice. Ionice is there grandma, or the father of the family's mom. She went to their ward last sunday. She did say that she wants to be baptized and we are working on getting a baptismal date set up this week.
Many of our other investigators have come and gone. We feel like we are making progress but then they stop keeping commitments. We eventually have to drop them, but we have met some new cool people. We taught these two nice old ladies and they were very excepting. I hope I am not getting my hopes up too high, but they are really taking in everything we say and seemed excited to go to church with us this upcoming sunday. We will walk by their house and try to walk with them to church. Its awesome.
One thing that I did notice that will be helpful in the future that isn't too big of a deal right now is that axe, deoderant, and sunscreen are very expensive here. If you could slide some stuff like that into the next package that you send me that would be amazing.
I am glad that you had a good thanksgiving. I don't even remember what day was thanksgiving. we didn't do anything special, just worked. For christmas though, we have a big christmas conference and they split the mission into two parts. They have two different conferences at different times and afterwards I think that they take a big mission picture. I will get a copy of the one I will be in and one of the other half of the mission.
This is the final week of my first transfer here and I will probably stay here in the same area with my companion elder P. Silva for another transfer. After that from what I here, I will stay here another transfer, but recieve a new companion. That's apparently what happens to all of the newbies. I am growing to love brazil more and more but there are some difficulties. I will tell you one problem I had and then tell you the positive things next.
You have probably realized that missionaries, and home teachers too, always ask, "Is there anything we can do for you or anything that you need help with?" They always say something like that. Sometimes the members like to joke around and say stuff like, "Yeah you can paint my house" or "Yeah you can wash my cars" and everyone laughs and then the members says no we are fine thank you. Well we have one family of recent converts that we have been visiting because the husband will be baptized someday but is working on some problem that no one will tell us. The bishop I think knows but we dont. Anyway, I dont understand anything that is going on ever and I didn't realize that we had a service project. We wake up one morning and start getting ready and elder P. Silva says, "Elder we need to leave the house early today for a service project." We get ready and go to this family's house. The man's name is Jose. Our service project was to wash his two cars, his motorcycle, and Spray the floor of his garage. First off he has two cars and a motorcycle, most people here have to walk everywhere they go. this means that he is pretty wealthy and I dont think that washing his cars is a greaty use of a missionariy's time. I did realize though, that I have been called to SERVE. So I thought, "okay, keep your head up, be patient, and help this man." I started helping clean the car and he kept telling me I was doing it wrong. I wasn't doing in wrong, I was just doing it different. I could tell that he was trying to fine "Little kid" jobs for me because he thought I didn't know how to work. One problem was that I couldn't understand almost everything he said and the other was that everytime I tried to do something the way I would have back home got frusturated and told me I was doing something wrong. He told me to start sweeping all of these little tiny leaf thingys that fell from a tree in his front of his house off the sidewalk. I tried to, but the broom wasn't picking up anything. So I grabbed the house and started spraying it off. The same way we use the house back home to clean our driveway or patio. As I was doing it Elder P. Silva was busy cleaning the car while this man, jose, just stood there watching me work and said mean things about me. I may not understand a lot but I am no idiot. I heard him say something about americans and work. When jose ran back inside the house to grab something, I asked what he said. Elder P. Silva explained that he said I look like an american who has never had to work for anything in my life and my parents probably just give me anything. Elder P. Silva felt uncomfortable telling me this because he really disagrees with jose. I was so mad, I am at this man's house wasting my time. We gave up our study time to help him. I could have been improving my knowledge of the gospel or helping someone who needed it. I continued working and he continued to make fun of me.
A couple days later we had family home evening with their family. When we showed up Jose wasnt even home and they hadn't started preparing anything. Jose finally got home and we told him that we need to leave at nine so that we can get home ontime. We have to be back in our house by nine thirty. He told us that it doesnt take that long and we should leave at nine thirty. Again Elder P. Silva is doing all of the talking because I dont understand. The man took us to the grocery store to buy some stuff for dinner. We got to back to their house at nine fifteen. We knew that we needed to leave so we asked if we could share a quick message. Jose put us off and kept telling us to wait. I dont know much about the culture and what is rude and what is not so I didn't say anything, but I had the words ready. Nos precisamos sair. We need to leave. Anyway, they had dinner for us ready at nine thirty and we didnt leave there house until ten. We got home at ten fifteen. Forty five minutes late. We missed our planning time and pretty much just went to bed. This man knew that we were supposed to leave at nine and we actually had to beg him for a ride home. He wouldn't give us one until his daughter begged too. Man I was mad.
