This last week I cut my hair... this time I didn't have help from Tawny and Ace , just from a tired Brazilian.... I think I need to start paying the 2 reais for a "professional" wow, at least it's within the boundaries of missionary standards, that's all I need. But for some reason every time I look in the mirror I think of that movie "MARS ATTACKS" I'm sure by next week it'll pan out a little better if not I'll buzz it again.
I keep getting questions of what laundry is like here. To answer that, Picture a bucket of water... with a thing in the middle that spins and then the water drains and then you rinse your clothing in none soapy water then hang it up... everything is a little weird though... I don't feel like it's really clean, it smells almost fine, and my house has the BEST machine thing so I'm grateful.
Everyone in my house is getting fat... fast. I have been trying to tell them it is because of the plate size hamburgers they eat right before bed might have something to do with it. I am not a huge fan of the Um Burgers, that's how they say it here, so I don't eat them but I'm sick of hearing them complain of their fatness so instead of me waking up and jump roping on my own I wake everyone up and we go on a nice morning run. Yesterday WE were running and there is a lot of cobble stone / hills dirt and rocks. Well i was running down one of the paths and was looking behind me for a second talking to Elder Abrão and I went down tripped on a stone.... pretty funny I am fine I went down rolled a little bit and kept going I can't really explain exactly what happened but the point of the story is I fell...
The work in this area is going well I know a lot of people. I hope i get one more tranfer here, sorry for the lameness of this email. Next week will be better, but in the mean time my English is getting worse and my Portuguese still gets laughs but i understand great.
Tawny- Marilucy, Branca . I'm so excited thanks!
Love Elder Williams
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Ants!
These last few weeks we have been teaching a woman named Maria. She is hilarious! she is about sixty, her nickname is "White" I don't exactly understand why. She drives a motorcycle, she has one grandchild, and she is the 'cool mom' on the street that all the kids like to hang out with. There are always some teenagers at her house just chatting with her. She wants to know everything about the Church, she is progressing so well. She is faithful in her commitments and knows all that we are teaching her is true, she's stopped with alcohol and coffee. But for some reason every time we invite her to be baptized, she says she's not ready... She wants to know EVERYTHING about the church, there is no way we can tell her everything about the church. She is afraid. We have tried EVERYTHING in preach my gospel. I want to figure this out so bad to help her the way Heavenly Father wants us to. But I just can't seem to find an answer. for the last week I haven't been able to stop thinking about all the times I see "fear not" in the scriptures. Or don't be afraid. Same thing. I find it strange that a hip old woman who loves the adrenaline rush of a motorcycle would have a fear of something she knows is true, she has a testimony of the church, but just wants to know EVERYTHING first. I try and put myself in her place, I feel like it would be hard to take that step of baptism, we are praying she will lose her fear, We just don't know what else to say to her. we pass by regularly and visit with her I Hope hope hope she'll come around.
This last week, I directed a baptismal service of A boy named Everton, I am still so surprised that people understand me when I talk and grateful I still have a lot to learn though I have been told i have quite the accent a Mexican one they say which I have a goal to lose, He is so cool he doesn't have the sweetest life, But he is just a great kid. Even before we met him he with living his life right despite all the lack of examples around him. He is going to grow into an amazing person, He is 15, I gave him one of those really hot shirts that I avoid wearing cause they are thicker than cardboard and we had some extra pants laying around the house. That were new, who knows who's they were. But we got him all dressed up and clean cut he looks so good.
I already said this but I have been making everyone take their vitamins, I'm really cracking down. My companion hates vitamins or any sort of medicine. But I'm still making him take them. Because I'm concerned for their health, and mine. the first time Elder R. Marinho took a vitamin he chewed it, I need to be more clear on my instructions cause this has happened before. I told him to take this vitamin. I need to say swallow. My bad. I gave Him the vitamin in the morning, he said he would take it that night. I reminded him a few times throughout the day. Then forgot about it. That night I was laying on my bed and he ran in and was pacing back and forth and telling me how much he hated medicine. I had no idea what he was talking about, It took me a second to catch on. He just kept saying how nasty it was. I noticed him chewing something and asked him if it was the vitamin i had given to him. He nodded with a sour look on his face and ran into the bathroom spit it out and started brushing his teeth. . I felt a little bit bad for the mistake but it was so funny.
