... Fearlessly Extraordinary...: Weirdos from another planet

Letter from 10-27-08

Weirdos from another planet...

so the big news is that i got transfered. I am now in a place called Nova Iguaçu. I am still a zone leader and my new companion is elder campos, a brazillian from rio grande do sul. This is HIS first time as a zone leader, so we are having a blast here. He got transfered here with me, which means that he knows pretty much as i do about this new area- ... nothing. I am now living, for the first time, in a house of four! The other two missionaries are elder carvalho, são paulo, and elder correa, some where in the northeast. Elder correa is a greeny and elder carvalho, his trainer, is awesome!!. Elder carvalho was a zone leader for a long time before too, so we got to know one another. Our new ward is great. It feels really strange because i was so used to my last area, but i am excited to learn to love the members here.

FYI: Elder andré was transfered too. He is now a DL in some other place that i forgot and you wouldnt recognize anyway. Elder rhodes was transfered back to bento ribeiro, so the ward didn't get TOO sad.

We are actively serching for a new house to rent in this area. The house that we have is WAY TOO SMALL for 4 missionaries. For example- i sleep on a mattress on the ground so that in the morning i can lean it against the wall and study and stuff. We only have 2 desks in the house and 3 chairs and 2 beds and one bathroom- for 4 missionaries. Today i am going to buy a pillow (something else that we don't have here), and some food. We are going to rent a house today or tomorrow and move this week

This week i think that i ate something that didn't like me, because i have had a rough time in the bathroom for a few days. I haven't eaten much of anything too. One day i was so bad that i had a fever- but i just told the missionaries that it was a fire that is inside me wanting to be put out in the waters of baptism. :-) i am currently eating water and oatmeal. I guess that makes sense as a healthy diet idea in my head at least.

So i tried to send some pictures to make this week a little more fun because there isn't a whole bunch to write. I am in a new area, i am pretty much lost all of the time, and i am loving it.

Thanks for the vote. I feel validated knowing that i didn't shirk my responsabilty to my country. In brazil it is a law to vote. You HAVE to. So that people that win are that people that have catchy tunes or cool signs, or give stickers out for free. It is really different here.

WOWZERS!!! I almost forgot to tell you guys- elder richard g scott is going to visit our mission this week. On Thursday, we are going to be able to hear him speak just to us. He speaks portuguese, so it is going to be awesome!!!!! I will fill you guys in on that one this next week!

One thing that happened this week that i really liked. When i was super sick, and falling apart in the street, i sat down for a little while on a curb to take some medicine to beat the fever. I was on a division with e. Correa, the greenie, and was feeling bad that i couldnt work really well with him. We were close to the church. I felt like i should do all i could to be a good example to him- it was like his 2nd day in the field. I kelpt on talking and doing practices with him to keep him excited. We got to the church and i had him give me a blessing. It was neat because he is a pretty recent convert and a really new missionary. The blessing that he gave me was simple and short, but powerful. Afterward, i still felt awful, but decided to show some faith and we got up and left to go to work. The day went by slowly for me because the headache didnt every really go away, but it turned into a great day to work hard in the Lord's vineyard. I felt the Lord stregnthen me with a greater desire to work and talk with people, even though i was sick.

That is that- hope you like the pictures.

Until next time- keep your stick on the ice.

Com amor-
Elder helland

MOM- sorry, it is tough to be real detailed in an email this short. You are right- i think that trunky is stupid too. I understand why it happens though. You see, missionaries miss their families, their former lives, girlfriends and other dumb stuff :-) I feel privleged to be able to train misionaries all the time. Sometimes i am surprised at how much they trust my advice and listen to my ideas for them. I tell all those that listen that being trunky is not a phase of being a missionary like some say. You don't automatically get tired after a year and a half. These are choices. You CHOOSE your attitude. But here in the mission field there are a lot of therometers and few thermostats. Some missionaries just don't seem to get it. But that is how is it anywhere.
Have fun with the new TV!

DAD- good luck KEEPING the TV.

Alyce- blind dates should only be for the blind. “hi, my name is helen keller...”

Here are some sweet shots of the last two months:

I think that it is clear that missionaries love taking dumb pictures with me.

I guess it must be that crazy face i put on for pictures.