The good that I mentioned earlier is that we had two other service projects this week and they were for people who needed it. One project we weeded a yard for a family. The mom is not a member but her sons are. The oldest is 16 and he gets everyone to church every sunday. I was happy to help. We also helped another man who recently got out of the hospital clean up a big storage garage. I felt good helping these people.
Life is hot out here. There have been a few days where I have taken three showers. One in the morning, one after some sort of labor, service projects, or on P-day when we play sports and then one at night. The missionary health guide actually tells us that we should take at least two showers a day. Pretty crazy huh?
I have stopped worrying about the language so much. As long as I do what I am supposed to, it will come. Fear only gets in the way, fear is the opposition of faith. I have finished my Search for happiness. It is a great book. I learned a lot. I am in alma in the book of mormon and have been slowly going through it because I read other material also. I love you guys and think about how you are all doing. Keep working hard at home. I learn more and more everyday. My purpose as a missionary is not to baptize. It is to INVITE others to come unto Christ by helping them recieve the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, recieving the holy ghost and enduring to the end. Notice that the purpose is to INVITE others not force them not make these choices for them.
Work hard and I will see you all in August of 2011!
Elder Bullough
November 24, 2009
Hoy Todo Mundo!
Wow what a week! I cant remember what I told you from last time but I do have some more funny things that I said on accident. I can actually speak portuguese fairly well, but I never understand what anybody is saying. Everybody else has the opposite problem. Every other missionary I ask says that when they started the mission they could understand but they couldnt speak. Anyway, I have been practicing this story in portuguese and telling other families and brazilian missionaries it to help me practice my speaking. I will share it with you first in portuguese, see if you can understand.
Elder P. Silva e eu estavamos almoçando com um otro membro, Irma Tanya, e ela disse "Come mais Elder." Eu respondi, "Não, Não, satisfed obrigado." Ela començou falando muito rapido e eu não entendi. Ela disse, "Minha comida é muito ruim né?" Eu disse, "sim, sim." Opa!
Elder P. Silva and I were eating lunch with another member, Sister Tanya, and she said "Eat more Elder." I responded, "No, no, I am satisfied, thank you." She began speaking very fast and I didn't understand. She said, "My food is really bad isn't it?" I said, "yes, yes." Oops!
Whoa I learned my lesson. I will always say I don't understand instead of seen when I am confused. The other day, we were eating with Neli and Gabi's family. They are the one's that are going to be baptized really soon. Gabi is around natalie's age and Elder P. Silva wasn't paying attention when we tried to talk to him, so we were making fun of him. Finally when he noticed, I was trying to explain what happened in portuguese. I meant to say "I asked (Pedi) for juice," but instead I said, "I farted (pedei) for juice." That was awkward... haha oh well, another good story.
So Elder P. Silva told me to send you all a hug and that he says happy thanksgiving day.
Elder P. SIlva and I get along really well, but I do have some pet peeves. Now really, we do get along but I was fairl frusturated with him this week. When we walk he walks ridiculously fast. Even when we're not in a hurry for anything. I can usually keep up, but he is ignorant of his surroundings. He likes to reach up and pull leaves off of tree branches. When he does this, and I am behind him trying to catch up, the branch flips back and hits me in the face. He sometimes walks into the middle of the street and pulls out the map to see where we are going and then just stands there. He has almost gotten us hit by cars a couple of times and he has almost knocked two different people off of their bikes. He is crazy haha. As I try to catch up to him, when I fall behind, he isn't sensitive to where I am when I am trying to catch up. I'll be coming up on his left side and there is a parked car. Instead of moving a little bit to his right he walks me straight into the car! I have to fall behind him again or go around the car and end up behind him anyways. He walks me into people, trees, cars, walls, stop signs, everything! Anyway these are my pet peeves about my companion. He is awesome though and I love him. Oh! One more thing that I am wondering if it is wierd to be frusturated with him about. Remember Ionice? The nice lady that couldn't find a way to church and the bishop was going to help us find her a ride. She came to church! I was so excited to see her there! She has told us that she wants to be baptized and that she prayed about the book of mormon and knows that it is true. She came to church and was a little late. She entered during the final talk of sacrament meeting which was cool because the bishop was speaking. Elder P. Silva and I turned to her smiling and said hello and then listened to the rest of sacrament meeting. After sacrament meeting is where I want to know if it was okay to be frusturated. Elder P. Silva told Ionice where her next class was and then walked over to the missionaries in the other ward to say hello and chat. They are our good friends, but I imagined what it would be like to be in some church i have never been to, with nobody i know except for two missionaries who i have only know from their two visits to my house, sitting alone on a bench. I would feel uncomfortable. Luckly some members said hi and were friendly but nobody really talked to her. I was mad at Elder P. Silva because he knows that I cant quite hold a full conversation on my own yet. I said a quick prayer in my heart, "Heavenly father, please help me be able to communicate with this lady and make her feel more welcome." I walked away from the only people around that could translate for me, and sat next to Inonice, "Irma Ionice, I am so excited to see you here! How was sacrament meeting?" She replied by saying good and then began to talk a lot. I didn't understand everything but I do know that she said she had to take two buses to get there. I said wow and told her again that I am happy to see her in church. She asked me how the portuguese was going and I said that it is better but I still cant understand a lot of things. She told me that she would have to reschedule her next appointment with us because she forgot about a previous engagement that she had. I the very new junior companion who cant speak or understand portuguese very well said okay. I rescheduled with her and told her that I was going to go inform elder P. Silva and that class was starting and we would be there in a few. She went to class and I told elder P. Silva about the new appointment. I was frusturated with him again when we walked into the classroom and he sat in the very back away from everyone. Neli was in church too. Both of our investigators sat alone. We should have sat with somebody! Everybody in the gospel essentials class is either new to the church or an investigator and we sat next to nobody. I was annoyed.
