Parque Universitário - Ipanema 31-3-2014

Hello family and friends from all parts of the world!

Today it rained while we are writing, and it was kinda strong too, I got a bit worried that we would have to ride a rainy bus, but its okay.

Wow, lots has happened in the week. As some of you know, I got pretty sick. (surprise mom!) After almost exactly a year, I went to ye olde´ hospital again! three liters of soro! and the line got pinched in the hospital recliner, so the needle punctured the other wall of my vein and made a bubble of liquid next to my elbow. :D that was interesting. So I got a fever of 101.7F ish, and the next day it got up to 38.8C. (someone do the math for me?) Im okay now, the fever went away, Im working normally, just cant eat anything that has leite (milk) or milk products (cheese, butter, etc) for a week. And almost everything down here has powdered milk!!! >:(

My area really is two streets. And talking about that, its so small that I think President Souza is going to close it. :( but I dont believe it was because of my work, nor the 'demotion.' I figured I was rebaixado to let the rising generation get some experience. 80% of the mission has less than a year in the field. It is a bit weird, cause I was used to Elder Tenney and Elder Benitez, both a bit quiet with regards to planning and stuff, and now Im the first counselor, not the final decision maker. Not that its a bad thing, its just kind of weird not having the control of everything that goes on. It is a nice bit of a break.

Mom and Dad, I just want to say that the movie that Pablo put together was super special for me. :) It was a very huge and welcome surprise! thank you so very much for taking so much time with Pablo to put it together! Pablo prayed to be inspired on what to write, and he hit the nail on the head. What a stellar job! You guys have to see it sometime, Ive asked him how he can do that. I absolutely loved it!!!

Some less reverent comments:

I didnt know I was so fluffy when I was a kid! And I can see why the girls thought I was nerdy. :P hahaha.

Dad, you have changed so much! I didnt know you were just skin and bones when we were kids. All the yardwork and stuff has put some more meat on you. :) But no matter what, I miss you more than words can describe, and conference vai ser muito lonely, those Priesthood session dinners together are some of my fondest memories. Logo voltaremos a jantar novamente. :) Thank you for those stories about the missionaries, it helps me raise my vision a bit to more possibilities, even though it probably wont be a duplicate of these stories. I am having a tiny bit of difficuly in keeping motivated, do you have any suggestions?

I didnt see a lot of Mom in the pictures, just the clip at the end, but I have to say that in these short months, you too have changed a bit. And not just more tan. ;) but since I left, you have become more... Im not good at lots of words, but Id have to say you look even more majestic and graceful. Ive missed you a ton as well. Im sorry my picture makes you cry so you cant put it up. Im doing well. :) Yes, I did get those pictures and thought they were awesome! But not that skeelee ate my part... :( hahaha! Did you by chance put those in the package too, or did they arrive after? I completely forgot until just now. Dont worry if they didnt go in, it was just a curiosity.

Ah dang. Time ran out again. :( Love you all, see you soon!

~Elder Wille

P.S. Dad, that schedule looks just grand! Im okay with a class or two in the afternoon, I just didnt want the whole block to be there, especially cause Brazilians have a tendency to nod off after lunch. :)

P.S.S. Jordan Brown got called to Frankfurt Germany! she leaves July 30.

Grupo Parque Universitário de Ala Ipanema 24-3-2014

Okay, phew! Here we go! Some very different news about my new area! Mom, you are especially going to like this. Put on your seatbelts everyone!

My area is absolutely GIGANTIC! Its about 4 streets... >.> two are about 400 yards in length, one is a ways away in Bela Vista, and the other is a city block. In one day, we probably walked around the first two streets five or six times each day. We havent been to Bela Vista yet, but it sounds like its not much.

Mom, close your eyes for this part. My area is pretty much the literal definition of Favela. Since we are opening the area, almost nobody has seen (much less knows) the missionaries. They all stare as we walk past, and I feel especially unwelcome cause we pass by five or six times each day. I want to plan an activity to formally announce the church in a more favorable light, and Elder Damásio is going to give public piano lessons. :)

Did you understand the letter all right? :) even though it died in translation?

Dad, I did hit a bit of the slumps. When I got to Monese, after bom jardim, that was my most difficult area to stay motivated. but Elder Bramwell revived my fire, so Im good now. :)

Elder Damásio likes to mess around and kid a lot. Its good that he stays happy. The good thing is that we are almost never bored. :)

Man, I did not budget (yes mom, budget!) my time very well. Im terribly sorry! next week will be a much beter letter! Know that I love you all!

~Elder Wille

Parque Universitário 17-3-2014 (in English -- sort of)

Hey family! Me , Elder Wille ! I was transferred , yes , and we are opening a group ! Me and my new companion Elder Damasio of Curitiba . He has three months into his mission , and I am the third mate him . All transfers he had a new companion .

