I’m quite glad that you guys are getting a bit of the great
weather we are also getting down here. Last week was a blast with the cool
breezes we were getting. It was all dark clouds and no rain. Everyone kept
thinking it was going to rain, except of course for the elderly people, and Jose
the Curandero. I’ll catch you up later on the Curandero.
My companion and I were recently given a top secret
assignment to go to nowhere land, and find a town called Candiotti. Because
apparently there are members of the church that were kind of abandoned, and
have yet to be seen in quite some time. So we had to make our way and look for
the members. Which was actually quite easy, because it’s like a town with 400
people, and all you need to do is go to the first meat shop you see and ask
where the Mormons are, and they’ll point you in the right direction. But in our
search for the Mormons, I came across Jose the Curandero, AKA the Jesus Wizard.
Curanderos are like evangelical wizards that think they are so spiritual that they
have powers and such. I had not known of such a person until I met this guy. And
when I shook his hand, he grasped it quite heavily, and shook my hand in the
shape of a cross, while staring into my eyes, blessing me with a great future. He’s
got a wife and kids, but his neighbors claim that he has hypnotized his wife,
and she thinks she is in love with the Jesus wizard.
We actually had some trouble getting back and forth from Candiotti,
because all the Indians that live between Recreo and Candiotti are furious that
the government hasn’t put a crosswalk on the highway. I don’t think that
actually works; and also they are not citizens of the country, so they don’t
pay any taxes. Well anyway, the people are angry, and the Indians are blocking
the highway with all their children playing soccer in the street, and drinking
mate, with signs that say BASTA. So trucks are going off-roading, and the buses
can’t pass. So the only solution is to hitch hike. And I’ll have to say, my
first experience of hitch hiking was quite successful. We were able to get into
the a red pickup truck owned by a 30 year old man, who obviously had not cut
his hair or beard in over maybe 10 years. And we got a ride from him, along
with two other old ladies trying to get to work. These two ladies were furious
out of their minds about the "Indians." They kept asking, "You
got any Indians in your country?" Don’t worry, we made it back just in
time before the churro place closed.
Recreo was getting pretty hyped this past week, because I guess
Brazil did their carnival party this last week, and so Recreo does their small
version, for like one day. So the carnival came into town and stole all of our
investigators. we came out on a beautiful Saturday , all hyped up on a morning facture,
when we came to realize no one was home. They were all a little bit outside of
town in the campo. We didn’t make our way over there but it sounded like a
party all night.
We had a pretty great week though with our lessons. Actually,
we had a lot of lessons where I felt pretty happy about how they went. We met a
new family. Maria the mom and her two daughters Maiti, and Aldana. They are
neighbors of Sergio and Rosia and they are always sitting in front of their
house. So we went to talk to them and they really like the lessons. We taught
them 4 times during the week, and they read the book of Mormon every day and
prayed every day. The mom has Multiple Sclerosis, and so she can’t move much,
but lately she has been in search of some peace and unity between her family. She
says her family fights a lot, and she is not in a state to handle all of that
drama. But before we came, she had prayed to God for help. After we came, she
said she had felt more calm and more peace, and no one in her family has fought
about anything. We have really focused in teaching them the blessings of the
family. Her daughter Aldana came to church and really liked it. She said she
wants to be baptized in April.
We are also teaching the sister of Sergio. Which means all
of our lessons are super close by. She had come to all of the young womens activities,
and so we are hoping she can get some motivation to go to church with Sergio
and Rosia as she becomes friends with the young women.
We started an English and Portuguese class. We have 3
missionaries from the United States in our district so we can teach two classes
per week and one Portuguese. I have to go to the Portuguese class so who knows
I might come home with two new languages. But my companion wants everyone to
come to the Portuguese class so there is this kind of battle between Elder Camps
and Elder Jensen trying to get more people to come to their classes.
My companion is pretty smart and remembers names and streets
and areas really fast. I have 6 months here and I don’t know the street names.
So he´ll mention, "Hey, let’s go visit Jessica that lives in the Nobleza."
And I’ll be thinking, "What in Satan’s fire is the Nobleza?"
I’m glad you guys are having a great week with grandma and
grandpa! And my room is looking very nice. So I appreciate that, Katie.
Sorry I forgot to send you the address, but I can receive
only packages through the office of the mission anyway; so you guys got the right
address.
I love you all, and hope you have the greatest of weeks!
Elder Greene
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