December 16, 2024

 

                                            Kids getting stickers

YO YO

WE BACK 

AGAIN 

BARELY 

How are you guys??? 

   I'm so tired. I'm so dead. I'm so hot (and not in the good looking way unfortunately)(I'm burning alive) (its about 100 degrees with 85% humidity everyday)

   BUT, WE ARE DOING ALRIGHT. Lots of new things going on, lots of learning, lots of walking, lots of teaching, lots of Portuguese.

   I want do die. In the words I taught Elder Vitti: "I want to Kurt Cobain" (if you know you know) 

   Okay. I don't actually want to die, BUT these long days of NOT KNOWING A SINGLE THING, OR WHATS GOING ON, is really taking a toll on my mental health. We go to lunches and lessons and I just sit there. I do nothing. Well I do share a scripture and a message at the lunches and the occasional testimony at lessons, but I've found myself falling asleep as Elder Vitti teaches. It's really bad and it hurts my brain, and it's also embarrassing. People at church, at church activities try and talk to me and I just stare blankly back at them LIKE A FREAKING IDIOT, and it's the worst thing ever. I don't know what to do. There's so much to learn. So many words. So many tenses. It's so difficult. As I learn the language I realize how much better of a teacher I'd be if I was speaking English. Oh well I guess. No excuses. (I need serious help)

   Elder Vitti has been good. We work well together. Most companionships are called "Father and Son." The father is the trainer and the son is the greenie. Well, Elder Vitti and I are more like a happy married couple. He provides for me (teaches lessons, that I help with) while I take care of making dinner and cleaning. Fair trade I suppose. I made him some really sketchy last minute hot dog with tomato and mac dish thingy with no cheese the other day and he loved it (not my best work) but I do what I can with what I have bahaha

   Guys. I've reached peak food making. The other night I threw some butter in a pan with a couple hotdogs, seared them and ate them straight out of the pan with mayo. Yeah. What a way to live. 

   

"Somebody help me tame this animal I have become" - Three Days Grace

   I eat like absolute junk all the time, and then the exact same meal everyday, at members houses - (rice, chicken, beans and PLAIN NOODLES)(I don't know why they always have plain noodles. They suck) 

   Elder Vitti is a funny son of a gun lol. I love teaching him English and he loves saying stupid stuff. Quite the perfect combination eh? We were walking down the road back to the apartment late at night, when we saw this person standing on the side of the road near a bus station. We got closer and Elder Vitti said "public servant." I was confused. Then I realized. And no I didn't teach him that one. We got closer and he said "dis girl is boy" I died laughing, but he sure was right. It was a dude dressed as a woman. Sketchy stuff out here in Manaus lol. 

   Oh and there's this Venezuela Elder, and Elder Vitti told him to "shut up beaner" and I promise you I didn't teach him that either. He's louco. Hahaha (they are friends by the way) 

   Well. The work has been good for the most part. It's just very sucky, because we "knock" (in Brazil they clap) on peoples doors all day and hardly anyone answers. A little de motiviating but its whatever. Also the langauge thing, kicking my butt, really hurts my brain. I just wanna help and talk with people. Be a friend. But I can't because I'm stupid lol. It's fine. It will all workout. 

   Hopefully I don't die of a heat stroke or something. We will see, because there's a good chance of that happening

   Random Stuff 

1.They sell 2L bottles of energy drinks (too bad they are forbidden in the mission)

2. We were at the store next to our apartment and apparently the worker girl thinks "the american is beautiful" (as translated by Vitti) (can you blame her for saying such things?)

3. This 14 year old girl told me I looked like George from Pepa Pig. WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN??? I cried later that night :( 

4. We trudged through mud to go teach a lesson and got our shoes all muddy, but on our way home we saw a car wash and a guy pressure washed our shoes for free. (PICS of shoes down below somewhere)

5. We have a workout schedule figured up, push ups day one, pull ups at the park day two, and sit ups day three. (Though Elder Vitti doesn't like doing anything)

6. We had two baptisms lined up for the weekend but they flaked because they are going to be out of town. (We now have one set for the 24th)

7. Elder Vitti is getting me addicted to terere (I bought a special bomba) (straw thing)

8. It's been raining heavy a lot recently

9.  Elder Vitti and I eat Pão de Queijo (cheese bread) Like everyday. It's so good and super cheap.

10. I've been handing out stickers Mombo packed me, and the little Brazilian kids jump up and down with joy when I give them. It's so darn cute. (Shout out mom) (I love my mom)  

   SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK: John 1: 3-5

   3. "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

   4. "In him was life; and the life was the light of men." 

   5. "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."

   Verse 5 goes so crazy, I love it. "And the darkness comprehended it not." 

ART 

   Also shout out the homie Rolan for emailing me and inviting me to read from John. Thanks bb. I invite yall to read ya scriptures. 

QUOTES OF THE WEEK: 

"You have gyatt" - Elder Vitti. (Yes I taught him this one) (Mom Note: This means you have a big booty)

"You were either sent to this mission because you need to pay for your sins or because you needed a test of faith" - Elder Vitti (talking about how it's hotter than Satan's left butt cheek here) (he used Google translate for this one)

 

   I hope everyone is doing good. I miss my family and I miss my friends. Yall are awesome. Keep being awesome. Keep praying. Keep loving. And Keep being grateful. You have no idea how lucky you are. This place is super poor, dirty and scary. I will never complain about where I live, and how I live again. We have it very good in the states. I knew there was going to be poverty but I didn't realize I would be living in it. It's crazy. SO BE GRATEFUL :)

I LOVE YOU GUYS <3

(Ps I can't have fb or messenger so please email me. I love reading and responding bahaha)

PHOTOS 

Rainbow

Sunset

Sleepy Vitti

RAINY DAYS

Angel Number

DIRTY WORK:

SCARY BABY HEAD:

ELDER VITTI'S FIRST FUN DIP

SKYLINE

GANG STUFF. NO LAME STUFF w BoM

BATHROOM FLICKS

MASTER CHEFFING

Photos not included in the email:

MOM note: These last two photos are of a couple of things I thought you might find interesting. The drink is this: You mix an herb blend from the bag with limeade and then drink through the filter-type straw called a bomba.  He says the drink is sort of an acquired taste and he loves the mint one best.

The meals are much of the same almost everyday: noodles, rice, sausage, beans. And they put some sort of crunchy grain on top ( it looks like parmesan, but I'm guessing it's similar to bread crumbs.)

Also, they put mayo on their pizza and Elder Chapman says it's actually really good. Tonight, they had hot dogs on fresh baked buns with ketchup, mayo and crunchy mini french fries on top. Those are a buck. They get around $25 a week for their expenses. That tells you how cheap things are down there. 

Boat races in the rain