I hope you guys are having a fun time! I found out that I can only do email letters with immediate family-so I need addresses...I have some cool pictures to show you all in next email and you can relay them to whoever-Robin and Savannah will want to see them for sure.
My trainer told me I have experienced about everything out here already. The buses (more dangerous then Mexico), cabs, kombi vans (the mystery machine from Scoobie doo), 100 mosquito bites, been shocked by the shower, walked 45 minutes to an appointment in hot weather just to turn around becuase they weren't home. I got to talk in church, where a lady was breastfeeding in the front row, not covered up, I walked in on a missionary in the shower, I slept in the baja with a bunch of trunky (ready to go home) Brazilians, saw turtles mating, got tackled by a Tongan, got hit in middle of street by drunk guy, got hit on while teaching a lesson, and I know there is more, it just isn't coming to my mind but I will think of it later....Getting green pranks (new missionary stuff)now and then, and witnessing an emergency transfer. All of this in less than 7 days, I wonder if next week will seem boring to me? It is all cool and looking back on these experiences makes me laugh now.
My trainer is Tongan, he is a very cool guy named Elder Tautaua and he is almost at his year mark here and has already baptized 90 people. Our area is Jacarepagua which means alligator and something else. It is kind of a middle class area, our ward is very cool and we get teaching referrals every time we sit down to talk to somebody, way cool. We have taught two very interesting lessons. One was to a lady who told us about a dream she had 20 years ago where her ancestors came to her and told her she needed to do something for them- The next was to a true lamanite descendant who told us a story that had been passed down in his family about an ancestor who saw a star come from the sky that was like Jesus, who did all these great things for the people. He was almost reciting 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon. We gave him the book, and he was really excited about it but was going to Brasilia and not coming back to Rio for a long time.
My area is so cool, it is like taking an Urban nature walk if that makes any sense. I also found a good definition for favela...a Brazilian trailer park! In many ways it is similar to that, the people have nice TV's and sound systems and things, but they don't live in a nice area, but they are fine with that. All Brazillian people are on Hawaiian time, it must be a lamanite thing. You can make all the appointments you want but it is the same thing as if you show up unexpected, there is a 50 50 chance someone will be there. I can understand some people better than others; I can't understand old people or quiet little kids. Sometimes I understand everything and other times I can't put one sentance together, but I am learning and learning. I was a little shy when I first got here but found out that I was offending the Brazilians so I had to lighten up and things are much better now.
Brazilians are nothing like Americans, you can talk and talk and talk, it is just part of their culture. Even if they hate Mormons they will have a half hour discussion about how much they hate you, it is pretty different. I am already excited for winter (It is fall there now) and can't wait for a day of lots of rain, I will most likely run around like a little kid, and it won't make much difference anyway because I don't think I have been ever been dry since I got here.
One of my favorite things is teaching lessons or watching my companion teach. I love it when he teaches, he gives me a little part to talk about but he is so amazing as a teacher, I have no idea how he does it but in time I will probably learn, when I understand more and can speak better Portuguese. I am excited to be here and I am going to learn so much. I love you all and I will send pictures next time. It is nice to not be in the MTC or CTM anymore. It is time to share what I have learned.. Love, Jordan
Jordan in Rio
