Week number "No Sei"

So there was a nice little cockroache crawling on my leg about 5 minutes ago.  Yummy! 

How is everyone doing?  Hope your doing good.  It just keeps getting hotter and hotter here I think.  Part of this time of year.  We had a little bit of rain for about 15 minutes this morning which was weird, havent seen that in 3 months.  I guess its all part of living in the Brazilian Northeast!  Hot and dry!

We had a baptim last night for our friend Gerrlani, her and her mom have been investigating the church for about a month now and we decided to move forward with her baptism this week.  This ward as been ´´dry´´´(without a baptism) for about 2 and half months so everyone was excited when we announced it in Sacrement Meeting.  Gerrliani´s Mom, Veronica will hopefully be married this week and then we will try and scheadule her baptism close to the end of this month. It is really interesting when you meet people that have been ´´together´´ for 15 years and still haven´t gotten married.  It is part of the culture down here.  Weddings on paper can be kinda of expensive so usually people just live together and say they are married.  Almost all the couples I have taught have been like this.  I come out of lessons talking with my companion saying, ´´Just Get married!´´

I dont think I talked about this last week but I am living with 3 Brazilians now.  I am out numbered 3 to1 but it makes it easy to keep the Português fluent.  I will be honest in saying it is crazy!  I have learned a lot about brazilians in one week! More than I could have imagined.  Everyday when I wake up I just think, what am I doing.  But it is awesome.  They all have different personalities but are all from São Paulo.  They definatly have a lot of Brazilian Pride.  

We just keep working and working.  The members still help out a lot it seems like every lunch appointment there is a new reference and everyone is getting anxious for the new Chapel to be finished.  We are trying to find an apartment to move into that will be closer to the new chapel and our area.  We dont actually live in our area so it makes things a little difficult when we have to get to an appointment to start off the day.  Hence Elder Graff and I running home a few weeks back.  We have been looking a lot of places and I think I have learned a lot more vocabulary about renting an apartment.  For the most part we havent found anything to promissing but hopefully we will soon.  The area is really commercialized.  Lots of condos and avenues. 

I had my second Interview with Pres. Souza this week and he says that he is watching my progression closely during these next few months.  It was nice being able to understand everything he was saying.  He said that I need to be more ´´annoying´´ and I will learn the language even more.  We will see how this goes.  Mom he told me to tell you thank you for teaching me to iron my shirts, brush my hair and shave.  

Life is hot, busy and rewarding.  I cant believe that I am sitting on my eight month mark.  It has flown by.  I am having a good time every day and my companion has learned to appreciate my singing when we walk down the road.  The first time I was doing it he asked ´´What are you doing?´´ And I said ´´Singing, because I love being a missionary.´´

Love you all, have a good week!

Elder N. Anderson

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

OLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAA.  

How is everyone? How was conference weekend for you all?  Hope you all enjoyed. If there is one thing I have learned I love conference on the mission especially when people talk about the missionaries :)

 

So lets start at the beginning of my week.  Another Emergency Transfer!  AGAIN!  This time I stayed in the area though.  I think the Lord is trying to test me.  We recieved a phone call Tuesday night the Elder Graff would be going to the office on Wednesday because there were some new Americans that were coming in that had just recieved there visas.  No this doesnt mean I am trainng, just that some rearrangments were made.  I am now with Elder Nabas a brazilian from São Paulo.  We have basicallly the same amount of time on the mission.  He will pass 8 months in a couple weeks.  I am not actually sure what President was thinking but so far the area hasn´t gone up in flames :)  I am still in the same area and were working really well.  It was a little interesting saying goodbye to Elder Graff. We were both caught off guard and it was pretty hard for both of us because we really wanted to stay together for this next transfer. It is alright though.  I guess that is just  part of the mission. 

 

Funny Story!  On Tuesday we had to go into the mission before the phone call.  On the way home we decided to go get some ice cream and catch the bus.  As we caught on the bus there was about 50 people over the capacitiy that the bus would hold.  It was pretty squished.  ´´I felt like I was being violated in so many ways´´ NAME THAT MOVIE! Anyways,  as we were squishing our way up front so guy started yelling randomly. ´´HEY HEY HEY WHAT THE!  WHAT IS THIS!´´  I turned and there was chocolate all over him.  Turns out Elder Graff tried making a milk shake and the cup that he was trying to make it in had ice cream still.  The cup exploded.  Elder Graff´s white shurt was now a chocolate covered shirt with a brazilian man yelling ´´MORMONS MORMONS GOT ME DIRTY!´´  The only thing Elder Graff said was ´´my bad´´´and we got of the bus.  We had a good laugh home.  Especially since we missed our stop and had to walk an extra 25 minutes.  

