The Crazy Crazies... Part 2
[Note: There was no email sent on May 28. She must have been crazy busy.]
June 4, 2012 email
So, we got a new ward mission leader. His name is Danielo. He’s like 20 and preparing for a mission. Shoot! He’s great and apologizes for the members here. They’re not the best to work with, granted, but what ward can’t improve? He has made the ward missionaries go tracting on the street! Baahaha! What a guy. He is very concerned with the same things we are working on. The last meeting we had with him, he wanted to reassure us that just because we aren’t getting numbers, it isn´t because we aren’t working. It is the work of the members we are missing. Holy cow, we are blessed with good ol’ Danielo.
Speaking of falling and kneeling… yesterday, I was wearing one of my Christine dresses and—well—the breeze doesn’t pick it up that well. Sad day. So, at the end of the day, we were kneeling to start our planning session; and I slipped on my sweaty knees. Luckily, my chair was there to catch me. Also, I have caught the symptom of sweating incessantly when I get nervous. There were 3 lessons in particular where I was so nervous, my arms were drenched. Sister DeO (real name is De Oliveira just in case y’all don’t know) commented on it later; and, boy, I just had to laugh at myself. My companion and I are getting better at switching back and forth now. That’s because Sister DeO found the section in PMG about switching off during teaching. I should have told her, but I’m in a very precarious situation that I really should just tip over because it’s not helping us. I feel weird because I’m the junior companion; but I really do, humbly, know more than she does about the gist of a mission life and what rules are what, etc. She’s more than willing to listen and include me on planning and such. (That’s because she wants a grandkid...in missionary terms!) I sometimes have to return back to my CTM experiences with my elders. Oh, my dear elders, how I miss them, because they would always make me restate my sentences when I was reprimanding them for goofing off. They would say, “Com amor, sister.” Haha, so I’m doing so. I have to admit, I blew up this week, but we both calmed down and apologized. Sister DeO realized she was in the wrong and needed to work on the thing I addressed, unfortunately, angrily. Yes, Brandon, I was shaking, hahaha. What an experience. It wasn’t like I was outraged, but it was sucking all my energy to express myself in Portuguese and not get too out of hand. Sometimes, Sister DeO needs to realize that what I’m saying (when I actually do speak) is critical. I also need to remember that, although she has been a member for 9 years, she has been active only just recently—like 2 years or so.
It’s nice to have Sister Diller and Sister Soneghet there, too. They help us a lot and even more so now that our DL is making us practice together every day. Sister Diller is American and a laid-back but fun-loving kind of person. When I do joke with her, it’s nice because we have similar personalities. Sister SoneSone speaks English pretty well because she studied in the U.S. She is pretty much engaged, both parents served a mission, and her parents live in Espirito Santo, which is only one mission away.
I brought up family history because I have been feeling like that’s going to make or break the work here and really resolve to build a temple. Obviously, baptisms and retention will always be a struggle, but I feel like the field is white here for vicarious work. Danielo admitted that is kind of last on the list right now. But I bore my testimony of the work and that those we help on the other side will help us accomplish the things we can’t do here. Shoot, even the less-actives can catch fire with the spirit of Elijah. I understood that the plate of “what to do´s” is really full, but I stood my ground on the subject; and he said he’ll bring it up.
We were running late for almoço [lunch] on the other side of town, so we took “The Trail.” Yeah… people have been killed on that trail, and there is always rotting stuff. We have only taken it 3 times now. We were going to take it one day, but there was a vulture festa over a dog carcass. The next week, the dog was gone, bones and all. That kind of stuff makes me happy, for some reason. “The trail” I have christened Vultureville; and we usually run, which makes me even happier than you can ever believe!
