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Tuesday...January 24, 2012
Hello Family!
Things here this week have been great. Most of the time it was the usual stuff like class, food, and sleeping. Other than today so far, it has rained for like 12 days straight! Some of the storms were the craziest storms with the most rain I´ve ever seen!!! Sometimes the streets looked like rivers, and lightning is always striking the lightning rods on top of the buildings. I think it was right before dinner last p day that one hit the lightning rod on the CTM, so it was a huge flash and a boom the next split second, so that was cool!
I´ve been taking lots of pictures and will find a way to get you the pictures whether through e-mail, or sending you a disc when I get in the field, or the card itself I guess... but yes I have lots of pictures. My compainion is Elder Witter and yes its tough sometimes, but whatever. He just sets such high goals, and I think he expects way too much from others when it comes to studying and all that, but thats ok I guess... so it's tough, but we´ve made it this far. I hope he has at least learned a little to calm down and enjoy the little things but...I don't know.
Yesterday was the best day though! They gave each companionship 4 Books of Mormon (I dont know if its that, or Book of Mormons... ha ha) and we went around in the boundries to preach. I said hello to every person I saw and some would dash away, go to the other side of the street, or just keep walking, but most would at least say hello. I think we talked to about 10 or so people, more or less. At first it was a little scary, and we didn´t really talk much about the gospel or Book of Mormon and I wouldn´t say much so that was hard because my companion has interesting people skills. I guess I would say he doesn´t talk much to people, so finally after awhile I started to talk. We didn´t hand any Books out for the first three or so hours, but then the last hour I finally decided to just talk and ask questions and we got 2 B.O.M´s out! Afterwards I felt like a little school boy! I was so excited to get out to the field, then we had to go sit in the class room for 3 hours, yay... so yeah, I can't wait to get out because I feel super ready, and can untderstand alot, and speak at least what I need through blessing from God! Next week we get to go out into downtown São Paulo, ride a bus and preach, then preach in a BUSY park!!! I cant wait. The new president is awesome, I´ve talked to them a couple times and they seem very nice and loving!
Thats great to hear there is finally snow!!! And yay for Al. I love Africa (Soleil). Tell them all I say hello! And yeah, that is awesome for Jeff, that will be crazy!!! I´ll have to write him and congratulate him. I´ll get pictures with Daniel and others from home, because I know a couple guys that are already here...
Thats also awesome that the boys stopped by to say hello. They are great friends, and send them my love next time you see them please.
The temple today was super spiritual because it was our last time. I love the feeling I have when I am there! Afterwards, I bought some stuff at the Distribution Center. I got some mesh garms last week and they´re super comfy, so I bought a few more this week. I got some big pictures, some study guides of the book of mormon, little pictures, and picture books. Apparently Brazilians say its freezing in Londrina in the winter, so I might have you send me more thermal garms... I´ll let you know when it gets to that time. Also today we went to Rodizio´s again with our teachers for our last week, so that was super yummy. And now we´re gonna go out on the town, get cookies and other necessary things, and take lots of pictures!
Well another week down, and probably next time I write you I´ll be in my zone... we´ll see, and if I get the opprotunity I´ll call you from the airport, so don't get mad if its like 4 in the morning back home ha ha. I love you guys so much and like every week, I cant say how much I appreciate all that you do for me, Alec and Jackson, and our friends. You are truly the greatest parents in the world, and I love you so much. Tell Al, Jack, and the Pepp hello for me. I love you and will talk to you soon!
Love,
Elder Halpin
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Week 7~ Goodbye President and Sister Clarke
Oí!
Another week here in the CTM... Not much happens, as you probably know by now. This week was President and Sister Clarke´s last week so they left yesterday, and the new President of the CTM spoke to us on Sunday. It was an awesome experience though, because it was the last time we sang "Called to Serve" with them here. The choir also sang "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" which was really awesome. I´m going to miss them because I could really feel the love that they had for us.
