019/085 091012 "You Talk To Fast"

Picture: Elder Eyring's District

Hi all,

So guess what I got told this last week. "Slow down! You talk too fast!". YAY! Yes, my pronunciation is still terrible in Portugese, but, I'm able to think fast enough in Portugese to talk too fast! WOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And also, someone said that I look like I'm 27 years old. I couldnt really believe it. She was serious though. Then I asked someone else, who said I looked 23 to him. I asked someone else, who said 19 (yay for right!), and then another who said 17. So I guess I'm just a mystery age or something. Its normal for people to think people look different ages, but 10 years in difference . . . . . hmmm . . . .

So guess what I found from the scriptures this week. So, in Alma 45:22 it talks about Alma's sons preaching, then 48:18 about all his sons preachings, then in 49:30 names his sons, Helamon, Shemlom, and Corianton. So Corianton, that sinner who commited fornication DURING his mission, even him, was able to recieve forgiveness and preach once more. YAY!!!! Now I'm not saying this because I have any ideas about myself, don't worry, I just love showing the great examples of repentance, because nothing else brings me greater hope.

So I had testimony meeting yesterday at church. I think I should tape it next month as an example of what testimony should be like! After the bishop sat down saying everyone that would like to give their testimony to come up, the entire congregation seemed to stand at once, because all wanted to bear their love for Christ their Lord! It was incredible! And still after this more people slowly filtered up to the pulpit. Basically, there was never that awkward silence where no one will give their testimony, because of my awesome ward! =D

Ahhh, its been a good week.

So what all should I tell y'all? I dont really know what people want to hear. As far as things I'm actually doing, well, I'm being a missionary. There isn't much more to say then that . . . . But if anyone wants me to include something else in this general email, just ask.

So there is this funny thing, any time I cheer my nation on for the World Cup in 2010, they just start laughing. They think I was joking or something like that. I am kinda struggling to understand this . . . . . (no, I'm not struggling to understand.) I just am slowly hoping more and more America can actually stand strong in the World Cup if they don't win. [which they sadly won't . . . .])

I might take a nap today . . . . so y'all know . . . . .

Well, I think thats all for this week.

Até mais! (until more, I can't say Bom Dia right now, because it's afternoon for me, and that just feels weird.)

Elder Eyring

018/086 091005 Brazil gets the Olympics

Picture: Brazil Olympic Committee Celebrates!

So guess where the Olympics will be in 2016! Just guess where! Come on! Well, I'm a missionary in Rio getting really excited about the location . . . . so I wonder . . . . YES!!!! IN RIO DE JANEIRO!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!

Just a little excited . . . . .

So it was kinda funny. When there was a temple announced in Fortaleze Brazil my companion was stoked because he's from Fortaleza, but all of these Rio citizens were slightly sad and slightly indignant. They asked, and What about Rio? So yes, my goal before I leave is to have a temple announced here in Rio. Lol, I'm just one missionary, so I will have to hope that others will help with this, but yeah, I would love to hear that so!

So my favorite quote from conference. I can't remember who gave it, I remember it was someone with a strong accent from the seventy. But I loved his talked so. More or less, "The impossible can become possible" I thought that summed everything up. With the talks on repentance, how we always can repent of whatever sin, and how those we love will be blessed through our righteous desire to repent. Talks on learning to love and that perfect example of love, our Savior. Talks on receiving inspiration. President Monson saying in Priesthood how we can truly live without anger. So many things seemingly impossible, but yet, through the Savior, the impossible becomes possible. I love it!

Oh, random tidbit of information I found out that I am kinda proud of. So when Henry B. Eyring was in high school, he played basketball. Guess for what school. East School High, the home of High School Music (well, at least it was shot there). The First Presidency has an old Wildcat. While I'm not a High School Musical enthusiast, I must admit when I found this out I was laughing my head off (which was kinda bad because I found it while reading an old Ensign and then everyone else around me looked at me like I was crazy. They had no idea what just happened. For all they knew I just lost my head and when into the laughs of a lunatic! Luckily I could explain to them since the tentacles of High School Musical have penetrated even Brazil).

I really like conference I have decided. =)

Well, until next week!

Elder Eyring

Oh! P.S.!!!! I had a Brazilian from a different area that I was visiting tell me how it was amazing I could speak Portuguese! I was complemented by a Brazilian on my language! WOOT!!!!!!!!!!

