Another Week In Brazil

Oi!

So I would first like to say that Kenton's quote to my Mom after Obama won was hilarious. "Enjoy your last night in a 'sovern' nation!" I am not sure if he knew quite what he said but it is funny nonetheless. Obama huh? EVERY Brazilian loves him. If I, a large white American LDS missionary, said something against him it might just add enough to my already hostile characteristics to put me over the edge; they would probably kill me.

Anyway, I am having a tough time thinking of things to write this week. Which reminds me that the emails this week were getting a little skimpy...are we getting a little lazy on the home-front people?! I am getting laughed at and sweating kilos out here can't I get a little love?! Just "drop me a line" or whatever you guys want to call it when you're bored or something.

So JT gets home next week doesn't he? That's crazy. And Jake leaves the week after? Comes up faster than you think huh Jake? Getting excited for that big farewell talk? Told anyone about it yet? And you get to go through the MTC...woot! It's a blast...I mean...it's so fun and doesn't get repetitive and make you want to hurt people in your district...good luck! Write me before you leave. How's lax going? Have you took any road trips yet? I wanna know about all the games and stuff...when does BYU play the two D1 teams?

This week was eventful...but uneventful at the same time. We teach lessons, walk, eat lunch at a member's house everyday, and contact. That's pretty much it during our waking hours. We found a couple new promising investigators this week and Beto and Gilmara will have their baptismal interviews tomorrow and will be baptized Saturday. They still haven't chosen who will actually perform the baptism. I'll let you know all about how it goes next week.

Oh yeah, can I get an update on the Jazz too? New players or anything that is going on with them? Oh and if Ben sends any emails/letters can I get those too somehow?

So we contacted this old lady out on the street this week and L. Sousa gave her a contact card and told her if she called she would receive a free DVD about Jesus Christ, then she responded and what I heard was "Oh sorry I don't have a DVD player..." and that was all. So I reached in my pocket and found another card with the Book of Mormon on it so she could get a Book of Mormon instead. I said "Oh that's fine you can call this number and receive this free book instead." She looked at me really funny then accepted the card and we left. As we turned the corner L. Sousa said "you didn't understand her did you?" I said "Yeah she said she didn't have a DVD player so I thought it would be better if she got a copy of the BoM instead." He said "Yeah she said that but right after she said that she also told us that she couldn't read." So she said "Sorry I don't have a DVD player and I can't read anyway." Then I pulled a card out of my pocket saying she could receive a free book if she called the number...how gracious of me. Sousa got a good laugh out of that one...

Oh and the best news of the week!! We got a dresser!!! And we both have desks now!!! I woke up Saturday morning and L. Sousa was saying something about a (if translated directly) a "keep-clothes". I could not understand it forever but finally I figured it out and realized that we were getting a dresser that morning. It was awesome. I literally had a smile on my face the entire time I was unpacking that blasted suitcase for the first time. I found stuff in there that I had totally forgot about; it was like Christmas. What a glorious glorious day it was. I'll attach some photos of our new desks and the "keep-clothes".

I have been debating with myself for two days about whether to share this or not considering how bad my last "bad news" went over with everyone but I will try it one more time. 2 days ago (Monday) I became extremely sick. Probably due to the 2 hamburgers and hot dog I ate at a member's house the previous night. They say most American Missionaries will get sick from the meat here at least once during the mission so I got mine out of the way in the beginning eh? I woke up and showered and while showering I realized how bad my stomach was hurting. So I went back and laid down in bed and only got up 5 times the rest of the day. 4 times to pump some liquid out of my raw-bottom and once for a blessing from my companion. I called Sister Cooley (Mission President's wife), told her I had a fever of 100.7, so she told me some medicine to take so I took that throughout the night and it all worked out. I woke up yesterday still feeling the effects a little bit but I got up and went to lunch but had to come back for a little bit in the afternoon to lie down. But we ended up playing soccer last night with some members and I felt fine so it's all good now. Got that one out of the way eh?

I am not sure what else to say...skimpy emails this week!

Oh yeah sounds like it was an intense game between BYU and CSU this week, miss watching those games and eatin' them weiners ma' mama fries up.

Love you all. Still miss ya. Write me.

-Elder Brent Parsons