I forgot to respond about calling you guys on christmas and how everything works. I can get a calling card here, everyone tells me that they are pretty cheap. I will call you guys sometime in advance, not sure when, and give you a phone number and a time that you need to call me on christmas. I will be at some members house most likely and you will call their phone and I will be able to talk to you. When I call you ahead of time it will be a short phone call, like "Hey mom, call me at this number on this day, i love you things are going great good bye." Its supposed to be pretty fast.
I sent the CD home in a package with some extra goodies and some letters. I was going to try and send some guarana, but it is expensive because of the weight. I might try some other time. it costed 34 reais to send it home. It was going to cost 30 but it was only 4 reais more for prioirity mail so I just did that.
Mom, you know how back home when I had wet clothes from rain, or snow, or sweat, or swimming and you would tell me to out them in the wash or hang them somewhere to dry because they will get moldy? I thought that was some sort of myth because I had never seen clothes get moldy before just because they are wet, until now. It rained from last wednesday to saturday. Both of my new pairs of shoes got wet. Luckly I am always trying to keep one pair of shoe dry and I had my old ones to wear. I wore those for two days while I left my other shoes propped up against the wall to dry because it was still pretty wet outside. After those two days I was happy to wear my new shoes again. I grabbed them and was surprised to see that they were green and white. All kinds of wierd stuff was growing all over them. I got a washcloth damp and cleaned off all of the mold. I then polished both of them again and they looked brandnew! Elder P. Silva lended me some spray that will protect my shoes from water and I used that on them. Now they are as good as new.
Man, what else happened this week... Oh yeah, umm... A member in the ward wants me to see if you guys can send some peanutbutter out for him. haha
OH! Today I went to the temple and the session was in portuguese! It was difficult but really cool. I love all three temples here that I have gotten to go to, but I still like the inside of the São Paulo temple the best, but I think that the outside of the Porto Alegre temple is awesome.
I didn't remember the name of grandmas cousin and I didn't know that she wasn't here yet so I asked the mission president if he was related to a linden or a darlene hurst and he said no. He said that it must be the new president, presdient knighton that is coming in tomorrow. Aw man, I missed them by one day. I should be able to see them, but the way that the temple works out here is pretty strange. I am allowed to go every three months. Why every three months? I don't know. Only certain areas that are close to the temple can go. My area, Canaos can, along with some other areas. Transfers are in two weeks and from what everyone tells me, I will most likely stay here with Elder P. sIlva but there is a small chance that he can get transferred. I should be able to go to the temple again. I am not sure how mission offices work everywhere else in the world but ours is pretty cool. I got to go see it today after the temple and after burger king (Which is really expensive here!) The mission office here is a legit building. It is like a small church building, what is the denver south mission office like?
For the most part all of the wierd stains came out except for one and elder P. SIlva says that he knows a what kind of bleach or something like that will get it out.
While I was at the mission office I found out that I will be going home August 30, 2011. That is a long time away. So it looks like I get to serve longer than 2 years. 2 years and four days! Woo!
On the CDs that I sent home I included some short videoclips that I took with my camera. Let me know if they work! Let me know if the Cd worked out ok so that I know if I can delete them off of my camera. It actually isnt a cd, its a dvd because of the movie clips. I hope that isnt a problem. Have you read "Our Search for Happiness?" I just started it and so far I like it.
In response to some of Brother Jenkins english help, I would like to say that it helps a lot! I also noticed that Stuff and things though very similiar I found that you need to remember that 'stuff' is only used for plural and that 'thing' can be plural or not.
What about somebody and someone? When can you use those?
