Well there isn't much to say about Aguas Lindas. I don't think it really means Beautiful Waters, I think it means "Armpit of Brazil." I have a nice blue bike with hot pink handlebars. Something different breaks on it every day. My second day here the brakes broke so I had to stop with my feet all flintstones style for a few hours. I lost count of the number of cars that almost hit me, Ha. It's nice enough here I suppose. Apparently there are a lot of baptisms here. Despite that, there aren't very many members of the Church, only enough for a branch. A branch needs 120 members to be made a ward, and it's pretty close to that I think. There is a big family that lives near us and a few of them have joined the Church. We're at their house every day, sometimes twice a day. There are these five women there who are always doing each other's hair and reading magazines, and they're always happy to see us. They offer to make us food the moment we walk in the house. We don't always say yes! Seeing the members of the Church here makes me happy. Just like in Cruzeiro. It feels like a safe haven where we know people and they'll give us water an let us use the bathroom. Elder Redd is fine, he's a short fellow, shorter than Hajax. And stalky. I think he has midget body. He used to play lacrosse in high school and never wants to grow a beard. He really makes good eggs. He flips them in a pan like pancakes. I like it. So clearly my fantasy football teams defense is the bomb. That makes me happy actually, more than you know. I wish I could discuss it with you, Dad. Nothing would make me happier than to go get something to eat with you and talk sports. Grandpa should be there too. I daydream about little things like that. Oh, and I LOVE AMERICA SO SO MUCH.
Lex, I miss you more than anything in the world I think. You're probably at the top of the list. Above Socks, above the Suns, above HD. Even more than Ryan Adams. By the way, thank you for the Easy Tiger sticker. How is the Album? I'm still dying to hear it. The new Rilo Kiley too. Is it legit or what? So, I really hope you are doing well in school. Are you? Tell me all about it. Tell Mr. Peterson I said Hello! Thank you for the poem it was beautiful. I love you.
I must go. I love you all. Jordan
September 18, 2007
Today at 5 o'clock I'll walk myself with my bags to the Rodoferroviaria to get on a bus that will take me to a place called Aguas Lindas where I will spend at least the next 6 weeks with Elder Hedd, who is apparently short and stalky and used to play lacrosse. I'm going to miss Cruzeiro. I'm going to miss the food. Aguas Lindas isn't necessarily "the boonies" but it isn't as nice as Cruzeiro. In the last six weeks my Portuguese has improved somewhat, I've seen what is apparently the wealthiest neighborhood in Brazil, called Sudoeste, and the poorest/most dangerous neighborhood in the mission, which is a place called Estrutural. We went there once, it was interesting. The missionaries are in good with the gangsters so we didn't get robbed or shot or anything. Nobody got all O.J. on us! A girl from there was baptized, her name is Paloma. She has yet to be confirmed because getting from Estrutural to the neighborhood the ward building is in, which is called Octogonal, is a difficult thing. Especially when you're poor and might get shot leaving your house. Well, I have had it with my legs. I have to sit down and get up like an old man because of the soreness in my knees. I think Aguas Lindas might be a bike area so that will probably help. I hope all is well with everyone. I love you guys so much. I miss you. Keep updating me on sports, politics, animals, etc. I love reading about. Update me on my fantasy team, pops! I got the package, it's wonderful. Thank you for the peanut butter. That's quite the commodity here, it's like R$25 so no one has it. I am perhaps the only one. Have a good week.
September 10, 2007
Momma, Poppa, Spench Legs, LEXA!?!?!
