So I didn't have much to say this week but then my father made a slight complaint that I don't talk about my day to day stuff anymore...so I will write a little bit about that.
We study from 8 - 11 am everyday.
Then we have lunch at 12 noon at a members house. They actually have a lady from the Relief Society whose calling in the ward is to take care of the missionary's lunches. So she gives us a calender every month and we just show up at the houses and there is food there waiting for us.
We eat with the family, sit and talk for a while, then we leave a message. The lunch message switches between my companion and I every other day. The days where you don't have to give the message are the best because we are always freaking full after lunch and it's good to just sit on the couch and just listen without having to think at all. Then we ask for references (sometimes the message is directed to the family in order to show them they need to give a reference) then we pray and leave and start to work.
Those of you who have served in a country where lunch is the primary meal of the day knows that the hour after lunch is pretty much the worse time of the day because it feels like you weigh 20 lbs heavier, the sun is blazingly hot during this hour, and tons of people are still having lunch so it's hard to check out any addresses or anything that we got from our contacts.
Food = Rice and beans everyday with some sort of "mixture" as they call it which is just some sort of meat or something. I really like the food. It's funny because it can be the best meal ever but if it doesn't have rice and beans you will see fully grown men complaining at the table. I am starting to become like that. The meal can suck but as long as there is rice and beans you know you are going to get full.
Contacts are a huge part of the mission. We have to either contact someone on the street (talk with some on the street) or somebody at home 12 times as day. A contact can be really fast (30 seconds sometimes) but you have to say something about the restored gospel and ask for their address.
I am entering into the stage of my mission where I have pretty much heard every sort of excuse there is. Which pretty much means I get rather angry sometimes when I hear the same lie over and over when the people think they are being all original. I love Brazil but there are a few things that I will never accept or understand and one of the things is that they are taught from a young age that if you don't want to do something you can just lie about it and nothing will happen.
Dishonesty is a genetic trait I am beginning to believe. A crappy contact, which I am all too accustomed to having, usually goes something like this.
Me: "Hi, I know that you are in a hurry" (I always start like that because they love to blow me off with the whole 'I am in a hurry thing') "But we are missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ and ANOTHER DAY we would like to pass by your house and leave a message with you and your family" (you have to emphasize the whole ANOTHER DAY part or they will think that you want to share the message with them at that moment and they will just blow you off by saying they don't have time at the moment and will speed away) "that talks about how God called a prophet along with 12 apostles in our days, just like Jesus Christ's church was organized in His time. Would there be a time this week that we could come by and leave this message with you and your family really fast?"
Person I am contacting: "Oh, sorry young man, "Eu nunca paro em casa" which means "I am never at home" or literaly "I never stop in house." This is the phrase that I am sure I have heard over 3000 times on my mission.
So then I say "Our message will actually be really fast, only 5 minutes."
They say "No but I don't have 5 minutes, I work all day and only get home at night around 7 o'clock."
Then I say "Well that's perfect! We work until 9 o'clock at night. So can we pass by around 7:30 sometime this week?"
Seeing as they are caught, they move onto their second tactic. They say "Oh well I actually already go to another church so I am already following Jesus."
I say "You don't have to worry about that because our message doesn't argue about religion and the faith that you already have in Christ will only be increased by our message."
Then they understand that they can't wiggle out of it and move on to the third tactic.
They say (if it is a woman) "Sorry, but my husband doesn't accept other religions, he's kind of annoying" or if it is a man he mysteriously always lives with his mom still who is EXTREMELY Catholic or from the Congregaçao. Always. And she "doesn't accept other religions" either.
Then I start to get a little angry but still keep my calm "Well we could pass by there and see if they will accept us and if they yell and curse at us we won't mind because we are used to it don't worry about it. So can I grab your address and pass by there another day to talk to them and leave a message?"
Then they say "No I actually don't want the message, bye."
WHAT THE FREAK? I don't understand why they just don't say that in the beginning! They prefer to stay there lying to us over and over and over wasting both of our time instead of politely saying that they don't want to hear our message.
Every once in a while they add in a few creative excuses like "I live in a really far neighborhood" then I say "Well, seeing as we are the only missionaries in this ENTIRE CITY we for sure work over in your area as well!"
Haha, the other day this lady said "Oh no, thank you, I live really far away." I asked her where she lived and she obviously wasn't thinking to clearly while stuttering "Uh...umm...I live in...Salto de Pirapora." HMMM...interesting. That happens to be the name of the city THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW! Haha. She couldn't even make up another name of a city other than the one we are in right now. I said "Well what an awesome coincidence...I live there too!"
