I´m loving it here! The climate is the perfect temp while you all are in the chill weather, its not too humid here but just perfect! :) I got a companion but her had to go home to california yesterday due to unresolved health reasons. Even though I only knew him for a week and a half I found to grow to love him, I didn´t think that it was possible but I did form a pretty unique connection and was sad when he had to go.
I did miss home but they keep me so busy 24hrs a day that I dont really have time to think about what I would be doing at home which is good because being distracted just makes it that much harder here; but dont get the impression that I dont love you all, because I do!
The people drive crazy close to eachother here!!! If mom was down here she would have her foot on the imaginary brake in the passenger seat. The food tastes pretty good, most of it is normal stuff but somestuff I dont even question what it is and I just eat it; and its good! So I dont hate too much. We had a special thanksgiving lunch with turkey and stuff and a live devotional from the Provo MTC with Elder Anderson, but the best treat was the ice cream with dinner which I guess is a expensive thing so it doesnt happen very often.
We had a special devotional last week where Elder Renlund came to the Brazil MTC and gave a talk and answered quetions people had with interpreters so everyone could participate. The coolest part about seeing a apostle live was that he shook everyones hand at the devotional, Including mine! It was a fantastic meeting and I got to see how down to earth the apostles really are.
Its such a positive enviornment and I love it here! The physical exercise facilities is pretty weak, but its super funny looking so I just laugh about it. You could probably google pictures of the track they have, but anyway I just mostly play basketball with their smallish court.
I don´t know if I mentioned the people but the Brazillians
(He accidentally sent this letter in two parts)
Sorry i accidently sent it before I was done with the letter. But the poeple are SUPER nice, they are just the most polite people and you just love them so easily.
I went ot the Sao Paulo Temple this morning and it was cool in that it was different than the other temples I´ve been to, there is also the coolness factor that I´ve been to a temple that none ýall been to! :) I cant remember everything off the top of my head because Im in such a rush and I dont have my jornal handy to remember everything, but you guys can read them when I get back. I´ll just write some more stuff until they kick me off.
I took some cool pictures of brazil and the mtc but i cant send them because of rules and stuff, but once I actually get to my mission they might let me if I have access to computer :/ It tooka couple days to get re-adjusted but I´m totally synced with the schedule and feeling great. Now that my companion went home I´m in a trio with two other elders Norton (NJ) and Young (OH). Everyday for breakfast they have two options: bread with meat and cheese that you can "grill" or this weird yellow breakfast soup that tastes sweet; Ive actually fallen in love with the sweet breakfast soup! It dosent have oats or anything in it so I think it is made with eggs and sugar or something, all I know is that I tastes good!! The keyboards on the computer are in portuguese so sometimes they throw in extra slashes and accents and have weird letters like ç that ive had to delete a thousand times as I type.
They have us speaking portuguese all the time!! no wonder people can learn it in 6 weeks! I can pray and talk with people in portuguese and its only been 1.5 weeks. I also memorized the missionary purpose in portuguese and was the only one to know it in my whole zone when they asked who could recite it :) So I got some awesome points for repping good! I´ve already taught at least 5 lessons in portuguese already and have a lot more to go before Im out of here. I havent been out in the city because of my late temple time and email time, but next week I will have more time I think to explore and wont have to write what happens in two weeks in 45min. E. Norton brought a little christmas tree so we set it up with lights and ordaments and put some presents under it, (I´ll take a picture) and I´m gonna put my stocking by it as well that I got from mom. They strung a bunch of christmas lights the other day so anyday now they might turn them on. :) Now I´m really out of time so Bye till next week!
-- Love,
Elder Benjamin Barton