Speaking of being happy… Sister Taylor came!!!!!! [Directly from the CTM.] She was at the chapel where we have district meetings, so she’s in my zone; and she has Sister Do Vale as her trainer. This is Sister Do Vale’s first American but like her 6th trainee or something like that. It was so great to see Sister Taylor, and I was filled with inexpressible joy. I almost reveled in the idea that, yeah, she has to go through exactly what I have gone through. I felt bad for thinking this, but Sister DeO pointed out that I’m probably happy because I can see just how far I have come. I pray for Sister Taylor because she lives alone with her trainer, which will be tough; but she can endure.
Sister DeO said the other day that this city, Santa Margarida, is the worst out of all the areas in the WHOLE mission. She said God really trusts me here, my first area, with a Brazilian trainer. Sister SoneSone said a few weeks ago, “Sister Nelson came trained.” She didn’t know I was listening. Smiley face.
Stake conference was great; it was a broadcast. Sister Elaine Dalton spoke and President Monson and one of the 2 newest apostles… I get them mixed up. Is that normal? I don’t remember the last normal stake conference. Is it more normal to have specific stake conferences like that? Apparently, it was being broadcast to 99 stakes in Brazil, included in that was Rio and Recife.
LOVES LOVIES,
Oh WAIT!
So once upon a time, we were contacting a slightly drunk guy. My back was to the street, and he was asking our names. He didn’t understand me, and I didn’t understand him. He stepped closer to see my nametag; and Sister DeO said I was American, so I don’t understand everything and have a different name. He said, “Well then,” put his hands on my neck, and went in for a kiss!!!!! And you know what I did?!?!?! NOTHING! I was frozen with fear baaaah! What was I thinking?!?! I’m pretty sure I’m retarded. I leaned back but was thinking, “I can’t step into the street.” I knew he was touching me, and that was a NO-NO; but I didn’t want to touch him!! Hahaha! Good heavens! Sister DeO pushed him away, and we ran. Well, we ran after Sister DeO said, “VAMOS, sister!” I still was standing there like I was going to explain to him that wasn’t allowed. Durrr. What the crazy crap-diddly? That same day, we ran into the other drinker who was trying to explain to me where he lived and that he wanted a lover, but I didn’t understand him. Oh, Santa Margarida. What is in the water here? Or, rather, what is in the beer and prescription drugs here???
June 4, 2012 email
So, we got a new ward mission leader. His name is Danielo. He’s like 20 and preparing for a mission. Shoot! He’s great and apologizes for the members here. They’re not the best to work with, granted, but what ward can’t improve? He has made the ward missionaries go tracting on the street! Baahaha! What a guy. He is very concerned with the same things we are working on. The last meeting we had with him, he wanted to reassure us that just because we aren’t getting numbers, it isn´t because we aren’t working. It is the work of the members we are missing. Holy cow, we are blessed with good ol’ Danielo.
Speaking of falling and kneeling… yesterday, I was wearing one of my Christine dresses and—well—the breeze doesn’t pick it up that well. Sad day. So, at the end of the day, we were kneeling to start our planning session; and I slipped on my sweaty knees. Luckily, my chair was there to catch me. Also, I have caught the symptom of sweating incessantly when I get nervous. There were 3 lessons in particular where I was so nervous, my arms were drenched. Sister DeO (real name is De Oliveira just in case y’all don’t know) commented on it later; and, boy, I just had to laugh at myself. My companion and I are getting better at switching back and forth now. That’s because Sister DeO found the section in PMG about switching off during teaching. I should have told her, but I’m in a very precarious situation that I really should just tip over because it’s not helping us. I feel weird because I’m the junior companion; but I really do, humbly, know more than she does about the gist of a mission life and what rules are what, etc. She’s more than willing to listen and include me on planning and such. (That’s because she wants a grandkid...in missionary terms!) I sometimes have to return back to my CTM experiences with my elders. Oh, my dear elders, how I miss them, because they would always make me restate my sentences when I was reprimanding them for goofing off. They would say, “Com amor, sister.” Haha, so I’m doing so. I have to admit, I blew up this week, but we both calmed down and apologized. Sister DeO realized she was in the wrong and needed to work on the thing I addressed, unfortunately, angrily. Yes, Brandon, I was shaking, hahaha. What an experience. It wasn’t like I was outraged, but it was sucking all my energy to express myself in Portuguese and not get too out of hand. Sometimes, Sister DeO needs to realize that what I’m saying (when I actually do speak) is critical. I also need to remember that, although she has been a member for 9 years, she has been active only just recently—like 2 years or so.
