Ola from Brazil

Written on April 1, 2011

This week has been crazy! I am typing on a Brazilian keyboard right now so it is a little strange at this moment, but I will get used to it. Well I have a new companion his name is Elder Keeny and he is from Washington as well. Everyone is from Washington except for a few from |New York and Philly. Elder Keeny is really good at the language but every time I get  talking to a Brazilian he takes over and talks the whole time. We had a teaching appointment and he pretty much talked the entire time and when we got to a subject were I knew I could ask the question like what is your favorite food he just laughed at my question because it wouldn't´t help the investigator come closer to Christ. All I want to do is practice, but he is beginning to get on my nerves. I can´t wait to have a companionship inventory so I can improve my learning here. Anyways enough about that, I am having a great time and the weather here is sooooo nice! Even when it is cloudy outside it is still warm and humid. I don´t need a blanket at night because it feels perfect. I feel like I am camping because the windows are open and the weather is nice at night and I have a beautiful view of the city at night. One elder made the comment that the city form our window looks a lot like Seattle at first then you look a little more and it is like 30 Seattle's in a huge area. This week I am working on listening to native speakers to train my ear to the different pronunciation of words so it will be easier in the future to answer back. Oh also something funny I meet two elders whose names are Elder De Jesus and Elder Dos Santos ha-ha and they are companions. (the name of the church in Portuguese is A Igreja de Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Ultimos Dias). The Brazilians are really cool and funny like an elder came up to me and said in English Go Go Power Rangers haha and another elder said my name is elder Bond Elder James Bond haha. I am so happy to be here and am so grateful that my prayer and your prayers have been answered. I have no idea how to start a new paragraph the enter key doesn't´t work or something ha-ha. My flight down here was really cool I flew on a 777 which is this super big plane! The engines were huge and I was so surprised that the airplane could actually take off and fly. They gave me breakfast and dinner and it was hard to fall asleep because I sat next to the bathroom so every time someone went to the bathroom the light would hit me and I would wake up ha-ha, but for how much sleep I got I surprisingly had tons of energy. Once at the airport we were going through all these things that required people to look at my passport and we gathered together and prepared to exchange our money. It was crazy too because just before it was my turn to exchange currency the power at the airport went out and it was super dark ha-ha. It was a crazy experience but after 2 minutes the power turned on again and I was able to exchange my currency. The money down here is really pretty and they are called Reals. Everything about Brazil is really fascinating and I am excited to see more when I get out of the CTM. I know the lord will help me with the language I need to put forth the effort and try my hardest to talk  and practice so that I may talk with the people who the Lord has prepared. The people down here are humble and prepared as it says in 1 Nephi when Lehi and his family were traveling in the wilderness the Lord promised them that if they stay faithful there will be a promise land for them. For me that promise land is Brazil. This email is a reassurance that I am still alive here and that everything is going well. I wrote and sent you a letter that has information about letters and packages if you wish to send any to me. I love all of you and will write to you again next week hopefully I think my

P- day is either Tuesday or Wednesday. I will let you know the next time I write. Eu amo vocês e estou muito animado para servir akey em Brazil! Atê mais! Elder Crandall