Dear friends and family,
Today´s fun word to start is a whopper I found: "otorrinolaringologista" meaning "ear nose and throat specialist", at least according to my dictionary.
So last weeks pday we headed to a rodízio, which is kinda like a buffet, more or less. We ate some good food with two other Elders, and every 5 minutes or so a guy would come to our table with a massive spike with freshly grilled meat on it (like still sizzling), and would cut us portions according to our requests. And it wasnt just one type, probably 7 or 8 different types of meats with different seasonings and such, it was pretty good. I, being a carnivore, enjoyed it.
Afterwards Elder Marques and I headed to a shoe store because I was desperately needing a new pair. The soles were only half-way attached and had holes in them to nearly my socks. My other pair already wore out in a way that changed its shape, so it started to really hurt my feet. This store had tons and tons of shoes to choose from, but with my luck, of course (just like the other 2 shoe stores we already visited in previous pdays) it didnt have shoes my size. We searched and searched, and then asked if they had anything above size 44 (european size for about 11 I think, and im 13/eu47) and they said no. But I was then led to the only stack of boxes that had a few 45´s, and I was able to find a decent pair that actually fit on my feet, and it only was so because the brand was british haha. Theyre decent shoes, look nice, but there the type that click when you walk, meaning theyve got no comfort haha. So, after 6 or so kilometers it starts to get a bit uncomforable, but hey they do the job.
We knocked out or shopping, and headed home. Obviously, having some odd 5 pounds of meat in my stomach from the buffet, I crashed immediately, only to have to get up in a half hour to start our proselyting for the evening. It was rough haha, sometimes I feel like I could sleep for a week straight, but Im only in the beginning, cant imagine how much more it will be later!
So this week was the first week of our new transfer here in Póvoa, but being the same area and same companion, Ive got nothing super new...
We´ve got an investigator named Edna. She unfortunately missed church this sunday, meaning she cant get baptized on the 13th as planned, but we are working with her and helping her through her troubles. She fortunately found a job this week which is a huge relief, but also a problem because now it might be a challenge to find her at home to teach her... But she has a true desire to better her life, and we are trying to let her do so with the gospel. She has been very receptive, but a bit reluctant with certain things like reading the BoM every day. Nonetheless, she is still progressing. Excited to work with her more this week. Shes also got a teenage son who was eavesdropping during one of our visits in the doorway... we´ll have to chat with him eventually haha.
When I arrived here in Portugal one of my first lessons was with Casimiro, an African man who has talked to the missionaries for years. We taught him that day, and he said that he was leaving for africa for a month the next day... well just last week he returned, drove by us, stopped the car in the middle of traffic, and talked to us to schedule a time to meet up.
We did so, and since our last visit he had quit smoking weed, and his cigarette smoking had also gone down. We are helping him out with this, hopefully in the near future we can see some real improvement and help him start progressing for real.
After our lesson he handed Elder Marques a guitar and almost demanded to hear some music. Elder Marques obliged, and played a little tune, Casimiro enjoyed it, and then gave it to me. The guitar was so out of tune it was futile, but it was still a laugh. Hes a cool guy.
But yeah this week we taught 2 other really cool people with potential, but they both have already left the country for work or vacation... yeah it happens actually pretty frequently. People are costantly coming and going here.
I mentioned tiredness earlier. Sometimes in meetings or things like that, tiredness just hits like a tsunami, and its tough to fight it. Ive developed the lovely habit of pinching myself in places like my wrists to wake myself up haha. Gotta do whatcha gotta do. Its just unacceptable to see a missionary sleeping anywhere but his bed at night haha.
Its been especially hot this week, and I think itll be even hotter this coming week. A couple nights this week I hardly slept because it was just like an oven. All the windows open, 2 fans, and no blankets, and I would still just sweat. But hey, its part of the deal. Itll just make me love winter all the more.
Its vacation season here too, so the population of our area, already being slim, has gotten slimmer. Sometimes we chuckle because while were walking in the road there will literally be no cars or people in sight for 15 minutes straight sometimes, and the only sound is our footsteps. But of course we work with what weve got.
Last night Elder Marques and I stayed up until 1:00am (sin!!) talking with each other. I say this because its kinda funny, but it just really shows that my portuguese is coming along super well. No, its not perfect, no, Im not already fluent, but Im definitely blessed with what Ive learned.
Elder Marques is such a huge help. Not only for the language, but he cooks super well. Weve only eaten at member´s homes officially twice I think, but it doesnt matter because Elder Marques cooks legit meals for lunch, like legit brazillian rice beans and meat feasts... oh its gonna be tough when he goes home this transfer haha.
I love the work Im doing. Throughout my life Ive seen lots of challenges, as all people do, and Ive grown to appreciate them. When were walking in the heat, in the sun, without a breeze and Im sopping wet with sweat and super thirsty and all that, Im thankful and smile because I know its all part of the deal, and Im given such challenges to improve myself and to overcome them.
Challenges and difficulties make us stronger, thats why they come into our lives. If you get a lot of them, it just means God loves you and knows you are capable of a lot, and most importantly he knows that you are able to overcome them. He wouldnt give you a challenge if he knew you couldnt overcome it and grow because of it.
So everytime I think the mission is a little tough, Im glad it is.
(im not trying to whine about anything haha, Im doing great.)
Anyways I havent got much else. Take care everyone,
Elder Ward
So my family moved from Italy to Washington state this week, and I happened to also find this quarter in my bag. It was pretty weird thinking this week that theyre crossing the atlantic once more...
And I also found this in a Liahona... whaddyaknow Ive been there!
