Man I would rather be chastised for not being a good enough example of a 'leader' to my district by the CTM Doctor (again) than try to think of things to say in my emails.
Just kidding, but it really is hard to think of things. And that really did happen. It was a horrible experience. The CTM Doctor is named Elder Linford and is probably the person I respect most in the CTM and has the a narrating voice that would put Morgan Freeman's work in "March of the Penguins" to shame. So there he is, telling me that I wasn't being enough of a leader and that my district "needs some work". I seriously was on the verge of tears and if it were not for all the other district leaders in my branch staring at me with their un-sympathetic eyes, the tears would have flown (how's that for a funny image?). In my defense I do have the largest district in the CTM and some of the most disobedient elders that don't even want to be here. But I do need to take more control.
Oh yeah I started a "CTM Quote Book" this week. Mostly just to have something to do and to remember the funny things that are said amongst the hours of boredom. It is mostly filled with quotes from one of the funnier kids I have ever met named Elder Korth. He is in my district and lived in Idaho. Some sample quotes:
1. Elder Perry: "Sister Pereira, why do you act so Brazilian?"
Sister Pereira (my teacher): "Because I was born here!"
Elder Korth: (Yells this at her in class) "That still doesn't make it right!"
2. Elder Korth: "My nose is not big! It's majestic."
There are some more but I don't have time to write them. He is really funny though and keeps me sane.
Oh I don't know if I told you but we get to go to the temple in Campinas every P-day. It is sweet! We have to wake up at 5:30 in order to get there on time but I actually look forward to the hour and a half ride on the bus (each way) because we get to take a good nap...naps are sacred things in the CTM and you don't miss a nap when you get the chance to take one. So our P-day mornings from 5:30 to about 12:00 are spent traveling to the temple, doing a session, and traveling back. Oh the bus ride there is awesome too because you get to see a lot of São Paulo. Some parts are so poor and the a lot of the time people are just living in a broken down car or a tent made out of a tarp at the freeway exits. Pretty sad.
Oh yeah I got your package yesterday dad. So it looks like it will take about two weeks to get here? Thank you for everything in there it was awesome I really appreciate it. My district looked through all the pictures just because it was something to do and liked them. You sent me those two replacement ink cartridges for my pen also...but unfortunately they are too big to fit in my pen. I tried and I had a bunch of my guys in my district try to figure it out but they are just too big. I looked for a model number or something on my cartridge but there is nothing there. The only words/numbers my pen has on it is on the outside and it just says "MontBlanc Meisterstuck". That probably wont help though. It's ok though, I was going to go get it filled but we cant travel too far from the CTM and the only stationary store within the boundaries doesn't fill them. I dont know much portuguese though so maybe they do...I will ask them later when I know more.
Oh yeah, Alysha...you know how I try not to boost your confidence in anyway I can, but all the guys in my district saw your picture in my album and refer to you as "Parsons' hot sister". Sorry Karrissa, They thought you were too but you are married so they don't pay much attention. And they don't know how pretty you are on the inside! Haha. Anyway I told them you were sixteen and to stay away but they don't care. I think a couple of them are going to start writing you...and they are dead serious unfortunately. So you may get some emails or letters from some creepy gentlemen soon but don't be alarmed, they really are completely harmless.
The language is coming...ok. Still really frustrating. I can have small, and I mean really small, conversations now. We just got a new teacher because our night teacher Sister Pereira is taking her mandatory month vacation that all workers in Brazil get (for every year of work you do in Brazil your employer has to give you a fully paid + 33% extra month vacation. It is crazy). So she just left and we got a new teacher, sadly I cant even remember his name right now. But he barely speaks any English so it is so hard because he expects us all to speak Portuguese to him and we are like we have only been here 3 weeks please give us a break. So that is frustrating.
Oh to answer your question Karrissa, we teach "live investigators" starting in our 6th week I think. Right now we just practice companionship to companionship then we are "tested" at the end of each week by a few of the instructors here. Elder Blackham and I are pretty good together. I am pretty sure he can be labeled as a scriptorian because he knows the scriptures backwards and forwards. It is unbelievable. So he convinces them of why they should believe us and I am there as comic relief and occasionally to get teary-eyed when I bear my testimony just so they know that I believe what I am saying. Yeah I am useless.
I will write you an excerpt from my journal:
"There is far too much male to male contact going on in this place, and sadly, I am not exempt from that statement. Massages, hugs, and longer-than-necessary hanshakes are commonplace among the missionaries of the CTM, notably my district. We all are obviously missing home, and especially women, and the only thing we have here are our fellow district members that we spend all but an hour and a half or so of our waking moments with throughout the day. We begin to be very comfortable, nay dangerously comfortable with one another. Whatever helps you get through the two years right?"A joke obviously, but there is too much truth to that
Anyway, that is a good place to end on I guess. Thank you to everyone who wrote me. I am sorry I cant reply to everyone but once I get out of here I promise I will write everyone individually, it's just a huge hassle to do that. Oh and Ryan, I want to hear about Moses Lake from you and how your classes are. Anyway, I love you all and miss you tons. I know what I am doing is the right thing to do though and that the gospel is true. Peace!
-Brent Parsons
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