Anyway, that was a long description for something so little. But it is actually a HUGE part of my life here considering I have to do 12 a day for 2 full years of my life...it just becomes part of me.
So this week we continued working with our 3 baptismal dates for next Saturday. Viviane and Larissa and another girl named Viviane as well. Viviane is that lady that stopped us on the street and we asked to pass by. We have been trying to help her stop smoking and she is doing well but has to stop really soon...like within 2 days...to get baptized next week. She was smoking 20 a day but now is at 2-3 a day but it is proving a little difficult to kick the habit. She can do it though.
We met her on the street the other day and stole her cigarettes from her haha. I filmed it and will send the video. I am really hoping that her and her daughter get baptized.
The other Viviane is 19 years old and is way cool. Everything was going fine until she went to church on Sunday then got back and her parents got really mad at her for going and stuff. We went there on Tuesday and she told us everything and was nearly crying because she thought she would have to give it up with us because she lives with her parents but we had an idea to teach her at a member's house that lives really close to her and she got all happy and said that's what she wanted.
She is 19 too so can sign her own baptismal form and everything...the parents just are really faithful to another church and it will just take a little time for them to adjust. I thought we were going to lose her but she still has the desire to keep going so we's good.
Welp, that's about it from these parts. We went to the Temple in São Paulo today which was way cool but we lose pretty much our whole p-day due to the 4 hour round trip bus ride plus the session and lunch. Not to mention the whole waking up at 3:30 to catch a bus from my area to Sorocaba in order to catch the other bus with all the missionaries from here in the interior to São Paulo.
It's all good though. Farewell to everyone!
-Elder Brent Parsons
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Thanks for the emails!
Greetings!
I thank all those who answered my plea and emailed me this week. It was actually way cool. My unknown fans Mr. Curt Lytle and Connor emailed me this week and said they have been following my blog for a while.
Curt Lytle has a son that just barely got onto the mission in Goiania, Brazil. He told me that his son has been struggling with the language and it reminded me of the ever so frustrating first months that I had here and how frustrating it was with the language. It gets better Curt! Let him know that. 6 months and he will be a pro.
I can't even remember what it feels like NOT to understand what the people are saying to me. Tell him that even though it doesn't seem like it right now, he is truly lucky for getting a Brazilian as a first companion and living with 2 other Brazilians. That is exactly what happened to me and it was the best thing that could have happened to help me with the language.
The other person who emailed me, Connor, has been following my blog ever since he got his call to Porto Alegre North, Brazil. I already gave him some tips in another email, but thanks for the email Connor. He is going to be heading to the CTM (actually was my first area) next week.
It was cool to see that me trying every week to inform people about what's going on here in my life actually have helped others.
Anyway, this week was really good. A lady named Viviani stopped us on the street and said her daughter, Lariça, who is a friend of Afonsinho's sister (kid we just baptized) is wanting to come to our church because she saw us going to Afonsinho's house a bunch. So then I said "Well, we would love to have her come to church, but we would like you to come too!" She said she would then I asked "Could we pass by your house and leave a message with you and the rest of your family?" She said yeah so then I pulled out my planner to find a day...then I noticed that we didn't have much to do that night so I was like "Could we come by...tonight?" She said "Oh sure! I would love it!" So we went by there.
It was awesome...and hilarious! She is a single mom with 4 kids and the oldest one is Lariça who is 11. The next is 6 years old (boy) , then 3 (boy), then 1 (girl). And they are all CRAZY. We gave the first lesson and while I was teaching I had to teach them with the 3 year old on my shoulders playing around with my hair because he climbed up on the couch and jumped down on top of me haha.
It's awesome though and the kids LOVE us. We arrive and they all come screaming out of the house to greet us. Then when we go to say the closing prayer they start climbing over us and yelling so we can't say the prayer. It's great though and I am truly happy when I am there with them. It's even better because both Viviani, the mom, and Lariça accepted baptism dates and are progressing like crazy. Viviani loves the Book of Mormon. Last night we went there and made a goal chart with Viviani to stop smoking by next week. She is smoking a pack a day but really wants to quit. We have really high hopes.
