I have tried to set up a separate blog for Peter on missionsite.net. However, that site is having issues, so I will post his letter on my own blog for now, and then repost when I have his own all set up. You can email Peter at Peter.Abernathy@myldsmail.net He would love to hear from you. If you would like his snail mail address in the missionary training center, let me know. He will be in the Sao Paulo training center until Dec. 17. We are delighted to read this wonderful letter of good news:
Bom tarde!
Today is D+9 and it feels like I've been here for six weeks already. To say that a lot has gone down would be the grossest kind of understatement. Firstoff, I have been hugely blessed with all of the people with whom I am stuck in a tiny classroom for hours upon hours a day. My district is fantastic, everyone is hardworking, especially my companion. I got called as District Leader last sunday, and I've already seen and been thankful for how well I've been prepared to lead meetings. I especially have Bishop Brandenburg to thank for that. We have six elders and a threesome of sisters. All of them are very obedient and generally great to be around.
Today was our first P-day since we've been here, so we got to go to the Sao Paulo Temple, which was, of course, a wonderful experience. We got to go around the city a bit (and our neighborhood seriously does look exactly like Call of Duty. I still can't get over that) and shop around a little. I bought myself a couple of ties and a Brazil Futbol jersey....don't read to much into it, it was a one time thing. Now (1548) we're in the email room and soon we're going to change into our futbol jerseys and take a bunch of photos together. I wrote a handful of letters which I won't be able to send until next P-day, since today is Brasil's independence day and pretty much everything was closed. It kind of cracked us up how few Brasilheros knew what the holiday was for. I think they went one for nine or something like that. We're just glad that the Temple was still open.
Our class time is very productive, and we're learning the language well. Learning Spanish in high school has been an enormous blessing. Everything is very similar and I've been able to teach lessons in Portuguese without a whole lot of trouble. They started us teaching "Pesquesadores" in Portuguese on day three. I've been speaking a linguistic hot mess that I refer to as "Spangliguese," which is Spanish, English, and Portuguese all rolled into one. Most of the people can understand me on occassion, if I think about what I want to say before I try to say it. The instructor we have every night is this awesome guy named Irmao Avino. He's jacked and all of the Sisters have a crush on him. He speaks very slowly and has a hilarious sense of humor. Hearing a portuguese speaker say "dang it," "oh my gosh," and "I am an American" is pretty hilarious. Irmao's challenge phrase is "Trick or treat" which is especially hilarious since words never end with "t" in portuguese.
We're eating really well. I never knew pannini for breakfast was a thing, but I'm not complaining. I'm drinking enough Guarana to....I don't know do something that would require a lot of fluid. All of the Elders in my district are super well toned jocks, so daily actividade fisica can be a little humbling, but I hold my own reasonably well. I get my revenge by being the most difficult investigator ever in teaching role plays. Here is an excerpt from one of the tirades I've subjected my companion to. Google translate is your friend: "Como pode seu igreja e este evangelho me ajuda com problemas? Pode me ajuda com taxas? Este e somente palavras!" He had a very scared look on his face while all of the instructors cracked up. It was sweet.
Almost all of the elders in my district are serving in Fortaleza. I am going to be very lonely in Londrina. Todo bem.
Honestly the most difficult thing about life here in the CTM is knowing that I'm going to have to say goodbye to all of the great people in my district. I love them all, and I do not dig the idea of not seeing them daily anymore. Oh well, the Lord knows better than I do.
One of my responsibilities as a DL is to check my district mailbox every day. The first day I open it up, two letters are waiting there. They're both for me, from none else than our own Shane Hart. He wins the award for being my first mission letter. I miss Ben. Seriously I miss that little guy. He's going to be so big when I get home, or at least bigger.
Dad was right. Everybody loves us down here. There are always big knots of white shirt-clad elders prowling around the streets surrounding the CTM, and cars always slow down, honk, and give us the thumbs up. They recognize the Father's messengers, it seems.
Take care of yourselves. Eu amo voces, especiamente menho parentes.......e Ben.
I love all of you!
Elder Abernathy
P.S. I finally understand Alan Richardson's license plate. Nosso legal!
