Dec. 19th ~
SO, Jardim da Penha is about 20 minutes by bus from Itaparica, Vila Velha. It is also on the beach. I´m literally in Vitória, Brasil now. The capital of Espírito Santo. We´re in the same ward as Presidente and Sister Araújo - so all the perks are inculded. Also, surprise. I´m training! Sister Powell is going home today because she messed up her knee and has to get surgery. Its super sad and she´s depressed but she gets to be home for Christmas! So. I´m finishing the training for Sister Peterson. So. The Lord knows I can do way more than I think I can. This area is really hard because there are a lot of buildings and apartments and everyone works. Like mini New York City...Brasil style.
I don´t have a lot to report on the investigators and teaching end because we´re looking for people to teach and trying to discover where the Lord wants us to work...because now that we´re going to be one trio where theres always been two duplas - we have a BIG area.
So. I´m going to have the best Christmas ever. Yesterday we had a fireside in our ward with Presidente and afterward he told us we can spend the night at his house Christmas Eve!!!! WHAT?!!! I KNOW!!!!!!!!!! I´m so excited I can´t even email right. And today we get to hang out with Pres and Sister because we´re taking Sis Powell to the airport and she wants to buy some things before she goes home. Me and Presidente are excited for McDonalds...no one else. This is our bond. :D I love Pres and Sister Araújo. They are so funny and just fun and happy people to be around.
But. This week was awesome. I´ll friggin talk to you guys in less than a week!!!!! I hope I can remember how to speak English. Trying to talk to Sis Peterson is rough! So. I love you. Sorry this email is CRAZY, I´m just so excited and freaking out!!! Thanks for all your emails. Being Senior, I have to email our goals to the Assistants. Thank you. I love you!!!
Dec. 26th ~
My Christmas was awesome. Thanks so much for my presents. Hilarious t-shirts. Make up. Candy! Temple Ensign. Pictures of Arizona! Shirts for proselyting. Everything! Thank you, thank you, thank you. But the best present was seeing and talking to you guys! Christmas Eve we had a party with Zone Vitòria at Presidentes house. It super fun and funny. Elders. They are hilarious. Elder Spencer and his companion got everyone joke gifts. The last to open were Presidente and Sister Araùjo. The two biggest rival soccer teams here are Corinthians and São Paulo. So much that when they have games in São Paulo...people kill other people. Anyway. Presidente is Corinthian...Sister is São Paulo. When Sister opened her gift it was a São Paulista journal. She stood up jumping in excitement with all the other Elders that like that team. Presidente jumped up and ran away from her then did motions like he was washing the devil off his body from head to toe, saying, ''Get out! Get out!'' It was super funny. I love my mission mãe and pai. Then, us Sisters got to sleep there and go to church with them. Carmen, the crazy lady was there to greet me (ignoring everyone else because she doesn't like Brazilians). She kept screaming ''the book is on the table'' during Sacrament Meeting and I had to keep giving her PEZ to keep her quiet. So, that was fun.
Afterward church was when I called you guys! WOO HOO! I didn't cry until grandma Bowen jumped onto the computer and started crying and when I had to close Skype. Thats the weirdest thing ever to have to close down your family. I did not like that at all. But it was so good to see you all and talk to you. You all look awesome. It was super good to see Grandma and Papa Johnson too because I never see them or hear from them. My nieces are all so big and dang cute! Ellee looks/acts like shes kind of an eccentric little kid. Is she? I hope I answered all your questions and it all worked out good. I feel like I didn't talk to mom very much but that's what Mothers Day is for!!! Thanks for being an awesome family and supporting me. There are so many missionaries that don't have the support of their family. I am so blessed and so lucky. Its so good to see the blessings of my family for my labors here.Presidente always tells us: our family is receiving blessings now, but we won't receive our blessings until we get home; and the more we suffer, the more blessings. I think I'm going to get a lot of blessings!
After lunch we went to Presidentes house and hung out. It was so fun. We looked at pictures of their lives and joked. They are so funny and relaxed. Everytime we leave their house me and Sister Vieira always say to Sister Peterson. That NEVER would have happened with President Pickett. I love my mãe and pai!!! And starting this week I get to teach them English...if I remember it?!
Anything else? Oh! If you want. You don't have to, but Presidente REALLY likes the Jelly Belly Jelly Beans if you ever feel like sending my pai a gift. The same address of the mission that you have. We were all sharing the Jelly Beans and this box had 40 flavors. Even coffee and margarita. Pres grabbed margarita without knowing and threw it in his mouth and I said, ''Presidente! That's Margarita!'' He threw his hand in the air and said, ''Ope. Too late! Too late!'' Smiling, like, there's nothing that can be done. He also told us a story about how he threw up orange chicken in the glove box of his friends car. Sister Araùjo fell onto the couch laughing. So funny these Brazilians!
Afterward church was when I called you guys! WOO HOO! I didn't cry until grandma Bowen jumped onto the computer and started crying and when I had to close Skype. Thats the weirdest thing ever to have to close down your family. I did not like that at all. But it was so good to see you all and talk to you. You all look awesome. It was super good to see Grandma and Papa Johnson too because I never see them or hear from them. My nieces are all so big and dang cute! Ellee looks/acts like shes kind of an eccentric little kid. Is she? I hope I answered all your questions and it all worked out good. I feel like I didn't talk to mom very much but that's what Mothers Day is for!!! Thanks for being an awesome family and supporting me. There are so many missionaries that don't have the support of their family. I am so blessed and so lucky. Its so good to see the blessings of my family for my labors here.Presidente always tells us: our family is receiving blessings now, but we won't receive our blessings until we get home; and the more we suffer, the more blessings. I think I'm going to get a lot of blessings!
After lunch we went to Presidentes house and hung out. It was so fun. We looked at pictures of their lives and joked. They are so funny and relaxed. Everytime we leave their house me and Sister Vieira always say to Sister Peterson. That NEVER would have happened with President Pickett. I love my mãe and pai!!! And starting this week I get to teach them English...if I remember it?!
Anything else? Oh! If you want. You don't have to, but Presidente REALLY likes the Jelly Belly Jelly Beans if you ever feel like sending my pai a gift. The same address of the mission that you have. We were all sharing the Jelly Beans and this box had 40 flavors. Even coffee and margarita. Pres grabbed margarita without knowing and threw it in his mouth and I said, ''Presidente! That's Margarita!'' He threw his hand in the air and said, ''Ope. Too late! Too late!'' Smiling, like, there's nothing that can be done. He also told us a story about how he threw up orange chicken in the glove box of his friends car. Sister Araùjo fell onto the couch laughing. So funny these Brazilians!