January 27, 2014 Ollo, and specifically Mom, all is well and I am safe and doing good in
Brazil! :)
The last week in Utah
was awesome! It was super busy and I really enjoyed the baptisms and
confirmations! Serving in Utah was a blessing and different than missionaries
back home or in Brazil. We were over 8 wards just my companion and I in Utah
and now my companion and I share 1 Branch (like a small ward or congregation)
with a companionship of sister missionaries.
On my way to Brazil
the airport lost one of my bags; also I missed the connection flight from Porto
Alegre to Santa Maria since in addition to my bag being lost (I should get it
back eventually) our plane was late; so I was traveling essentially
from Sunday night to 1:00 am Wednesday morning. While at the airport
missionaries returning home and a Brazilian Mormon who could speak English
helped me and the other missionaries out. The Lord makes sure things work out!
:) Also, my mailing and email stuff was in the lost bag so sorry to anyone and
everyone that I cant reply to until way late. When the plane reached Brazil I
felt the spirit tell me that I am where I need to be which was cool!
Also my mailing
address is now; (it will change each time I am transferred)
Elder Cory Austin Vernon
Caixa Postal 40
Centro-Rosário
do Sul-RS 97590-970
BRAZIL
BRAZIL
My companion is from São Paulo and is cool and is helping me learn the language and
stuff! :)
The food is yummy; one
cool thing we had was flavored spaghetti noodles with rice, black beans, and
chicken on top. Also another thing that the Gaúchos really like is ximaão (I am
sure I spelled it wrong, but it is pronounced she-mah-how) which is a hot drink
that tastes like grass that they drink through a special metal straw.
The weather is hot and
humid now (President said that the day before we arrived that it was 40
degrees celcius) but I have been told it can get down to as low as 0 degrees
celcius. It rains a bunch too, and some people ride horses in the streets which
I think is cool! :)
One cool thing is that
although I don't really understand people yet I feel like I can understand if it
is one on one with someone who speaks slowly. Also it is much easier to
understand people and to speak during lessons with people--my companion even
told me that during normal speech my talking is hard to understand and really
need polishing, but that during the lessons although I am still far from
perfect I get the conjugations right and can invite the spirit to do the real
teaching! :)
Also sorry about my
grammar and spelling errors, the keyboard is in the Brazilian style and the
spell check is in Portuguese!
Some differences In
culture I have noticed so far is that there are lots of sick dogs roaming
around. People use horses to travel sometimes. The rice and beans are yummy,
though we are only supposed to eat one piece of meat because otherwise the
gaúchos will feed us all of their food and go hungry (that is what president
said). the People like drinking ximaão
Lots more happened to, I don't even have the time to write everything all down in my journal at the end of each day! :) Com muitos sorrisos! :) With many smiles! :)
Sincerely, Elder Vernon :
 |
| Before leaving Salina, Utah |
A picture from inside Cory's apartment looking outside.
