Top Ten
Well, I was hoping to answer lots of questions from different people this week, but I forgot a small detail to talk with my family first off... and things seem to be pretty crazy with the family... sooo, I want to try this again…If anyone has questions for me, please just post them on the comments of the blog. (and Kimberly, I am assigning you!) my little sister will email me them to me in the next week and then I can answer them! So I am hoping this will work, because it would be fun to know what everyone is thinking. Ok…so my brother wrote a top 10 list of funny things he had learned this past week... and I actually have been making a list of funny things I have learned about Brazilians...that really are quite hysterical. I cant take credit for all of these ideas, because my companion and I talk about them…so here it goes-You know you have been in Brazil too long when.... (Ok so too long is relative because I have a long amount of time left... but already these are universal truths that I have grown to accept)
1.You are embarrassed to flush the toilet paper.Ok so no had told me this at all- but everyone here throws their toilet paper in a trash can next to the toilet. Lovely... not really all that interesting, but highly strange.
2.You think everyone eats beans and rice.It actually is really, really good. I actually look forward to lunch because I always know what I will be eating. I love it. And you know what it is really good with beans and rice? Banana! ooh yum!!
3.You punctuate every sentence with a finger whip snap thingy.Ok well I can’t...because I my fingers can’t do that snappy thingy. But everyone else does it! All of the Brazilians snap their fingers to emphasize alot…or many... or GET ON IT! ahaha. And now I know why all return missionaries always do this snappy thing.
4.You can’t take a shower without wearing shoesI haven’t seen carpet in 3 months... and the other day I saw a big rug... that was really weird. I don’t even where sandals anymore because It is really just too dirty in the city.
5.You site acid as a major problem in your health.Ha-ha... everyone here is always talking about ohh this food has too much acid and isn’t good for health. Really something I have never heard before Brasil. hmmm…interesting.
6.Your white picket fence dream becomes one of a 15 foot iron gate with spikes on top. All of the houses have this gate or portão in front…and we clap our hands to answer. All of the houses are pretty old and cool looking, with paint pealing and stuff... ok I think its cool, but really it is kind of sad and just old.
7.You can’t end a sentence without saying não e?
Other common phrases include ´nossa´ and ´sabe?´ It is funny to hear with is slang in Portuguese.
8.You turn your car off when you drive downhillI have only been in a car a few times, and 2 of those times were yesterday when this old member and his wife was driving us. I think I might cite this as one of the scariest moments in my life- because he cant hear, he can barely see- and he is this old man driving through the crazy streets.... yeah, you can imagine. It was highly amusing/scary!
9.You think that cement is better than grass for your front lawn, and you water it faithfully. Ok so every day, and I mean every day… all of the Brazilians have their hose and they water and clean out their driveway and front sidewalk. I honestly have no idea why. The ironic thing, is that they don’t clean the inside of their house…it is quite amusing... I guess that cement just needs watering to stay...er.... cement?
10.A blender is a must have in the kitchenLiterally every meal, and every Brazilian has a blender which they use all the time for everything- cake, juice, vegetables.. you name it! it has a really funny name in Portuguese too- luquidificador. It’s a hard one to learn, but I have mastered it because I too use it every night for my banana agua/milk shake!
Ok so, one other funny thing- I finally dreamed in Portuguese!! I have actually been dreaming a few weeks in Portuguese now... but I am pretty positive that I am not fluent…because I didn’t even understand my dream. Actually every time in my dreams they are speaking Portuguese and I speak back… and sometimes I don’t even know what I am saying. Interesting.Anyways, I thought those were some funny things that everyone would enjoy- but this past week has been really awesome.
For the first time I am going to admit something... and maybe this will be the first proof that I am indeed changing on my mission... I am in a really hard area and I have been having a really hard time. Now, I write this, not because I want a lot of letters that say- stay happy, keep working , etc…because I still feel happy, I still feel positive... but mostly I am worried that if I don’t share a little about the struggles, no one will quite understand the triumphs.I have cried a lot the past few weeks... not because of Portuguese, not because I am homesick... only because of the area here. This branch here is a very hard area- one of the hardest in the mission. My mission president and his wife told me that makes it so hard are the members. I think there are only a handful that have the priesthood, and the majority of the people are inactive, and at the beginning were not really responsive to us. Truly, we have had to spend the majority of our time teaching the members to try and get them to come to church. It has been really hard to feel love for someone so strongly, because I truly feel a great love for each of the members here, and to testify and teach people, and then to see them destroy their families by not following the gospel. I don’t know if I am quite describing everything I am seeing here…but believe me when I say that I have never spent so much time pleading with the Lord to help me know what to do. Sister McAllister and I have both cried a lot over this area.And in these hardest times....I know that the Lord is there. I have found so much joy in the simple things... and the Lord has truly poured out his blessing on Sister McAllister and Me.
We have a baptism this weekend of one of the most loving man I have ever met- Benedito. We met him 3 weeks ago, and I know that he is a blessing from the Lord. He is so humble, and definitely comes from humble circumstance. It has been a joy to teach him, and to see the light of Christ begin to glow within him. This is what a mission is all about!!I don’t have too much time left- but I want everyone to know I feel so grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow. I truly do love this area here, and because it is difficult, it makes success that much sweeter. As we have worked really hard the last 3 weeks to serve the members, teach those who are inactive, and constantly visit everyone, we have begun to gain their confidence.