The ants have found a way into the fridge, they get in there and die all over everything I hate them. I think my front left tooth is going to fall out (mom can you send me some glide floss, I sound like a girl but the floss here is like fishing line.) I think it is going to fall out because at lunch a few days ago, a rock, no, a pebble made it's way into my spaghetti! I saved it. Nobody noticed but i took a few bites and i bit something hard i spit it out ,secretly, but it hit my glass plate and made a sound i didn't see it fall but I thought for sure it was my tooth, It killed, It hasn't fallen out I don't really think it will and if it does i guess it's ok cause that tooth is already fake.
Mom, you asked If I'm used to the heat. I'm used to it but I don't like it, no one does. and if I have dreamed a dream in Portuguese? last night, Not even kidding, it was the first time and it was so weird, I woke up and then realized it was all in Portuguese.
Things are great with me, I'm learning a lot. Thanks for all the support.
Love Elder Williams.
P.S Ryan Graham how are you?
Tawny Enjoy your Domingo
This last week, I directed a baptismal service of A boy named Everton, I am still so surprised that people understand me when I talk and grateful I still have a lot to learn though I have been told i have quite the accent a Mexican one they say which I have a goal to lose, He is so cool he doesn't have the sweetest life, But he is just a great kid. Even before we met him he with living his life right despite all the lack of examples around him. He is going to grow into an amazing person, He is 15, I gave him one of those really hot shirts that I avoid wearing cause they are thicker than cardboard and we had some extra pants laying around the house. That were new, who knows who's they were. But we got him all dressed up and clean cut he looks so good.
I already said this but I have been making everyone take their vitamins, I'm really cracking down. My companion hates vitamins or any sort of medicine. But I'm still making him take them. Because I'm concerned for their health, and mine. the first time Elder R. Marinho took a vitamin he chewed it, I need to be more clear on my instructions cause this has happened before. I told him to take this vitamin. I need to say swallow. My bad. I gave Him the vitamin in the morning, he said he would take it that night. I reminded him a few times throughout the day. Then forgot about it. That night I was laying on my bed and he ran in and was pacing back and forth and telling me how much he hated medicine. I had no idea what he was talking about, It took me a second to catch on. He just kept saying how nasty it was. I noticed him chewing something and asked him if it was the vitamin i had given to him. He nodded with a sour look on his face and ran into the bathroom spit it out and started brushing his teeth. . I felt a little bit bad for the mistake but it was so funny.
The ants have found a way into the fridge, they get in there and die all over everything I hate them. I think my front left tooth is going to fall out (mom can you send me some glide floss, I sound like a girl but the floss here is like fishing line.) I think it is going to fall out because at lunch a few days ago, a rock, no, a pebble made it's way into my spaghetti! I saved it. Nobody noticed but i took a few bites and i bit something hard i spit it out ,secretly, but it hit my glass plate and made a sound i didn't see it fall but I thought for sure it was my tooth, It killed, It hasn't fallen out I don't really think it will and if it does i guess it's ok cause that tooth is already fake.
Mom, you asked If I'm used to the heat. I'm used to it but I don't like it, no one does. and if I have dreamed a dream in Portuguese? last night, Not even kidding, it was the first time and it was so weird, I woke up and then realized it was all in Portuguese.
Things are great with me, I'm learning a lot. Thanks for all the support.
Love Elder Williams.
P.S Ryan Graham how are you?
Tawny Enjoy your Domingo
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Pretty Funny?
This last week has been great, Not only do I get to come home to a gigantic Moon every night, But, I'm not sick… I bet that sounds weird but I am so grateful I'm not sick. I don't understand why I'm not sick either. Everyone in my apartment has something wrong. One Elder has got the fevers, He can't sleep and he has to take cold showers throughout the night. And one has a cough. That is so terrible. One of those coughs that doesn't even sound like a cough at all, it sounds more like he is throwing up. That's gross sorry I said that, I'm not going to delete it though. I guess I shouldn't say this last week has been great, But I'm GREATful big time. I think they'll get better though I'm making them take vitamins everyday and We got some pure water.
We met some kids skateboarding a while ago, not kids actually, people my age, we met some PEOPLE skateboarding… if there are 2 things in this world that I'm good at, It's skateboarding and Halo. I hope that doesn't sound prideful, It's OK to brag about 2 useless things right?. Anyway, we got to talking with them and they asked if we knew how to skateboard. I know how to skateboard. I played a little game with them where one person does a trick and the other repeats it. (I really hope someone appreciates this story.) We played and It was so fun/hot in these clothes. I probably looked pretty funny in these clothes come to think of it. Well, they are coming to church. I don't want to brag anymore so I'm not going to say who won.