Earlier this week, one of our teachers went after his dream job and quit here, so we got to hear his conversion story. As the investigator he was playing himself, and while he was growing up he was an atheist. It was really hard to teach him, but when we heard that the key to his conversion was love, it opened my eyes to how simple it can be sometimes... I´m going to miss him a lot. He was a fun guy.
Today has been a great p day. The temple was amazing as it always is. When we got back, we threw our laundry in and went out to the city. A few of us from the district went to Rodizios, and it was just as good as back home (possibly even better)! Afterwards we went to the supermarket and to the tie shop, so nothing to exciting.
The language is coming along great! We´re starting to become close with lots of the natives. The other night we had lots of time and I spoke to a group of Brazilians for about an hour, so that was super fun!!! Sometimes its funny because they´ll come and surround you asking who your favorite soccer team is, and its crazy because they all have their favorites and tell you who to like, I love it though!!! So yeah, I can´t wait to get into the field, because I feel like even though I don´t know the language and I am not fluent, I know I´ll be able to make it and teach and have a good time with the people.
That is a great theme for the YM-YW´s this year! Sometimes during lab I´ll watch some videos from lds.org, and on it I found the new Strength for Youth site. It is super awesome! I love the experiences I have here, and no I don't think I need you to send anything with Daniel... But can you keep your eye on my bank account because last week they said there was no money on the card at the supermarket, but then the next day it worked perfectly at the police station, and it also worked today at the distribution center... so just make sure it's working fine please. Oh yeah, the police station was great! I got the year extension, but I don´t know exactly when it will expire. I hear that sometimes you might have to go home a transfer early because of visa extensions, so I´ll let you know when I find out. And yes the doctors do give you medicine so I´ve been a couple times, but most of the days I feel so much better. A couple days I have had a gnarly headache, but I think it's because one of the guys in my room gets up at 6 am, so his alarm wakes me up. Then, right at 6:30 when we´re supposed to get up he turns on the lights!!! It is really annoying! So hopefully my companions in the field wont do that.
It looks like you are having a great time at Hawaii Pai!!! I´m a little jealous, but at the same time not so much because Brazil might be a little sicker ha ha. I hope that you had an awesome time and that you get home safely!
Well that's all from this week... I hope this coming week is a great one for you back home!!! I love you all so much! Tell Al, Jack, and Peppy hi for me! I love you guys and can't wait to hear back from you next week.
Love,
Elder Halpin
Another week here in the CTM... Not much happens, as you probably know by now. This week was President and Sister Clarke´s last week so they left yesterday, and the new President of the CTM spoke to us on Sunday. It was an awesome experience though, because it was the last time we sang "Called to Serve" with them here. The choir also sang "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" which was really awesome. I´m going to miss them because I could really feel the love that they had for us.
Earlier this week, one of our teachers went after his dream job and quit here, so we got to hear his conversion story. As the investigator he was playing himself, and while he was growing up he was an atheist. It was really hard to teach him, but when we heard that the key to his conversion was love, it opened my eyes to how simple it can be sometimes... I´m going to miss him a lot. He was a fun guy.
Today has been a great p day. The temple was amazing as it always is. When we got back, we threw our laundry in and went out to the city. A few of us from the district went to Rodizios, and it was just as good as back home (possibly even better)! Afterwards we went to the supermarket and to the tie shop, so nothing to exciting.
The language is coming along great! We´re starting to become close with lots of the natives. The other night we had lots of time and I spoke to a group of Brazilians for about an hour, so that was super fun!!! Sometimes its funny because they´ll come and surround you asking who your favorite soccer team is, and its crazy because they all have their favorites and tell you who to like, I love it though!!! So yeah, I can´t wait to get into the field, because I feel like even though I don´t know the language and I am not fluent, I know I´ll be able to make it and teach and have a good time with the people.
