December 12, 2011

Dear Family,

I have some good news and some bad news.  The bad news is that I will not be calling you guys this Christmas.  The good news is that I will be skyping you guys this Christmas with the video.  The first presidency has just authorized it.  So get ready to not only talk to me but to see me too.  So that will be lots of fun.  I need to talk to the president to see if I can talk to Michelle as well.  So what I need right now is all of your skyping information so that I can find it on skype to be able to talk to you guys.  

OK so someone asked me what my favorite Brazilian food is.  That is hard for me to narrow down, but for sure it is not dessert.  I do like pastels, and I also like rice and beans, only don't try to make those things for me at home because they are only good if they are done right.  Because if not, they will be extremely bland and just awful.  I also like the churrascos here, because meat is awesome.  Then again, the ice cream is good since they use flavors of the different fruits they have here.  The best drink here in Brazil is Guaraná, all types. (and it has to be the soda, because the juice is extremely sweet).

So my companion is gone and I went with Elder ******* up in Pato Branco (white duck) for 4 days and then came back to Chapecó with my permanent companion,  Elder ******.

Pato Branco was cool since it was my shortest transfer.  And I was in the same house as one of the missionaries I came from the CTM with, Elder ******.  It was good to see him again.

Yeah, so this week there was not much of seeing or teaching investigators since this whole week was just getting Elder ******* ready to go, and me going back and forth to different cities.

The culture is very much different here in Brazil and I am noticing some differences.  For instance with movies, ratings seem to be disregarded by everyone.  I at first was surprised until I noticed how stupid some of ratings are here.  For instance, the animated movie Megamind with Will Ferrell is a family movie rated PG (I am certain), well, I found here that the movie is rated 16 (equivalent to R-ratings).  So, if I grew up in Brazil I might disregard ratings here as well.  Pretty much everyone here watches whatever movie they want to.

Well I am running out of ideas of things to talk about, so I guess this is where the letter ends.  Sorry I haven't said a lot, it has been a hectic week with a lot of changes and I don't even know what I am saying.

Love you all, can't wait to skype.
Elder Kevin Brady.

December 5, 2011

Hello, once again Family and Friends,

Another week has gone by. Is it just me or are the weeks getting faster and faster? I love it here in Brazil. I enjoy serving this mission a lot and I love to receive all of your letters. If you have sent a letter recently, I should be receiving it on Wednesday. Unfortunately, I did not receive information last week about the Christmas phone call, but there will be a zone meeting this week, so I am sure that I will receive it then. I am glad to hear that Henry loves me so much that he remembers me in his prayers. At least one person understands how awesome I am.

So this week is going to pretty much be a bit of saying goodbye to our families since Elder ***( is leaving. On Saturday, we had lunch at an investigators house (lunch in Brazil is like dinner in America if you base it on the amount of food served). We also talked about music with them and we shared our different interests in the kind of music that we like. I look at it as a good way to show the investigators that we are normal people instead of two guys that come in to teach, baptize, and leave. Some on the other hand would not ever do what we did, so it all comes down to how one looks at it. But I must admit that after that whole encounter, my desire to learn guitar has increased tenfold. And yes, we did give them a gospel message as well and exhorted them to continue reading the scriptures and praying and to come to church.

Thank you for the cream cheese frosting recipe, though I don't know how much it makes so I won't worry too much about cutting it in half. For now at least. But now I can make cinnamon rolls for investigators (hopefully they like them). You should send a cookie recipe too, like chocolate chips or peanut butter, or snicker-doodles, or no bakes, or shortbread, or something. But this will be great for now.

It's good to hear that Erica is sharing the gospel with her friends and that you all are enjoying telling others about the gospel. How much better it would if people would learn about the church from LDS members themselves, rather than from anti-Mormons and the rumors and lies they tell.

We have been teaching some new families this week and a lot of people are having a hard time accepting the resurrection. Some say that it is hard to comprehend that there will be more eternal life after the Spirit world. So we left them with some scriptures about the resurrection, from both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and hopefully they will pray and open their hearts and mind to be able to accept that the Resurrection is for all the people in the world. We also taught a family where the father argued just to argue. That just about slaughtered my companions patience.

I have my camera in the computer finally and it is loading the pictures. We moved this week and my companion and I had to ride in the back of the moving van with all the things we brought to the new house. We got that ride on my camera too and it was fun. We almost died. I don't know if this loading (of my pictures) will finish soon enough. But the house that we now live in is very small and very blue. Even the keys we are using are blue. It's a little odd.

