Week

March 24, 2014

So I have some kinda bad news.  My package did not arrive.  So it´s probably another 6 weeks until my next opportunity to get it if I stay here in Vilhena.  Which I probably will.  But so here is what I think you should do. Look up the package number that they gave you, And send it to me as well so I can check it.  What happened to my companion is the government held his package.  No reason, just stored it in a building.  And they charge you to store it there.  And if no one picks it up they send it back.  It´s super rare but it happened to my comp so the numbers and look it up.  It could happen.  I hope not but it could.  And it can get expensive, like an extra 100 bucks expensive if you leave it sitting there.  So I saw the money that dad put it and I´m super grateful cause I need it.  Broke through those new shoes I bought like 3 months ago.  They´re gone.  Já era.  Have to buy new ones today.  Totally lame.  Don´t know how but yea,  I´m needing new ones like today.  So I know you don´t want to send shoes but I could really use some american shoes.  And my comp got some like black ecco hiking boots, and they are awesome and will definately last a year.  So I´m thinking if I could get some of those, that would last me the rest of the mission.  I know it would be expensive cause the safest way is one at a time but it could be worth it in the long run.  It´s that or buy shoes every 3 months,  Which I really don´t want to do.  But so that´s my news, I was at conference this week and no package.
So here is what happens.  We never travel to Manaus except transfers or if you are a zone leader, but even rarely for them.  So we travel 6 hours to a city called Jí-Paraná.  There are 3 or 4 companionships there And that is our entire zone.  But then sometimes we have a combined zone conference with Porto Velho, which is 12 hours away by bus.  I think there is another 6 or 8 companionships there.  Oh and Porto velho is basically underwater right now. It´s been raining so much that the river broke the thingies that keep it in (forgot what they are called).  Flooded most of the city.  Pretty sad, but no one has died so that´s pretty good.  And the houses of the missionaries are in good areas so nothing has been lost yet. But it´s still raning a ton without the chance of stopping until like the end of April.  That´s when the rainy season is supposed to end.  So yea, the missionaries there are just doing releaf efforts right now.... And baptizing while doing it. Probably can baptize in the road with the amount of water there.  But yea, those are the two zones here in this area. This area being the entire state of Rondônia.  But I guess that´s just how it goes. But so now to answer dad´s e-mail. So there are 2 other companionships here in Vilhena, my district leader and his comp and then the Sisters.  So we aren´t entirely secluded, and we all travel together so we usually have something to do on the bus.  Talk or just go to sleep (usually sleep).  But we follow the same schedule as everyone else. We wake up at 6:30 and do exercises, then get ready for the day.  8 starts personal study,  9 starts comp study, and 10 starts language study to keep working on the language.  Because we are living with 2 other elders while we find a house for the sisters, our language study has turned into teaching them english while my comp and I try to learn some Spanish.  Basically Português is down, just got to get rid of my accent and that just comes with time.  So now we are learning some spanish.  It´s pretty awesome. I´m gonna come home knowing 3 languages, and I´m just gonna learn more when I get home.  I´ve got some big goals now.  I wanna know English, Português, Spanish, French, Italian, Latin, German, and a little bit of Arabic and possibly throw some Greek in there too.  I think that would be awesome.  But back to my schedule.  So then at 12 we have lunch and then we work until 9.  A pretty typical day of the missionary.  Teachin and learnin and stuff haha.
And so yes mom I am happy.  I´m doing pretty well, enjoying my time here and I´m learning a lot.  So I wanna tell this story of what happened this week and then I´m gonna stop writing, I´ve written a ton.  And unfortunately no pics.  I´m gonna find a way to get some for you for next week, I promise.

So here is the story. So my comp and I are walking down the street and this man stops us and says his family is in need and doesn´t have food. Unfortunately we don´t have anything on us so we can´t really help.  We pass by a few days later and clap our hands (that´s the same as knocking on the door here) and his wife comes and says they are still in need.  They literally have no food.  So we go to our branch president, Presidente Rui (pronounced Presidench Hooey), and tell him what´s happening with this family.  Without hesitation or question he has me hold up a bag and starts loading in food.  80 reals (40 dollars) worth of food and asks where they live.  We drive to their house and drop off the food then Presidente Rui invites them to church.  Presidente Rui and I pass by there Sunday to see if they will go and give them a ride.  The entire family and a friend are sitting outside waiting for us.  It was so awesome to see that they remembered and that they were honestly willing to go.  It was super cool and we will start really teaching them this week.  We were waiting to see if they would go to church and now we know it is honest and sincere and they are ready to recieve the good word.  So I would like to invite everyone to act like Presidente Rui. When someone is in need, without hesitation or question, it is our job to help.  And everyone is in need.  Everyone needs the gospel and it is our job to help them see the light.  So that is my tip of the week.  Help everyone, don´t question, just do it.  And they will see the light.  So that is all I have for this week, remember to look up the number. Love you all! Love you mom!