017/087 090928 Another list of food I eat

Picture: Brazil Food


So I remember when I got to this area that I´m in now I noticed how people seemed to have a little bit money, and the thought went through my head, "Yes! Maybe I´ll stop gooding quite as weird food since these people can afford more!" I was wrong. With more money they seem to just experiment more. Let me give another list of I have had to eat. Cow stomach, Pig snout, Pig ears, and Pig tongue. Why! Talking to others from my CTM district, none of them have had one of these things served them. Wait, no, one of them had these things served them once. Why in the world is the pickiest eater getting the strangest foods! Well, at least by the time I get home I really will be able to eat just about anything. For all of you who thought I was strange for being a picky eater, =P x 10. ;) Sorry, I just get disheartened by the food some days.

So, funny story time. Well, pitiful actually. So, yesterday, my companion and I were going to a house to pick up a person we baptized yesterday. Then, on the way to the church we picked up someone else. Turns out, this was another person we were going to baptize (that is baptized now). (excuse the terrible English, I have lost English skills a bit) I didn´t know this until the end of church. Sad, huh? In my defense though, I never taught this girl lessons, and the interview happened while the other person was being interviewed, so I didn´t know that the interview was happening. I think I just made things confusing. Basically, I had a baptism without even knowing. That was interesting.

So right now I´m in regular street clothes. Jeans and a T-shirt with tennis shoes. I´m going to do a little bit of service after this Internet usage, so that's why. But it is so weird! I haven´t gone out in street clothes for months. I wore jeans once in the CTM for a service project, and then the last time before that I guess would be June 1 or 2 (I remember the 2 I went to the Oquirrh Mount Temple open house and was later set apart, so I might have never changed into jeans that day). Yeah, it feels weird!

Oh, that reminds of another funny or stupid story from the week that shows clearly that I have no sense of fashion whatsoever. One of the members in my ward was really excited about this one shirt a friend gave him, and when I saw it I thought it really wasn´t that appealing of a shirt, but to be nice I said I liked it. He then went on to say how it was R$500,00 (about $280.00) and was made by this huge fashion designer. So yes, I have no fashion sense. But I really wonder how in the world someone can have such a strong opinion that a piece of cloth he likes can be sold for so much money. It was a basic button up shirt, that wasn´t that special. I kinda can understand why dresses are incredibly expensive, because I can actually see the art in designing a dress, but this shirt? I think its basically the same thing as some modern art that is a blank canvas with a plain black frame that sells for a million dollars. And why again is America in an economic crisis?

Oh, one thing continuing from last week about how women truly are better then men. An example from my mission (and really of all missions from what I´ve heard). Its almost impossible to baptize men it seems. Yesterday was my first baptism of a man. My companion who has been on his mission for 21 months said this is his second. We have a rule that we have to do make ten street contacts with men every day each person, because the church drastically needs more men. Women and children are willing to humble themselves and come unto Christ. With Men, some are. Its pathetic in some ways.

So what other things should I say . . . . hmmm? This past week not much has happened. Our apartment was being renovated, and we were told that we had to stay in our apartment because there was someone else in it that isn´t part of the mission. So yeah, that sums up this week.

Oh, and I hate mosquitoes. Every couple of weeks, I have nights I can´t sleep because I am so incredibly itchy. Its terrible! Thankfully enough I´m on a mission for the true church representing our Savior, so I am given the strength to make it through the day, but without that boost of strength, I would surely die of exhaustion. So yes, mosquitoes are evil.

I think I am slowly developing Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD). As time goes on I keep on noticing how half the things that I talk about in my life I keep on saying "we" or "ours" or such things. I feel like Golem or something. I know its just the fact that everything I do I do with my companion, so I get habituated to saying we and such, but still, I am possibly going to be diagnosed with MPD before I get home!

For you all in Utah, its starting to get cold now, huh? Lucky. Its getting hotter every day here. It had been raining for a while here, and for a little bit I was hating the rain, but now I changed my mind. The sun is out again. And its humid. And Summer is coming, but still not here. I am definitely dreaming of a white Christmas, which thing I will not be able to have. Unless you count the blinding sun as it being white. Well, at least ice cream on Christmas day will taste so much better.

Well, have a good week y'all. I think I have rambled enough for this week. Best of luck in whatever is going on!