I sent Mom a birthday card last week that should be arriving in Mesa any day now. Elder Maughan says you can take videos from your digital camera and have them put on a DVD at Wal-mart. I might do that and send it home. Wouldn't you just completely freak out if you could watch me on TV on my mission in Brazil? Well, I just need to take some videos. Thanks for all the continuing encouragement. This week has been a little better. My mood has improved. Despite being a lousy missionary I still call upon the Lord in my times of trouble (though not in vain, or so I hope). I don't want you to take my frustrations as typical and indignant me. It isn't the day to day difficulties that keep me down. I've quickly come to the realization that my mission can be served in vain or selflessly. What I feel terrible about is that considering my age and lack of college I cannot afford to waste my time. Which is something I have felt a lot lately due to the struggles with the language. Nevertheless, I carry on! I love our Ward! The members here are so wonderful. There are some people whose houses we're at almost every day. There's a woman named Olga who we always talk to. She and her three kids are so funny. I love being in their home, even though I can't speak the same language. One of my favorite places to be in all of Brazil is in the house of Aquiles and Aline. They are perhaps the nicest people I've ever met. They always give us ice cream and really good food. Aquiles is like 6'5" and looks like Shawn Marion and can slam dunk with both hands behind his head, and Aline is really pretty and really funny and for some reason when she speaks I can understand what she's saying. That isn't the case with many people. My Portuguese has certainly gotten better, but only a little. It's been five weeks and I still have to listen to the same thing everyday when we're in investigators' houses. "He doesn't understand anything, does he? Why doesn't he speak Portuguese?" The thing is, I can understand what they're saying, but I can't speak as well as I can understand. So I'm retarded. But, in the spirit of positivity, let's see what else I like...I like Cruzeiro. It feels like home now kind of. I'm used to it. I've been blessed to have never felt homesick in the three months I've been gone. Don't worry. I miss everyone very, very much. But I don't get homesick. In fact, I've never even felt culture shock. As far as my feet are concerned, I really don't know what to think. I will not lie, it's awfully painful. I don't like complaining about it, and I don't like receiving any special attention for it, but I have to say I'm starting to get a little worried. The impact I'm putting on my feet is obviously a lot more than ever before in my life, and I think it's just taken this for me to realize how bad my legs really are. I think I may have inherited that from Dad, Ha. Nothing to feel bad about though. Dad, are you still crippled? I hope you're feeling better. I may be worse off than you. I'm convinced I will have to walk with a cane in my old age. The only way I can describe the feeling in my feet is imagine having a cramped foot all day long, with what I think is a shin splint in my right leg, and two sore knees. My right foot is the worst. If I take my shoes and socks off and walk around the house barefoot, I can't go more than a few steps. Like I said, I'm a little worried about it. It's been five weeks and I'm more or less used to it, but that doesn't take the pain away. So I don't know. Dad, I believe you were wondering about what my schedule is like? I shall tell you!
A DAY IN THE LIFE:
-6:30- Wake up (or as it says in the missionary handbook...."Arise"!)
-6:40ish- Take a shower
-7:00-8:00- Get dressed in proselyting clothes, eat breakfast, write in my journal, shave, play darts on our fancy dart board, etc.
-8:00- Personal scripture study
-9:00- Companion study
-10:00- Language study
-11:00- Leave and go walk around for a while. It's not a bad time of day because we've been sitting in the house for the last 4 and a half hours studying, and usually the weather is nice. Tuesdays, we leave a little earlier to go to a city call Guara, for our weekly district meeting (which Elder Maughan conducts because he is our district leader).
-12ish, 1ish, 2ish- We eat lunch at a member's house. Because we live in a well to do area, we usually eat pretty well.
-2ish, 3ish- We're back out walking around, going from apartment complex to apartment complex ringing intercoms and getting turned down, maybe we teach a lesson or two. No one is all that interested.
-Rest of the day- We walk around, maybe getting something small to eat, Elder Maughan calls people on the phone, we go to members houses. My feet HURT! etc.
-9ish- We get our righteous rear ends back in the house so we don't get jumped by some heathen gangsters. We have our planning session for the next day, then maybe eat more, shower, brush our teeth, write in our journals, go to bed.
-That's it. Incredible, right?
