Sept 18, 2012 "Oi! Eu vivo!"

Oi!  Eu vivo!  [Hi!  I live!]

(First thing, I’m not allowed to receive packages here at the CTM, so wait till I’m at the mission home in mid-November and later.) 

Thank you so much to Elder Andrew Woodruff, Ashley Moody, Laura Williams, and meu mai for your letters!  J  They make me so happy, and I sent responses to ya’ll today!  This week went by SO fast.  Oh my.  It seriously was yesterday I was writing on my first P-day.  I’m learning more and more, not just Portuguese, but the simple purposes of missionary work.  I love it here, I can’t stress that enough.  I am so happy.  J  We’re learning more and more, and getting better at teaching.  We’ve been teaching our first “investigator,” his name is William.  He was having problems at first accepting the gospel as the one true church and a true prophet, but we helped him a lot.  He’s now committed to be baptized, and he believes in the Book of Mormon and in the Restoration, and so we’re pretty much done teaching him. *insert fist pump!* Success.  And we’ll get a new “investigator” tomorrow.  We also had our first TRC (Training Resource Center) where we teach other missionaries pretending to be investigators.  We also get recorded and receive feedback after watching ourselves teach.  It was really good, especially for being our first one.  We’ll do another one next week.

Our district is growing closer and becoming better friends.  Elder Lowe is our district leader and he is doing great things.  He’s taking charge and helping us make/reach our goals.  It’s great.  One thing we do to cope when we get overwhelmed is we have had a testimony meeting every week.  A mission is hard work, but it’s all worth it.  We are striving to focus more and work harder.

Yesterday was Sunday, and we all had to prepare talks on the Restoration, ’cause the branch president will randomly choose the speakers during the meeting.  I prepared a talk about following Joseph Smith’s pattern of receiving answers and stuff.  I wasn’t asked to speak, but it was good for me to write.  The Elders that did speak gave great talks.  Also, our district had to do a musical number, and I got to conduct/arrange/head that up.  It was Sweet Hour of Prayer. It went very well, and we sang it in Portuguese!  Which, by the way, I am understanding more and more! J  I had a Portuguese dream which was super exciting!  They say that’s a big step.  Okay, so this letter is really scatterbrained! 

So some more random stuff;

1) My new English scriptures have a printing mistake, the Book of Matthew chapters 4 to the end are missing.  I know I need the Book of Matthew, and that I’m not allowed packages here, so...we’ll work it out later.

2) I’m making great friends with the Brazilians!  J  It’s so cool.  “Molho de legal!”  And my best friend taught me a sick awesome way to tie a tie. 

3) We got Brazilian roommates!  At the beginning of last week.  Two of them.  One is very quiet.  I think I’ve heard him speak a total of five words.  But the other tries to talk to us.  At first, I think they hated us for being so gringo, but now we are way good friends.  There is still a language barrier, but we’re teaching each other.  The one guy knows and loves pretty much every band I love.  So cool!  We sang together Goo Goo Dolls, Lifehouse, Train, Jason Mraz, etc. It was so surreal.  Music really is a Universal language.  And!  This Brazilian roommate says I’m way good at pronunciation. 

4) I fall asleep sometimes at the weirdest moments and the other elders think it is SO funny.  Haha  It is.  J

5) I got a haircut today and it looks so good!

6) Driving home from the temple is special because we drive through my area here in Sao Paolo Norte.  It’s our turf!  Our people!  Our responsibility to help as many of the thousands and thousands of people that pass us as I can.  It’s a little daunting, but way exciting too! 
7) I have seen God’s hand here, helping me in so many ways already.  He is SO mindful of us and He loves us so much.  Stay strong, write if you can, it’s the best, serve God, have faith.

Love you all,

Elder David Bean

Elders Woodruff and Bean in front of the Sao Paulo Temple Sept 18, 2012

David and Matthew have been friends since grade school.  Now, as missionaries serving in Brazil, they  stand outside the Sao Paulo Temple.  What joy for these two brethren!

P.S.  AHH MAN!!! J  This is a last minute addition: at the temple just now I saw, embraced, and talked with Elder Matthew Woodruff!!! J  God is good.  Elder Woodruff looks so great, he’s really happy. *  I can’t believe how much God loves me.  I saw Matthew here in Brazil!  We were in different sessions, but we talked in the Celestial Room and after.  Ah man! J What a tender mercy.  I don’t even know what else to say.  Only tears can express how I feel.  Love you Matthew.  YAHOOOO!!!

*And I had the feeling to bring my camera to the temple, and now I know why.