This past weekend was really awesome- we were able to see some members bare their testimony that have been less then less-active. To see these members come back to church, and to hear them bare their testimony, has been a miracle. It may be a small thing... but to me, it is a huge.I have felt my own testimony grow so powerfully... I have been able to grow close to my Savior in prayer- I know that he is there, and I know that he listens. Thank you to all for your letters and prayers. They have made a great difference!I love you all!!
Love,
Sister Melanie Monroe
1.You are embarrassed to flush the toilet paper.Ok so no had told me this at all- but everyone here throws their toilet paper in a trash can next to the toilet. Lovely... not really all that interesting, but highly strange.
2.You think everyone eats beans and rice.It actually is really, really good. I actually look forward to lunch because I always know what I will be eating. I love it. And you know what it is really good with beans and rice? Banana! ooh yum!!
3.You punctuate every sentence with a finger whip snap thingy.Ok well I can’t...because I my fingers can’t do that snappy thingy. But everyone else does it! All of the Brazilians snap their fingers to emphasize alot…or many... or GET ON IT! ahaha. And now I know why all return missionaries always do this snappy thing.
4.You can’t take a shower without wearing shoesI haven’t seen carpet in 3 months... and the other day I saw a big rug... that was really weird. I don’t even where sandals anymore because It is really just too dirty in the city.
5.You site acid as a major problem in your health.Ha-ha... everyone here is always talking about ohh this food has too much acid and isn’t good for health. Really something I have never heard before Brasil. hmmm…interesting.
6.Your white picket fence dream becomes one of a 15 foot iron gate with spikes on top. All of the houses have this gate or portão in front…and we clap our hands to answer. All of the houses are pretty old and cool looking, with paint pealing and stuff... ok I think its cool, but really it is kind of sad and just old.
7.You can’t end a sentence without saying não e?
Other common phrases include ´nossa´ and ´sabe?´ It is funny to hear with is slang in Portuguese.
8.You turn your car off when you drive downhillI have only been in a car a few times, and 2 of those times were yesterday when this old member and his wife was driving us. I think I might cite this as one of the scariest moments in my life- because he cant hear, he can barely see- and he is this old man driving through the crazy streets.... yeah, you can imagine. It was highly amusing/scary!
9.You think that cement is better than grass for your front lawn, and you water it faithfully. Ok so every day, and I mean every day… all of the Brazilians have their hose and they water and clean out their driveway and front sidewalk. I honestly have no idea why. The ironic thing, is that they don’t clean the inside of their house…it is quite amusing... I guess that cement just needs watering to stay...er.... cement?
10.A blender is a must have in the kitchenLiterally every meal, and every Brazilian has a blender which they use all the time for everything- cake, juice, vegetables.. you name it! it has a really funny name in Portuguese too- luquidificador. It’s a hard one to learn, but I have mastered it because I too use it every night for my banana agua/milk shake!
Ok so, one other funny thing- I finally dreamed in Portuguese!! I have actually been dreaming a few weeks in Portuguese now... but I am pretty positive that I am not fluent…because I didn’t even understand my dream. Actually every time in my dreams they are speaking Portuguese and I speak back… and sometimes I don’t even know what I am saying. Interesting.Anyways, I thought those were some funny things that everyone would enjoy- but this past week has been really awesome.
For the first time I am going to admit something... and maybe this will be the first proof that I am indeed changing on my mission... I am in a really hard area and I have been having a really hard time. Now, I write this, not because I want a lot of letters that say- stay happy, keep working , etc…because I still feel happy, I still feel positive... but mostly I am worried that if I don’t share a little about the struggles, no one will quite understand the triumphs.I have cried a lot the past few weeks... not because of Portuguese, not because I am homesick... only because of the area here. This branch here is a very hard area- one of the hardest in the mission. My mission president and his wife told me that makes it so hard are the members. I think there are only a handful that have the priesthood, and the majority of the people are inactive, and at the beginning were not really responsive to us. Truly, we have had to spend the majority of our time teaching the members to try and get them to come to church. It has been really hard to feel love for someone so strongly, because I truly feel a great love for each of the members here, and to testify and teach people, and then to see them destroy their families by not following the gospel. I don’t know if I am quite describing everything I am seeing here…but believe me when I say that I have never spent so much time pleading with the Lord to help me know what to do. Sister McAllister and I have both cried a lot over this area.And in these hardest times....I know that the Lord is there. I have found so much joy in the simple things... and the Lord has truly poured out his blessing on Sister McAllister and Me.
We have a baptism this weekend of one of the most loving man I have ever met- Benedito. We met him 3 weeks ago, and I know that he is a blessing from the Lord. He is so humble, and definitely comes from humble circumstance. It has been a joy to teach him, and to see the light of Christ begin to glow within him. This is what a mission is all about!!I don’t have too much time left- but I want everyone to know I feel so grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow. I truly do love this area here, and because it is difficult, it makes success that much sweeter. As we have worked really hard the last 3 weeks to serve the members, teach those who are inactive, and constantly visit everyone, we have begun to gain their confidence.
This past weekend was really awesome- we were able to see some members bare their testimony that have been less then less-active. To see these members come back to church, and to hear them bare their testimony, has been a miracle. It may be a small thing... but to me, it is a huge.I have felt my own testimony grow so powerfully... I have been able to grow close to my Savior in prayer- I know that he is there, and I know that he listens. Thank you to all for your letters and prayers. They have made a great difference!I love you all!!
Love,
Sister Melanie Monroe
posted by Bev at 12:36 PM
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