[We finally got Elder David’s long-awaited “blog” letters! The more recent posts have been excerpts from his family letters. So...the dates are going to be out of order, going back in time just a bit, while we get caught up. Here’s Elder Bean’s blog letter dated Nov 19, 2012 ]
“(Pizza) x (Stroganoff4 + Ugly Coat) – (Melons) = 2 (Happy Missionaries)”
(Soaking wet clothes) (No Time)
(Soaking wet clothes) (No Time)
Well, I’ve survived another week in the field! As you can probably tell from the title, a lot has been happening. I’ve met so many people my head is spinning! I’m gonna just start giving descriptions:
A mom and her daughter who will get baptized soon! J, a girl who got baptized a few weeks ago, whose mother gives us bags full of fruit we don’t want, three teenage boys who are interested and will hear more, a non-active family who is really cool (to whom we give our fruit - baha!), the members of my district (including an elder from the CTM), a family that likes our messages, but doesn’t want to be baptized, and many, many other people. I’m teaching way more this week than last week, but I still have my moments when all I can do is smile and hope what they are saying isn’t sad. Baha. J Also, many times this week, I had to muster up the courage and ask the hard questions, like, “We want you to come to church with your family,” or “We want you to hear the things your 8 year old daughter believes,” or, “God wants you to stop smoking,” Etc... It is difficult, but if the missionaries don’t ask the hard things, who will? And sure, people don’t want to change, won’t agree, but, sometimes they will. J And that makes it all worth it.
A mom and her daughter who will get baptized soon! J, a girl who got baptized a few weeks ago, whose mother gives us bags full of fruit we don’t want, three teenage boys who are interested and will hear more, a non-active family who is really cool (to whom we give our fruit - baha!), the members of my district (including an elder from the CTM), a family that likes our messages, but doesn’t want to be baptized, and many, many other people. I’m teaching way more this week than last week, but I still have my moments when all I can do is smile and hope what they are saying isn’t sad. Baha. J Also, many times this week, I had to muster up the courage and ask the hard questions, like, “We want you to come to church with your family,” or “We want you to hear the things your 8 year old daughter believes,” or, “God wants you to stop smoking,” Etc... It is difficult, but if the missionaries don’t ask the hard things, who will? And sure, people don’t want to change, won’t agree, but, sometimes they will. J And that makes it all worth it.
My companion Elder Petersen is as cool as ever! We are working well, he’s helping me a lot. We ordered pizza, which is very different here in Brasil than the US , but still good.
Hmmm... what else? It’s been super cold lately. Because I left half my stuff at the mission home, I don’t have my jacket here. So I’ve been using this jacket that was left behind by some elder probably from the 50s. Oh man, you have got to see this thing. The ugliest, most hideous coat you can possibly imagine. J And yes, I love it.
Hmmm... Also I heard (and understood) my first Portugues pun! Baha. A play on words... but Portugues words! Legal.
We ate stroganoff four times in five days, and today, I got about as close to death as a person can get. Here in Brasil, the relationship between pedestrians and cars is a lot like a matador and a bull. And today the bull almost got the better of me! Also today, it rained... a lot. Like Elder Petersen and I were so dripping wet, we didn’t want to track the water all through the house. So we changed clothes at the doorway! Foi muito engrasado. Well, like usual, I have no time to write, but all you wonderful people, don’t lose hope! I am impossibly happy, life could not get better.
Love you all, and as the Brasilians say, “Vai com Deus.” J
Love, Elder David Bean
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