Portuguese and English are both very difficult I was trying to explain the pronounciation and difference between
Latter (Latter day saints)
Ladder
Later
Letter
He had trouble with those.
I have trouble because for english we have one word that means many things in portuguese they have mulitple words.
Fazer means to do and to make
Obra, Tarefa, and Trabalho all mean work
I cant think of anything more to write so Até approxima semana!
Elder Bullough
November 17, 2009
Hola Familia!
Wow life is crazy out here!
I want to let anybody who reads this know how much I love the scriptures. My testimony of their truthfulness has increased so much since I left Colorado three short months ago. I was challenged by my bishop to read the Book of Mormon from beginning to end from the time I got my mission call to the time I leave. I had five months to do it. I kept putting it off and when I tried to read, it was a chore to me. I felt that it got in the way of other things I could be doing. I knew that I needed to read it, and I love my church, but sitting down and reading the Book of Mormon was challenging for me. I did not finish it before I left. I was only in 2 Nephi. In the CTM, I started over and read the it from beginning to end in one month. When I entered the mission field 3 weeks ago, I started reading it again and I am already in Mosiah. Reading of the Book of Mormon is fun and I look forward to it. I find joy in reading the scriptures. This second time through I have been studying them a little more in depth. When I read something that I don't understand or something that I understand and really like, I look at all of the footnotes for the verse. If the footnotes sticks out to me and I really like it or if it makes something clearer. I circle the little letter thats by the work and I highlight the footnote. Its awesome. Everyday I learn something new from the scriptures. Some are fairly obvious things that I should have learned before. I love the Book of Mormon.
This week was rough. I felt that satan had a strong grasp on me. I was kind of depressed. After reading your letters last week I felt that maybe I wasn't being the missionary that I wanted to be. Don't worry dad, I'm good now. I also was starting to get really annoyed with everything. I don't know why, my patience was awful. I found my companion annoying, was doubting whether or not i will ever learn portuguese, and was feeling like we were unsuccessful. Dad the things you say I really take to heart. In the surprise letter in my suitcase you said 'return with honor' I thought that it was really cheesy but I started to realize when I get back on want to be able to look anyone in the face and tell them "I tried my hardest." You also mentioned that I have just one shot at this so I should give it my all. My feet have been killing me, my back has been killing me, things were rough. We had a ward meeting about the upcoming baptisms and they wanted to plan when to have everything. Neli needs to get married and the wedding is coming up. So the ward wanted to make sure that we had the wedding, the baptism, and a big christmas slash welcome to the ward party. The meeting shouldn't have been very long but it was. Most of the members were disappointed with the schedule because we had to put off the party for now. It became a big dispute and everyone started arguing about the party. Elder P. Silva tried to explain that the party is not important right now. The baptism is. I was disappointed and discouraged after hearing all of this arguing over having a party. Stake conference is coming up too and we were trying to get everything to fit into everyone's schedules. BAPTISM IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A PARTY! I was mad and starting to really be frusturated with the members here in Brazil.
We had also visited this lady named Ionice. She was very excepting of what we had to say and I invited her to church and she accepted. She said that she would need a ride though. In my head I was thinking piece of cake. It wasn't. I was talking to Elder P. Silva about finding her a ride and he said that we probably cant find one. He said something about how the bishops here in Rio Grand de Sul don't like to give investigators a ride to church and if they dont, they wont want the members to give rides either. I was so frusturated. Missionary work is impossible without the help of members.
Now that I have established the bad things about the week I want to tell you the good things that happened, the week ended very well and everything got much better. The bishop told us that he will try to find a ride to ionice and that it might be hard because many of the members already help other members get to church because some dont have a car. I can understand that a bit better. We also met with some other members that told us the importance of baptism and that the party is the last thing on the priority list. I was happy to know that not all of the members were like this. Elder P. Silva saw that I was down and I told him that I felt we could be working harder. He took it to heart and we did. Its rough sometimes. Sunday we had five appointments and they all fell, but we were working hard. I went on the division and went with Elder Souza. I was very scared because he speaks only portuguese and he is a new missionary. We taught a couple of investigators. I made sure to speak as much as I could to try and help him and I use the fact that I am an american learning the language as an advantage. People seem to pay way more attention when they realize everything you say you really have to work for. I communicated with him alright and we are actually pretty good friends now.
