Thursday, June 12, 2014

What I Know So Far (About Our "Transfer")

Overload, I know!!!  I plan to post once a week, but we are housebound in a house that has internet and I'm not sure when that will happen again, so....

*  The first thing that I know is that it is HARD to leave a place where you've done missionary work!!!  (As any RM knows!)  Craig and I were in Boston only three weeks, but we felt at home, needed, and thought we might be making a difference.  It was especially hard to leave since Reginaldo had stopped smoking and committed to baptism - supposed to be this Sunday and it kills me that we won't be there...

*  "Ready" means different things to different people.  We were told that this mission was ready for us, but they have no place for us yet, and are in the middle of preparing for the new President who comes at the end of the month, and the office and routines are torn up - to say nothing of the disruption with the World Cup.  The current President and his wife are being very gracious to let us stay in the mission home (a 3-room apartment), but I know they have more to do than feed us and drive us back and forth into the office.  (It's too far to walk from here, but won't be from our apt.)

*  Fortaleza is an interesting mix of new and old - more on that in another post.  A few of the streets are still the kind that Craig walked 50 years ago.  
Wouldn't want to walk on this all day, and/or in rain!!!

*  Elder Anderson came down a few weeks ago and said that it was time to start building the temple!  
Here we are at the Temple Site with President and Sister Sousa.  I hope we get to see some progress on the building while we're here!!!

*  There are some sister missionaries living in the apartment that will be ours, so we were able to see it.  It has an extra bedroom --- would love to host any World Cup or other visitors, though we don't have a car and don't know the bus system yet!!!
This will be an adventure - no hot water, air conditioner, dryer, etc!

*  We have a grocery store right across the street from our apartment - how convenient!  :)
I didn't want to make a bad impression with our new neighbors, or look like a tourist by getting a closer picture, but let's just say the inside isn't as nice as the outside!


 *  And artists around the corner!

Who needs a museum?

*  Russia is not the worst place in the world to drive after all, David!  I hope not to ever have pictures documenting the proof of this.  Maybe a video at some point? 

*  The whole country is going NUTS over the World Cup.  There are some workers taking the opportunity to try to get better benefits by protesting when the eyes of the world are on them (LOTS of rioters and police on the way to the office today), but the entire country has each day that Brazil plays off of work!  President Sousa (who is Brazilian) is so worried about the intensity of the fans that he has told all missionaries that they are to be in their apartments by noon each of those days, and not go out for the rest of the day.  The SCREAMING from surrounding apartments that could be heard each time Brazil scored tonight was amazing! (And in this temporary place I do have a noisy AC and a shut window!)

Crummy picture taken on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, but typical of each street corner.

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE right now is yellow and green!

*  I should have learned Portuguese!!!  I wonder how long it will be before I'm an asset in the office and not a liability.  Thanks for the encouragement, Denis!

*  The Church is true, no matter where you are or how you're serving.  The difference in the approach to the work between our Boston and Fortaleza presidents is incredible, but they're both where they need to be with the missionaries who need to serve under them.  We're honored to be a part of this amazing work, even if (as Office Specialists) we'll do a lot less proselyting than we did in Boston.

More later - that's about all I know so far!  Thanks for caring!  Love to you all!


2 comments:

  1. Love the updates and pictures. Thanks for posting!

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  2. I'm sad for you that you had to leave your missionary work, but I'm betting that by now you are finding your niche in Fortaleza and are even more needed there!

    Those streets look awesome - hope you don't have any pointy heels!

    That grocery store looks superb. I wouldn't be at all worried about eating anything purchased there...

    I am excited to see a video of the driving.

    Your apartment looks decent from the outside...considering everything (I am picturing ones in Russia that look much more sketchy.)

    I am betting the world cup craziness is getting a little tiresome, but I think it's sooo cool you are there for that!

    Love you guys!

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