So , we are opening a brand new area , never had a double itself. We're starting from zero. Have had work here as part of another area ( as I helped Paracuru and Pecém and Itapipoca ) but now I'm officially opening University Park . It has about 10 members who attend , and will be interesting.

Elder Benitez stood at Benfica , and was too afraid to become district leader , but he is still junior .

So Pablo actually went with us to transfer the meeting to ask President if he Could visit Elder Tenney , and got the no. Elder Tenney is still contagious , but maybe the news changed . They conversed right in front of me .

Mom , could you tell me how much volume has a can of cream of mushroom soup ? And overcame his fear of the pressure cooker ? Yay !

E. .... CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOU ! WANTED THIS DATE !

MANY CONGRATULATIONS , MANY YEARS OF LIFE !

CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOU ! WANTED THIS DATE !

MANY CONGRATULATIONS , MANY YEARS OF LIFE !

Mom , I hope tomorrow will be a wonderful and fruitful day to fulfill their goals and dreams ! I do not want other land you parents! Many thanks for being the best parents to me !

Santa , but was a little worried , but when Pablo said that the doctor spoke of taking medicine and getting rest , ( and that was making Snowboarder racquetball and then I knew the order ) I stopped worrying .

Here in Fortaleza , is not very famous upscale barbecue. Rio Grande do Sul ( gauchos ) is famous for its barbecue . Tucanos is much better than Fortaleza , they do not have swords as toucans here! They have espeitinho , a piece of wood that they use for roasting meat . Are type one, only thicker shish kabob . A real two each 150g of meat. And use almost anything to hold the charcoal , until the rim car wheel ! :)

Damn , time is running out . Excuse me if I have not written for someone ! Love you, God be with you and pamper you !

~ Elder Wille

Parque Universitário 17-3-2014

E aí família! Sou eu, Élder Wille! Fui transferido, sim, e estamos abrindo um grupo! Eu e meu novo companheiro Élder Damásio de Curitiba. Ele tem três meses na missão, e sou o terceiro companheiro dele. Todas as transferências ele teve um novo companheiro.

Então, estamos abrindo uma área novinha, nunca teve uma dupla própria. Estamos começando de praticamente zero. Já teve trabalho aqui como parte de outra área (como eu ajudava Paracuru e Pecém e Itapipoca) mas agora estou oficialmente abrindo Parque Universitário. Tem uns 10 membros que frequentam, e vai ser interessante.

Elder Benitez ficou em Benfica, e tinha muito medo de se tornar líder de distrito, mas ele ainda é júnior.

So Pablo actually went with us to the transfer meeting to ask President if he could visit Elder Tenney, and got a no. Elder Tenney is still contagious, but maybe the news changed. They conversed right in front of me.

Mamãe, poderia me informar quanto volume tem uma lata de sopa de creme de cogumelo? E venceu seu medo de panela de pressão? Yay!

E.....PARABÉNS PRA VOCÊ! NESSA DATA QUERIDA!

MUITOS FELICIDADES, MUITOS ANOS DE VIDA!

PARABÉNS PRA VOCÊ! NESSA DATA QUERIDA!

MUITOS FELICIDADES, MUITOS ANOS DE VIDA!

Mamãe, espero que amanhã seja um dia maravilhoso e proveitoso em cumprir as suas metas e sonhos! Não quero outros pais terrenos que vocês! Muitíssimo obrigado por ser os melhores pais para mim!

Papai, sim estava um pouco preocupado, mas quando Pablo falou que o doutor falou de tomar remédio e ficar de repouso, (e que foi fazer snowboarde e raquetebol depois, eu já sabia a ordem) deixei de me preocupar.

Aqui em Fortaleza, não é muito famoso de churrasco chique. Rio Grande do Sul (os gaúchos) é famoso pelos seus churrascos. Tucanos é muito melhor que Fortaleza, eles nem tem as espadas como Tucanos aqui! Eles tem espeitinho, um pedaço de madeira que eles usam para assar carne. São tipo um shish kabob, só que mais grosso. Um a dois reais cada um, 150g de carne. E usam quase qualquer coisa para segurar o carvão, até o aro de roda de carro! :)

Poxa, o tempo está acabando. Me desculpem se não escrevi para alguém! Amo vocês, que Deus esteja convosco e vos cuide!

~Elder Wille

Benfica 10-3-2014

Carnaval has ended, the people are waking up from the stupor, and things are getting back to normal.

This week was an off one, we had pretty low numbers, but we renewed our vision and goals, regrouped our forces, and we are going to rock this last week of the transfer! Today we asked a referral (referência não é reference??) and we are going to find one at six o´clock today!

