This week things are back to normal, as in, our local LAN House (computer kiosk) is open. No more Carnaval. It rained almost everyday this week. Yesterday and Saturday it was super wet. Even with umbrellas we were drenched several times each day due to the wind and water splashing off of roofs and us having to walk in ankle deep water and traverse staircases that were acting as waterfalls on the hills. Also, just like on the movies I got splashed while walking on the sidewalk by a bus passing through a big puddle (or mini-lake, as you prefer) on the road. I laughed. It feels really weird, like jumping into a pool sideways. Dramatic thunder and lightning displays. Today the sun is out again. I prefer rain.
Elder Gneiting, my companion in Georgia got his visa, and arrived in Brasil on Thursday. President let him call me. Two of the people we were teaching in Portuguese (a mom and son- Fátima and Luca) made considerable progress. Luca was baptized and Fátima is going to be baptized on the 20th! Also, a woman that we found who spoke English got baptized. Finally, after 6 months in the States, he got his visa and is here. It´s good to know that all the labor, time, and effort that I and the thousands of other missionaries contribute each hour of each day has at least some tangible yet exceptionally delicious fruit.
Yesterday was Stake Conference at the Stake Center a 30 minute bus ride from here. It was interesting. President and Sister Pickett gave talks. The Elders that we live with had a baptism afterwards. On the bus from there to our lunch in downtown Vitória, there were two Dutch women who were a classic image of confused tourists. They spoke British English with heavy Dutch accents, but no Portuguese. They were lost. We helped them, along with a random Brazilian who spoke broken English with them...which, ironically they understood better than my flawless English. If I do say so myself.
A strange woman started walking with us on the street when we were on our way to the chapel to have a meeting with our Ward Mission Leader. She asked if she could come in to the church. We said of course (one of the members teaches a drama class in one of the classrooms this particular night of the week). She invited us to her house for pizza and pop. I think she was crazy.
That´s all of that story...especially because she didn´t know her address.
We have a baptism scheduled for this Sunday with a woman named Irene. She lives alone with her dog in a tiny house that she re-modeled herself. It is incredibly well kept, complete with garden, painted walls, and all kinds of handy home improvements and annexes that she does herself. She is incredibly well-versed in scripture and always very passionate-she likes to talk. She always feeds us something when we visit.
I saw two wild monkeys the other day. Crossing the road. No joke. Little tiny monkeys with little manes around their heads. I was in shock. It was super neat.
We are helping a man who just a few months ago was way deep into drugs and all that. However, he has stopped and begun cleaning out his house, cleaning up his life, and attending church (we met him when he attended church of his own accord). It is going to be a tough road for him, still. He still smokes a lot. As he sat and cried in front of us in fear that his 12 year old daughter doesn´t want to live with him anymore until he fixes his life, I realized how truly blessed we are when we follow the commandments, seek things spiritual before physical pleasures, and trust God- living life with love and Christlike attributes. He has wasted SOO much time with things of no value to the point that he could lose what is most valuable to him.
My companion is an interesting folk. He worked in a mortuary before the mission, wants to go into a career that involves drawing, and has the most cluttered desk I´ve ever seen. I like working with him though. P.S. He can´t sing worth a lick, so I pick rarely sung hymns to sing at the start of companionship study. This makes it even more difficult to sing, and I get a smile out of it. He´s a good sport. Have a joyous week and be grateful for AC ----->,
Elder JOSHUA BODILY
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