November 17, 2009

Hola Familia!
Wow life is crazy out here!
I want to let anybody who reads this know how much I love the scriptures. My testimony of their truthfulness has increased so much since I left Colorado three short months ago. I was challenged by my bishop to read the Book of Mormon from beginning to end from the time I got my mission call to the time I leave. I had five months to do it. I kept putting it off and when I tried to read, it was a chore to me. I felt that it got in the way of other things I could be doing. I knew that I needed to read it, and I love my church, but sitting down and reading the Book of Mormon was challenging for me. I did not finish it before I left. I was only in 2 Nephi. In the CTM, I started over and read the it from beginning to end in one month. When I entered the mission field 3 weeks ago, I started reading it again and I am already in Mosiah. Reading of the Book of Mormon is fun and I look forward to it. I find joy in reading the scriptures. This second time through I have been studying them a little more in depth. When I read something that I don't understand or something that I understand and really like, I look at all of the footnotes for the verse. If the footnotes sticks out to me and I really like it or if it makes something clearer. I circle the little letter thats by the work and I highlight the footnote. Its awesome. Everyday I learn something new from the scriptures. Some are fairly obvious things that I should have learned before. I love the Book of Mormon.

This week was rough. I felt that satan had a strong grasp on me. I was kind of depressed. After reading your letters last week I felt that maybe I wasn't being the missionary that I wanted to be. Don't worry dad, I'm good now. I also was starting to get really annoyed with everything. I don't know why, my patience was awful. I found my companion annoying, was doubting whether or not i will ever learn portuguese, and was feeling like we were unsuccessful. Dad the things you say I really take to heart. In the surprise letter in my suitcase you said 'return with honor' I thought that it was really cheesy but I started to realize when I get back on want to be able to look anyone in the face and tell them "I tried my hardest." You also mentioned that I have just one shot at this so I should give it my all. My feet have been killing me, my back has been killing me, things were rough. We had a ward meeting about the upcoming baptisms and they wanted to plan when to have everything. Neli needs to get married and the wedding is coming up. So the ward wanted to make sure that we had the wedding, the baptism, and a big christmas slash welcome to the ward party. The meeting shouldn't have been very long but it was. Most of the members were disappointed with the schedule because we had to put off the party for now. It became a big dispute and everyone started arguing about the party. Elder P. Silva tried to explain that the party is not important right now. The baptism is. I was disappointed and discouraged after hearing all of this arguing over having a party. Stake conference is coming up too and we were trying to get everything to fit into everyone's schedules. BAPTISM IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A PARTY! I was mad and starting to really be frusturated with the members here in Brazil.
We had also visited this lady named Ionice. She was very excepting of what we had to say and I invited her to church and she accepted. She said that she would need a ride though. In my head I was thinking piece of cake. It wasn't. I was talking to Elder P. Silva about finding her a ride and he said that we probably cant find one. He said something about how the bishops here in Rio Grand de Sul don't like to give investigators a ride to church and if they dont, they wont want the members to give rides either. I was so frusturated. Missionary work is impossible without the help of members.

Now that I have established the bad things about the week I want to tell you the good things that happened, the week ended very well and everything got much better. The bishop told us that he will try to find a ride to ionice and that it might be hard because many of the members already help other members get to church because some dont have a car. I can understand that a bit better. We also met with some other members that told us the importance of baptism and that the party is the last thing on the priority list. I was happy to know that not all of the members were like this. Elder P. Silva saw that I was down and I told him that I felt we could be working harder. He took it to heart and we did. Its rough sometimes. Sunday we had five appointments and they all fell, but we were working hard. I went on the division and went with Elder Souza. I was very scared because he speaks only portuguese and he is a new missionary. We taught a couple of investigators. I made sure to speak as much as I could to try and help him and I use the fact that I am an american learning the language as an advantage. People seem to pay way more attention when they realize everything you say you really have to work for. I communicated with him alright and we are actually pretty good friends now.
As for my doubts with the language, I was looking for my answer in the scriptures. I started searching for verses on the gifts of the spirit like the gift of tounges or interpretation of tounges. I came across a scriputure that I really like and that I know that Dad really likes. In Alma 17, Alma meets up with his friends the sons of Mosiah and is happy to know they are still men of God. It mentions that he is even more happy to know that they gave themselves up to much fasting and praying and had received the gifts of revelation and prophecy. So I decided to do just that. I said a big prayer, and started to fast. I fasted from 2:00 in the afternoon to about 2:00 in the after noon the next day. I closed with a big prayer and ate at a buffet with Elder P. Silva haha. I have noticed a difference. Nothing big, but I feel a little more confidence in myself which is what I needed. I try to use at least one new word everyday to expand my vocabulary and when we share a message with members and it is my turn, I try to use a new scripture and on the spot try to give a message. It teaches me a lot and everyone is always patient with me.

