Week #51

Hi Mae!

Well this week was a week of ups and downs. First off, I'm 21! How weird is that? AND I've been out a year! WHAT?! I had a good b-day. We bought some ice cream and did missionary work haha. Nothing special.

I have some pretty good stories this week. Basically everybody on the planet that we meet tells me I'm beautiful. I think it's just because I'm American and they've never seen one before haha. Monday night we passed this old man that thought he knew me and when we left I shook his hand and he hugged me and said "oh meu amor, minha americana". So funny. I have the American charm with the old men of Brazil.

I've been able to understand people a lot better. It's still pretty frustrating because I can't understand completely and after the lesson I don't remember anything they said. But the language is coming along. We teach the first lesson so much here so I'm getting that down really well. I'm so tired of teaching the restoration haha. Anyway it's hard not to get frustrated. Especially because Sister Mendes (my comp) and Sister Salazar always laugh when I don't understand something they or anyone says. So I think that's more frustrating than anything. We had a meeting Thursday night and I really didn't understand anything and they would not stop laughing. I was trying so so hard not to burst into tears. All I want is to understand people.

Our investigators got their marriage certificate this week and next week they're getting married! Well, he's a member and she's not. So 15 days after they get married she can get baptized. They have 4 kids that are all members of the church too. Oh we met this really awesome guy on the street. He's Jewish, but I think he believes in all religions. He came up to us and was like, I need your book. Ummmm okay... So we're bringing him one today. Then just about 20 minutes ago we had a lady ask us for a pamphlet. People are pretty open here. I've only run in to a couple of people who just want to prove a point. It makes me feel like I'm back in Ohio.

I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary except for big rats and spiders. Oh! We had a friend waiting for us when we got home Tuesday night and the next night we met his brother. I think a giant spider laid eggs in our house and now her babies live there. So that's pretty awesome. The first one died, of course but we lost the second one.... we found him in the shower today.

It's definitely a different world here. Because it's so hot nobody wears clothes. Literally. All the kids are naked or in their underwear haha and the men never have shirts and the women barely wear anything. I can't really blame them. It's super hot. Everyone loves my mini fan haha. Also Brazilians think all Americans are rich. So my companion has eaten all my peanut butter and the other day she asked if she could have myCTR and Young Womens rings. She said I can just buy more when I go back to the states. That's the attitude of Brazilians. "You're from America you can just get more, give it to me". Yeah, no. 

Sorry this is so late. We didn't have Internet on Monday. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. It's been raining a lot so that's a nice break from the sun. It's actually been pretty cool for the last few weeks. 

World Cup starts today! We have to go back to our house at 4 and stay inside for the rest of the night. Everyone has decorations out. It's way cool. I'll send pictures next week. 

I think that's all. Love you!

Sister Clark