That is a great theme for the YM-YW´s this year! Sometimes during lab I´ll watch some videos from lds.org, and on it I found the new Strength for Youth site. It is super awesome! I love the experiences I have here, and no I don't think I need you to send anything with Daniel... But can you keep your eye on my bank account because last week they said there was no money on the card at the supermarket, but then the next day it worked perfectly at the police station, and it also worked today at the distribution center... so just make sure it's working fine please. Oh yeah, the police station was great! I got the year extension, but I don´t know exactly when it will expire. I hear that sometimes you might have to go home a transfer early because of visa extensions, so I´ll let you know when I find out. And yes the doctors do give you medicine so I´ve been a couple times, but most of the days I feel so much better. A couple days I have had a gnarly headache, but I think it's because one of the guys in my room gets up at 6 am, so his alarm wakes me up. Then, right at 6:30 when we´re supposed to get up he turns on the lights!!! It is really annoying! So hopefully my companions in the field wont do that.
It looks like you are having a great time at Hawaii Pai!!! I´m a little jealous, but at the same time not so much because Brazil might be a little sicker ha ha. I hope that you had an awesome time and that you get home safely!
Well that's all from this week... I hope this coming week is a great one for you back home!!! I love you all so much! Tell Al, Jack, and Peppy hi for me! I love you guys and can't wait to hear back from you next week.
Love,
Elder Halpin
Friday, January 13, 2012
Week 6~I Love The Brazilian People
Email
January 10, 2012
Oí!
So things here are going good. I´m feeling a little bit better, but I think I got a sinus infection the other night... oh well though, and no you cant just stay in your room mom ha ha! (unless your dying). Usually by the time class comes around I feel better. Its the mornings that are tough because I don´t like mornings much.
Thats awesome that the girls stopped by! What did they say? Whats going on with everybody back home? I don´t hear much except a couple e mails from Seth, his dad, and Lee. I also sent Dallin and Tim a Christmas letter, but I don't know when they´ll get it. Our exit date is the 31st, so three more weeks from today! Even though sometimes it is tough, I love my companion and district. Like I´ve said, he and a couple guys in my district are just wound up a little too tight and sort of dont know how to relax, oh well though. It will be sad, but exciting to leave! A little scary too because Portuguese is crazy! I can still understand most, and I can speak a little better each day and week. There are some awesome guys in the district too! I just dont know how to download the pictures to send because the computers here don't have a slot for the card, and over at Cheneys it costs money. I like Elder Carrell, he is our district president and he's fun to have around.
Thats good to hear Alec did good on the test, and hopefully their grades come out good. Tell Alec and Jackson I love them and miss them, and can't wait to hear what happened in school and graduation and all that good stuff that´ll happen soon. Thanks for the updates on the scores! Stupid Alabama!!! oh well though ha ha.
P days here are fun. The temple is very nice, small though, and today we saw the baptismal font which was way sick. I love the spirit I feel in there. Then we come back, eat, do laundry, e mail and go and grab stuff we need from the shops around. I love the Brazilian people. They are so fun, and the Brazilian elders are crazy!!! I love them all!
Eu amo voces!!! Talk to you next week. Have a good one!
Love,
Elder Halpin
January 10, 2012
Oí!
So things here are going good. I´m feeling a little bit better, but I think I got a sinus infection the other night... oh well though, and no you cant just stay in your room mom ha ha! (unless your dying). Usually by the time class comes around I feel better. Its the mornings that are tough because I don´t like mornings much.
Thats awesome that the girls stopped by! What did they say? Whats going on with everybody back home? I don´t hear much except a couple e mails from Seth, his dad, and Lee. I also sent Dallin and Tim a Christmas letter, but I don't know when they´ll get it. Our exit date is the 31st, so three more weeks from today! Even though sometimes it is tough, I love my companion and district. Like I´ve said, he and a couple guys in my district are just wound up a little too tight and sort of dont know how to relax, oh well though. It will be sad, but exciting to leave! A little scary too because Portuguese is crazy! I can still understand most, and I can speak a little better each day and week. There are some awesome guys in the district too! I just dont know how to download the pictures to send because the computers here don't have a slot for the card, and over at Cheneys it costs money. I like Elder Carrell, he is our district president and he's fun to have around.