Now Lex, I love that you are coming closer to the Lord,(If you're enjoying welcoming the Spirit into your life, do yourself a favor and watch ALL of conference in a couple of weeks. Each session. Listen especially to the words of the First Presidency and the Twelve. You'll like it, I promise. I'm so glad that your lives are being blessed. I always talk about each of you individually in my prayers, and I know it helps. Which means Dad must be doing a little better about cutting that corner turning left off Val Vista onto Mclellan. I make sure God knows what's up. I really am glad I'm doing some good (for you guys) by being here. The joy and faith in my own day to day life can weaken from time to time and my doubts are many, but I'm trying not to focus on myself. I'm trying to have a good attitude. We'll see how it all works out. Next week expect an e-mail from me on Tuesday, because it's transfer day and transfer day has to be on P day. Momma, I hope you like your card. I'm sorry it's not much. Have you decided to take that Portuguese class you were talking about? How's Dizzy in Nevada doing? I hope life is good for you. Have a happy happy birthday! Jordan
PS: Lex, I saw a picture of Brittney on a TV being skinnier and having hair. What's up with that? And do you really plan on moving to Utah next school year? We might need to talk about this.
PPS: Michelle, I have a question about your manfriend who served his mission in Mesa. Why didn't he just go into Arby's or the Dairy Queen by the temple and get water? Oh and HEY! I love you!
PPPS: Dad, I wish so badly I could go watch some Husky games with you. I would be all about it right now. I"m glad their doing well.
I sent Mom a birthday card last week that should be arriving in Mesa any day now. Elder Maughan says you can take videos from your digital camera and have them put on a DVD at Wal-mart. I might do that and send it home. Wouldn't you just completely freak out if you could watch me on TV on my mission in Brazil? Well, I just need to take some videos. Thanks for all the continuing encouragement. This week has been a little better. My mood has improved. Despite being a lousy missionary I still call upon the Lord in my times of trouble (though not in vain, or so I hope). I don't want you to take my frustrations as typical and indignant me. It isn't the day to day difficulties that keep me down. I've quickly come to the realization that my mission can be served in vain or selflessly. What I feel terrible about is that considering my age and lack of college I cannot afford to waste my time. Which is something I have felt a lot lately due to the struggles with the language. Nevertheless, I carry on! I love our Ward! The members here are so wonderful. There are some people whose houses we're at almost every day. There's a woman named Olga who we always talk to. She and her three kids are so funny. I love being in their home, even though I can't speak the same language. One of my favorite places to be in all of Brazil is in the house of Aquiles and Aline. They are perhaps the nicest people I've ever met. They always give us ice cream and really good food. Aquiles is like 6'5" and looks like Shawn Marion and can slam dunk with both hands behind his head, and Aline is really pretty and really funny and for some reason when she speaks I can understand what she's saying. That isn't the case with many people. My Portuguese has certainly gotten better, but only a little. It's been five weeks and I still have to listen to the same thing everyday when we're in investigators' houses. "He doesn't understand anything, does he? Why doesn't he speak Portuguese?" The thing is, I can understand what they're saying, but I can't speak as well as I can understand. So I'm retarded. But, in the spirit of positivity, let's see what else I like...I like Cruzeiro. It feels like home now kind of. I'm used to it. I've been blessed to have never felt homesick in the three months I've been gone. Don't worry. I miss everyone very, very much. But I don't get homesick. In fact, I've never even felt culture shock. As far as my feet are concerned, I really don't know what to think. I will not lie, it's awfully painful. I don't like complaining about it, and I don't like receiving any special attention for it, but I have to say I'm starting to get a little worried. The impact I'm putting on my feet is obviously a lot more than ever before in my life, and I think it's just taken this for me to realize how bad my legs really are. I think I may have inherited that from Dad, Ha. Nothing to feel bad about though. Dad, are you still crippled? I hope you're feeling better. I may be worse off than you. I'm convinced I will have to walk with a cane in my old age. The only way I can describe the feeling in my feet is imagine having a cramped foot all day long, with what I think is a shin splint in my right leg, and two sore knees. My right foot is the worst. If I take my shoes and socks off and walk around the house barefoot, I can't go more than a few steps. Like I said, I'm a little worried about it. It's been five weeks and I'm more or less used to it, but that doesn't take the pain away. So I don't know. Dad, I believe you were wondering about what my schedule is like? I shall tell you!