Well, I dont have a lot of news for you guys. We are going to baptize [name redacted] this week! Hes 12, lives pretty far away from the chapel, but Irmão Mário, our ward mission leader, takes him by taxi. The next week, we have [name redacted] scheduled to be baptized! He was a referral from a member, awesome guy. His dream is to own a red Harley Davidson. He has a bit of depression, so we are going to help him with the talk from Elder Holland, and I hope it will help him out.

Carnaval wasnt too bad, there were just some people throwing flour around. In Rio, I hear the women walk around without clothes on, so maybe it would be better to avoid Carnaval there... If I heard right, they even blindfold the Cristo Redentor statue every year.

The church sends the youth to a campout type thing, probably something between youth conference and EFY, and lots of people go on vacation.

So Dad, guess what I did this last week! The sisters scheduled 5 (!!!) interviews for me to do Saturday night, starting at 17h until it was time to go home. Two didnt even show up, and we still got home a little late. I did one of the missing ones the next day, and they had 3 baptisms!

Could you let Joana know that I sent the letters through the mission office and is should arrive with the Elders? I thought it would arrive sooner. She can cobrar the Elders for the letter. :) I hope it gets there soon!

That is super awesome that you won Todd at racquetball, despite the disadvantageous situation! One does not simply dethrone the king of Wille-Turpin racquetball. :)

Something to make you trun-kay trun-kay trun-kay, I come home in 4 months, 4 days, and maybe 4 hours. :D

Mom, could you send me a recipe for Au Graten Potatos? And no, I didnt get the recipe for the beans and pumpkin, but I think I know how to make it. They use a pressure cooker. ;)

The closest temple is in Recife, its something like 10 to 12 hours away by bus, and they spend 5 days to a week there.

Oh sorry, its not just caipira flavored, its caipira hen flavored ramen. :) Hillbilly chickens!

Well, sorry it wasnt a very newsy week. Im sure this next week will be better! Até mais, que Deus cuide de vocês!

~Elder Wille

Happy Carnaval in Benfica 3-3-2014

Hello Family!

Yes, this week is Carnaval, I think it started on sábado and ends on quarta-feira. (Saturday through Wednesday) The roads are pretty much deserted 80 percent of the time, and theres not lots of horrible stuff going on, just some drinking and dancing, and people throwing flour on each other.

I think about home every now and again, but I dont have that burning desire to come home. (yet) A lot of the time I think I just act and play it up. But really everything seems normal. Or maybe I really am trunky. :S hahaha Yep, I did get a haircut. :)

Pablo is a bit taller than me, por volta de duas polegadas amais, so he is taller than anyone in our family. He feels better around us americans, cause then he doesnt feel super freakishly tall. :)

Ah yes, he wanted me to tell you guys that at the acampamento sem internet, he won a spot in the Temple Caravan for free!

So, Elder Benitez is in revolution from the food here. He doesnt like beans, can you believe it? From Puerto Rico? nossa, como que pode?

Also, we are planning to take a picture with some kids this week and send it to you. There are SOOOO many adorable little kids here! Luna, Duda, and Brenda all under 7 years old. Duda (short for Eduarda) is 4 and can hold an intelligent conversation, its quite incredible and stinking cute!

Mom, everything in the package was completely edible and delicious! :) The cookies were sealed in plastic, so they stayed pretty fresh. And no thanks on the ramen, they actually have more flavors here than in the states! (pizza, galinha caipira, calabreza, taco mexicano, picanha)

Oh, could you send the generic athletes foot anti fungal cream from Walmart in the package? Im running low, but not because of athletes foot. (or trench rot, thankfully)

The mattresses in Brazil are okay, but I have a better idea! I will just sleep above all the mess na minha rede!

Its kind of funny about the food. I started to get a little tummy like dads, but its going away. I learned how too! Eat less of the really good stuff. :) I love the food here, even if it is repetitious. On Saturday, I had the most wonderful thing in the world! Feijão branco with pumpkin pieces in it! (White beans, and Mom Im sorry to say that I dont think great northern white are quite the same)

Our next transfer will be one day before your birthday! :( So I will probably be a little later that day to email.

Also, I was talking to Junior, (who wants to be a US semi driver) and he knows about Fold3!!! He loved the Vietnam Memorial page with the picture of the entire memorial. He was very impressed.

I bet youre super excited to try out the new wakeboard! If Pablo were to wakeboard, he would use the smaller one, can you believe it? Hes lighter than 150 pounds.

So sorry, Im short on time! I love you all, hope that this week will be more eventful than the Ghost town Im working in this week! :) Have a lovely Carnaval!

~Elder Wille