On Monday I did a division with Elder Puggina. It is impossible to describe him but he is just a bit "off". Anyway, we were sitting at the bus stop after district meeting to catch a bus back to my area when all of the sudden somebody yelled directly in my ear really loud. I jumped and looked over and there was a drunk there who started asking me for money. I told him no. Then he asked me if I was American then just to play around with him I told him no and said I was "Gaucho" (somebody from the southern state of Brazil - Rio Grande do Sul).
He then said that was good and we continued talking but a little ways through the convo I made a mistake in Portuguese...and I knew I did. He looked at me and said in his drunken voice "wait a second *hiccup*...you are American! And I am part of the police *hiccup* and you are under arrest! Show me your identification!" I was like "no...how about YOU show me your identification first."
Then my poor little friend Puggina was getting all scared and burst out "He was just joking! He is American! Sorry sir! Here are my documents!" and then Puggina panicky went fumbling around to pull out his documents from his pocket until I had to slap him and tell him that the guy was obviously a drunk and wasn't part of the police. Haha. Then he relaxed a little bit and we left the drunk (after the drunk actually hit me really hard on the back because I wouldn't give him any money) and caught the bus. It was hilarious...you kinda just had to be there and you have to know this Puggina kid.
Anyway, the work is going well here and I am happy. Thanks for all the support I have from home...love ya'll!
-Elder Parsons
I thank all those who answered my plea and emailed me this week. It was actually way cool. My unknown fans Mr. Curt Lytle and Connor emailed me this week and said they have been following my blog for a while.
Curt Lytle has a son that just barely got onto the mission in Goiania, Brazil. He told me that his son has been struggling with the language and it reminded me of the ever so frustrating first months that I had here and how frustrating it was with the language. It gets better Curt! Let him know that. 6 months and he will be a pro.
I can't even remember what it feels like NOT to understand what the people are saying to me. Tell him that even though it doesn't seem like it right now, he is truly lucky for getting a Brazilian as a first companion and living with 2 other Brazilians. That is exactly what happened to me and it was the best thing that could have happened to help me with the language.
The other person who emailed me, Connor, has been following my blog ever since he got his call to Porto Alegre North, Brazil. I already gave him some tips in another email, but thanks for the email Connor. He is going to be heading to the CTM (actually was my first area) next week.
It was cool to see that me trying every week to inform people about what's going on here in my life actually have helped others.
Anyway, this week was really good. A lady named Viviani stopped us on the street and said her daughter, Lariça, who is a friend of Afonsinho's sister (kid we just baptized) is wanting to come to our church because she saw us going to Afonsinho's house a bunch. So then I said "Well, we would love to have her come to church, but we would like you to come too!" She said she would then I asked "Could we pass by your house and leave a message with you and the rest of your family?" She said yeah so then I pulled out my planner to find a day...then I noticed that we didn't have much to do that night so I was like "Could we come by...tonight?" She said "Oh sure! I would love it!" So we went by there.
It was awesome...and hilarious! She is a single mom with 4 kids and the oldest one is Lariça who is 11. The next is 6 years old (boy) , then 3 (boy), then 1 (girl). And they are all CRAZY. We gave the first lesson and while I was teaching I had to teach them with the 3 year old on my shoulders playing around with my hair because he climbed up on the couch and jumped down on top of me haha.
It's awesome though and the kids LOVE us. We arrive and they all come screaming out of the house to greet us. Then when we go to say the closing prayer they start climbing over us and yelling so we can't say the prayer. It's great though and I am truly happy when I am there with them. It's even better because both Viviani, the mom, and Lariça accepted baptism dates and are progressing like crazy. Viviani loves the Book of Mormon. Last night we went there and made a goal chart with Viviani to stop smoking by next week. She is smoking a pack a day but really wants to quit. We have really high hopes.
On Monday I did a division with Elder Puggina. It is impossible to describe him but he is just a bit "off". Anyway, we were sitting at the bus stop after district meeting to catch a bus back to my area when all of the sudden somebody yelled directly in my ear really loud. I jumped and looked over and there was a drunk there who started asking me for money. I told him no. Then he asked me if I was American then just to play around with him I told him no and said I was "Gaucho" (somebody from the southern state of Brazil - Rio Grande do Sul).
He then said that was good and we continued talking but a little ways through the convo I made a mistake in Portuguese...and I knew I did. He looked at me and said in his drunken voice "wait a second *hiccup*...you are American! And I am part of the police *hiccup* and you are under arrest! Show me your identification!" I was like "no...how about YOU show me your identification first."