 

Conference! Was excellent. I actually got to watch it in ENGLISH! Whoop! We went to our Stake Center to watch is with all the members of the stake.  Lucky our zone is our stake so 6 of us Americans got to watch it together. I enjoyed every talk and felt like I learned someting from every one!

 

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Not the Mormon Church. 

 

Hope your all having a good week.  Things are going good.  The sun still never lightens up and yes it is still extremely hot!

Love you all!  Have a good week! Tuda Bem :)

 

Write me !

 

Elder N. Anderson

I ATE A FISH HEAD

So this week was finally settling down as far as the crazyness, but then again life as a missionary is always crazy.  I have been started reading the New Testament and plan to finish that at my year mark.  It is one of my 6 month goals that I made for the next quarter of my mission as well as reading the Book of Mormon in Portguese and working up doing 50 pull-ups a day. For the record Missy I can do 10 :)

 

So where do I start...  Last Monday night our cell-phone had a melt down so this last week we have been sharing with the other Elders that live with us.  We figured that we had to contact one the seceretaries as soon as possible so Tuesday morning we woke up and ran to our Zone Leader´s house, so they could take the cellphone into the office.  I have haven´t ran in a while so it was pretty brutal.  When we got there, Our Zone Leader´s said that there was no need to run because we were having our District Meeting that day and that we would have had the chance to just give the cellphone there.  All that running for nothing ! haha 

 

It has been a week of contacting references for us.  We recieved 15 at church last week so this whole week it was contacting references and finding people that are ready to hear the gospel.  I also love teaching the first lesson because you can tell that people are so interested in what we have to say.  Especially, two americans that are speaking portugues and randomly show up at their door asking to come into their home.  Sometimes we have the best reactions, especially when they ask ´´So you have been in Brazil for a few years right!?`´ When I say 6 months they usually start saying ´´Nooo, your lieing, how do you know this language?´´ .  It is always interesting, but it opens up a good conversations of blessing from Heavenly Father. Wednesday we showed up at our lunch appointment, with the intent of eating really well.  Unfortunatley, the sister in our ward forgot but said she would make some really good for us.  When came out of the Kitchen I saw rice, beans, a fried egg, and a FISH HEAD!  I´m pretty sure that I screamed in the inside.  As we were saying a pray on the food I kept one eye open just making sure that it was  Fish head, Scanning it up and down and looking at its little mouth, which I´m pretty sure it was smiling at me.  I have never eaten fish head and hope that I never have to again.  The only thing I was saying in my head was ´´Your on a mission, your on a mission, your on a mission´´.  Wednesday, was also Brazilian Indepence day so that meant lots of people, lots of drinking, and lots of loud music the entire day.  It was crazy! Thursday I did another division with our district leader and his ´´trainee´´ I went to their area and was senior with his trainee.   It was interesting the area that they work in is really sketchy but we talked with a lot of people and last night when I was passing our numbers to our District Leader we said that the members of his ward really like me.  Also he said that a man who had been smoking for a while was following ´´Elder Anderson´s Way of giving up Smoking´´  haha it was something that I thought of really fast when we were teaching this man that he had to give up smoking. 

 

I guess the highlight of the week was running to church.  We had to get 5 ladies to church and they need a ride, so we went with the car to make sure it all went well.  When they got in the car, my comp and I looked at eachother and said that we would walk.  It was interesting when I looked at my watch and it was 8:50, church started at 9:00 and the chapel was about a 20 minute walk away.  We started out walking fast and then it turned into us spirinting down the street, hoping over a fence, and some random man pulling up in a car asking if we wanted a ride.  I guess he was watching us the entire time.  It was another one of those´´ Only on the Mission´´ experiences. 

 

I wake up to the airplanes every morning.  We literally live right next to the airport so it is a nice alarmclock in the morning.  My comp said this week, ´´hey elder, you know how far the airplane is?´´`I replied `´´How far?´´ His response ´´ 18 months´´.  I go to bed exhausted but feel really grateful for beeing here! I hope everyone is doing well! Love you all! Have a good week! 

 

Love 

Elder N. Anderson  

Ola! Boa Semana para Voces!