It’s nice to have Sister Diller and Sister Soneghet there, too. They help us a lot and even more so now that our DL is making us practice together every day. Sister Diller is American and a laid-back but fun-loving kind of person. When I do joke with her, it’s nice because we have similar personalities. Sister SoneSone speaks English pretty well because she studied in the U.S. She is pretty much engaged, both parents served a mission, and her parents live in Espirito Santo, which is only one mission away.
I brought up family history because I have been feeling like that’s going to make or break the work here and really resolve to build a temple. Obviously, baptisms and retention will always be a struggle, but I feel like the field is white here for vicarious work. Danielo admitted that is kind of last on the list right now. But I bore my testimony of the work and that those we help on the other side will help us accomplish the things we can’t do here. Shoot, even the less-actives can catch fire with the spirit of Elijah. I understood that the plate of “what to do´s” is really full, but I stood my ground on the subject; and he said he’ll bring it up.
We were running late for almoço [lunch] on the other side of town, so we took “The Trail.” Yeah… people have been killed on that trail, and there is always rotting stuff. We have only taken it 3 times now. We were going to take it one day, but there was a vulture festa over a dog carcass. The next week, the dog was gone, bones and all. That kind of stuff makes me happy, for some reason. “The trail” I have christened Vultureville; and we usually run, which makes me even happier than you can ever believe!
Speaking of being happy… Sister Taylor came!!!!!! [Directly from the CTM.] She was at the chapel where we have district meetings, so she’s in my zone; and she has Sister Do Vale as her trainer. This is Sister Do Vale’s first American but like her 6th trainee or something like that. It was so great to see Sister Taylor, and I was filled with inexpressible joy. I almost reveled in the idea that, yeah, she has to go through exactly what I have gone through. I felt bad for thinking this, but Sister DeO pointed out that I’m probably happy because I can see just how far I have come. I pray for Sister Taylor because she lives alone with her trainer, which will be tough; but she can endure.
Sister DeO said the other day that this city, Santa Margarida, is the worst out of all the areas in the WHOLE mission. She said God really trusts me here, my first area, with a Brazilian trainer. Sister SoneSone said a few weeks ago, “Sister Nelson came trained.” She didn’t know I was listening. Smiley face.
Stake conference was great; it was a broadcast. Sister Elaine Dalton spoke and President Monson and one of the 2 newest apostles… I get them mixed up. Is that normal? I don’t remember the last normal stake conference. Is it more normal to have specific stake conferences like that? Apparently, it was being broadcast to 99 stakes in Brazil, included in that was Rio and Recife.
LOVES LOVIES,
Oh WAIT!
So once upon a time, we were contacting a slightly drunk guy. My back was to the street, and he was asking our names. He didn’t understand me, and I didn’t understand him. He stepped closer to see my nametag; and Sister DeO said I was American, so I don’t understand everything and have a different name. He said, “Well then,” put his hands on my neck, and went in for a kiss!!!!! And you know what I did?!?!?! NOTHING! I was frozen with fear baaaah! What was I thinking?!?! I’m pretty sure I’m retarded. I leaned back but was thinking, “I can’t step into the street.” I knew he was touching me, and that was a NO-NO; but I didn’t want to touch him!! Hahaha! Good heavens! Sister DeO pushed him away, and we ran. Well, we ran after Sister DeO said, “VAMOS, sister!” I still was standing there like I was going to explain to him that wasn’t allowed. Durrr. What the crazy crap-diddly? That same day, we ran into the other drinker who was trying to explain to me where he lived and that he wanted a lover, but I didn’t understand him. Oh, Santa Margarida. What is in the water here? Or, rather, what is in the beer and prescription drugs here???