Wk 17 - Just another day in Paradi... Parnaíba

USA Imports to Brazil?

Halloween Mustache - A little late...

Halloween Teeth for Thanksgiving?

Elder Smoot and Passarin

Getting in the Christmas Spirit

Porto Das Barcas in Parnaiba

Rios in Parnaiba

Elder Smoot on a Bridge in Parnaiba

Parnaibian Horse Pasture

Area: Parnaiba, Brazil
Companion: Elder Passarin

Man mondays are so cool, but kinda intense! you have a lot to do and just one day until 6pm to do it!

Last monday i hardly even want to talk about. Ya it was fun, but we seriously went to a members house after 6 and did nothing. My comp played with his ipod and what not and ah man it is tough. I like the music and all, but not during the mission. But dont worry about me, i am in good contact with my district leader, so hopefully we can get this fixed.

Tuesday we had district meeting, which was way good, and i got my package! Thank you so much mom. It was the halloween package, as you can tell by the attached pics, which is good. we are 2 for 2 now! so hopefully this will keep up with the rest of the packages. And i received i think 5 letters. All that was going through my head was, Jackpot! haha that was a good day, even though 3 of them were from the CTM and back in sept and early oct. but at least they got here right? so that was pretty awesome.

Wednesday was a good-ish day. We were doing good and workin all day and then when it started to get dark we went to a members for a little bit and my comp went off again. Though that wasnt so fun, i am pretty sure we had a new record for time my comp wasnt angry! wohoo! we went for like a week this time haha. Gotta love the mission.

Thursday my american friend, Elder Robertson, and told me happy thanksgiving. That was pretty much the extent of my thanksgiving! So that was nice. Also thursday i had a really cool exerience to try and teach a lesson in english. We have an Italian guy that lives here that is really close to the church, but isnt a member. He has one doubt. He thinks we should be able to drink wine, and that only this is wrong about Joseph Smith and the revelation he had about it. He said if one thing is wrong, he cant believe the rest.. so its interesting. But we were going to teach his italian brother that was in town. He worked in Canada for like 4 months so he knows some english. So we were teaching in english, but about half way through we had to go eat lunch. After he told us he was really just interested to know about the church, not to be converted and that he doesnt believe in god or anything. He is more scientific haha so that was an experience. One thing i learned is that i am way better at teaching in portuguese then in english! i was honestly stuttering and having issues remembering everything in english! i never thought i would get to that point, but its true!

Friday we spent a lot of time at members houses, which was a little dissappointing. But after almost all day just talking to members, we had 2 really good lessons, which was nice. But man sometimes it is so hard to just sit and listen to my companion go up to the little kids and ask, ´who is cooler, me or him?´ and then go off about americans, even to our investigators... but you get used to it. so i wasnt too worked up. Then walking home, we kind of play this stupid game sometimes where he will start singing rock songs and i will start singing hymns and he will get louder and then it will be silent and i will hum hymns and ah man... its so funny!

Saturday we spent a lot of time talking to less actives and this whole week focusing on inviting people to church. So we were talking to some less actives and listening to why this happened. It was interesting to hear that one just heard something from people of a different church that the true church will only have the bible and no other book. So we spent time just showing her scriptures in the bible about the book of mormon. Really for me, if God exists, the Bible is true (as long as it is translated correctly of course), and if the Bible of true, the Book of Mormon is true. And if the Book of Mormon is true, Jesus is the Savior of the world, Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and restored the gospel of Jesus Christ, and all this leads to that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is TRUE. All of it just links and connects and it makes so much more sense now then it did before the mission. Anyway, so we helped her with her doubts. Then another had an issue that she had an accident, and only one member of the church came to see her, and it was this women in our ward. They wanted the president of the branch or something to come see her and make sure everything was ok. Anyway it was tough, but we see that we need to choose not to be offended. Most of the times things like this are unintentional. So good stuff.

Sunday, despite all of our efforts to invite everyone to church, we had one less active come. Which was good, but its pretty frustrating when 30 people we invited said they would be there, but all is well. So one thing i learned this day, and all of it was from the advice i got last week. My comp started arguing with me again sunday morning. He said that he had this lds music here, which was just some women singer. I told him that he thinks everything is SUD, or LDS music, which was bad on my part, but i was a little fed up. Anyway he was like, if its good music, its church music... and on and on. So he was all ticked off again, and i could tell that i kinda helped it this time, even though i was still ok. So the advice from last week was humble yourself. I am far from humble and it probably isnt humble to share this with you, but its good advice that i want to spread. He was mad, and i knew if we went to church like this, it would be horrible and nothing good would come from it. And even though everything in me just wanted to punch him in the face, i just thought about everything from last week, humble yourself, and just thought about what i need to do. So i went up to him and asked him to forgive me, even though i thought i was right and he was just being a little pouty girl, i did it. At first he just said excuse me and tried to walk on by, but then he finally accepted after i said it a few times. It made the day so much better and he was a lot happier. Just this little thing, two words (forgive me?), changed my day from a disaster, into a day that i can teach the gospel.

Today we spent all morning cleaning the house and sweeping and what not. The house is clean now, but the wind honestly just blows it all back into the yard and what not, but all is well.

One thing ive learned is that you really cant think of the whole two years of the mission. I really get disappointed when i think about how its going to be so long and what not. I really have just been taking one day at a time and enjoying it a lot more. So live today, and stop worrying about the future. just go and make the best of everyday.

Some days i really see the good come out of my companion and he really has a good heart, i just dont see it too often. So dont think wrong of him because of all the things i say. Besides he may come visit someday im pretty sure. Im doin my best just to see the best in everyone.

I have talked a lot with my comp and the Brasilians about Christmas here. It is pretty different! They all on Christmas eve will get together with their family and have a party basically. Most are with their families and its with cousins and all, and they have tables with food and they just listen to music and party until midnight. At midnight they exchange gifts... so if you need more info just hit me up!

And the videos worked for the most part! i loved watching them. But i did not get to see videos of - Ruger, Steve, Dad, Mom. so if you could send those again please! Steve´s basement is sweet and then some! Looks like the game was going good and it was good to see everyone!

My District leader is Elder Gessel. He is a stud! And he had been the same since i got here.
The distric leader, elder gessel, covers Parnaiba branch 3. The branch 3 is a lot of area so the Zone Leaders cover the same area. And the district leader and the zone leaders live in the same house. The zone leaders are Elder Daniel (Ashton) and Elder Cook.

Well go make it a great week! and i will do my best to have one as well. Thanks for everything!

Elder Smoot