A DAY IN THE LIFE:
-6:30- Wake up (or as it says in the missionary handbook...."Arise"!)
-6:40ish- Take a shower
-7:00-8:00- Get dressed in proselyting clothes, eat breakfast, write in my journal, shave, play darts on our fancy dart board, etc.
-8:00- Personal scripture study
-9:00- Companion study
-10:00- Language study
-11:00- Leave and go walk around for a while. It's not a bad time of day because we've been sitting in the house for the last 4 and a half hours studying, and usually the weather is nice. Tuesdays, we leave a little earlier to go to a city call Guara, for our weekly district meeting (which Elder Maughan conducts because he is our district leader).
-12ish, 1ish, 2ish- We eat lunch at a member's house. Because we live in a well to do area, we usually eat pretty well.
-2ish, 3ish- We're back out walking around, going from apartment complex to apartment complex ringing intercoms and getting turned down, maybe we teach a lesson or two. No one is all that interested.
-Rest of the day- We walk around, maybe getting something small to eat, Elder Maughan calls people on the phone, we go to members houses. My feet HURT! etc.
-9ish- We get our righteous rear ends back in the house so we don't get jumped by some heathen gangsters. We have our planning session for the next day, then maybe eat more, shower, brush our teeth, write in our journals, go to bed.
-That's it. Incredible, right?
Now Lex, I love that you are coming closer to the Lord,(If you're enjoying welcoming the Spirit into your life, do yourself a favor and watch ALL of conference in a couple of weeks. Each session. Listen especially to the words of the First Presidency and the Twelve. You'll like it, I promise. I'm so glad that your lives are being blessed. I always talk about each of you individually in my prayers, and I know it helps. Which means Dad must be doing a little better about cutting that corner turning left off Val Vista onto Mclellan. I make sure God knows what's up. I really am glad I'm doing some good (for you guys) by being here. The joy and faith in my own day to day life can weaken from time to time and my doubts are many, but I'm trying not to focus on myself. I'm trying to have a good attitude. We'll see how it all works out. Next week expect an e-mail from me on Tuesday, because it's transfer day and transfer day has to be on P day. Momma, I hope you like your card. I'm sorry it's not much. Have you decided to take that Portuguese class you were talking about? How's Dizzy in Nevada doing? I hope life is good for you. Have a happy happy birthday! Jordan
PS: Lex, I saw a picture of Brittney on a TV being skinnier and having hair. What's up with that? And do you really plan on moving to Utah next school year? We might need to talk about this.
PPS: Michelle, I have a question about your manfriend who served his mission in Mesa. Why didn't he just go into Arby's or the Dairy Queen by the temple and get water? Oh and HEY! I love you!
PPPS: Dad, I wish so badly I could go watch some Husky games with you. I would be all about it right now. I"m glad their doing well.
September 3, 2007
Michelle,
I just wrote you a nice long email and myldsmail "timed out" when I tried to send it. I have no time to write more now, I've been on too long. I can't write Mom and Dad and Lex now either. Do me a favor and call them and tell them I love them. The pain and numbness in my feet has gotten worse! Thank you for your email and encouragement, I appreciate it. I have one thousand things I want to tell you but I never have any time. I love you very much. I miss you.
I just wrote you a nice long email and myldsmail "timed out" when I tried to send it. I have no time to write more now, I've been on too long. I can't write Mom and Dad and Lex now either. Do me a favor and call them and tell them I love them. The pain and numbness in my feet has gotten worse! Thank you for your email and encouragement, I appreciate it. I have one thousand things I want to tell you but I never have any time. I love you very much. I miss you.