So if I could sum up this week I would say, Busy! Hands down the busiest I have ever had since coming to Fortaleza.  We had the goal to just keep working and working this week and thats what we did.  We taught 27 lessons and contacted nearly all of our new references.  It was pretty insane.  I think I came home every single night in a haze.  Just ready to take a shower and crawl into my bed or hammock, I bought one last week and have been using it reguarly.  It is definatly something to get used too :)

 

More recently, last night we had a fireside with the entire ward about missionary work.  We invited President and Sister Souza (Mission President) to come speak which was excellent.  I also had the oppurtunity to speak for the first 10 minutes which went well.  When I sat back down next to President he looked at me and said ´´I think you´ll be just fine with this language´´  It felt pretty good just being able to speak and not have to think too much on what I was trying to say.  Portugues is definatly a rock that I will be trying to lift these next two years but on the plus side I have a good grip for right now. 

 

I guess one of the reasons that I was so tired this week is that Elder Graff and I ran home 3 nights in a row.  We came out of a few of the lessons looking at our watches and seeing 9:05ish.  There was one side of area that takes about a 20-30 minute walk. One of the nights was especially funny when we started off walking fast and hoping that member would pass by and give us a ride.  Didn´t happen so I said ´´Elder you ready to run?´´ He that would be funny.  And then I just took off spirinting.  As we were running down the street I just kept hearing Elder Graff saying ´´I HATE YOU! I CAN´T BELIEVE I´M DOING THIS, I AM TOTALLY GOING TO WRITE ABOUT THIS IN MY JOURNAL!´´  I was running and laughing all in one.  I was all about being obiedient I guess.  We walked through the door right at 9:30 every night.  One of the many people that watched us run passed them said `´Robbed?´´ I said ´´No! Late!´´

 

I am liking this area alot. There are a lot of things to see and do.  Especially today,  I finally played BASKETBALL!. We only played for about 30 minutes because I felt like I was melting.  We are hoping to have a lot more success this week.  This will be week 6 of the transfer so that means this next saturday we will get the phone call to see if one of us will be leaving.  Elder Graff said I am going Assisent to the President, but jokingly! Hope your all doing well!

 

One thing that President said that was excellent last night to the members.  ´´We all have the same call to preach the gospel weather we have a badge or not.  Don´t put all the work on two 19 year-old boys´´  It was excellent so that goes for all of you!

Love you all, Have a good week!

 

Tchau!

Elder N. Anderson

I ATE A FISH HEAD

So this week was finally settling down as far as the crazyness, but then again life as a missionary is always crazy.  I have been started reading the New Testament and plan to finish that at my year mark.  It is one of my 6 month goals that I made for the next quarter of my mission as well as reading the Book of Mormon in Portguese and working up doing 50 pull-ups a day. For the record Missy I can do 10 :)

So where do I start...  Last Monday night our cell-phone had a melt down so this last week we have been sharing with the other Elders that live with us.  We figured that we had to contact one the seceretaries as soon as possible so Tuesday morning we woke up and ran to our Zone Leader´s house, so they could take the cellphone into the office.  I have haven´t ran in a while so it was pretty brutal.  When we got there, Our Zone Leader´s said that there was no need to run because we were having our District Meeting that day and that we would have had the chance to just give the cellphone there.  All that running for nothing ! haha 

It has been a week of contacting references for us.  We recieved 15 at church last week so this whole week it was contacting references and finding people that are ready to hear the gospel.  I also love teaching the first lesson because you can tell that people are so interested in what we have to say.  Especially, two americans that are speaking portugues and randomly show up at their door asking to come into their home.  Sometimes we have the best reactions, especially when they ask ´´So you have been in Brazil for a few years right!?`´ When I say 6 months they usually start saying ´´Nooo, your lieing, how do you know this language?´´ .  It is always interesting, but it opens up a good conversations of blessing from Heavenly Father. Wednesday we showed up at our lunch appointment, with the intent of eating really well.  Unfortunatley, the sister in our ward forgot but said she would make some really good for us.  When came out of the Kitchen I saw rice, beans, a fried egg, and a FISH HEAD!  I´m pretty sure that I screamed in the inside.  As we were saying a pray on the food I kept one eye open just making sure that it was  Fish head, Scanning it up and down and looking at its little mouth, which I´m pretty sure it was smiling at me.  I have never eaten fish head and hope that I never have to again.  The only thing I was saying in my head was ´´Your on a mission, your on a mission, your on a mission´´.  Wednesday, was also Brazilian Indepence day so that meant lots of people, lots of drinking, and lots of loud music the entire day.  It was crazy! Thursday I did another division with our district leader and his ´´trainee´´ I went to their area and was senior with his trainee.   It was interesting the area that they work in is really sketchy but we talked with a lot of people and last night when I was passing our numbers to our District Leader we said that the members of his ward really like me.  Also he said that a man who had been smoking for a while was following ´´Elder Anderson´s Way of giving up Smoking´´  haha it was something that I thought of really fast when we were teaching this man that he had to give up smoking. 

