Rua Itaùba: Ultimo Domingo

Sunday, May 25, 2008

April 14, 2002

Last Sunday at the CTM. Had a great experience with Elder Fischer. He performed my final interview here. I bore my testimony to him in Portuges and felt the Spirit more strongly than I had in weeks. Afterwards he told me that I'd be a leader of missionaries and of the Church when I get home. We'll see about that...

Then we had a prayer, but this one was different. I began the prayer, and he finished it. He asked the Lord to bless me with the gift of tongues, and to have the Love of Christ for the people of Manaus.

Holy COW! Such a Spiritual experience! We hugged afterwards, and I felt like he was literally my blood relative. I made him promise to go on splits with me in Manaus. Seriously, I've only known him for four weeks, and talked to him on six different occasions, but I've been more inspired by him than anyone else here.

One tip he gave me: when I'm a senior companion, take turns bearing testimony to each other after morning prayer. I hope I meet this man again someday.

(NOTE: The Brazilians on the floor are calling me "Brasileiro." Boo-yah!)

Manauàra de Coração

This blog is written from the perspective of the Mormon Missionary that I was in the Brazilian Amazon from 2002-2004. As if I were there right now. Every day will be a "Day in the Life of Me" as it mostly was. Culled from actual journal accounts, letters to friends and family, memory, and second-hand accounts, I want this to be an exploration into what it means to be a Missionary, a 19-year-old suburban-bred boy, and an American thrust into a foreign culture, a tropical environment and a third world country...literally a stranger in a strange land.

And it all started six years ago...

Weekly Letter Home

Week 2:

2/26/02

"Oi, Familia!

By the time you get this letter, I'll have reserved my seat on the plane back home. Ha ha ha, just kidding again. I've come to find that almost everyone in my district has the sense of humor that Mikee has, only less sophisticated. I thought they didn't call 16-year-olds on missions! Oh well.

Your letter took exactly one week to get to me. (Thanks, by the way).

Mom--Don't get "weepy." Just laugh and say "Boy, it feels good to have some peace and quiet 'round here!" -or- "I don't miss Tim, er...Eric one bit!" That should help.

Umm...the flight was long, but there were nine other missionaries on it. At O'Hare we got a good game of hackey sack going when a pilot came over and gave us all some candy. He said "GGood luck, Elders!" and took off. An angel with wings, I tell you, he was and angel w/ "wings." ;D

So...does anyone miss me yet?! Have any girsl cried into the telephone, sobbing "Where's Eric?!!" I thought so! Not a one. Well, you just wait. When I get home, there's going to be an uproar such as one that Salt Lake has never seen! "Ohh! It's Eric! Get him girls!!"

Hope the Olympics are going well. I don't really care, but I hope you guys enjoy them.

Umm...I think I'm used to the heat now. It dropped down to about 65 last night and I was freezing! Brrrrrr!!!

Let's see. Oh, my companion is still getting on my nerves. I feel like I'm babysitting half the time, but he's so cocky, he patronizes me all the time. The real kicker is when I tell him something to keep his spirits up, he repeats it to me two days later as if it were something I didn't know.

"The field's going to be completely different, Elder Vogeler."
"Oh, really?"

"Oh, Portuguese will come Elder Vogeler, have faith."
"Thanks, big guy."

Just try that sometime; I gurantee it will annoy you to death.
Just tell Mikee some piece of information, or something to uplift him, and have him repeat it (as if HE came up with it) to you a few days later.

Oh well. At least I've got the Spirit as my other companion. I like him a whole lot. I've seen John Brown and Andrew McKnight several times so far. Andrew's out in a week to the wilds of Riberao Preto. Lucky Dog.

I know why people call this Spirit Prison (I may have told you this already, but too bad! I can't remember...) I just wanted to "drop my sword and pick up sickle." but insted they make me pick up the pen for two months. This better be the test of my mission. THE ONLY TEST!!

I'm having a mostly good time, and I'm well taken-care-of. Although, I got my yellow fever inoculation the other day. We took a bus from the CTM t a transfer station. I figured we'd take another bus to a clinic or a hospital or something, until they ushered us into an office right off the street and stuck us with the needle. That was it. I think I need to get tested for HIV when I get home. ;S

Ohhhhh...My companion is such white trash! Sorry. It really destroys the Spirit when he talks. I don't know what to do about it. I've talked to him about it, but he doesn't seem to get it. Now I just don't talk to him because it's a waste of time and energy. I feel like he's dragging me down with him. It's weird because he says he wants to work hard and follow all the rules, but he's only spiritual when he has to be. Outside of class or in Meetings, he's crude and loud and won't stop talking about what he used to do.

Other than him, I'm having a wonderful time. I figure I could be translated if I had an awesome companion. This is the Lord's way of keeping me here to do the work. (NOTE: Upon further reading, cynicism doesn't translated very well in a hurried, young man's letter...)

Oh well, blessings don't come without trials. One of the best lessons I've learned so far. Love you guys a whole HEAP!

Eric"

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