Elder Eyring

014/090 090907 This week was interesting

Picture: Maracana Soccer Stadium

So this last week was interesting. On Saturday, I went to the hospital because the mother of the first person I baptized was in the hospital and we made a visit. That was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. I was in a hospital as a religious minister . . . People actually came up to me and my companion asking for a blessing for a family member (they were members). It was so humbling . . . .

This trip had some major advantages though. Namely, the sightseeing on the car ride there. We took a road to get there that went up a mountain on the side of Rio, then you could see all of the city from the mountain to the beach. It was plainly amazing. I have never seen a more beautiful city in my life. Keep in mind too that I´ve been to London, Paris, Tahiti, Costa Rica, New York, D.C., Vegas, San Fransisco, Sacramento, Seattle, etc. It is plainly amazing.

Then on the way back we took a way that just so happened to take us by the soccer stadium in Rio. Let me just say, it is HUGE!!!!!! I mean HUGE!!!! Wow. It is going to have the World Cup in 2014, and possibly Rio will have the Olympics in 2016. It was amazing! That was so incredibly incredible!

The Lord truly is blessing me a lot. I honestly don´t know why I am so blessed, but oh, I´m grateful! I really don´t deserve all that the Lord gives me!

Lol, just random side comment, Dragonball Z is on right now where I´m doing email stuff. Its the beginning of the Boo series. I´m not watching, don´t worry, I just know where in the story it is because I´m a crazy freak and can with seeing something for 5 seconds know where in the story it relates too.

So, everyone, I´ve made an odd decision. I have plenty of reasons, but I´m just going to give two. So, my odd decision, I´m not going to write friends for a little bit. Because, I´ve been far too distracted. I really haven´t been giving my whole heart, might, mind, and soul to the work, and that's bad. And second reason, I felt calmer when praying about this then other choices of what to do. Not that this is the only right thing to do, but I think its the best thing for me personally to do. So yeah, for a little bit, I´m not writing to friends. But this shouldn´t be too different for anyone at home, just different enough that someone would notice and so I´m saying something.

Now, please still write letters. I can´t really expect you too, but please! still write letters! I will respond to every single letter after this. I promise! And right now is the beginning of a school year, with so many things going on. I want to know whats going on SO badly! I guess I won´t know for a little while what is going on, but its so much better if something is written soon after something happens then a two months after it happens. So yes, I´ll write back to every letter! Pinky-swear!

Oh, and I´ll still write this general letter so people can still be clued into my life ;) And I´ll write a lot of letters today for y´all =)

So yes, the Lord blesses all of us so plentifully. I really have been blessed to have my eyes opened to see how the Lord truly is throughout everything in our lives. Lol, and as such I feel like such an unthankful fool. I´m learning though! Our Savior and our Father truly bless us in all things, even our trials. It is amazing!

Well, till next week!

Elder Eyring

P.S.

Oh! I am adding something else!

So, I broke one of my goals for my mission. I thought I would be able to go two years without holding a girls hand, but I failed miserably. My heart was stolen by a little 9 year old, Deborah. Now time for excuses ;)

This is a little girl that I got the opportunity to baptize. But she had the same problem I had with baptism, she was scared to get dunked in the water. So, trying to comfort her before, she took hold of my hand for one part, and I couldn´t say no! So adorable! And she was crying. How could I say no! It took a while after we got in the freezing water to get her baptized too. But it worked out! And she was confirmed this last Sunday too. Yay!

Ok, that's all. Have a good week all!

Elder Eyring

016/088 090921 Stray Horses Instead of Dogs

Picture: Stray Horses
Hi all!

So time to talk about my new area some. So the first morning I woke up I went out onto the loft (hehe) and there was just this random horse on the street eating. I thought it was kinda strange. Turns out it was quite normal. There are stray horses here like there are stray dogs. Its rather fascinating.

I swear I´m at least on the other side of Brazil as compared to my last area, even though both my last area and this one are in the city of Rio. They are so different. This area is really flat, with mountains able to be seen in off in the distance, while my last area was filled with mountains. This area has no favelas, the other one all my work was in them. The buildings look different, the people act a little different, and the plantation looks different. The dialect is even different. A lot less of the shhhhh in the talking. Its weird.

But there are awesome benefits to this area. Like one person here makes cakes. So in this past week I have had lemon pie, chocolate cake, scraps of a vanilla cake that were heaven, and some other sweets from her. Oh! the happiness. Really, the happiness that comes from this is hard to even begin to describe. Oh, and I never knew how good avocado (bad spelling I know, sorry!) shakes are. Yum! I wouldn´t mind if I stayed in this area until February 27 (my birthday for those don´t understand), because I´m sure I would have this nice big beautiful cake then. Oh how nice that would be.

