Pre-Departure Message

Well today is a Departure "P-day" Im still going to go to class but I have the whole day alotted if I need to pack and wash clothes and send an e-mail. I dont know if you got the part in my last E-mail about my yellow fever card, but if you didn't there's no worries, a lady in the immunization office who also went to the Porto Alegre Sul missao hooked me up.
Its super exciting to be leaving but at the same time esta muito triste! Its like leaving home AGAIN. These companions are awesome. Companionship inventory is awesome. You can be open about your ideas, your problems, and your criticisms. Its been so fun though. My goodness, Elder Hanna, one of my companions and our former district leader, oh my gosh, crazy elder. His brother owns dear elder, so he might be able to give us some deals on sending a couple letters to the Brazil MTC. His brother also owns a huge company besides dear elder in Utah, but he's apparently such a nerd that he'd been denied in proposing like 3 times. Sorry that was mean, I'd erase it if I wasnt timed. Elder Cox, my other companion, my senior companion (yeah, I'm the little guy, twice. And Im pretty happy with that!) is great at basketball. I played basketball one day while I was here, and he just wooped me. I gave up. Plus he could probably break my neck, he's just one of those awesome sports people, who somehow is a black belt in karate, and can break your neck, that you just admire. I'm sure you've met some before. Elder Welch. Hilarity. This elder is a rancher from St. George Utah. I thought he was southern, but its just his accent. I love this elder. He's a big old tough guy, and he feels heartless when I cry at the joseph smith movie or at someone's testimony and it makes him feel really bad. I wish I didn't cry, and I think I'm getting better at not doing that. He's a great one though, he's the first of this notorious ancestry of cowboys to serve a mission. I admire him a lot. Everyone knows his name here because his dad is pretty well known for a bar fight that he started in Utah. AWESOME! He has great stories. His accent is kinda rubbin off on the district though, no buano. Elder Hopper, the elder I went to BYU Music fest with, yeah he's going to be a band director some day. He's just one of those people born to do so. He wears treble clef cuff links on sunday.... yeah, you get the picture. Anyway, he and elder welch are companions.... its very interesting to see those two words collide. They're great friends, but sometimes they just dont get COMPLETELY along, they never get mad at each other, but anyone could tell they're upset. But they are so good. Love 'em both. Out of our room, but still in our district, Elder Froerer, a farmer. He and I can talk a lot about awesome times on ranches. I think he's polynesian though, which is weird that he's a farmer. But he's cool, really quiet, and really discouraged about the language unfortunately. Elder Tonga.... you know he's polynesian. He's an awesome singer! (Elder Hanna is pretty good himself) But I sing micheal buble songs with him all the time and its pretty good. Not to brag, but goodness, love it. (which reminds me, I performed in our Branch Sacrament meeting this last sunday... I dont know if they record those, but it was really fun I'll get to that in a few words.) Elder Miava, the new district leader, great man. He's a polyesian ward where people "mixed" all the time... aparently thats a drug. He has great stories as well. He and elder Froerer are comps. Elder Brown. I dont know much about this one... but he and Elder tonga don't get along. Thats the only tension in the district, which is said because Elder Tonga becomes really rebellious when he isn't getting along with Elder Brown.
Ok, so... My first investigator was TOUGH. I got mad at him. He just kept saying no to everything we said, and would talk so fast in portuguese. I just really wracked my brains and got pretty mad I just told him "Look, I really, really want to help you. But you know none of us speak a ton of portuguese, we've been challenging you to read the scriptures and pray for three weeks, and told you that that would be the best thing for your kids, you want us to help them and now we're here, but we cant help them, unless you start being the example." That was about the only thing I said that whole time and my companions didn't even here it because they were trying to figure out what to say next, but David heard it. He heard it loud and clear. He is going back to Brasil but he told us at the end he'd go to church. Our last lesson was really good with him. We weren't overwhelmed with the spirit but we all agreed that we felt at peace. He is now our teacher in language class, its weird to see him step out of character. I think Irmao Owens will be our new investigator today.
Oh yeah so Elder Hanna and I, and a companionship from the other district in our branch sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer this last sunday. It sounded really good. Wow it was awesome singing parts in portuguese. Portuguese is way cooler than English. Other than that, the days kind of have blended together, a lot of personal and comp study, a lot of teaching, a lot of workshops, a lot of switch arounds since the visa came today.