As for my doubts with the language, I was looking for my answer in the scriptures. I started searching for verses on the gifts of the spirit like the gift of tounges or interpretation of tounges. I came across a scriputure that I really like and that I know that Dad really likes. In Alma 17, Alma meets up with his friends the sons of Mosiah and is happy to know they are still men of God. It mentions that he is even more happy to know that they gave themselves up to much fasting and praying and had received the gifts of revelation and prophecy. So I decided to do just that. I said a big prayer, and started to fast. I fasted from 2:00 in the afternoon to about 2:00 in the after noon the next day. I closed with a big prayer and ate at a buffet with Elder P. Silva haha. I have noticed a difference. Nothing big, but I feel a little more confidence in myself which is what I needed. I try to use at least one new word everyday to expand my vocabulary and when we share a message with members and it is my turn, I try to use a new scripture and on the spot try to give a message. It teaches me a lot and everyone is always patient with me.
Another funny story for you with language. I have found it much harder to understand than to speak. People talk so fast! Sometimes I understand what they are talking about, but not what they said exactly. We were eating at a members house and the members always say "Eat more elder!" If you have seen me eat at home, I am not that big of an eater. I told the lady,"No thank you, I am satisfied." She started talking really fast and I was understanding that it was about the food and I thought she was talking about how I eat slow and I eat small amounts of food. I was nodding and nodding and then I said "yeah" Elder P. Silva almost shot the Guarana that he was drinking out his nose and all over the table. He turned around and asked me if I understood and I said no. The lady had said eat more elder, I said no thank you I am satisfied and then she said my food is really bad isnt it? I said yes... I told the lady that the meal was awful. I apologized and said that I didnt understand and that I thought it was really good and then, even though I was full, forced down another helping.
I am sending a CD home with all of my photos on it and a few short video clips. I would like to try to send one to Sarah but I dont know if it will happen so if you could some how get her a copy that will be much easier. I am going to use a different memory stick and keep all of my photos on the other one until I hear that you got the cd and saw all of my photos.
Thank you family for the letters! Sarah your photos arrived and I loved seeing them! Its awesome please, everyone, send me photos! I have been asked by many other missionaries to show them photos of my family and what I was like before the mission. I have two photos. One of Sarah, Rob, and Robbie and one of everybody else at christmas. I got the photo of Brandon that was sent with the halloween card and I got a bunch from sarah. Its awesome.
The other day we were teaching a part member family and the father of the family sings in a band and he sings in english. He doesn't speak english and it was really cool to see how he sings what he sings. He listens to the song and writes the english words down all wierd, just how he hears them. Portuguese pronunciation and everything. He actually sounds really good and sings songs that made me realize how much I miss listening to music with Dad and John. He is going to give us a cd and I will show you guys when I return. I cant listen to it while I am hear though, but it will be cool to have.
Mom I want you to know that I am trying to take photos whenever I can. I also write in my journal every night. Being a missionary has taught me somethings that I should already have been doing. I take better care of my stuff because of experience. I might need to get new church shirts soon... One had a pen explode in the pocket and got stained. I threw that one away at the CTM. Another one the pocket ripped but I can just sew that back on. The other shirts have suffered wierd stains that i have no idea where they came from. I think a bird pooped on one while they were drying and it splattered on some other shirts... My shoes look really bad and I thought that they were already almost done for. I cleaned them and polished them and now they look brand new! Its great taking care of your own things.
Today Elder P. Silva and I cleaned the house this morning. It was in really bad shape. I am happy and things are going great now.
Second funny story. Mom, you sent that recipe for the brownies. Elder P. Silva is really excited to make them. I started listing off the ingredients that we need. When I said cocoa, I forgot that cocô means poop. So i asked Elder P. Silva if he wanted poop in his brownies. We had a good laugh about that one. Co-cow is how you pronounce it here.
Quick english questions. I dont know how to explain the following to Elder P. Silva:
1. When do you use in time, and when do you use on time?
2. When do you use less and when do you use fewer?
3. When do you use stuff and when do you use things?
Have Fun, be safe.
Até Mais,
Elder Bullough
Wow life is crazy out here!
I want to let anybody who reads this know how much I love the scriptures. My testimony of their truthfulness has increased so much since I left Colorado three short months ago. I was challenged by my bishop to read the Book of Mormon from beginning to end from the time I got my mission call to the time I leave. I had five months to do it. I kept putting it off and when I tried to read, it was a chore to me. I felt that it got in the way of other things I could be doing. I knew that I needed to read it, and I love my church, but sitting down and reading the Book of Mormon was challenging for me. I did not finish it before I left. I was only in 2 Nephi. In the CTM, I started over and read the it from beginning to end in one month. When I entered the mission field 3 weeks ago, I started reading it again and I am already in Mosiah. Reading of the Book of Mormon is fun and I look forward to it. I find joy in reading the scriptures. This second time through I have been studying them a little more in depth. When I read something that I don't understand or something that I understand and really like, I look at all of the footnotes for the verse. If the footnotes sticks out to me and I really like it or if it makes something clearer. I circle the little letter thats by the work and I highlight the footnote. Its awesome. Everyday I learn something new from the scriptures. Some are fairly obvious things that I should have learned before. I love the Book of Mormon.
