Email Home: Monday, November 15, 2021

From: Kaitlyn.garcia@missionary.org
Date: Monday, November 15, 2021
Subject: I ate Bode

Hello hello! 

How are you? How was your week? How was the dentist!? I have major saudades of the dentist I won't lie, can't wait to go back :) This week I also had some things that I sinto falta em Casa. I think I definitely will gain a few lbs when I get home to make up for the time I didn't have american food. Your email was absolutely insane too! I'm glad that B was able to get her Passport stuff all worked out and got a Fizz as a well deserved treat ;) It also sounds like you should've called a camera crew to film this week. Your pictures blew my mind! That room always made me nervous everytime you said you wanted to clean it, I won't lie. Your 'retreat' to the cabin sounds like it wasn't terrible so that's always a plus. Not ideal, but not horrible ;) Overall you guys had a pretty busy and productive week I'd say! 

Monday wasn't anything too crazy, just contacting our referrals that we've been getting. Not gonna lie it's been a lot and I have no idea why, but I'll take it :) We also got our weekly açaí and got to see our homie Leandro. He was in a motorcycle accident last week and showed us the video. It was literally a movie! Crazy! I also decided that if we ever end up in Brasil for any reason we have to get açaí;) 

Tuesday was our first real day implementing our weekly planning influenced by Elder Uceda. It was a ton of contacts but I felt like I was actually working for the first time in Brasil. I feel like the work ethic in Brasil is so so different from the states. I did finally realize that Sister Da Mata starts to loose steam after lunch haha! We had lunch em casa today, which btw just really showed our Cooking Mama skills haha! Anyways, we had 30 minutes left of lunch so I decided to study and she went to take a nap. That's totally fine but it's the after nap groggy that really kills ya know? We kept trying with our plan, but it was slowed a little bit. We also had an adventure to our friend Neto's house to give him a Book of Mormon but he wasn't home :/ Next time! We also got a strange phone call from Irmão Eric haha! He called us because he had a song from the states stuck in his head and didn't know the name. Here's the thing though, he doesn't know any of the words and it's in english and to really top it off, he said that it's a little antigo. He then continued to send us audios of him humming and mumbling words haha! It was quite the entertainment for the night haha! 

Wednesday seemed to fly by but was also slow, weird to explain honestly. Today I had my first 'american' salad haha! Salad here is different, anything can really be a salada. Normally it's pieces of lettuce, slices of onion and tomato, vinegar, and olive oil. This salad was kinda like a Wingers salad, kinda haha! It was pretty I won't lie:) After lunch we had the best idea yet! We bought bananas and we had ice cream... banana split duh!!! It was pretty good and it was quente demais outside so it was overall just a good decision. Our contacts and lessons weren't as good as Tuesday but you can't win em all. It was still pretty good, I'd say it was about 50/50 when it comes to people answering. ALSO! Guess what I learned this morning? I haven't slept talked my whole mission okay? Well last night I woke myself up because I was mumbling, I think this was totally the Lord trying to save Sister Da Mata haha! But that's not was weird. What was weird was that I was mumbling in Português! What is even happening with my life? 

Thursday was so so good! To start off the day we headed to São Lorenço for DC to be with another district. We talked about what we had learned from the mission tour and what we've been doing to apply what Elder Uceda talked about. It was super spiritual and I learned a lot, probably my most favorite DC I've had here in Brasil. The other district just got 2 new Americans! Both from Utah, go figure haha! But they're both super cool. The one Elder started to share a thought and then goes, 'I can't really speak Português, but I can read. Can I share a scripture?' The other one is seriously trying so hard and it shows. He actually talked to me quite a bit just about the language.  It's crazy to think that I've only been in Brasil for 1 1/2 months and they just got here. I hope I was able to help him a little bit. Irmão Amon picked us up to head back to Carpina, but guess what he had for us?? A NEW FRIDGE!!! I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a fridge in my entire life haha! It's so chique too! Irmão Amon and his brother Nefi (no I'm not kidding haha!) Got it all installed for us. Guys it has a light in it! It's seriously so much nicer than the one we had before. Thursday was also such a good day for teaching! We had two really amazing lessons to finish off the night :) One was with our friend Sandra. We went over the Restoartion and talked about the Book of Mormon. She didn't really seem to be paying too much attention but when I started the First Vision I knew she was paying attention. It was a good lesson and she accepted a Book of Mormon too! Then we had a lesson with our friend Mayara. I seriously love her so much! When we called we asked what she remembered from the last time we talked. Shes been pretty busy with work lately so it's been a minute. Immediately she said that all she wants is to be in the Celestial kingdom. How rad is that?! We then started with the Restoration. This is where I kinda got s little frustrated but I didn't let it ruin the lesson either. Sister Da Mata just took over the lesson a little bit. I tried to get some words in and I did for a minute but she just kept going and I didn't have much room to say anything. I was frustrated but it was a good lesson so I just brushed it off ya know?? I love her but when she does stuff like that I feel like it's because I'm not doing a good job at teaching and it's so frustrating. It was a good lesson though and it was such a good day in the end :) 

