Hello Friends and Family,
This week was a pretty tough one, but I really enjoyed it. I
enjoyed this week because I feel my companion and I really bonded this week. I
don't know what set it off but it was good for me because now I feel
comfortable in this whole new environment. I think it was maybe because I was
finally able to keep a conversation going in Português. I'm stoked to see that
the language is progressing each and everyday. I can pretty much understand
what people are talking about. Some heavy accents throw me off but soon that
won't be a problem.
Why this week was so tough. First off, we hiked every lomba
in our area and some of them we hiked a few times. Also, lot's of appointments
fell through so we found ourselves wondering around trying to do a bit of
contacts or visiting less actives or recent converts. Knocking doors is a joke
here it's very ineffective so we try to find anything other than that to do. My
companion sees me as a secret weapon, an American. Even if someone on the
street has no idea what I'm telling them they will usually give me an address
to come teach them another day, basically because I'm American. The people down
here in the Southern part of Brazil can be very racist. If someone is brown or
black they usually do not give them the time of day when out contacting. This
might be one of the reasons Elder Quieroz does not like doing contacts. We find
after lunch it is very hard to do anything because everyone goes to sleep! This
would not fly in the US. They also have a holiday just about every week it seems.
We have a new investigator named Rosi. I have high hopes for
her. She is a single mother and lives in the roughest part of my area. Elder
Queiroz tells me not to look at anyone while walking around there. Sadly, one
of our investigators told us she did want us to teach her anymore. She is the
mother of a member of my ward, Bruno a teacher in the aaronic priesthood. The
missionaries have been working with her for awhile and Elder Queiroz and I
thought she would join the church, but she gave us the excuse that she does not
have time for church. Pretty sad, especially because her son Bruno was so
stoked for her. She recognizes that the church is a huge blessing and she
decided to deny it for herself, people are weird. The upside is that we layed
the foundation for future missionaries.
This week I will tell you a little about Gaúchos. Gaúchos
are Brazilians from Rio Grande do Sul, the Brazilian state in which I live.
They love only three things in life, churrasco, chimarrão, and Grêmio.
Gaúchos are extremely prideful, for example people from
Texas. This is why I fit so well here. This is a generalization but 99% of
Gaúchos are like this. Churrasco is Brazilian BBQ which has made them famous.
It is really good. I have been to a few restaurants and some members have made
us churrasco for lunch. The drill is the same every time. They have these huge
slabs of meat, all kinds, stuck on spike and they come walking around and you
jab your fork into the side of the meat and they slice that portion for you
with a big ole' knife. It is really tasty and you eat until you cannot anymore.
All it's missing is some spring creek BBQ sauce.
Chimarrão is the tea every single person here drinks. Oh,
and missionaries are allowed to drink it because it does not have black tea in
it which makes it against the word of wisdom. Chimarrão is very different. They
put this green powder inside this really goofy looking cup and then they dump
really hot water inside. Also, they drink it with this metal pipe looking
straw. If you didn't know it was tea you would probably think it was
drugs because of how it looks. I drink it a lot because usually a member has it
going when we stop by. Oh yeah there is only one cup. You pass it around when
you finish your shot. There are even rules behind the whole operation like who
serves it and what not. Kinda ridiculous.
Lastly, Grêmio. Grêmio is the soccer team in Porto Alegre.
When there is a game work stops, period. You can tell when Grêmio scores
because you can hear people screaming and shouting. Its pretty funny. Their
arch rival is international which is a team also here in Porto Alegre. I picked
Grêmio as the team I support even though I have never seen them play. Most
people like Grêmio so that's how I start conversations sometimes. I visited the
old stadium on P Day, their new stadium opens up early 2013.
Anyways, that's the news for this week. To answer some
questions, yes I'm still getting letters from mission ties. You can still send
me cookies through mission ties. The trip from São Paulo to here is a day or
two. The next transfer is December 11th. Time is starting to pick up now. The
first few weeks were really slow but this last week went by quickly. Like all
missionaries say the days are long, the weeks are quick. Thanks for the
pictures you sent me, I need them because everyone is asking to see pictures of
my family and I only have one from like two or three years ago.
Lastly, I had some time today to write some letters. I did
one for Oupa & Ouma, Grandpa, and Grandma. I will try and get them in the mail
this week. Oh by the way Happy late Birthday to Grandma and Marie, hope you two
had excellent Birthdays.
Love,
Elder Miller