I guess the highlight of the week was running to church.  We had to get 5 ladies to church and they need a ride, so we went with the car to make sure it all went well.  When they got in the car, my comp and I looked at eachother and said that we would walk.  It was interesting when I looked at my watch and it was 8:50, church started at 9:00 and the chapel was about a 20 minute walk away.  We started out walking fast and then it turned into us spirinting down the street, hoping over a fence, and some random man pulling up in a car asking if we wanted a ride.  I guess he was watching us the entire time.  It was another one of those´´ Only on the Mission´´ experiences. 

I wake up to the airplanes every morning.  We literally live right next to the airport so it is a nice alarmclock in the morning.  My comp said this week, ´´hey elder, you know how far the airplane is?´´`I replied `´´How far?´´ His response ´´ 18 months´´.  I go to bed exhausted but feel really grateful for beeing here! I hope everyone is doing well! Love you all! Have a good week!

Love
Elder N. Anderson 

Hey Everyone, I got Transferred!

So this week was definatly crazy,  Not only was I thinking about the big wedding day but I was also in the middle of an Emergency Tranfer out of my area on Thursday.  Yes, I officially left Ipanema after 4 months.  The funny thing is I went in to that Area on an Emergency and came out on an Emergency.  Ironic neh?  So anyways this was my week. . .

 

I emailed President Souza on Monday explaining to him that Elder Boehm was continuing to be sick and it was starting to effect our work in that area.  I figured it was all apart of the mission so I was just sticking it out and hoping that it would get better.  We continued through out our week doing our normal routined stuff up until Wednesday afternoon.  It was interesting during those couple days but we recieved a phone call from Presidente Souza explaning that He thought it would be best for Elder Boehm to go to the office for the rest of the transfer.  I was a little confused at first because one, Presidente as using some words that I didn´t understand and two, I was freaking out inside.  We found out that it wasn´t for sure that I would be leaving. There has been a few tri´s in the mission (Companhionship of 3) and President wanted to figure those out.  So Wednesday we started to go say goodbye in the event that I would be leaving.  That night President called again and said that I would be leaving for sure on Thursday night so we had to make arrangments to leave.  We had to deap clean our apartment because Ipanema was officially being closed for the rest of the transfer.  All I can say is man! I hope I never have to close and area again!  After long goodbyes to a lot of the members and investigators we left Thursday night for Aldeota.  The car that all my stuff was in was packed with 6 suitcases and 4 people! I had suit cases on my lap for about 45 minutes and I am pretty sure my legs went number for 40 minutes.  After getting to Aldeota I met my new companion.  Elder Graff, From Alabama New Area - Expedicionários.  We arrived in the area that night and so everyone thats were I will be until further notice.  I honestly think I will be here through Christmas. 

 

Elder Graff has been out for about 14 months and we live in a house of 4 missionaries.  2 Brasileros and 2 Americanos.  It is a lot different but I am enjoing it.  One of the Brasilians was in the MTC with me at the same time so we were good friends before we even got to Fortaleza.  The area is HUGE! but it is super nice.  There are a lot of people to work with and right now our chapel is a ´´casapela´´ meaning it is not a chapel its a house made into a chapel.  They just divided this ward about 2 months ago and the new chapel is being built and should be done in November.  It is way different but I am liking it.  I was thinking that my language was going to slow down a lot, but it is actually that complete oppisite.  Even though I am with an American we still speak Portugues almost 100% of the time.  I have seen the improvement and it is nice being in a new area that don´t know that I am new from the beginning.  They talk to me like a regular person and yes, I am speaking really well now. 

 

Because I am in a new area this also means that I have to explain to people that I am not a brasilian! Everyone that I meet always starts with,  ´´So where you from?, São Paulo´´  They have the best reactions when I say ´´No, I am Americana.´´  It takes them a little while for them to believe me. 

 

This week was a highlighted one but I am glad to be here. We have a good member base and they are willing to help to us with anything.  Elder Graff is an awesome companion and we will be working our tails off in this area.  President Souza wants this area to grow like crazy so we have our work ahead of us.  I am excited for it all! 

 

Have a good week everyone!  I Love you! tchau

 

Elder N. Anderson