August 27, 2007
NEW CAT !? Oh my, Do you have a name for it? Lex, you can make that Tornado Kitty if you want. Would you like to know something? There are dogs everywhere in Brazil. EVERYWHERE. It's amazing. I honestly think I could count one hundred per day if I really paid close attention. If you walk around long enough you might see a family of dogs hanging out by themselves in the park. It's so awesome. I saw a dog and a horse interacting the other day. Greatest thing ever. Yesterday I was walking on a sidewalk that had big trees hanging over so I could get some shade, and I think there must have been a nest in one of the trees because a bird swooped down and hit me in the back ofthe head. It completely freaked me out. I heard a squawk and down it came again. Hit me twice right in the head. I took off running after that. I did get the birthday package. Thank you so much for that. I actually got it on my last full day at the CTM. What Luck! I've been enjoying it's contents. Forgive me for not thanking you sooner. I love it. I'm looking forward to other packages and letters. They are lazy about delivering mail from the mission off to the missionaries homes so I might not get them until the next zone conference. As for what Julie said about learning the language and then having trouble remembering how to speak English. That doesn't sound very nice to me. My companion says the same thing, he can't remember English words sometimes. It freaks me out. He loves it. Dad, let's talk politics. Tell me what's been going on in the race. Anything exciting? Who's been looking better or worse lately? Tell me about basketball too. Are there any important trades or anything I should know about? What' up with the stock market? I heard something about it having a really bad week the week I got to Brasilia. Are you so stoked for the Huskies to start playing? Who do they play first? By the way I miss you a lot. I miss talking. I love that you're crippled. That's hilarious. I've been trying to get you to be the old man that you are for years now! I love you Pop. Lexa!?!? I have to be brief, but do all you can to keep that wierd Albino cat living in my shower. I want him to hiss at me when I get back. Tell me all about school. Did you end up taking any of those classes on tha fabulous schedule I dreamed up for you? If you're taking Sociology of Marriage and Family, do you love Mr. Peterson? Tell me everything. Also, (very important) I would like to inform you of an amazing word I've stumbled upon in Portuguese. It is "batata da perna" which means "potato of the leg". It's the word they use for calf. Amazing. I LOVE YOU! Momma, thank you so much for you encouragement every week. I always appreciate it. You did born me, that's true. Maybe I'm smarter than I give myself credit, I don't know, we'll see. I will send more pictures soon, I love you very, very much. Have a good week, family. Be good.
August 20, 2007
Note that I am using my new myldsmail address now!
Week two was not much different than week one. No baptisms or anything noteworthy. It's awfully hot for being wintertime. Because of the language barrier, when we are in people's homes I rarely say a word. Elder Maughan teaches the less, I might give the opening prayer or say a thing or two about Joseph Smith. Anyways, I'm not much help yet. I told my companion that if you compared music to the gospel, the Beatles would probably be Jesus and Radiohead would be Joseph Smith. He told me to Repent!
I attached some pictures of the CTM, my district, and some views of Sao Paulo, oh and some of the little house we are living in right now. I withdrew some money from my account for the first time today, glad it works. I went to see Dr. Mario this week about my toes going numb and he said the same thing you did. I have a pinched nerve. They're gonna make a strip to put in my shoe (on my insole) to take the pressure off the ball of my foot. Elder Maughan had to translate every thing for me since he didn't speak english. Time to go, I love you guys. Have a good week!
Week two was not much different than week one. No baptisms or anything noteworthy. It's awfully hot for being wintertime. Because of the language barrier, when we are in people's homes I rarely say a word. Elder Maughan teaches the less, I might give the opening prayer or say a thing or two about Joseph Smith. Anyways, I'm not much help yet. I told my companion that if you compared music to the gospel, the Beatles would probably be Jesus and Radiohead would be Joseph Smith. He told me to Repent!
I attached some pictures of the CTM, my district, and some views of Sao Paulo, oh and some of the little house we are living in right now. I withdrew some money from my account for the first time today, glad it works. I went to see Dr. Mario this week about my toes going numb and he said the same thing you did. I have a pinched nerve. They're gonna make a strip to put in my shoe (on my insole) to take the pressure off the ball of my foot. Elder Maughan had to translate every thing for me since he didn't speak english. Time to go, I love you guys. Have a good week!