Christmas in the summer time will be awesome. They are preparing for it here in the city, and there are decorations all over the place. They have a plastic Santa sunbathing in the middle of the street. They are Christmas fanatics down here. I love it!

Well that just about wraps everything up. We are going to go celebrate my companion's last P-day [preparation day], so today should be lots of fun. I love you guys and hope to hear from you all again soon.

Love,

Elder Kevin Brady

November 28, 2011

Dear Family,

I am very happy to serve a mission! I´m reading the Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball, and I am learning a lot from the first two chapters (it's also in Portuguese), so hopefully I get both the blessings of understanding the Atonement and language when I am done. I will also get information this week via E-mail from the mission president about Christmas (so, in other words, I will tell you what is going on not this week, but next week). Oh by the way each pair of missionaries gets to choose two movies to watch during Christmas weekend, and we will have a list to choose from; so, that will be fun. My companion said that last year, Lord of the Rings was on the list, and he lived with three other missionaries in his house so they all three chose Lord of the Rings and watched that for Christmas. Lucky. Thanks for the money because it is needed. Once I pay [for a medical procedure], I will be reimbursed.

OK, so this is what has been going on so far in our area: We are teaching five great families who are reading the Book of Mormon, hearing the lessons, and gaining a testimony of the truth of the Book of Mormon, and are loving it and everything. Here is what is holding them back from completely progressing: They are not going to church. Almost all of them would make the decision in seconds to be baptized, if they would only go to church. It can be so frustrating at times, especially since they know that the Book of Mormon is true. That means that the Church is true as well! But I can not force them and that is probably one of the first greatest gifts and blessings that Heavenly Father has given us: Agency. They must choose for themselves and be influenced by the Spirit to come unto Christ, because force will never cause happiness.

One of our investigators is a mason, so that would be cool if he were baptized. Also, his kids (who are now almost in their thirties) are extremely well mannered. Like, extremely well. They treat all guests like royalty and always make sure that they are not hungry or thirsty. That is how I want to raise my kids: that all guests are royalty.

I did not have McDonald´s because the McChicken (which is one dollar in Oregon) is R$ 6.00 over here. And as of now, I don´t have much money so I don't plan on buying much of anything at the moment. Things that are from America are expensive here. For instance, R$ 2.00 for Jellybeans and you get like 7. So I will wait.

My companion has bought a bunch of perfume and lotion from Brazil for his family back at home and some flip-flops as well. I don't have to worry about that for now, but I did find a cologne here, that was made in Brazil, called Seduction and I wanted that, but I thought maybe I should wait until my mission is almost over. It smells good though. Kind of a little like passion fruit. But the name is what caught my eye the most.

Oh yeah, I kind of wanted to know if you could send the ingredients for the frosting for the cinnamon rolls (the cream cheese kind), because I don't know where to find that here in Brazil.

Tell Katrina that I just got her letter which she thought I would get in January and that I did appreciate it a lot and will write them all back today. Henry and Charlotte are growing up so fast.

It is getting more and more like summer here (which is weird since the central here is covered in Christmas decorations) and I am getting a tan. But first off, they do believe in Santa Claus and he is all the same except he wears one of those tropical shirts and swim shorts as well as the classic clothing. And yes, I do have a tan, and I will prove it with some pictures later. I will even take a picture of the watch tan line, which is very severe. I have a problem with wearing sunscreen most days and so my nose gets a little burnt at times and starts peeling, but I am trying to do a little better with that.

That about wraps it up for me. I enjoy your E-mails and I love it when I hear from my whole family. But I think that my parents just love me the most in the family. So they will get nice souvenirs.

Love you all and keep writing and striving in the Gospel. The most important part of being converted is enduring to the end, and helping others to come unto Christ.

Elder Kevin Brady

November 21, 2011

Hello Family,

This week was good. The president already knows about the problems of the other Elder so there is not much to do about it. We did sing to our investigators and they enjoyed it. I enjoyed singing to them. Oh yes and question, I need to know how much is on the debit card (well it won´t matter much really since I need it this week) but I need to pay about $150 to a foot doctor because I had an ingrown toenail and I will get a reimbursement after I pay the price. So that is lots of fun. I actually had four ingrown toenails this month. Yeah, it kind of hurt. Yes I do have my card. I just don't know how much is on it.

