"Frogs"

Happy Memorial Day family and Happy Birthday Tanner!!! If I forgot anything else... I am sorry. I hope you are all out having a wonderful time doing something fun today and I hope the weather is just beautiful today for all of you! We had a pretty rainy week here but it was actually a blast. We legit had a night where I, being brilliant, forgot my umbrella at the house, and it rained rad-tasticly hard... We were drenched but it was so fun. We were just singing as we were walking and still trying to make contacts and stuff. It really was a blast but not something I look forward to doing again though.

  

So when it rains here it brings all the frogs out of their little hiding places and so there are frogs everywhere in the roads, in houses, everywhere! And so one night we were teaching one of my favorite people in the whole wild world, Daniela, and we were sitting there and a HUGE frog came into the house. I wish I had my camera there to take a picture, but really this thing was just massive. And everyone started freaking out. Daniela and her mom ran into another room screaming, Alany (one of the best people/members I have met on the mission) ran and got on top of a chair, and then best of all... my comp started screaming like crazy, "I have never seen a frog before!! Ah!! It is going to get me/kill me!" Hahahahaha I was dying because for me I was just stoked. I went over and just lead the frog to the door and helped him outside and just acted normal. After the "Frog-asco" everyone was stunned that I don´t have a fear of frogs and my companion was 100% sure that it was "deadly" and was legit just blown away that I didn´t die but the thing is... It was just a normal, etremely overgrown frog! But he just could not relax. It turns out he has never seen stuff like frogs, snakes, scrpions, and other stuff like that and everyone was blown away. I mean come on, the kid lives in Brasil! That stuff is an every day experience for these people. But I guess down in Rio that stuff isn´t TOO common, but still... relax Bro it is just a frog. But the next day (Sunday) everyone was making jokes about it and everyone now calls him "Elder Sapo" or "Elder Frog" he takes it like a champ though. I love this kid. He really is just what I need at this point in the mish. And the frogs name by the way is "Devin".

   

And that pretty much sums up our week! Hahaha we just did a lot of contacting and finding this week which was much needed. We have been making a lot of really interesting contacts lately though. So as you all know, my comp is a stud. He is amazing at guitar as well. He has been playing for 7 years and can play pretty much whatever he wants. He even taught lessons for 3 years. But the second he got here everyone in Viçosa started having guitars! I have no idea how he finds these people, but we find a new person every day and we just go and play guitar with them for a little bit and then teach them... honestly the best contact ever. I love it.

  

We also had a really powerful re-activation lesson last night with a family who has a son that started coming back to church about a month ago. The dad was once the first councilor of the Branch Presidency and everything. I can´t tell you how much we need hm to come back to church. Another Priesthood holder would completely change the Branch. We have set goals with him and everything, but I am sure his son's example will help him return. I can´t wait to see that family in church!

  

I hope you all have a good week today and I like the comment you gave me about McKay's talk. And tell Kreg that for sure some things don´t change. I bought some fake Flix/RayBans for $2 bucks for my Hump Day gift. I also went to the Pizzaria here with the branch members - it was special. It is so funny though because really the "Hump Day" was just a normal day in the work. I always thought I would get some super secret tip on how to be awesome after that day, but I was let down... Hahaha :) I love you all and have a great week!!

 

 

Elder Big Squid

"One More Time" - Daft Punk

So for sure, everyone needs to blast that song for me this Friday because I am not able to. It is the perfect song for how I am feeling right now. I can´t believe that the ever awaited "Hump Day" is this Friday.... Strange huh? But the thing is I am pumped for "Round 2". So just listen to that song and just know I am so pumped to get things in gear. I almost started crying the other night because I got sad that I am "close" to running out of time here in the best country in the world.... I love Brasil so much .... and Viçosa.

   

This week was a pretty normal, but still had a few bummer twists and turns. We had a baptism lined up for this Saturday, this awesome little girl who is cousins with one of the most firm members here and everything was going great with teaching her and her parents/mom letting her be baptized. But then Friday night we passed there and her mom completely changed her mind. So we had one of those lessons where we were just back and forth about why she needed to be baptized. Her daughter even told her that she wanted to be baptized but still nothing gave. We ended it by saying "We respect your choice and we aren´t here to force anyone but please pray tonight and sincerly ask if she needs to be baptized and we will come back tomorrow". So we ended up going back Saturday and it turns out she "wasn´t there". Yeah we stopped by two times to try and talk to her but her daughter said she wasn´t there but in all reality, she was just in a back room hiding waiting for us to leave.... Awesome. But it is all good. We will respect her descion and will see what happens in the future.

