Are you kidding me!? What am I missing? These games must be full of cross-court KG backwards two-handed slam dunks. Send me articles or something. I need to know what's going on. Celtics?
It's about time the Husky Dawgs got a somewhat fair schedule. That opening game against Oregon is going to be epic. I wish I could watch it. I wish I could watch anything to be honest. The biggest TV show in Brazil is Woody Woodpecker. The cartoon. It's called Pica-Pau here and everybody loves it. It's on in every waiting room and restaurant in town. All day. The Flintstones are a big deal too. I have to say, due to the realization I've come to on this mission of the ways I had taken my life for granted before coming to Brazil, you may find me on the couch in 17 and a half months watching the Cartoon Network in tears rejoicing over the fact that not only am I allowed to be watching this, but it's in English! Maybe, maybe not. I don't know.
The only things people watch on TV here are cartoons and soap operas. Cartoons are called 'desenhos' and soap operas are called 'novellas'. Novellas are borderline softcore porn. Moreso than any TV show in the States. BRAZIL!!!
Alright, regarding this phone call on Christmas day... I'll be at the house of a member named Erisvaldo at 2pm my time in Brazil. That should be 9 o'clock your time at home, so wake up! As much as I'd like to make you guys call at 3am it just isn't feasible for the members, so 9am will have to do. I'll be jealous of your breakfast. I'll no doubt have just eaten chicken with all kinds of mysterious and pointy bones poking my mouth and freaking me out. We'll be having lunch at their house and then waiting for the phone calls. I'll be waiting at 2 o'clock my time or sooner. My new Brazilian companion, Elder Leite, will be waiting for his call from home at 3pm. So that means we'll only have an hour, not five. However, since we'll be eating lunch and lounging around, feel free to call a little sooner. Get me away from the chicken with bones. I'd appreciate that. I'm excited to talk to you guys.
I'll have one more p-day that I can e-mail you before Christmas so if you think of anything you need to ask me, be sure to ask before next Monday.
SPEAKING OF CHRISTMAS!!! I got all SIX packages that were actually waiting for me last Tuesday--the same day I wrote you saying they would be at zone conference--on transfer day at the Rodoferroviaria. It was amazing. I got a picture of me with all of them stacked up as high as a house. I was so excited, an made absolutely sure not to open them until I was home safe and sound. Which took longer than I expected because Elder Leite had been in the state of Tocantins and was on a 13 hour bus ride back to Brasilia. I said bye to Redd and waited around for another hour or so there at the bus station with Elder Day and Elder Valentine, two guys from my group at the CTM, whom I love. The infamous Valentine was my companion there if you remember those days. I love seeing him. He's been in my zone every transfer of the mission so far, so I always get to see him at zone conferences. We were there at the bus station, talking, having a great time, being a little confused about where our new companions were when one of the AP's (assistant to the presidente) told me and Day to go get in a van. We left Valentine and started walking toward the van, me somehow balancing all six packages, got in and saw a few other missionaries who told us we were going to a place called Asa Norte where we would spend the night and meet our companion's in the morning. We got there, left our stuff in this huge apartment that is also used for missionaries who are going home, to stay the night in before they leave, and then walked down the street to a place called McDonald's. Yes, that's right...McDonald's. It was amazing. I got a Big Mac, fries, a drink and a giant sundae. I spent nearly R$20. The desserts are even better here than in the States. It was all soooo so good. I was SO PHASED!!! It took me straight home. I loved it.
The next day I met up with Elder Leite and got a little scared when I realized I was really only going to be speaking Portuguese for at least the next couple of months. He knows a little English. He's very very grateful for the gifts. You lucked out, Momma! It turns out I do have a poor Brazilian companion who needs gifts for Christmas. I think you probably wanted us to wait until Christmas day to open all the presents, but I'm afraid we couldn't do that. We already opened them all. And I love everything, thank you so so so much. Elder Leite gives his thanks as well. I blew up the Christmas tree (I blew up the Christmas tree??!!) right away and put it in our study room. Thank Sis. Darner for that. I got a picture for you but this computer is not recognizing my camera right now. I'm sorry. Elder Leite has been listening to the book on CD by Henry B. Eyring and reading along with the copy of the book I have to help him learn English. He says it's helping. I've been listening to Our Search for Happiness and I'm loving it. I'm in chapter 4 which talks about the Book of Mormon and it's making me want to start reading that instead of the New Testament. By the way, I finished Luke already and started John. You guys need to catch up!
Ok so you guys have all the information I have about the phone call.
I don't know my belt size but it's whatever goes well with size 33ish dress pants, then go a little lower. I may not even need it--with all that candy you guys sent me I'm gonna be asking for a bigger belt pretty soon.
You won't need to send me gum or socks because I already got plenty in these most recent packages. Lots of love and thanks to Gma & Gpa D for sending the comfy dress socks and pistachios and jelly beans. Elder Leite had never had jelly beans before. Thanks to Gma, Gpa Hoon for their box as well. I loved it. I did not get the package from Jonny and Chelsea. Did they send it yet? Also, why did one of the packages have a wedding invitation from "Jill and Brian" for June 9, 2006? I was confused, but liked it nonetheless. Who are Jill and Brian? Jill Perkinson?
I always feel like I'm forgetting to say things in every e-mail. Am I? Be sure to keep watching basketball and keep me updated. Other sports too. Who won the World Series? I know nothing. Dad, some Portuguese phrases to say when you call Erisvaldo's house this week to make sure everything works...
"Alo" - Hello
"Aqui fala o Pai do Elder Hoon" - This is Elder Hoon's dad
"Descuple, eu nao falo Portugues" - Sorry, I don't speak Portuguese
"So' ligando para saber se est e o numero correto" - Just calling to see if this is the correct number
"Os Suns estao jogando, eu tenho que ir" - The Suns are playing, I have to go
"Tchau" - Bye
I hope you know this is the only thing my Portuguese will be good for after the mission, impressing people by knowing another language. That's it. And helping Dad call people in Brazil that he will need to be calling. I need to learn Spanish
I LOVE YOU ALL
Jordan
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