Before I tell you about my stuff...so JT is home huh??? WRITE me JT! I wanna hear from you bro. How is it being home? What was your last month like in the mission?
All hail Obama eh? Stupid. I have given up even trying to explain my stance with him to people here. First off I can't truly express myself and my views in Portuguese, and second whenever I say that I wouldn't have voted for Obama had I voted everyone gets really mad at me and starts speaking really fast then I just look like an idiot because I don't understand then their trust in me fails then they won't accept our message...just not worth it. I just politely nod and say "He may or may not be a good thing for my country, but who knows?" Usually satisfies them.
So first off, the funny story of the week. And I am not sure if I can explain it fully right now but it really was so hilarious. L. Sousa and I had a reference we needed to check out. So we "clapped" at her door like 5 times but no one answered. We unfortunately had nothing else to do right then so as we were deciding what to do some guy in his 50's walked up to us holding a bible and, what I later learned, was a book of hymns. He said to us "Hi, do you guys want to come study the gospel with me in my apartment?" It was perfect. A glorious contact. We thought he was a God-send. So of course we said yes and he lived just around the corner. His apartment was small and he had 3 filthy dogs that gave us a very "warm" welcome when we entered by nipping out our heels and nearly nibbling my manhood away. His walls were covered in dog pictures, calenders of dogs, and whatever else dog-related you can think of. Anyway so we sat down at the table and he said "I love your prophet Alma." We thought, wow this is great he knows about our church and wants to know more. So we asked if we could open with a prayer and he insisted that he would say it. So we said OK and he began his prayer.
Oh what a prayer. He blessed Obama probably 7 times and the USA as well. Then he blessed us, and who knows what else. The funniest part though was that we were all closing our eyes for the prayer right? Apparently he likes to end his prayer without signaling he did so. So what we thought was just a brief pause in his prayer was actually him ending his prayer, opening his eyes, grabbing his hymn book, and he began to sing. So our eyes were still closed when all of the sudden he started singing this crazy weird hymn that I couldn't understand. So we were startled to say the least. We both opened our eyes all of the sudden when we heard the singing and looked at each other completely bewildered.
Now his voice was not worthy of participating in the Primary Christmas Program. It was terrible. So he is just singing away and we have no idea what to do. I was trying so hard not to laugh, and apparently L. Sousa was doing the same but all of the sudden he couldn't hold it in any longer and just burst out laughing. Of course I followed and we sat there laughing, trying to stifle it as much as possible but it was so funny. I have no idea how he didn't hear us, probably because he was so concentrated on the...beautiful hymn...he was singing (he was also rocking back and forth while singing).
So I pretended to be interested in a passage of the BoM to get myself to stop laughing. So he finally ended his song and preceded to tell us some story about how he served in the military and how "the movies made in California are all true" then he told us he belonged to the Congregation of Brazil, a church here.
L. Sousa told me later that they are all just crazy, and this man was definitely proof of that. He said he was baptized in his church, but not only did he receive a remission of his sins, but he also said that he was baptized with the gift of tongues as well. Apparently he could speak fluent Italian after he was baptized, not knowing a word in Italian before hand. I was sorely tempted to pretend like I knew Italian and pretend to talk to him, but I pushed away the temptation. So L. Sousa politely explained that baptism has to be done with the proper authority and that the gift of tongues isn't given at baptism but it is real. He very graciously used me as an example of the gift of tongues, a gift I am very sure I do not have. Anyway, long story...long he invited us to his church and we invited him to ours, then we parted ways. L. Sousa and I turned the corner and laughed for literally about 5 minutes. It was so hilarious. Sorry that was just a big long ramble but I hope it made sense.
So that was Thursday evening, then afterward we headed to the church where Beto and Gilmara (baptismal candidates) had their baptismal interviews and passed! Sweet, and they asked both L. Sousa and I to baptize them (I would baptize Gilmara and he would baptize Beto). So on Saturday we had the baptism. The baptism was at 4:00 so Sousa and I got there about 2:30 to get the font filled and set up the chairs and everything. Everything was going to plan until 4:00 showed up and we were sitting alone in the room...waiting for somebody, anybody to show up. 4:15 came and went...nobody there. I was starting to get really anxious but L. Sousa "calmed me down" by telling me that when you say 4:00 in Brazil it really means 4:30. OK look, this is a baptism! It's not some frat party that you are throwing that you say to show up at 8:00 and people start trickling in around 8:45 or so. You aren't "fashionably late" to a baptism! In the USA we would have people there half an hour early, a center piece set up on the front a day before hand, and a person playing the organ 15 min before the service started. Anyway, long story short we ended up starting the baptism at 5:20. Yeah I was nervous the entire time waiting for everyone to show up.
So I suited up in my very figure-flattering white "moo moo" and prepared myself to baptize Gilmara. I thought I had the prayer down but I kept going over it just to make sure. We had a a prayer, a talk, sang a couple hymns, then it was time to do it. L. Sousa went first and it went fine. Then it was my turn. I led Gilmara down into the rather small and cold font. I showed her how to hold on to my arm then was all ready to go. I was about to say the prayer when I forgot that I didn't know her full-name. So I asked her and she told me it was "Gilmara Silva Dos Santos". Yeah not that long but I guess the name took all the memory space in my brain because I started the prayer and said "Gilmara Silva Dos Santos tendo..." then I forgot it. So I started again "Gilmara Silva Dos Santos tendo..." paused "sejo comissionado por Jesus Christo, eu te batizo em nome do Pai, e do Filho, e do Espírito Santo. Amen." Then I "dunked" that little Brazilian. I thought I had nailed it but then I remembered that the second word wasn't "sejo" but it was "sido". Anyway, long story short it was fine that I said it like that and the baptism went well. I was mad at myself the entire day for getting that word wrong though. But, it was an awesome experience and I won't ever forget it. Gilmara told me on Monday that she won't ever either so that was pretty cool. I love their family and I am glad they decided to be baptized.
I have lots more to say but I don't have time. I will send some pictures of the baptism (just one really of Sousa and I with the family outside the church) and a couple more from this Stake Activity we had this week where each ward put on a few dance/song numbers. It was actually pretty cool and funny. Each ward was assigned a different Disney movie to have as a theme. It was really funny to hear the ones who were assigned "High School Musical 2" chant "Wildcats" in their terrible accents. For the most part they were all terrible at dancing but Brazilians don't get embarrassed so they just danced like crazy so it was hilarious. Anyway, couple photos of Sousa, Martinatto (other Brazi I live with, comp to the ZL), and I at that.
Anyway, got to go love you all. Thanks for the emails this week everyone! They were great.
-Elder Brent Parsons
Our 'Clothes Keeper'!
Elders Parsons, Sousa, Martinatto
Me and L. Sousa
Beto and Gilmara and L. Sousa
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