Then my poor little friend Puggina was getting all scared and burst out "He was just joking! He is American! Sorry sir! Here are my documents!" and then Puggina panicky went fumbling around to pull out his documents from his pocket until I had to slap him and tell him that the guy was obviously a drunk and wasn't part of the police. Haha. Then he relaxed a little bit and we left the drunk (after the drunk actually hit me really hard on the back because I wouldn't give him any money) and caught the bus. It was hilarious...you kinda just had to be there and you have to know this Puggina kid.
Anyway, the work is going well here and I am happy. Thanks for all the support I have from home...love ya'll!
-Elder Parsons
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Come On - write me an e-mail
Let's just say all the "cyber praise" that I asked for and was anxiously waiting for this week made for a super "cyber let down" today. I thank those in my immediate and extended family...and Jake Ferrin...for the congrats on the year of work I have given harvesting souls to greater build the Kingdom of God here on the earth. But you know...it's not that important anyway I guess. :). I know there are a bunch of free riders out there reading this well kept blog chalk full of great comedic and spiritual insights that don't send me anything. I say "send me a freakin letter or get the heck off my blog!"**
Well we had the baptism of our little Afonso friend this week. He is 9 years old and his family decided to come back to church after being away for about 4 years. We taught him (and his family...because they pretty much forgot everything) all the lessons the we dunked him nigh unto Oreo in milk on Saturday. Actually our Bishop was the one who "dunked" him. Did I tell you guys that our Bishop is American? It's a long story but he served here in this mission and even passed through this area. He is now married to a lady who is from here but he never met her while he was on his mission.
Anyway, his Portuguese is nigh unto amazing...I mean I can understand everything he says but to duplicate his speaking ability will take another few years for me. I take Portuguese very seriously and I don't think I speak too bad at all, but there are some things that just take time. You can't learn everything from a book. But anyway, our bishop is way cool and helps us tons in the work.
So we had 3 baptisms in the last two weeks which is really good considering the mission goal is 2 baptisms per month...however we are kind of out of investigators right now. Monday literally was one of the worst days of work that I have ever had on my mission too. We had only 3 appointments in the whole day, very few, and all 3 of them fell one after the other leaving us with absolutely nothing to do at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We had to resort to "hitting" doors for 6 hours straight and with one of the worst streaks of luck I have ever seen we did not enter 1 house the whole day. It was incredible.
But luckily we had a really good day yesterday and found 5 new investigators and marked 2 more baptismal dates. It's funny how your emotions change on the mission. On Monday I was nearly calling President to ask to be emergency transferred out of the area and then yesterday I didn't want the day to end haha.
I also had to go do an interview in the Sister's area yesterday. My city here is out in the middle of nowhere but their area is another 24 km even farther out into the middle of nowhere. A little city called Pilar do Sul. And seeing as we can't do divisions with the sisters to do the interview both my companion and I had to go out there. It was cool though and was fun to work with them for half the day. One of them, Sister Lotulelei is Tongan and she went to Timpanogos. It's crazy that we are both so far away from home walking in a little town out in the middle of nowhere in Brazil but we are both from the same place. The world is tiny in the church.
Welp, that's about it I guess. I'll talk to you guys next week. Farewell.
-Elder Brent Parsons
**Not to be taken seriously
Well we had the baptism of our little Afonso friend this week. He is 9 years old and his family decided to come back to church after being away for about 4 years. We taught him (and his family...because they pretty much forgot everything) all the lessons the we dunked him nigh unto Oreo in milk on Saturday. Actually our Bishop was the one who "dunked" him. Did I tell you guys that our Bishop is American? It's a long story but he served here in this mission and even passed through this area. He is now married to a lady who is from here but he never met her while he was on his mission.
Anyway, his Portuguese is nigh unto amazing...I mean I can understand everything he says but to duplicate his speaking ability will take another few years for me. I take Portuguese very seriously and I don't think I speak too bad at all, but there are some things that just take time. You can't learn everything from a book. But anyway, our bishop is way cool and helps us tons in the work.
So we had 3 baptisms in the last two weeks which is really good considering the mission goal is 2 baptisms per month...however we are kind of out of investigators right now. Monday literally was one of the worst days of work that I have ever had on my mission too. We had only 3 appointments in the whole day, very few, and all 3 of them fell one after the other leaving us with absolutely nothing to do at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We had to resort to "hitting" doors for 6 hours straight and with one of the worst streaks of luck I have ever seen we did not enter 1 house the whole day. It was incredible.
