November 19, 2012

HELLO!

 The photos are from the night of my birthday. The bishop's wife made a cake for me and we celebrated with their family and the Relief Society President at their house quick before we went to our apartment for the night. It was really really really nice of her. The cake was delicious and all of their kids were so excited to sing "Parabéns" to me. She also gave me a pair of earrings and a necklace that are really beautiful. It was different than other birthdays I have had, but everyone showed me lots of love so I am really grateful.

Also, speaking of birthdays I got a call today that I got a package which is SUCH great news, but the bad news is sometimes the post office charges to pick up packages, nobody knows exactly why, they say it is random selection... and they chose mine. Wahoo. It's R$67 so I can pay it, but apparently sometimes it is much worse. Everyone says it helps to put pictures of Jesus or Catholic Saints on the packages so they don't pick yours. I don't know if that is true, but maybe. 

This week I finally have a good answer to the question that everyone asks me in their letters. I ate something strange. Goat meat. I didn't even know at the time that it was goat meat, it just tasted like normal, but it was a goat. Wahoo. Really the food I eat is normal. The meat is always the strangest part, but I think that is just because I don't like meat very much. I am learning to like it though. And I am even beginning to have preferences. I don't just like chicken anymore, I like a few others too. Plus some members know how to cook meat really yummy with lots of seasonings that are good. 

We've had a lot more success working with the members this week and it makes such a difference. When a member is in a lesson our investigators understand what we are teaching so much more and they realize that everyone in our church isn't a missionary like us. It's so good. The members help so much. Especially references. We got a reference last week from our bishop and the man and his daughter are already scheduled to be baptized this Saturday. We are working way hard and seeing miracles here for sure. It is so good. I fall asleep thinking about our investigators and wake up still thinking about them. We are teaching a lot of people with big time issues right now. And every single person's issues are different so it takes a lot of thinking. I really love all of the people we are teaching right now though. Seriously, I just want to spend my whole day teaching them. It is so awful when we have to leave for our next appointment. All of our investigators show us so much love and just shower us with gratitude, it is so great to be the person that brings good feelings to people's lives.

One of our investigators has a problem with all 5 parts of the word of wisdom: coffee, tea, tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs. Yeah, it's going to be a rough road helping him, but he is such a good person and has a really strong desire to change so hopefully I see a miracle in him real soon. He is 38 and lives in a house with his mom and dad and a bunch of his siblings who are all adults and basically everyone uses drugs. Hopefully he finds a way to move out like he wants, but he needs money first and it is real complicated. Yesterday when we were teaching a couple of drunkards in his family came in and started talking to me trying to act out what they were saying because they didn't think I spoke Portuguese. It was pretty funny. Our investigator was really embarrassed by it. I told him it was no problem, even though it was an awful experience. Oh the sacrifices I make to save souls. Hahaha. He plays the guitar REALLY well though so we are trying to arrange for him to give lessons at the church to give him a distraction. I have a lot of hope for him. He really is such a cool guy with SO much potential. 

Funny that you asked how our sacrament meetings are. I don't want to be critical, but at times I wonder if it is even possible for the Spirit to be there. I am sure that however many kids were screaming during your musical number last week was nothing compared to what goes on here during the entire meeting, prayers and passing of sacrament included. People don't stay in their seats, kids scream, and adults talk with their neighbor out loud, plus the room is partially open to the outdoors for air flow and there is a main avenue close by. At least you have carpet to drown out some of the noise. It is like a circus sometimes in the meetings here. Oh perfect example. Yesterday, we were sitting with a woman whose son is a member, but she isn't and during the middle of the meeting her cell phone rang AND SHE ANSWERED IT. I am not joking. The sad part is that other people are so irreverent that not everyone noticed it ring and her answer. So be grateful that even if you have irreverent children, at least the adults in your ward are respectful. We are praying for our ward though and the bishopbric is trying to help too. 

That's all I have to say this week though. Things are good here. I really love it still. I am trying to appreciate the small moments and it helps to realize how many good things happen each day. Plus, I am learning lots and lots. WOO!!

Love you. Bye.

Sister Laurel Ann Udy

P.S. I attached this photo of us at church with our recent converts Priscilia and Gabriel and Isaque because they were both in white shirts and ties for the first time and it was so great!

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The pictures I am sending in this e-mail are me in my new hammock that I bought with my birthday money!!

 A perfect sunset here in Caicó next to the dirty swamp/pond water.

A picture of us eating lunch at a Chinese restaurant for my birthday with some of the elders in our district and then us eating cake and ice cream at a bakery called "Tudo de Bom" It was really delicious, but Sister Ferreira couldn't handle all the sweets and was sick on Tuesday... we stayed at home most of the day, except for one lesson. She was back to normal Wednesday though and we still met all of our mission "standards of excellence" for the week! Wahoo!