August 14, 2007
OK so I've been in the field one week now and this is my first P day. My companion is Elder Eric Maughan. Mom, he says that his mom talked to you on a website. Actually that was one of the first things he told me when we met, which was at the bus station, which is where everyone meets their new companions at the transfer. My area is called Cruzeiro. The bus stop was actually in our area so after I said bye to the three other guys from my district at the CTM who came to Brasilia with me (Elder Day, Elder Barton and Elder Valentine, all of whom I love) we started walking with my bags to our house. It wasn't far, I didn't mind. We almost got hit by a few buses though. Drivers are crazy all over Brazil, I thought it was just Sao Paulo. I miss Sao Paulo. Well, I miss the CTM. Sao Paulo sucks. Anyways, our house is a dump. It has walls, a roof, beds, everything we need to survive, but it's a dump. It holds up, I think it's fine. The funny thing is that Cruzeiro is one of the richest places in Brazil, yet we live in the smallest house. If there is one thing I could change about our little one-room house it would be the bathroom. It's really small. When we go to the bathroom our knees hit the wall, so you have to sit sideways on the toilet, it's not natural. And rather than having a designated place in the bathroom as a shower, there's just a shower head that comes out of the wall and you stand there. It's all truck stop/janitor's closet style. Everything gets wet. If your at the sink and you drop your toothbrush it's over. As for the work.....well,I really don't know the language, but it's only been a week. Maybe things will pick up. I read Alma 32 last night, it made me feel a little better. But yesterday at Zone Conference (which by the way, is done in Portuguese and I didn't know a single word). Let me go back a little. Before we went to the bus station to meet our companions, we were picked up at the airport by Presidente Aidukaitis, his wife, and the assistants to the President. We took pictures and did some obligatory proselyting and then a van took us to see the mission office and then to Presidente's house. There we had lunch, went over rules, etc. then we had interviews with the President. My interview went well. When I walked out, everyone was in the backyard practicing how to baptize. I joined in. I dropped a Brazilian. The APs made us do some uncomfortable stuff, like stand up on a chair and preach to them in Portuguese, which I don't speak. One of them said "be prepared to teach multitudes", he really said that. Anyways, awkward. The first night was good though. All we did was walk to a member's house, in an extra rich area, and they fed us pizza and Coca-cola and then gave us a ride home. We drove past a Wal-mart. I wouldn't have guessed that on my first night in my mission in Brazil I would have ate Domino's pizza and drove past Wal-mart listening to Pink Floyd in the Bishop's counselor's nice Volkswagon. Lex, as for losing a little of your personality, don't worry, I'm losing mine too. We can become losers together. Not that I wasn't already. But because I'm trying to only speak Portuguese all day, I have no personality. I have a personality in English, but not at all in Portuguese, because I can't speak it. I mean maybe I have the personality of an infant or something. I stay quiet a lot of the time. And thoughts I would normally share I keep to myself. Did you start school at MCC? Do you love it? If school, if it sucks, pressing forward is the best thing to do. I'm sure that's the best thing for me to do here. Hmm...anything else? We had one baptism this week. A girl named Poliane. There is an incredible emphasis on baptisms in this mission. Maybe because my Mission President baptized over 1,000 souls on his mission. It's weird, it all about the numbers. I don't like that but whatever! We taught her twice and she was baptized. That was it. I guess that's just what happens here. There will be a temple here sooner than I thought. You need 12 stakes in an area (not a mission area, just an area...I don't know how the Church delineates it) to have a temple. There is 10 in the Brasilia area. Elder Maughan says don't be surprised if they might announce a Brasilia temple at Conference in a few months. That's a happy thought. But whatever, I don't make a difference here. I don't even speak Portuguese. My companion says it's time to go. I love you all very very much! Jordan
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