This week was rough. I felt that satan had a strong grasp on me. I was kind of depressed. After reading your letters last week I felt that maybe I wasn't being the missionary that I wanted to be. Don't worry dad, I'm good now. I also was starting to get really annoyed with everything. I don't know why, my patience was awful. I found my companion annoying, was doubting whether or not i will ever learn portuguese, and was feeling like we were unsuccessful. Dad the things you say I really take to heart. In the surprise letter in my suitcase you said 'return with honor' I thought that it was really cheesy but I started to realize when I get back on want to be able to look anyone in the face and tell them "I tried my hardest." You also mentioned that I have just one shot at this so I should give it my all. My feet have been killing me, my back has been killing me, things were rough. We had a ward meeting about the upcoming baptisms and they wanted to plan when to have everything. Neli needs to get married and the wedding is coming up. So the ward wanted to make sure that we had the wedding, the baptism, and a big christmas slash welcome to the ward party. The meeting shouldn't have been very long but it was. Most of the members were disappointed with the schedule because we had to put off the party for now. It became a big dispute and everyone started arguing about the party. Elder P. Silva tried to explain that the party is not important right now. The baptism is. I was disappointed and discouraged after hearing all of this arguing over having a party. Stake conference is coming up too and we were trying to get everything to fit into everyone's schedules. BAPTISM IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A PARTY! I was mad and starting to really be frusturated with the members here in Brazil.
We had also visited this lady named Ionice. She was very excepting of what we had to say and I invited her to church and she accepted. She said that she would need a ride though. In my head I was thinking piece of cake. It wasn't. I was talking to Elder P. Silva about finding her a ride and he said that we probably cant find one. He said something about how the bishops here in Rio Grand de Sul don't like to give investigators a ride to church and if they dont, they wont want the members to give rides either. I was so frusturated. Missionary work is impossible without the help of members.
Now that I have established the bad things about the week I want to tell you the good things that happened, the week ended very well and everything got much better. The bishop told us that he will try to find a ride to ionice and that it might be hard because many of the members already help other members get to church because some dont have a car. I can understand that a bit better. We also met with some other members that told us the importance of baptism and that the party is the last thing on the priority list. I was happy to know that not all of the members were like this. Elder P. Silva saw that I was down and I told him that I felt we could be working harder. He took it to heart and we did. Its rough sometimes. Sunday we had five appointments and they all fell, but we were working hard. I went on the division and went with Elder Souza. I was very scared because he speaks only portuguese and he is a new missionary. We taught a couple of investigators. I made sure to speak as much as I could to try and help him and I use the fact that I am an american learning the language as an advantage. People seem to pay way more attention when they realize everything you say you really have to work for. I communicated with him alright and we are actually pretty good friends now.
As for my doubts with the language, I was looking for my answer in the scriptures. I started searching for verses on the gifts of the spirit like the gift of tounges or interpretation of tounges. I came across a scriputure that I really like and that I know that Dad really likes. In Alma 17, Alma meets up with his friends the sons of Mosiah and is happy to know they are still men of God. It mentions that he is even more happy to know that they gave themselves up to much fasting and praying and had received the gifts of revelation and prophecy. So I decided to do just that. I said a big prayer, and started to fast. I fasted from 2:00 in the afternoon to about 2:00 in the after noon the next day. I closed with a big prayer and ate at a buffet with Elder P. Silva haha. I have noticed a difference. Nothing big, but I feel a little more confidence in myself which is what I needed. I try to use at least one new word everyday to expand my vocabulary and when we share a message with members and it is my turn, I try to use a new scripture and on the spot try to give a message. It teaches me a lot and everyone is always patient with me.
Another funny story for you with language. I have found it much harder to understand than to speak. People talk so fast! Sometimes I understand what they are talking about, but not what they said exactly. We were eating at a members house and the members always say "Eat more elder!" If you have seen me eat at home, I am not that big of an eater. I told the lady,"No thank you, I am satisfied." She started talking really fast and I was understanding that it was about the food and I thought she was talking about how I eat slow and I eat small amounts of food. I was nodding and nodding and then I said "yeah" Elder P. Silva almost shot the Guarana that he was drinking out his nose and all over the table. He turned around and asked me if I understood and I said no. The lady had said eat more elder, I said no thank you I am satisfied and then she said my food is really bad isnt it? I said yes... I told the lady that the meal was awful. I apologized and said that I didnt understand and that I thought it was really good and then, even though I was full, forced down another helping.