Another funny story for you with language. I have found it much harder to understand than to speak. People talk so fast! Sometimes I understand what they are talking about, but not what they said exactly. We were eating at a members house and the members always say "Eat more elder!" If you have seen me eat at home, I am not that big of an eater. I told the lady,"No thank you, I am satisfied." She started talking really fast and I was understanding that it was about the food and I thought she was talking about how I eat slow and I eat small amounts of food. I was nodding and nodding and then I said "yeah" Elder P. Silva almost shot the Guarana that he was drinking out his nose and all over the table. He turned around and asked me if I understood and I said no. The lady had said eat more elder, I said no thank you I am satisfied and then she said my food is really bad isnt it? I said yes... I told the lady that the meal was awful. I apologized and said that I didnt understand and that I thought it was really good and then, even though I was full, forced down another helping.

I am sending a CD home with all of my photos on it and a few short video clips. I would like to try to send one to Sarah but I dont know if it will happen so if you could some how get her a copy that will be much easier. I am going to use a different memory stick and keep all of my photos on the other one until I hear that you got the cd and saw all of my photos.

Thank you family for the letters! Sarah your photos arrived and I loved seeing them! Its awesome please, everyone, send me photos! I have been asked by many other missionaries to show them photos of my family and what I was like before the mission. I have two photos. One of Sarah, Rob, and Robbie and one of everybody else at christmas. I got the photo of Brandon that was sent with the halloween card and I got a bunch from sarah. Its awesome.

The other day we were teaching a part member family and the father of the family sings in a band and he sings in english. He doesn't speak english and it was really cool to see how he sings what he sings. He listens to the song and writes the english words down all wierd, just how he hears them. Portuguese pronunciation and everything. He actually sounds really good and sings songs that made me realize how much I miss listening to music with Dad and John. He is going to give us a cd and I will show you guys when I return. I cant listen to it while I am hear though, but it will be cool to have.

Mom I want you to know that I am trying to take photos whenever I can. I also write in my journal every night. Being a missionary has taught me somethings that I should already have been doing. I take better care of my stuff because of experience. I might need to get new church shirts soon... One had a pen explode in the pocket and got stained. I threw that one away at the CTM. Another one the pocket ripped but I can just sew that back on. The other shirts have suffered wierd stains that i have no idea where they came from. I think a bird pooped on one while they were drying and it splattered on some other shirts... My shoes look really bad and I thought that they were already almost done for. I cleaned them and polished them and now they look brand new! Its great taking care of your own things.
Today Elder P. Silva and I cleaned the house this morning. It was in really bad shape. I am happy and things are going great now.

Second funny story. Mom, you sent that recipe for the brownies. Elder P. Silva is really excited to make them. I started listing off the ingredients that we need. When I said cocoa, I forgot that cocô means poop. So i asked Elder P. Silva if he wanted poop in his brownies. We had a good laugh about that one. Co-cow is how you pronounce it here.

Quick english questions. I dont know how to explain the following to Elder P. Silva:
1. When do you use in time, and when do you use on time?
2. When do you use less and when do you use fewer?
3. When do you use stuff and when do you use things?


Have Fun, be safe.
Até Mais,
Elder Bullough