NOVEMBER 18, 2013

Brasil!

Ok, so there`s about a million things I want to talk about so I´ll try to type fast. First off, I LOVE BRASIL!!!!!!!!!! California was great and all, but I can tell that I was meant to be here. It is so comforting to know that I was set a part to teach these people and that this is where I am supposed to be. I truly never felt that way in California. I thought I did, but now I know I didn´t.

Anyway, the plane ride here was so long, but incredibly worth it. And, I met up with three other sisters from my MTC district in Sao Paulo! I missed them so much and it was so awesome to have them to talk to while we drove 2 hours to Piracicaba. The weather here is so hot and I always have frodo hair. Always. My stupid straightener and blow dryer don´t work here, so feel free to send hair suggestions :) I don´t mind too much though.

So the first day here we had our interview with President Canuto. It was really short because he doesn´t speak English, but it was also good. It´s kind of weird being around a bunch of people who are talking and not be able to understand them. IT gets better every day though. I still can´t speak very well, but I understand more and more each day.

After our interviews, we went and met our trainers. We went to the church, which is dang pretty, and sat down to talk about stuff I didn´t understand because it was in Portuguese. We sang a hymn next and while we were singing, our trainers came in. It was so cool! Then President called our names and suspensefully called out our trainers name. I was second and I almost died I was so excited. MY trainer´s name is Sister Lopes and to say that i love her is an understatement. SHE IS THE BEST!!!!! Also, she doesn´t speak a word of English, so that´s been really fun as well:) Now, I love the trainers I had in California, but Sister Lopes is my real trainer. I love her so much and she is such a great missionary. Que Bom!!!

The rest of the week has been simply amazing. Our casa is nice, we spent all day cleaning it so it´s also clean, which is good. I don´t ever go bare foot though. Too many yucky things. Also, we have lizards that live in our yard area. I love them and sometimes I get anxious to hold them.

The food is amazing here. They have lunch as their big meal, so we usually eat that with members. I´m pretty sure if you don´t eat a store full of food then it´s considered rude. So I eat a boatload. I would feel bad about eating a truckload except our area is all hills and we walk everywhere. I am convinced my 8 half marathons and the whole marathon were to prepare me for these hills. They are awful, but I love it:)
I adore the members here. They just come up and talk to me and keep talking to me even when I have no idea what they are saying. The people we teach are the same way. IT was so hard to teach lessons in California because no one would talk to us, but here everyone talks to us. They may not be interested, but they still listen. so dang awesome.

Not knowing Portuguese is a little frustrating (actually a lot), but it´s getting there. I probably sound like a dang fool, the people here don´t care and love that I´m trying to learn.

I love you all, and I am so grateful that I get to serve in Brasil now. Thank you for your prayers. They worked!

 

Te amo!

Sister Whitney