I am sending a CD home with all of my photos on it and a few short video clips. I would like to try to send one to Sarah but I dont know if it will happen so if you could some how get her a copy that will be much easier. I am going to use a different memory stick and keep all of my photos on the other one until I hear that you got the cd and saw all of my photos.
Thank you family for the letters! Sarah your photos arrived and I loved seeing them! Its awesome please, everyone, send me photos! I have been asked by many other missionaries to show them photos of my family and what I was like before the mission. I have two photos. One of Sarah, Rob, and Robbie and one of everybody else at christmas. I got the photo of Brandon that was sent with the halloween card and I got a bunch from sarah. Its awesome.
The other day we were teaching a part member family and the father of the family sings in a band and he sings in english. He doesn't speak english and it was really cool to see how he sings what he sings. He listens to the song and writes the english words down all wierd, just how he hears them. Portuguese pronunciation and everything. He actually sounds really good and sings songs that made me realize how much I miss listening to music with Dad and John. He is going to give us a cd and I will show you guys when I return. I cant listen to it while I am hear though, but it will be cool to have.
Mom I want you to know that I am trying to take photos whenever I can. I also write in my journal every night. Being a missionary has taught me somethings that I should already have been doing. I take better care of my stuff because of experience. I might need to get new church shirts soon... One had a pen explode in the pocket and got stained. I threw that one away at the CTM. Another one the pocket ripped but I can just sew that back on. The other shirts have suffered wierd stains that i have no idea where they came from. I think a bird pooped on one while they were drying and it splattered on some other shirts... My shoes look really bad and I thought that they were already almost done for. I cleaned them and polished them and now they look brand new! Its great taking care of your own things.
Today Elder P. Silva and I cleaned the house this morning. It was in really bad shape. I am happy and things are going great now.
Second funny story. Mom, you sent that recipe for the brownies. Elder P. Silva is really excited to make them. I started listing off the ingredients that we need. When I said cocoa, I forgot that cocô means poop. So i asked Elder P. Silva if he wanted poop in his brownies. We had a good laugh about that one. Co-cow is how you pronounce it here.
Quick english questions. I dont know how to explain the following to Elder P. Silva:
1. When do you use in time, and when do you use on time?
2. When do you use less and when do you use fewer?
3. When do you use stuff and when do you use things?
Have Fun, be safe.
Até Mais,
Elder Bullough
Friday, November 13, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009
Hey everybody,
I am having the time of my life! It’s hard and fun. I am doing great! Dad, I know it’s not about the numbers ha-ha. I hope I didn't come off that way. Lisianne, Marcos, Lucas, Larissa, Neli, Gabi, and now Rafael will all be baptized at the end of this month. I have been able to, for the most part, teach Rafael from the start. Apparently he tried to commit suicide a while ago or something like that. He was really depressed and hated his life. His friend was worried about him and invited him to church. They are in another ward. So we were sent to his house. When we showed up the first time we were planning on just teaching him but almost his entire family was sitting down ready to hear us when we showed up. We taught the first lesson to the entire family. I shared the first vision from memory and the spirit was so strong. I remember looking at everyone as I shared it and they were all listening intently to hear what I had to say. I was amazed at how interested they were. We continued to teach them and have been back 3 times. We went there yesterday and it was the craziest thing ever. We had told Rafael to read moroni 10 and pray about it. He told us that he received his answer. It’s a crazy story. He prayed about our message the first time and he said that he felt nothing, but after reading Moroni he prayed and felt very happy. He went to bed and had a dream that he was at some sort of church activity and he was happy and so was everyone around him. Suddenly everything went black and he heard a voice tell him that this wasn't a way to be happy it wasn't true and it couldn't ever happen. After he heard a louder and greater voice tell him, "my son, this is my church this is my way." He and the other six investigators will all be baptized at the end of November and I am excited. We are working hard, though numbers are not what matters they are there to help us evaluate how we are doing. Did we spend too much time at someone's house? Were we slacking? We have been working hard. This week we got 18 new investigators! Most of them seem very receptive to our message and I hope things work out really well.
As for pictures, I continue to try to take a lot. I found out that there is a place nearby that I can put my pictures on a CD. I will do that today and send you home a package of some sort. I don't know what I will put in it. Don't expect too much, pictures, a letter, and maybe something small.