I really love this area and it's a good thing, I assume this will be the area I'll stay the longest out of my whole mission. I have a few funny videos and a lot of pictures I'll be sending home on that chip..
This last week we had testimony meeting and When I went to bare my testimony I made a joke. I got a few pity laughs, It went over about good as my so called "joke" I said in my farewell talk. You know the one where I read off all the things a missionary NEEDS to be and then said… "the only thing I have left to do is cut my hair." Was about as funny as that…
(Some fergie is playing in this Internet shack.)
I don't know if I have already mentioned this but everything of mine is changing colors, I'm pretty excited to see what it looks like when I get home. My pants, my bag, I think I remember talking about this already one time. So never mind about that. But I'm almost positive I haven't mentioned anything about how many stinking Jokes Have been played on me! Ha I deserve it, I have done my share of practical jokes. Countless times my chair has been pulled out from underneath me, they took a part from my bed so when I sat on it I fell through to the ground. Pretty funny. I don't know how many times I've been splashed with water. I guess I'm an easy target. I really love these guys though, we get along well. I'll be with them for another 2 months.
I am the only one who cleans anything around here. Picture how dirty my car was and times that by 26. nasty. And I'm the only one who thinks it's gross so I am the only one who cleans. Cleaning is good for me too though. I need to learn to be more organized.
Thanks for all the Emails.!
All my love Elder Williams
Lisa.... please? pretty funny! my my my. I'll try and have some funnier experiences for you so we can lose the pretty funny and you can just come right out and say Jesse. elder Williams, your stories are funny.
I love you, thanks for the updates, give ace a big hug and a kiss for me. don't forget to give easton my love too and as far a bolzon, that's what you are going to name him right? bolzon.
All the love a brother has for his sweet older sister.
Elder Williams
We met some kids skateboarding a while ago, not kids actually, people my age, we met some PEOPLE skateboarding… if there are 2 things in this world that I'm good at, It's skateboarding and Halo. I hope that doesn't sound prideful, It's OK to brag about 2 useless things right?. Anyway, we got to talking with them and they asked if we knew how to skateboard. I know how to skateboard. I played a little game with them where one person does a trick and the other repeats it. (I really hope someone appreciates this story.) We played and It was so fun/hot in these clothes. I probably looked pretty funny in these clothes come to think of it. Well, they are coming to church. I don't want to brag anymore so I'm not going to say who won.
I really love this area and it's a good thing, I assume this will be the area I'll stay the longest out of my whole mission. I have a few funny videos and a lot of pictures I'll be sending home on that chip..
This last week we had testimony meeting and When I went to bare my testimony I made a joke. I got a few pity laughs, It went over about good as my so called "joke" I said in my farewell talk. You know the one where I read off all the things a missionary NEEDS to be and then said… "the only thing I have left to do is cut my hair." Was about as funny as that…
(Some fergie is playing in this Internet shack.)
I don't know if I have already mentioned this but everything of mine is changing colors, I'm pretty excited to see what it looks like when I get home. My pants, my bag, I think I remember talking about this already one time. So never mind about that. But I'm almost positive I haven't mentioned anything about how many stinking Jokes Have been played on me! Ha I deserve it, I have done my share of practical jokes. Countless times my chair has been pulled out from underneath me, they took a part from my bed so when I sat on it I fell through to the ground. Pretty funny. I don't know how many times I've been splashed with water. I guess I'm an easy target. I really love these guys though, we get along well. I'll be with them for another 2 months.
I am the only one who cleans anything around here. Picture how dirty my car was and times that by 26. nasty. And I'm the only one who thinks it's gross so I am the only one who cleans. Cleaning is good for me too though. I need to learn to be more organized.
Thanks for all the Emails.!
All my love Elder Williams
Lisa.... please? pretty funny! my my my. I'll try and have some funnier experiences for you so we can lose the pretty funny and you can just come right out and say Jesse. elder Williams, your stories are funny.
I love you, thanks for the updates, give ace a big hug and a kiss for me. don't forget to give easton my love too and as far a bolzon, that's what you are going to name him right? bolzon.
All the love a brother has for his sweet older sister.
Elder Williams
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Não é de sua conta
The subject of this email means, none of your business, I don’t know if anyone really remembers but I used to say that phrase a lot.” Phhhh none of your business,” well here it's extremely offensive…. Not funny, I said it last night at a ward activity and I just kind of got this look, the sort of look where you know you said something bad, I guess it’s a little bit funny because there was a short pause and then a lot of laughter, except for the person I said it to, It’s a pretty severe “burn” from what I understand when you are the one being told it’s none of your business, that person was pretty sad until I explained myself.