And this Saturday is a birthday party of a recent convert. So more cake and fun! Yay!

Oh, I had a wonderful revelation this week. The scriptures do show clearly that woman kind is better then the brutish terrible man kind. I have thought this to be the truth for years, but never could prove it. Now I can. So I´m going to.

Just for fair warning, I came to this proof while trying to figure out more about the doctrine of polygamy (its amazing how much that comes up down here. Its insane!). This describes polygamy at the same time though.

So, after this life, we learn from Paul that, "neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord." (1 Cor 11:11), and from modern revelation that "In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into . . . the new and everlasting covenant of marriage" (D&C 131:1-2). So as you all know and as these scriptures show, you must be married in order to enter into the highest order of the celestial kingdom. Well, with this, we know that polygamy is eternal, and that all those already sealed to multiple wives will have those wives in the eternities, and that never will there be multiple husbands to one wife. That is contrary to the will of God and the laws of heaven.

So think through that just a little bit. Just a little. If this new and everlasting covenant of marriage is the entrance into the highest of all glories, and more woman will enter into it through polygamy then men will, as has already happened, is happening (a man can be sealed to multiple women at once, just not married in the flesh to multiple at once), and scriptures show will continue to happen (I can´t remember what chapter of Isiah this is, but remember the 'in that day seven women will cling unto one man' scripture?), just by pure logic shows that more women will reach this highest glory then men. There is no way that this cannot be true, and if there is I would to love someone to show me how.

To summarize, more woman will be saved in the highest glory then men.

Now how do people reach this highest glory? Well, yes, of course through the mercy of the Lord, but also through His justice. So we must do our part to be saved. More women won´t be saved because God has a soft spot for them, but because of their actions. Don´t forget the scripture from when Alma was speaking to his son Corianton, "What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God." So these wonderful women are saved through their own choices, through the desires of their hearts, and the mercy of Christ. But they have to do the same as men, they don´t get spoiled.

So, women as a whole are better then men, because more will be saved, and how will they be saved? through the true character of their hearts.

Why I think this is important is I know so many of you wonderful women out there that believe that you are good, but not truly worth it. You believe yourselves to be second rate and undeserving. But I can testify to you all that you are truly the love and pride of God, because of your purity. I wish I could help all you women understand how precious you are, and how truly good you are. Hopefully this helps some.

Well, have a good week y'all.

Elder Eyring

015/089 090914 I've Been Trained

Picture: City & Baptisims

So guess what everyone, I´ve been trained! Tomorrow the new missionaries will get here to Rio. I am no longer the newest person in the field. That's great. I got transferred. My new area is large, but is flat. So I´m happy. And I have a new companion. Another Brazilian, and he can´t speak much English I think. I´ll see better as I get to know him. We´ve only been companions for like 5 hours, so yeah, we´ll see how things turn out.

Another thing for y´all to guess what about! I can speak Portuguese! I am not fluent, but I can say I can speak Portuguese. This past week to an investigator I taught a lesson without really any help, and it wasn´t a Preach my Gospel lesson, it was a lesson that was fitted to the needs of the investigator. And the Spirit touched her! It was awesome! And I taught a gospel essentials class. That was difficult. But yeah, I wouldn´t be lieing if I said I could speak Portuguese, only if I said I was fluent. That is awesome.

So one thing I find kinda funny is that with my companion, he´s shorter than me. So for whatever reason I kinda feel more mature. Stupid, I know. But before, my trainer was fat, and I was new, and I felt really young. With this elder, I don´t feel like a useless inferior that doesn´t even know how to speak. Its kinda nice. He knows the area really well and he knows how to speak better, so I´ll still be needing a lot of help from him, but its a lot different then feeling like I am some crazy American lost in the Brazilian nation that is really just a confused, sad little man. Its nice.

So God really provides a lot of miracles. This past week we baptized someone that everyone that knew her was amazed that she was baptized. And then she after the baptism and confirmation showed a difference. She was happier. She was calmer. God performed such a miracle for her. I love it. (Nathan's lesson that he taught made the difference in her.)

Lol, so for this lan house, I came in and Love Story by Taylor Swift was playing, and now The Climb by Miley Cyrus is playing. Its rather sad that I love this kind of music so much, but that's the kind of guy I am I guess. Lol. And no, I´m not allowed to listen to it. But I can´t help but hear it, and its a losing struggle to not listen some. Oh the happiness.

