February 17, 2010

Hey family,

How is it going? So first of all, ya I can go buy a pin drive if you guys can put some money on my card and I’ll take Morris to lunch. He took me out for his b-day. We went to Subway. But I'm not sure how much money I have on my card cause this place is impossible to live on the mission budget. We don’t have one single lunch with the members and almost every week we have to go to a different city and do baptism interviews which is 20 reis every time so that leaves us with about 30 dollars for two weeks to eat every meal. So I've been using my card a little here and there. But anyways thanks for the letter. I’ll buy a pin drive and send my pics.

So we got to stay in our area for Carnaval but we have to stop working at like 6 every day. It’s nuts!!!!! Just look up videos on YouTube of carnaval here. I’m sure there has to be some. It's unreal but we're being really careful about it and the two elders from Corao Vermelho are here staying with us this whole week so we’re with Sanderson and his comp. It’s been really fun. But anyways we confirmed a kid who was baptized before but was gone the week of his confirmation or something so we confirmed him it was good. The kid is 13 and lives by himself... he makes bracelets and sells them on the beach. He works to live. He doesn’t know who or where his mom is. His dad is a drunk... like permanently drunk. You can’t even have a conversation with him. There are three of them that live in this house, a 13 a 12 and an 11 year old. The other two kids, the 12 and 11 year olds smoke cigarettes. It’s so sad to see some of this stuff. There is no way for these kids to get out of this life style. There’s no chance of education for them now because they have to work to live. And their living situation is so so bad. It’s unreal. I just wanna do anything I can to help these kids but there’s nothing I can really do. I’m trying to help them stop smoking for a start.. It’s just really sad. But anyways I don’t wanna be all depressing.

Tell Grandpa Lowe I love him, and all the Lowe family. Tell them there are prayers being sent from Brazil for every one of them - especially Grandpa Lowe. And tell Natalie to write me an email. I think I have sent her two with out a response!!! Unacceptable.

I hope you all get feeling better. Justin is a different person than when I left. Holy smokes this is insane. Monty... Justin... and Kimbo will have another baby... it's unreal. To me it feels like everything back home was just put on hold in my mind but then I see pics and realize that life is still going on back home. It’s really weird. How far along is Kimbo anyways?

So our shower and our sink broke - just needed stupid little parts, but thanks again Dad for teaching me this stuff. It’s just so nice not to have to call someone else to do stupid little jobs like that, so thanks for teaching me how to work. Mom thanks for teaching me to always be obedient. It’s helped me so much out here. Justin thanks for being such a good example for me. (I just hope I can get home before he is translated.) Kimbo thanks for being my friend and always being there. Jared thanks for being my friend also and taking care of my sister. Monty thanks for giving them all heck. Grammy thanks for all the hugs and calling me “Bucky Rooster”. Pa thanks for all the memories with working on the jeep and fishing. Cabin Grandpa thanks for making me always feel like I’m loved and feel like the man by calling me “tougher than boiled owl” and what not, ha. And Cabin Grandma thanks for the help. I love you all.

Take care.