So wow.
Sorry that's been a hot sec, SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST 2 WEEKS. And I have a MOUNTAIN of pictures to show for it, so I think today I'll tell my week in pictures :)
- So this is the famous 'Arvore de Natal' (Christmas tree) that for so long I never understood why it was called that because almost every other day during the year, it's just this tall white post with cables strung about. It's super close to our capela (chapel) so we always mention it when we meet people on the street. *ta-daaaaaa*
- We have gotten into the seriously dangerous mission habit of splurging on pizza a few times every week. The pizza that's most common here they call 'frango com catipiry' which is shredded chicken with this squeezable white cheese with olives. OH MY GOSH I AM DEVELOPING A SERIOUS LOVE OF OLIVES.
There are elders in our mission that literally order the same pizza EVERY NIGHT. Pulling a Mike Staheli with the same classic Subway special every day for the past 10 years. #whoopwhoop #abençoado (blessed)
- This is just one pic that shows just how flipping amazing everyone is at futebol (soccer) here - ITS LEGIT INSANE. They also play volleyball except it’s actually nothing like volleyball but entirely with their bodies and feet.
The fam is growing! The elder in the middle is from Paraguay and was my first LD and thus mey 'pae' Everyone else consists of the other fruits of his loins with brothers, cousins, filhos, literally it doesn't even make sense to me but he always gives me a "just roll with it" #familytree
OH MY GOSH OUR WARD SUPRISED US WITH THE BIGGEST CHRISTMAS BASKET I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY WHOLE LIFE.
Literally it was so big that it wasn’t able to be limited to a giant cardboard box that was just BURSTING with besteira - cookies, caju soda, crackers, 2 loaves of bread, 3 pantones (which are like these cake/breads with chocolate chips and dried fruits), 2 jugs of Bob Esponja (spongebob) chocolate milk and in one of the pictures, you are witnessing my reaction with the craziest thing of all - GRAPE JUICE FLAVORED SOY MILK.
Made Christmas cookies for literally every less active, member, and people that we are teaching and it was the best. EVERYONE DIES OVER COOKIES.
The effects of the Brasilian sun on my physical body
My beautiful companion Sister Mendonça
And let's not forget the best part:
Oh my gosh it's ridiculous how hard it was to talk in English. My family was like um, what? It was like the first week that I arrived in the mission field and didn't know any portugues except WAY WORSE because I was like
"Wow. You.. guys.. all.. ate.. breakfast..?
It's... hot.. there?
Sim ahhhh Yes.. there.. is... a Winnie the pooh above... me.. e (I mean AND) umm.. want.. to.. look... outside??
Wow talk about the gift of paciencia (patience) hahaha
Talking to my family was like the happiest and also one of the hardest things. It's like wait.. I have a family? Like so much of my time right now is spent serving and thinking about other people that you just don't have very much time to think about it. But this Christmas has really hit me with the realities and how much these people really feel and sacrifice for their families. There is a reason that there was only one thing that really every missionary looks forward to Christmas day and it's because we spend literally EVERY DAY teaching other people how important their family is, how much God has given us and how powerful our homes can be when they are created in a loving and accepting environment. Our family and homes on earth are just preparations for the types of relationships we will have after this earth and are opportunities to really learn how to love and treat others as our Savior did. There's just something so powerful and important about our family - we ARE SO BLESSED.
I was really hit this Christmas with the question - if I have really taken upon myself the name of Christ? If I really am doing everything I can to hear and recognize His voice, and if I am really trusting without holding anything back, letting Him carry me through the hardest of trials.
OH my I LOVE MY SAVIOR and MY FAM.
(the aftermaths):
FELIZ NATAL, pumped for every New Year because we can make some serious rock stellar goals to become the best that we have to offer!!!!
MUITO AMOR<3
Sister Staheli
