Newbie Training

This week we had trainamento of novos (newbie training). So that is what the pictures of the group of people is.  It was fun to talk to the guys from the CTM most of who have baptisms, but I'm like, "Wait a minute! Wait a minute! I have the greatest area" (in Canadian language or something:)

Woah! It's Week 5!

So this is crazy. But this week was the fastest one yet. Honestly it feels like I am emailing every 3 days not seven. This week was an interesting one thats for sure. Starting with last p day. We ate at a place called Habibs you can look at the place, right by Walmart and the temple. It was pretty good.  Then we played ping pong in the chapel with Elder Castilla and Jacobsen ('en' not my comp 'on'.)  Elder JacobsEn (not comp) was very good and actually beat me. I was impressed. We will see who wins next time ;) 

Then we played Phase 10.  We play one set everyday before bed and it is a good old time. We also eat some good old ice cream. This morning we had, with my sandwich (egg, ham, cheese), ice cream and cake that our neighbor who is moving made for us.  She was so sweet and always makes food for us. Its going to be sad when she moves Friday.  

Also we met a new guy named Rubens (said who-beans:) he was like 90 years old, but only would slap hands then pound it or here we say 'toque la' great fun and he always compliments my ties :) l love the people.  

Happy to wear my sweater and my silly comp wanted to be in the picture as well.

This week I had a divisao com E Castilla de Columbia.  He is a stud. And we taught a lesson that was really deep to a guy who is struggling with smoking. He said that he couldn’t help it. So, I shared the scripture Alma 7;11-13 with him. And shared that our Savior has literally done everything for us. If we have a struggle, He is going to 100% of the time help us. I told him, (Thank you Elder Wallace for this idea) to look at a picture of Christ every time that he had the urge to smoke and think of all the things Christ did and does for us. And ask if it wasn't enough.  He promised to stop, we will see what happens because he isn't in the area, so I don't know.  But that was really spiritual. 

Elder Castilla from Columbia

The family of Rosa turned out to be a little less then expected. We invited them to come to church, and the one Rapaz that said he would come.  Then he was told by the father, who we haven't met, that he can not come. :( so that was a bummer.) We are still trying, and I have some tricks up my sleeve that I am going to try today. Wish me luck :) 

Also, we got rain for the first time in a long time. Sao Paulo is in a drought and rain was wonderful.   I got to wear my jacket, and walk around in the rain, which wasn't bad. I am promised more is coming and I love it. 

Advice

All the squad that plans on serving a mission. I have some advice for y'all.

1- Study the language before you leave, I wish I had

2- Study the other religions in your area before you leave.

3- Know the LdM (BofM) like your favorite TV show

4- Prepare to do hard things every single day. This is not easy.

Read your Scriptures:  1 Nephi 4 about hard things we don't want to do, but we do because its for the Lord

D&C 9 Answers to all our questions. Literally.

Temple P-day's are the Best

This week has been a great one.  Today is p-day because we got the chance to go to the temple today. And the temple was fabulous. All in Portuguese from today until about Aug of 2016, but I could understand a good deal of it, it wasn't easy, but it was easier.  I felt the spirit so strong, I went in with questions, and feel as though the Lord answered them, and is putting me well on my way to be the man he wants me to be.  

Last pday, we played Ping Pong, and it was fun.  E Jacobson is alright (if you must know I let him win some points, after the first game was 21-0 :) oops :)  We are going to play again today and with more people so we probably are going to have a tournament. 

Ping Pong Match with Elder Jacobson

Elder Jacobson's version (compliments of his mom) of the story:  

"I figured out my companion is really good at ping pong. We got to the chapel and I was all ready to teach my filho amado a lesson about ping pong and then he whipped out a can of "whoop your daddy of the mission at ping pong" It was really sad how bad he beat me, But now I have motivation to get better. "

Loved visiting the Arena de São Paulo

Awesome looking bridge that is famous in SP. The house of a member was really close, and if you look close there is a soccer field under the bridge :) 

The government is tearing down the favela (slum) and putting all the people in these apartments (red, green and blue) They all have soccer in the middle

Mouth drooling - tears shed for the game he loves!

So I’m not sure if you know. But it’s a rule, yes sad but true, that we can't play soccer or any sport with a ball, minus ping pong on the mish..... :( I only cried a lot!  

People don't care how they live, as long as they have soccer :) very cool to see 

This week with investoragots.  (wow, I am not going to try to spell in english anymore sorry :) ;) We had the family of Rosa (7 people Andrea, Andre, Anderson, Alessandra, Alessandro) Yes, I am not sure why she did that but they are a darling family, and we want to baptize them so bad.  This area is in need of one.  And 7 would we just the number to break the few month drought. 

Also we taught a guy who asked us on the street. "You guys are the mormons right?" in English. And he talked in english the entire lesson, in the shopping center right by the temple, and we responded in Portuguese.  It was a great experience.  We are in need of investigators. A major part of the contacts we do never live in the area, We give a lot of references to other areas, but we are in need of people to teach.  We are praying. 

Elder Iverson and Elder Jacobsen ready to Do the Work!

