Rua Itaùba

Sunday, Bloody Foot Sunday!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Sunday May 5, 2002

Domingo (Sunday) again. Walked a lot. Checked up on some members. Walked a lot.

My blisters hurt so bad now. I love teaching discussions, even though I can't understand or communicate a word, because I can rest for a bit. So far, I've left 7 pensamentos (thoughts) with families.

Portuguese, oh Portuguese, when will you learn Portuguese! My companion's awesome, but he works me hard. Which is awesome in the long run. But it kind of sucks right now.

Oh well. Always smile, right?! :)

A Hard Day

Saturday May 4, 2002

Holy Crap! This is hard, hard, HARD work. My feet have never hurt like this. I'm really worried right now. But I can't stop working. I don't know what to do.

We left a first discussion and a Book of Mormon with a man whose maid had made some maracuja (passion fruit) juice. He gave us some. I think I could have died.

Well. I'm fasting now. Maybe I will.

Zone Conference of Power

Friday May 3, 2002

Conference with President Campbell was great. We had lunch and received letters. I got one from the fam. That's it. One. Oh well.

Found out that my new mission president was companions with Steve Sorensen way back in the day. Legal! (COOL!)

I miss the fam a ton...especially Timmy and Mikee. I hope they're having a good time. I hope Dad finds a job soon too. Maybe Steve and he could start up something.

I think my President and his wife are the greatest. Hopefully (and I have faith) my new president will be just as good. If Steve likes him, I'm sure I will.

Short Sweet Pain

Thursday May 2, 2002

PASSED OFF THE FIRST PALESTRA (DISCUSSION)!!! AND ADENILTON'S GETTING BAPTIZED SATURDAY! AND WE HAVE CONFERENCE TOMORROW! AND MY FEET HURT! AND I'M HAPPY!

May Day!!!

Wednesday May 1, 2002

P-Day hoje (today). Had a zone activity at the ward. I couldn't play soccer with the gang because of my blisters, but it was fun to watch everyone. All the shops closed for "Labor Day" today, so we have to buy bread and groceries tomorrow. Never enough time for anything around here.

Had a little chat with Adenilton about baptism, and had a meeting at the ward. Soaking my feet in salt water right now. Stings like a &$#@!!

Having Area Conference on Friday. Booyah!!!

End of the Month

Tuesday April 30, 2002

I've got a formiga (ant) crawling on my arm as I write. Go figure.

Gave one of the best first discussions to a 20-year-old named Rodrigo. He's so getting batized. Adenilton's coming up on Saturday. So are Jefferson (18) and Jackson (16). Jackson's parents are staunchly Catholic and fairly anti-Mormon, but hopefully they'll let him be baptized on the 11th.

I got really depressed near the end of the day. I don't think I've ever hurt this bad. My feet are dying in front of my eyes. Thank the Lord for P-Day tomorrow.

I'm so scared that I won't be able to work this hard for the whole mission. But I have to! It's so confusing right now. The only thing I can do is pray for guidance and the strength of the Lord.

Zone Meeting Monday!

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Monday April 29, 2002

Had another zone meeting today. Elder Joy and Elder Rangel are the best. They're the kinds of missionaries I want to become-- kind, loving, balanced between hard work and hard fun, and in love with missionary work.

Had a Noite Familiar (Family Night) with the bishop, his family, and another member family. We watched a great clip about Wilford Woodruff. It was all great...except for one problem-- NO INVESTIGATORS!!!

Still having problems with the language.

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"