On Saturday, Elder R. Marinho and I had a job to fill up the baptismal font. Not a hard job, turn the water on, wait for a bit turn the water off. So we turned the water on. My senior companion said, lets go to lunch and come back and shut it off, I was a little unsure, I suggested waiting until the font filled up and then leaving, but, He said, It’ll be fine, we’ll go eat real fast and hurry back. Tudo bem
Well during lunch, every little bit I would remind him about the water, and how it was STILL ON! He would hush me and I would wait a little bit to remind him and get hushed again. We were eating at a member’s house and he was enjoying the conversation I guess, finally, we left the house after about an 1 and 20 minutes! I was on the way back I was saying, I think it might be overflowing, but he reassured me and told me they take forever to fill up. Nonetheless, he seemed to be a little on edge, and we walked pretty stinking fast back to the church, but yet still confident that it wouldn’t be overflowing. We got to the church and unlocked the gate. Ran to the door and unlocked that as well, entered, everything seemed normal, and then we turned the corner. There was about a quarter inch of water… everywhere. I don’t know why but it made me laugh, I ran in to the font and was reaching to unplug the plug but I have short arms and bad depth perception ,I thought I could reach the plug, But I couldn’t as I was trying my companion ran in already stripped down to his garments and pulled the plug. This was also pretty funny, considering how bad this situation was. Luckily the church is almost completely tile which made things a lot more reassuring, I feel like they were prepared for this though cause as I went into the cleaning closet to find something to use to get that water out of there I found at least 30 of those squidgy brooms. After some time we got it all cleaned up. The baptism turned out just fine and when the members got there they were commenting on how clean the church looked.
I feel about 300 times more confident in the language, It’s really helpful having to speak it almost all the time, I get to teach my companion every morning English which I’m really enjoying, and throughout the day. But he doesn’t really know anything yet and when I hear him talk with his accent I get a pretty good Idea at why I get laughed at so much, things are getting better though. I’m grateful.
Conference! I got to see the Sunday session. I was really missing those cinnamon rolls.(WOW this guy just sat down next to me, I think he went a little overboard on the aftershave) And I watched the whole thing in Portuguese, I loved the hymns, a lot. Yeah I'm pretty sure I'm smelling some old man aftershave mixed with goldfish… my time is up though. Thanks for all the words of encouragement.
Mom could you send me The addresses of grandparents, on both sides?
Love you all,
Tchou
Elder Williams
On Saturday, Elder R. Marinho and I had a job to fill up the baptismal font. Not a hard job, turn the water on, wait for a bit turn the water off. So we turned the water on. My senior companion said, lets go to lunch and come back and shut it off, I was a little unsure, I suggested waiting until the font filled up and then leaving, but, He said, It’ll be fine, we’ll go eat real fast and hurry back. Tudo bem
Well during lunch, every little bit I would remind him about the water, and how it was STILL ON! He would hush me and I would wait a little bit to remind him and get hushed again. We were eating at a member’s house and he was enjoying the conversation I guess, finally, we left the house after about an 1 and 20 minutes! I was on the way back I was saying, I think it might be overflowing, but he reassured me and told me they take forever to fill up. Nonetheless, he seemed to be a little on edge, and we walked pretty stinking fast back to the church, but yet still confident that it wouldn’t be overflowing. We got to the church and unlocked the gate. Ran to the door and unlocked that as well, entered, everything seemed normal, and then we turned the corner. There was about a quarter inch of water… everywhere. I don’t know why but it made me laugh, I ran in to the font and was reaching to unplug the plug but I have short arms and bad depth perception ,I thought I could reach the plug, But I couldn’t as I was trying my companion ran in already stripped down to his garments and pulled the plug. This was also pretty funny, considering how bad this situation was. Luckily the church is almost completely tile which made things a lot more reassuring, I feel like they were prepared for this though cause as I went into the cleaning closet to find something to use to get that water out of there I found at least 30 of those squidgy brooms. After some time we got it all cleaned up. The baptism turned out just fine and when the members got there they were commenting on how clean the church looked.
I feel about 300 times more confident in the language, It’s really helpful having to speak it almost all the time, I get to teach my companion every morning English which I’m really enjoying, and throughout the day. But he doesn’t really know anything yet and when I hear him talk with his accent I get a pretty good Idea at why I get laughed at so much, things are getting better though. I’m grateful.
