Elder Collin J. Andrus: Week 14

Feliz Natal Todo Mundo!

This week was kind of a bummer too. We taught a bunch of good lessons this week and worked hard, and we invited probably about 12 or 13 investigators to come to church. About 10 of them said they would come for sure, so as we waited at the door and searched for them; none showed up... It was a bummer. I’m not quite sure what we need to do, but the people here seem to have a little problem with keeping commitments. Elder Costa always seems to be complaining about things like this because they have been happening a lot lately haha, and I kinda make fun of him a little and call him a complainer haha.

So, when we were walking to a recent convert’s house really, really far away, we contacted this couple walking on the street, and it was kinda strange. They were Brazilian, and yet even I spoke more Portuguese then them. haha Elder Costa said that they were a kind of Indian people here and spoke their own dialect and not Portuguese.

During lunch one day at a member’s house, we ate with a member and a couple young women and this girl that isn’t a member. This non-member girl always laughs at me for some reason because I’m American and don’t understand what she says, and so after lunch, I began to give a little scripture and thought. During my message, she starts laughing at my Portuguese...literally out loud. Not gonna lie, it was pretty embarrassing and discouraging, but I forgave her haha. Hopefully we can go teach her again so I can say something and have the spirit touch her without laughing.

The weather over the past few days has actually been kind of nice and cool. And when I say cool, I mean it was only like 85 degrees out instead of 105 haha, but I liked it. The people here thought it was freezing cold, but Elder and I enjoyed it. It is pretty odd having Christmas time here where it has summer weather...it doesn’t really feel like Christmas at all haha, but the people still put up lights and trees.

So the people here and the culture is a tad bit different. Elder and I were outside the Bishop’s house waiting for him to come home, and the daughter of the bishop, about 5 years old, is out there trying to play with us. Then out of nowhere she says she has to go to the bathroom, and goes right there in her yard...haha pretty strange. Also, this week we cleaned out the old house that the Elders used to live in here, and man was it dirty. But there was a ton of stuff in there that we brought back to our place like 2 more tables, shoe polishing kits, and a ton of other material.

On Wednesday, we’re going to head off the Santarém for a Christmas Zone Conference and return on Friday, the 24th. Then celebrate Christmas at a member’s house. Hopefully there are lots of goodies there :) Anyway, that’s about it. Love you all and thanks for everything!

Com Amor,

Elder Andrus