I miss music so! Really, when I get home I think that its very well possible that the first thing I do when I get home is pull out my pad and a pair of sticks and go at it! Well, yes, say hi to people and such. But eventually get back to my true love ;) I really will be so sad to leave Brasil though . . . So many people here that I already love, and that might be leaving and never seeing them again. That isn´t something I would be excited about, but I guess that´ll be ok.

Lol, now one song by . . . . oh whats her name . . . . can´t remember. Its the girl from Camp Rock, and her song from Camp Rock.

Oh, yes, the music here in Rio seems to be like 6 months old from the US music. Don´t know why, but that's what happens.

Well, I´m needing to leave. Everyone have a good week!

Oh, one last thing. Everyone, thanks for being my friend (family included). I´ve learned very clearly that my strength I have within me is learning from my friends, from my family, and from my heritage. But its amazing how much more effective my teaching is when I talk of one of you. So yes, thank you. And yes, by the time I leave, you´ll all be famous in Rio. (Lol, no, not really. Brazilians won´t be able to say half of your names. Lol. But we can pretend.)

Bom Dia

Elder Eyring

013/091 090831 God Really Answers Prayers

Picture: First Baptism

Hi all!

I want to give you all a list of food I´ve eaten here that I never would have eaten before my mission:

-Beans and Rice (lol)
-A mixture of chicken that included chicken feet
-Cow feet
-my companion had pig snout, I couldn´t quite do that one . . . .
-Really questionable soup. I don´t like soup at all! Questionable soup though! Scary.
-This dish of a mixture of rice, peas, octopus, squid, shrimp, and hard boiled eggs. (this actually tasted SO good. It was at this nice restaurant that members took me to when I was on a division in a different area then mine.)
-who knows what else . . . (I sadly don´t)

I just wanted to share that. Those that knew how picky of an eater I was, well, now, I am a lot better. A LOT better! When I get home I won´t only be able to eat food normal people eat, but even the odd and the bizarre, because that's what I have to feast on everyday less I offend the members.

So any funny stories for you . . . hmmmmm . . . .. . I can´t remember. Days blend together here in a big huge mess because of tiredness. I have one question for everyone, a riddle in fact that I still haven´t found an answer that makes enough sense. Why would someone build their house on the peak of a mountain, especially when they don´t have a car? At least the majority of these mountains I climb aren´t true mountains, just really really big hills, but still! I will have a lesson on one mountain, get done, have 40 min to get to another lesson, that is on the other corner of my area on another mountain. So we are running down and out of the favela, down into the kinda city area, across up into another favela, and up a mountain. It really is insane!

But the Lord blesses me for it! I am going to come home with such muscles! Oh yes! Its winter and I have lost some weight, while gaining muscle! And don´t think I´m starving, really, I wish I could eat less at lunch! Lol, when summer comes, I will get so skinny. I´ll need to fatten up when I get home, lol. I´m so excited for this mission! (and stuff now too, of course, but really, it´ll be different when I actually have a clue of whats going on.)

So whats up with every 6 weeks for letters since I´ve had some questions. Well, my area is right by the mission headquarters area, so I tend to get my mail every 2 weeks about. But why that is is because my address isn´t where I live, but to the mission headquarters. Mail can be unreliable, and if I get emergency transferred out of my apartment, then I won´t ever receive that bit of mail. But through the office I always receive it. So every time I see one of my leaders that has gone to the headquarters, I get mail. Which is about every 2 weeks for now. But occasionally its 3 or 4. If I go to a far out area in the boondocks, it´ll be every 6. yeah.

So spiritual thought time, since I´m a missionary. God really answers prayers. I have never been on my knees so much. And because of my prayers, and the mercy of God of course, I am always finding people to help. I actually had a person come up to me and say I want to talk with you and set up a time with us for a lesson. Of course God is already preparing people, and has already prepared many, but through my prayers I have been able to be a tool for God. Prayers are answered. There are a lot of other stories I have with this .. . . . but not time, and I don´t feel right sharing them. Suffice it to say that I know that God answers prayers. In this I think its now more than faith, it has become knowledge (to see that saying something can become more than faith, look at Alma 32.)

So yeah, again, I don´t have much time. So, Bom Dia, good week to y´all!

Elder Eyring