I hope I don’t come off annoying by telling you what I would like you to send me but I really would like a good frisbee out here. Oh! and as for a soccer jersey I got the best deal ever. The members out here love me. I talk a lot and make a fool of myself quite a bit, but everyone loves it. I was explaining to Rafael’s family that I am still trying to learn Portuguese and I told them that whenever I don’t know what is going on I smile nod and say talvez (Maybe). Just after I said that, the father of the house came into the room and heard me explain more about learning Portuguese. He then began to talk to me very very fast and I didn’t understand a single word. I was completely clueless so I smiled and said "talvez" everyone started laughing very hard and I later found out that he was talking about how one of two things could happen. I could either go back home and never speak the language again and forget it or I could fall in love with a black women from Brazil and marry her and move out here. I had said 'maybe' to that.
The kid is doing better. His arms are all wrapped up and he lays around a lot. I am very scared for this week. Last week we did two divisions, or splits. I went with the zone leader, Elder green, to his area. I learned so much for him. He was talking to one lady and turned to me and said, 'give me something' I asked what he wanted and he said anything. So I pulled out the one thing I had left in my bag. It was a pamphlet of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He took it and somehow incorporated it into what he was saying. He told her to read and pray about it and set up an appointment for later. They very next day we did a district division. Because my companion is district leader, I have to do the divisions with him. I went with Elder Bostrom another American elder that has been here for about a year. Things were great and I helped teach the second lesson. I am scared for this week because this time I am going with Elder Sousa to his area. Elder Sousa arrived the same time I did. He is Brazilian and speaks no English. He knows the language but he is still a newbie. He will lead the music and I will follow. When we do a division, you sleep in the area you serve in for the day. I will spend a whole day and a whole night with him and my Portuguese is still pretty awful. I am terrified. It will be a great learning experience though.
Sorry I am not capitalizing everything, this keyboards shift button doesn’t work. I will now try to answer everybody’s questions. Mom, yes I am still getting along with my companion, we don’t really split up chores, we are both very efficient and we don’t need to split things up, we just do it. I see dishes in the sink, I clean them. Elder P. Silva is tricky. One morning I was eating breakfast and he was in the bathroom. He cleaned the entire bathroom! I thought he was about to take a shower. After breakfast I showered and came out to find that he had cleaned the entire fridge! What a beast! I thanked him and tried to straighten up some things. A typical schedule would be wake up at 6:30 and exercise and prepare for the day; I usually start some laundry, iron my shirt, and make sure I have everything for the day. I also shower and get dressed. At seven thirty we eat breakfast. Elder P. SIlva and I love to eat fried eggs; sometimes we make a mean grilled cheese sandwich. At 8:00 personal study. I usually prepare a talk in Portuguese in case I get unexpectedly asked to speak in church in front of everyone. I also read the book of Mormon in English and try to memorize d&c 4 in Portuguese. I finished the book of Mormon while I was in the ctm and have started over again. I am halfway through 2 Nephi. At 9:00 we start companion study; we practice teaching and read parts of preach my gospel and talk about it. This week we want to practice teaching the second lesson because it’s the hardest to teach. At 10:00 we have language study. I teach him English and he teaches me Portuguese. He has kind of let me take control of what we will learn because I created a language study plan for myself. Whatever topic I want to learn we teach each other. Tomorrow preposition, Friday, parts of the body, stuff like that. At 10:30 we pray and both bare are testimonies and leave for the day. We usually head to our lunch which is with a member. After lunch we go to any appointments and in-between appointments we knock on doors and visit less actives and soon to be baptized families. We go back home by nine, nine thirty if we are teaching, and we eat, plan, personal time and go to bed. I have set a goal to write in my journal every single day out here even if it is just a little and so far from august 26 until now I have written in it. The most unusual thing that I have seen so far is dead animals and some weird religion. There are dogs everywhere. I have run into dying animals and strays. Also there is some sort of religion that bangs on drums really loud and sacrifices animals by putting a goat or something on a table and everyone just stabs it and tears it apart with knives and stuff. I haven't seen it but I have heard it and asked other missionaries about it.
That address I gave you last time is where you should send everything. Sarah, I think whatever you sent me should get here. I will keep my eye out for it. Nothing crazy with the food yet, lots of rice and beans, my area is a small town, but it is fairly populated I guess. The ctm mothered us. It is much more difficult out here, but I love it.
Dad, I do not know if the people here sweep dirt, I haven’t seen it yet. Oh and about the jersey that I mentioned earlier, a member sold me a real jersey for 30 reais. He doesn't wear it anymore. It got an incredible deal. I am a gremista. It means I like the team gremio. A lady that we ate lunch with said that when I first get transferred and leave this area she will give me a gremio bomba (the metal straw that you drink chimarrão with). I will most likely stay with elder p. Silva in this area for this next transfer.
I love you all, and sometimes I get trunky when I think about what thing will be like when I get home or when I get to call you, but don’t worry I am focused and working hard. Tell john to check his e-mail!
Até Mais,
Elder Bullough
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