Friday, friday, friday!! This week totally flew by if I'm being honest. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that we were so busy this week with contacts. Applying Elder Uceda's tips has made our days that much busier. It's been so good though and I've been able to see a lot of changes in our friends by having daily contact with them. We had to go pick up lunch from Irmão Cicero too and boy does that little man have all the tea haha! There's a family in the ward that we don't know too much about, just that we need to be cautious around the husband because of some past issues. Well Irmão Cicero spilled all the tea and then some! It was quite the conversation haha! All we wanted was to pick up our lunch. By the time we got back we didn't have a ton of time to eat before getting back into things. We were making all of our contacts and got to the point in the day that we confirm almoço for the next day, that meant we needed to send a message to Irmã Renata. All was said was "Hey Irmã how are you?" and she continued to invites over for dinner and said that she needed us to be there. We were a little confused but headed out the door and made our way there. When we got there it just broke my heart. She started to talk to us about how she was recently diagnosed with depression and how we have been a big help to her these past 2 transfers. She told us that she sees us as family and that if we get transferred she will really feel it. We had a good conversation about the Savior and His Atonement. Then this is where I really felt bad haha! Juan and Heloise turned on an old movie on Netflix and then proceeded to bring us food into the living room. Irmã Renata then sat next to us and started to watch and have a conversation with us. It seriously took everything in me but you'll be glad to know that I did not watch the movie but I looked around the house and at the floor instead haha! It was so hard! I think she just forgot that we can't watch movies and we aren't just like normal people. 

Saturday was a little bit of a weird day! I don't know why but everything just felt a little weird. We had our studies and then needed to head out the door for lunch with Irmã Renata, but we got a message saying that she switched days because Heloise got sick after we left on Friday night. We made our way to Irmã Roberta's instead. You'll never guess what I ate too, GOAT! I'm pretty sure Tyler would have liked it but mom you'd 10000% would've hated it haha! The flavor was pretty good and kinda familiar but the look of it was definitely different. Not in a gross way hut you could tell it wasn't just chicken or beef. We ended up there chatting as always and talking about missions because Irmã Roberta served a mission. By the time we left we thought we had lost the whole day, but really we just missed 3 contacts that were messages. Not bad at all! We had all our contacts done and our lessons too by the end of the day. Saturday was just a weird day honestly haha! I dont even know how to explain it, time just kinda went by a little slower than normal I guess. I also hit 10 months... how did that even happen?? I seriously just had 9 the other day. I did start to get a little worried about coming home, but hey I'll get there when I get there :) 

Sunday was pretty normal, we had all the kids with us haha! I almost had to give a talk today too because Irmão Fabricio wasn't there but he ended up showing up and I didn't have to. That just meant we had all the kids sitting with us and they even starting asking about my bracelets. We were told to go sit in with the YW today but Davi was running around and we ended up in the primary. Next week is the primary program so it was a big run through and practice. Let me tell you, little kids singing in Português is the cutest thing ever!! Not only that but they all have the cutest little dresses and curly hair too! We did learn that Irmã Adna is pretty strict with them and that's why they dont want to sing loud. It was crazy, it was like she was running a business instead of the primary. We ended up having to stand behind her for all the kids to pay attention and look where they needed to. We made it through that and the  headed back to the apartment. I learned how to make cuzcuz! Woot woot! I'm officially a Brazilian now ;) Wr had a quick bite to eat and then we got into our weekly planning. Our week went really well so we decided to keep most of what we did with our planning and just adjust the needs if that makes sense. It went by pretty quick too. I'm super excited for this week and for the plans that we have :) We had a family night with Irmã Renata and man fo I love that family! If we ever end up in Brasil we need to come and see them. I can translate and everything! I seriously love them so so much. I've decided that I just want to stay in Carpina for the rest of my 8 months ;) They even gave us a ride to their house and we helped them unload some stuff from the grocery store. They have a complicated situation with work and sick kids this last week so they went shopping today. It made me realize how much food we buy at home when we go grocery shopping haha! I think I'm just so used to buying for 2 people instead of a family. Anyways, they're just the best family and I always love spending time with them :) I seriously ate so much food though that I litetally dint need to eat for 3 days haha! They were even so sweet to give us a ride back to the apartment! I definitely don't deserve members like them but I'm more than happy to take it :) 

This week was good! I saw a ton of success with Elder Uceda's plans and I'm excited for this upcoming week, hopefully we can invite some people to baptism! Woot woot! I'm also super pumped to start the Book of Mormon with you guys today ;) I can't wait to talk to you! I love you to the moon and back!