BRAZIL!!!
My p-day is Mondays!!! I feel like we have a lot more time for p-days in the field than in the MTC, probably because we got to go to the temple...I wish we had a temple here. I have 2 companions. Both brazilians! Which is a blessing. They can talk to each other and they don't always have to be frustarated with me not understanding. They are good about explaining and being patient. The one thing I wish is that I really had the ability to express my emotions like I do in English. After we study individually or after we watched conferece (I got to listen in English! What a blessing, I finally understaood everything that was going on!!! and it was amazing, wow it just felt amazing.) after these things we talk and all I can say is: ya it was good, I really like it, it talked about faith and I felt really good. It's kind of annoying, they probably think I am really spiritually shallow. It's hard when people are trying to explain so they talk slower but I don't know the words anyways so I just smile and say I don't understand. Every once in a while they will talk about me and I am not sure what they are saying so I just smile. (I understand how a lot of the hispancic people feel when americans try talking to them and say the exact same thing just slower, it doesn't really help.) But it is true that I am slowly understanding more. At first I couldn't hear when one word started and one word ended. But it's getting better. When we contact people, they respond to my questions but I have no idea what they say, I can pick out words but when I just stand there my Sisters jump in and respond to what they say. So I need to work on that. It's hard to teach in portuguese, I know the doctrine in english but in portuguese I forget what I want to say. I practice teaching my copanions and today Sister Rebiero(this is her last month in the mission, crazy) got annoyed and said, k go and write down exactly what you want to say word for word, read it everyday and practice. I felt a little chastized but it's good, it is helping me grow even if it is hard to feel like your being talked down to. My other sister is Sister Pereis Santo. She is cool, really good about explaining and writing things down. I am learning that I am so visual!!
So it's HUMID!!!! My eyebrows are curling, it's that humid, and this is their fall, I can't imagine the summer and how cold the winter will be in 2 months. When I wake up it's like a clamy sweat, kind of weird, and my hair is a disaster!!!! Really I have NO idea what to do. If I put gel in it I want to leave it down, it would probably be pretty but it's way too hot for that so I put it up but no matter how tight I do it the front still curls and frizzes. Really attractive.
So I love the people here, a lot of people look at us really weird so I just say hi and smile. the Brazilian people are just beautiful! There is a lot of European influence here, so several people have told me I look brazilian. I hope one day I sound like a Brazilian. One woman keeps saying I am so beautiful every time we see her, it's nice but I don't know how to respond besides, thanks! The first time she kept talking about it I got the drift of what she was saying but I didn't understand if it was a compliment or if she was analyzing me. So ya culture!!
Everything!!! here is different, the way they talk, interact, their voice inflations, obviously the language, the way they clean and cook and everything. They are really animated. The other day I was talking to a woman and sharing my testimony about faith and she cut me off and started talking to the other sisters, I thought she was mad. When we left I asked the sisters and they said no she was agreeing with me..... I have A LOT to learn.
People here love evrything American. The music, the movies, the food. Everything. It's interetsing, I will hear these american songs and they have no idea what they say but they like them.
When they try to speak English I keep thinking, oh that is what I sound like trying to speak portuguese. :) Makes me love my companions more for being patient.
They have what is called the x burger. It's a take of the hamburger but WAY different. It has a very thin patty with a thin egg and then lettuce and ketchup in a bun but then it has this weird sauce and lots of veggies..... they love it!!!! It's ok, but a legit hamburger would be nice. some day when I understand how to speak I will pay someone to make a legit one for me...... yummm.
I like the food here, the rice and beans everyday are great, then we have a meat and a salad. Really good salad. One was a hard boiled egg and tomato cut up with fresh lime. Actually really really good!!!
I love the gospel, after listening to conference I felt like I was floating as we walked to the bus. The atonement is real, repentence and baptism is the way. It's simple and beautiful and takes faith.
I love you all. Brazil is great. I pray for you and love you!!! Write and tell me whats new.
Love always - Sister Taylor
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