But luckily we had a really good day yesterday and found 5 new investigators and marked 2 more baptismal dates. It's funny how your emotions change on the mission. On Monday I was nearly calling President to ask to be emergency transferred out of the area and then yesterday I didn't want the day to end haha.
I also had to go do an interview in the Sister's area yesterday. My city here is out in the middle of nowhere but their area is another 24 km even farther out into the middle of nowhere. A little city called Pilar do Sul. And seeing as we can't do divisions with the sisters to do the interview both my companion and I had to go out there. It was cool though and was fun to work with them for half the day. One of them, Sister Lotulelei is Tongan and she went to Timpanogos. It's crazy that we are both so far away from home walking in a little town out in the middle of nowhere in Brazil but we are both from the same place. The world is tiny in the church.
Welp, that's about it I guess. I'll talk to you guys next week. Farewell.
-Elder Brent Parsons
**Not to be taken seriously
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
New Area
Well I spent this week getting to know my new area. The area is pretty cool, it is small but it has pretty much everything you need to survive I guess. It has a bank, like a thousand churches which makes for a great time for us, supermarket, and...yeah that's about it. It's cool though.
I took a bunch of pics with my new sweet camera that my Dad sent me. Enjoy! I realize that I look like a retard in the video I made but I hope it shows you my house and where I live at least a little bit. I swear I have not turned retarded here on the mission don't worry Mother!
We had two baptisms this week and we also have another one this week. I'll admit the last 2 last week I "stole" but the one this week I didn't. It is a son of a less active member who is coming back to the church right now but that unfortunately lives on the very other end of the city. The church is located right in the very entrance of the city which is good for the Church because everybody sees the church when the drive into the city but bad for the missionaries because it is an hour and 10 minute walk at the speed of my Mother's "strut" for those who are familiar with it to the other side of the city which is exactly where this little boy lives and where we have to go nearly everyday to teach him. However after the baptism it will get better...I hope.
Yes...the date has finally come. Next week my friends...I will complete a year on the mission (Aug 12th - date I left my house. Aug 13th - date I arrived in Brazil. You guys can call it a year for either one of these). It's been done my friends. Money and cyber praise will be gladly accepted.
Has it gone by fast? The first 6 months took forever but from 6 until now it flew by pretty fast. I dunno...as one of my friends here on the mission said in his final testimony before going home "People say that these 2 years fly by really fast, but to me 2 years was 2 years. It passed by as long as 2 years takes." It's true I guess. It's gone by fast but looking back to the day that I said goodbye to everyone it definitely seems like it has been a fully year. It's a good feeling to know that I won't have to repeat any of the days from here on out though haha. "Yep...that was the last August 14th on the mission..."
Anyway, loves and stuffs. If anyone has any questions or anything let me know. I love a good gossip too. Farewell!
-Elder Brent Parsons
I took a bunch of pics with my new sweet camera that my Dad sent me. Enjoy! I realize that I look like a retard in the video I made but I hope it shows you my house and where I live at least a little bit. I swear I have not turned retarded here on the mission don't worry Mother!
We had two baptisms this week and we also have another one this week. I'll admit the last 2 last week I "stole" but the one this week I didn't. It is a son of a less active member who is coming back to the church right now but that unfortunately lives on the very other end of the city. The church is located right in the very entrance of the city which is good for the Church because everybody sees the church when the drive into the city but bad for the missionaries because it is an hour and 10 minute walk at the speed of my Mother's "strut" for those who are familiar with it to the other side of the city which is exactly where this little boy lives and where we have to go nearly everyday to teach him. However after the baptism it will get better...I hope.
Yes...the date has finally come. Next week my friends...I will complete a year on the mission (Aug 12th - date I left my house. Aug 13th - date I arrived in Brazil. You guys can call it a year for either one of these). It's been done my friends. Money and cyber praise will be gladly accepted.
Has it gone by fast? The first 6 months took forever but from 6 until now it flew by pretty fast. I dunno...as one of my friends here on the mission said in his final testimony before going home "People say that these 2 years fly by really fast, but to me 2 years was 2 years. It passed by as long as 2 years takes." It's true I guess. It's gone by fast but looking back to the day that I said goodbye to everyone it definitely seems like it has been a fully year. It's a good feeling to know that I won't have to repeat any of the days from here on out though haha. "Yep...that was the last August 14th on the mission..."
Anyway, loves and stuffs. If anyone has any questions or anything let me know. I love a good gossip too. Farewell!
-Elder Brent Parsons
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