   

We also had some guys from the church come fix our house up this week.... Best blessing ever. They painted the walls and doors, fixed the toilet, put more lights in, and best of all.... Put in hooks so I can finally hang my hammock! Oh I am in love with that thing... Such a tender mercy and easily the best study place ever after your mom has sent you tons of great books to read. Oh they also cleaned out the rats and bats from our ceiling, too! Now I don´t have to deal with cleaning up their "little surprises" every morning by my study desk.... Jerks. But is was cool because we got to help out a bit and I learned tons about plumbing and electrical stuff. I feel like I am learning more then just spiritual stuff here in the mission.... Who knew right? I also couldn´t stop thinking about what would happen if Bill Shledon was here hahahaha.

   

Things are going great with my Squid Boy. (Cache is training a new missionary) He is such a funny kid and we get along like champions. It is fun because he is already a really good missionary but I am teaching him more about missionary life. He is just clueless about some stuff and I just laugh cause I know I was the exact same way! He is rad.... Hahahaha he legit just asked me how to spell "BYU". Hahahahahaha I love this kid!

   

It was so great to talk to you all. You all looked really great and are still that amazing family I left back there in good ol´Utah. I am sorry that once again the Skype was rough but hey, I could see you all smiling so that made me happy. I am so glad that our family is the way it is. That we are always just laughing and happy..... You guys are wild. This past week was super eventful for everyone, but for sure the best of all was Trent´s hole in one! Congrats dude that is awesome. So Mom gave me some more questions so I will take a crack at those, but before I forget, Mom I love the name and for sure will use it. Don´t tell anyone though :)

 

What color watch are you wearing today?- None :( I forgot it at home. But I have plans for wearing my big black Ferrari one.

 

What's the funniest thing that happened to you this week?-  I made some weird goblin sound with the Pres of the Branch last night and he started crying from laughing so hard. PS!!! A member here in Viçosa got on to Youtube and found the video of my Brighton Skit. The whole Branch has seen it now! Hahahaha

 

What do you like best about your new comp?- Everything. We honestly get along so well. He is funny, he is from Rio, he helps me with the language a lot, is teaching me how to dance Samba and rap in Portuguese, and is always willing to help. He is just a blast always.

 

What's the hardest thing you did this week? - Ummm sitting for more then 5 hours in the church for leadership meeting was rough. And then leaving feeling like I am nowhere near my capacity is rough too. I was a bit trunky too :p

 

What's the strangest food you've eaten thus far on your mission?- For sure the goat stomach still. Not a fan at all.

 

What was strange or gross to eat before, but now you're ok w/it? Hahahah we all know the answer to this one.... BEANS! I actually love beans now. Like they are delicious. Does that mean when I go to Café Rio I will order all my stuff with beans? No.

 

Stay Sweet,

Elder Big Deal

"I live here......"

Beleza família!!! Tudo bem com tudo mundo?! Sounds like once again, you all had a great week back in the good ol´SLC.... where the players play.... hahaha. Except for Ry and all of those wonderful AP tests. That would be horrible. That is one thing I for sure don´t miss, tests. Ugh! But I am sure she will do amazing on all of them and so I am not too stressed for ya sis ;)

   

My week here was pretty meh.... My comp had a rough week with his back so he stayed at home for most of the week. It did give me the chance to go on splits with some of our recent converts though, and that was pretty fun. It was rough at the same time because they are recent converts so they really didn´t help with the teaching parts, but the bearing of their newly-formed testimonies helped a lot. They are so awesome. I am so excited that I am staying here another 6 weeks with them.... Yep! We had transfer calls on Saturday and Elder Amorim is getting moved out because his back can´t handle the hills here so that means I am staying still. This next transfer will put me at six months here... Not really a bad thing because I love my little Viçosa a ton. I do feel like I have contacted everyone though, so we will see how that goes. I am just excited to see who my new comp will be and hopefully he will bring a lot of excitement with him because there is still plenty of work to be done here. I will miss Elder Amorim though. He really helped me out a lot. Esspecially with the language and accent. He was a fun comp and I hope he is able to feel better soon and stay in the mission.

   

I really don´t have much more than that for this week... Sorry the e-mail is so bland this week. I hope you like the pics I am sending you. One is of a view point in Maceió that is just so pretty and the other is of this six watches I bought that you can change the color of everything on it and mix um up and stuff. It has some pretty legit colors if you aren´t able to see them. I am trying to think of what else to talk about.... Oh wait, MOTHERS DAY!! I can´t believe I am already going to be skyping with you guys again. I am so excited!! Mom already knows all the details so she will hook you all up, but we are planning on Monday. I am so ready for next week, it is going to be a blast. And Trent, if you happen to be playing some Halo in the background I wouldn´t mind.... Hahaha. Once again, sorry for the lame letter but next week will make up for it. Love you all!

 

 Elder Big Deal