Thats good to hear Alec did good on the test, and hopefully their grades come out good. Tell Alec and Jackson I love them and miss them, and can't wait to hear what happened in school and graduation and all that good stuff that´ll happen soon. Thanks for the updates on the scores! Stupid Alabama!!! oh well though ha ha.
P days here are fun. The temple is very nice, small though, and today we saw the baptismal font which was way sick. I love the spirit I feel in there. Then we come back, eat, do laundry, e mail and go and grab stuff we need from the shops around. I love the Brazilian people. They are so fun, and the Brazilian elders are crazy!!! I love them all!
Eu amo voces!!! Talk to you next week. Have a good one!
Love,
Elder Halpin
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Week #5~Happy New Year!
Email
January 3, 2012
Hi Everybody!
Things here this week were OK... I got sort of sick and had a cold, but one day I felt terrible. Sort of like the flu, I guess. But now I´m feeling much better! On New Year´s Eve, we only had one class and then had free time. We watched a movie about a football team that started winning after they relied more on God in their lives. After that, we had a snack with some brownies and stuff so that was way yummy. Then we stayed up until midnight and the city blew up! It was super crazy, kind of like a war zone, because you could see flashes in the clouds off in the distance. It was super awesome!!!
It's a little tough sometimes with my companion because he is just so perfect all the time, and studies nonstop. He is a great guy and all, but he just doesn´t know how to have fun. It's really tough for me sometimes, because even when we chat after dinner and stuff, he´s in the corner reading out of the dictionary! He also expects way too much out of me, and thinks that I should have his study habits, so that gets sort of frustrating sometimes. But we talk it out, and work to be better.
My Portuguese is improving, I guess. A few of us started to translate the Livro de Mórmon that they gave us when we first got here, so today I bought a hard back one, and a nicer set to have in the field and I´ll use the one they gave us to write in and study the language. It´s starting to get a lot easier to speak as well.
I´m glad to hear that things are going good. That was a great and crazy win for us (*U of U football). I hope you had lots of fun on New Years, and did some crazy fireworks! I like all the score updates too! Crazy stuff in the games, I guess, but things here are just pretty much the same. Thanks for the updates, and know that things here are fun and great. I love you guys so much, and can't wait to see you NEXT YEAR! (Ha ha). Continue to tell everybody I love them. Thanks for all you do.
Love,
Elder Halpin
January 3, 2012
Hi Everybody!
Things here this week were OK... I got sort of sick and had a cold, but one day I felt terrible. Sort of like the flu, I guess. But now I´m feeling much better! On New Year´s Eve, we only had one class and then had free time. We watched a movie about a football team that started winning after they relied more on God in their lives. After that, we had a snack with some brownies and stuff so that was way yummy. Then we stayed up until midnight and the city blew up! It was super crazy, kind of like a war zone, because you could see flashes in the clouds off in the distance. It was super awesome!!!
It's a little tough sometimes with my companion because he is just so perfect all the time, and studies nonstop. He is a great guy and all, but he just doesn´t know how to have fun. It's really tough for me sometimes, because even when we chat after dinner and stuff, he´s in the corner reading out of the dictionary! He also expects way too much out of me, and thinks that I should have his study habits, so that gets sort of frustrating sometimes. But we talk it out, and work to be better.
My Portuguese is improving, I guess. A few of us started to translate the Livro de Mórmon that they gave us when we first got here, so today I bought a hard back one, and a nicer set to have in the field and I´ll use the one they gave us to write in and study the language. It´s starting to get a lot easier to speak as well.
I´m glad to hear that things are going good. That was a great and crazy win for us (*U of U football). I hope you had lots of fun on New Years, and did some crazy fireworks! I like all the score updates too! Crazy stuff in the games, I guess, but things here are just pretty much the same. Thanks for the updates, and know that things here are fun and great. I love you guys so much, and can't wait to see you NEXT YEAR! (Ha ha). Continue to tell everybody I love them. Thanks for all you do.
Love,
Elder Halpin
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