Conference! I got to see the Sunday session. I was really missing those cinnamon rolls.(WOW this guy just sat down next to me, I think he went a little overboard on the aftershave) And I watched the whole thing in Portuguese, I loved the hymns, a lot. Yeah I'm pretty sure I'm smelling some old man aftershave mixed with goldfish… my time is up though. Thanks for all the words of encouragement.
Mom could you send me The addresses of grandparents, on both sides?
Love you all,
Tchou
Elder Williams
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Oct. 1st!
you know the phrase" i'm just trying to work up a sweat"? Is that even a phrase? I feeel like it is for sure. Well here that means nothing to me. IT IS SO HOT. Man, breathing makes me sweat. I guess its a good thing though cause I feel completely exfoliated when I come home each night.
Yesterday I got a new companion, he is really cool, and really Brazilian. He does not know English, and i live with two other Brazilians as well and for some reason last night there were two more Brazilians sleeping there. That makes 6 Brazilians, nope 5, I'm American. It's really good for me though.
yesterday there was a little confusion in the transfer which resulted in me being alone for some time, and the last words from my senior companion were stay here until your new comp arrives, he said that he should be getting to my house around 9:30, 3:00 rolls around and I have no way to call or do anything and I'm companion less. I got a lot of reading done, so that was good. (Tawny, I´m on chapter 17.) But eventually i just decided to walk up to the church and there he was with 2 members trying to figure out where he was going. He had only been there for about 10 minutes though, so don´t think he was waiting all day, it was me waiting.
Nonetheless, things are not easy, mostly because of the weather. During the middle of the day, of course, it is really hot and no matter what you do nobody wants to get off their hammock to come to the door and talk...but I can kind of understand given the circumstances. The Portuguese continues to get better, especially the understanding part. At first when I arrived here the words were coming so fast that I couldn't even keep up with what was going on, but now it's starting to make sense and I can actually talk back with intelligent answers.
Thanks for all the supporting e-mails, Owen! Good to hear from you/ your email was pretty stinking funny, and I'm taking your advise thanks.
Mom I got that package last night the one with the water bottle which I love already, thanks. Lauren please be careful, I knew you didn't know how to ride a bike. I love you though. Lisa and Ace, I love you guys too. Dad have you made a decision yet? Let me know, I love you a lot.
grandpa! thanks for that email really, so good to hear from you.
Tawny! Thanks once again for the uplifting email, I got a package from your mom with more letters in it! Love those, thanks and Kristen If you are reading this thanks. I still find it hard to believe you are in Vienna, and traveling all over, you sound great I love you, be safe!
Yesterday I got a new companion, he is really cool, and really Brazilian. He does not know English, and i live with two other Brazilians as well and for some reason last night there were two more Brazilians sleeping there. That makes 6 Brazilians, nope 5, I'm American. It's really good for me though.
yesterday there was a little confusion in the transfer which resulted in me being alone for some time, and the last words from my senior companion were stay here until your new comp arrives, he said that he should be getting to my house around 9:30, 3:00 rolls around and I have no way to call or do anything and I'm companion less. I got a lot of reading done, so that was good. (Tawny, I´m on chapter 17.) But eventually i just decided to walk up to the church and there he was with 2 members trying to figure out where he was going. He had only been there for about 10 minutes though, so don´t think he was waiting all day, it was me waiting.
Nonetheless, things are not easy, mostly because of the weather. During the middle of the day, of course, it is really hot and no matter what you do nobody wants to get off their hammock to come to the door and talk...but I can kind of understand given the circumstances. The Portuguese continues to get better, especially the understanding part. At first when I arrived here the words were coming so fast that I couldn't even keep up with what was going on, but now it's starting to make sense and I can actually talk back with intelligent answers.
Thanks for all the supporting e-mails, Owen! Good to hear from you/ your email was pretty stinking funny, and I'm taking your advise thanks.
Mom I got that package last night the one with the water bottle which I love already, thanks. Lauren please be careful, I knew you didn't know how to ride a bike. I love you though. Lisa and Ace, I love you guys too. Dad have you made a decision yet? Let me know, I love you a lot.
grandpa! thanks for that email really, so good to hear from you.
Tawny! Thanks once again for the uplifting email, I got a package from your mom with more letters in it! Love those, thanks and Kristen If you are reading this thanks. I still find it hard to believe you are in Vienna, and traveling all over, you sound great I love you, be safe!
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