Elder Jacobson "en" (yes he is a stud), he taught me a lot and helped me apprender (learn) the best way to contact. Just talk with everyone.  So the next day when I was with E Jacobson, I got three contacts solo, while he taught a lesson on the street.  That was awesome.

Also with Jacobson "en" I had chocolate boarder pizza. Regular pizza with chocolate in the crust :) its not bad ;) 

Lunch??? 

For Jettstar... the Blue Berry!

A Few Things to Remember

The word "Opa" is just thrown around in this language it can mean any of the following:

oops

sorry

hello

what?

o my

awesome

good work

and probably more :) haha it is strange.

Also, how small of a world we live in. Not small like people normally say, small as in we don't know half of the things that are happening in the world. How many people are functioning lives that we don’t know about, how many words are spoken each day that one we don’t understand because of the 100 some odd languages, and the things that we don’t realize happen, and are other peoples lives is strange. Very strange.  

Also I started a page in my journal of the things I want to remember the most when I get home, it is an interesting list :)  I guess you will have to see in 2 years :) haha 

Week #2 Morumbi

So life is good here in the good old Sao Paulo West Morumbi Area.  

We found a family of 7 people this week, and we are going to try and commit them to baptism.  They were: a contact, on Thursday night, and Friday morning we taught them the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the importance of baptism, and today we are going to teach them the restoration and probably commit them to baptism.   

Also, I asked my first person to be baptized this week, and she said she would pray about it and ask if it was the right thing to do. This pesquisador thinks all religions are good, and we are trying to allow her to see the truth in the church. 

Also today we taught a lesson at what they call the "Portaria", all buildings are gated and locked at all times, so the apartments, which there are a lot of, have a security guy, and we taught a lady named Trezinha the restoration. 

Also there is a ridiculous amount of street vendors. They sell everything and some kids juggle in the streets during red lights to try and get money all a very sad thing to see, but got to love it.  

Sunday was interesting. The schedule here is backwards of there, so Elders Quorum 1st then sunday school, then sacrament, which yesterday was the testimony meeting. Yes, I did bare my testimony and E Jacobson said he understood all of the words. After sacrament we ate with a sister on our street. And the house em baixo, (normally there are more than one house to every gate, fundos means the house is behind the other house, and a baixo means you literally are under the other house) had a sister who is learning english, not by class or professor, but by reading the book "Just Do It" by Nike, and she did very well I was impressed!! 

Also on Sunday was a fun day to finally meet Bro and Sis Swenson, they are in my ward!! It was fun to talk to them. They were so sweet and friendly he said if I needed help with anything to give him a call. 

Also, we got invited to sing in sacrament next week. Which is ironic, because I already knew this, and it only took my comp 2 days to notice, but I am tone deaf. I can't sing worth a darn. SO that will be fun. We are on our way to play ping pong today in the chapel. That will be fun in our church clothes. 

It is getting hot.  And when I say hot, I mean hot. Luckily Sao Paulo is in a drought ;) so there isn't humidity, but its hot, 37 Celsius whatever that is:) and the air is terrible. They have a scale Green-Yellow-Organge-Red-Purple.  Occasionally green, normally yellow or orange, and often Red. But yesterday and Saturday it was Purple. You could see what looked like a massive cloud over Sao Paulo, but is was only pollution. ! Woah. So it is hot, dry for now, nasty air, and long days of walking and walking. Wednesday we had the chance to walk from the very bottom of our area for lunch.  But the person Mimi lived on the entire 7th floor of an apartment building so that was awesome. (The picture of me in the house being silly is in her house :) 

Vida no campo

This week has been an interesting one thats for sure. One of changes and one of new things. 

And when arriving in the field found that I probably landed in the most difficult part of Brazil. :) The last time they had a batsimo in this area was 4 months ago...... so, we have some serious work to do, and all the contantos we receive live in other areas, because our area (sorry, the area of the temple, known as Morumbi) Look at the street views of some of the houses that we are teaching at.  Very humbling. 

On Tuesday, we met our trainers (Pai) and I got a good one. He isn't a Brazilerio, mas we only speak Portuguese with each other, he is Elder Jacobson and from Georgia, Augusta. I asked, he doesn't like golf :) and so the adventure begins.  

Where I live!

My Trainer, Elder Jacobson

We took or attempted to take my bags to our house. It wasn't long, 7 minutes before one of the wheels erupted from heat, then it didn't take long for the other suitcase to want to follow suit, and it busted a wheel. So we dragged, not rolled my suitcases about a half a mile, uphill to the house, that was something. Oh yes, we were in our suits so it was ridiculously hot.  That was fun.

But the apartment, it is great. But lets just take a minute and respect the bathroom. I literally, no exaggeration, showered, brushed my teeth, and went to the restroom at the exact same time.. :) haha

Did forget to mention I have the privilege of preaching in the shadow of the Sao Paulo FC stadium. It is lovely. When there are games you can tell by the light in the sky, the smell of alcohol and smoke, and the quantity of people yelling from the numerous bars here. But, it is a great sight to see. 

Thanks for all the letters! I love them and everyone teases me about the quantity I have,; but I love it!! I don't rub it in, but when people said "Again? Iverson" I just smile. Thanks for being the best support group out there.