We have someone that is committed to a baptismal date. He is eight years-old and his older brother is a member, so now we are preparing them both so that his brother can baptize him. Their mom is not a member but she doesn't care what church they go to. But hopefully over time she will join the church as well.

The other investigators are always busy, though this week me and my companion look at it as a blessing that none of our investigators were at sacrament meeting since practically apostasy was being preached over the pulpit. The speaker was giving a talk about missionary work and some how that related to him stating he was beautiful five times and that God wants the Lamanites to be homeless. That is what he said: "The other day I saw a Lamanite at the park who was sleeping and homeless. God wants that." ...???... (FYI – We don't belive God wants that!!) So we just decided to work at the investigators coming next Sunday.

Today we are going to the "Shopping" which in English is mall, and that will be exciting. I am not sure what we will do there, all I know is that it is the first mall in Chapecó. And it has McDonald´s.

I have found a few General Conference Liahonas and I have been reading those lately and I enjoy them a lot. Reading the words of the prophets give deep insight on how we should improve and live our lives. And by heeding the words of the prophet we can return to the presence of our Father and our Redeemer.

I love this gospel and I know that it is true. I am truly grateful for Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, who died for our sins. I am also grateful for the Love of our Heavenly Father and how he continues to love us even when, at times, we throw it back in his face. I love all of you and I know that this church is true.


Elder Kevin Brady

November 14, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

I got my Christmas package and the four letters that you sent to me, including the first “three days of Christmas.” Unfortunately, I was not patient and I opened them all immediately, so I now have everything. The good thing is that the gift will last because I received 4 jars of Peanut Butter! Thank you so much! I never thought that peanut butter would make the best Christmas gift ever, but it does. Also the maple flavoring and root beer concentrate is awesome (I didn´t know there was such a thing as root beer concentrate).

I am glad to hear Tessa is doing great and thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to try it. Emily threw up, that is no fun. I remember that throw-up always came out of my nose so hopefully that didn't happen to her.

Tessa's wedding pictures are great! I wish I had been there; but at the same time, I am glad I wasn't because you guys sent me a lot of those pictures and I am certain that it wasn't even half of what was actually taken. I don't have the patience for going through a picture session. But I did like the colors. I am guessing red and black [note: Kevin is color blind], but whatever they were it looked very classy! All of the colors have been great for each of my sisters' weddings, but I might go with pink and purple for my wedding. Maybe yellow too.

This week was good. We had two investigators come to church yesterday so that was exciting and they enjoyed it. Afterwards, my companion told me that the husband kept telling him that I sang good, so we might give a lesson to the family and sing a song to them. My companion had a good idea to get words to some Christmas songs and sing them to some investigators here, since they don´t really have Christmas songs here in Brazil. At first I was like, "But it doesn't snow in Brazil" and my companion said "It doesn't matter, the songs are in English. They won´t understand!" So, that was a good point.

I sent letters to you guys earlier this week and hopefully they will get there soon. The strike is over at the post office in Floripa so we don´t have to worry about that. Oh, yeah, I was wondering if you guys could send me a bunch of recipes for cinnamon rolls and cookies and other things, because I think it would be a good Idea to make them and give them to investigators. Just send all types of recipes and I will find out if they have the things here in Brazil or not. Actually Elder V*****I, who is a missionary that lives in the same house as us, is going to help me make the cookies from the back of the Reese´s peanut butter chip package you guys sent me. We just need chocolate powder or something like that and then we can make it.

We have a missionary in our apartment who, every night, gets worried about some "demon" that is outside, and he runs around the house closing the windows and doors, and he seems paranoid about every single thing. I don't think I could be his companion because I might laugh at the situation and he would freak out on me. My companion is saying that he is just creepy but I am amused because I have seen a lot creepier. To me it's just funny. I don't think I could handle having a child like him because I could never take him seriously.

Well, it is great to hear from you all. Tell me the play Tessa has been in and what musical she will be doing next term. And no, you guys did not tell me about Erica and Emily being in the Christmas Carol.

I love all of you and have a very great week. You are all in my prayers.

Elder Kevin Brady

P.S. Tell Elder Craft that I have lost "The Game."

November 7, 2011

Hello,

I felt like starting my e-mail like Elder Turner. That is so weird that he is almost done when I have just started. I've got 19 months to go.

It is very comforting to hear that you still eat meat. I´ll miss those family get togethers during Thanksgiving and Christmas. I don´t even know if they celebrate Thanksgiving in Brazil. I know it's an American holiday but other countries have adopted it because I think they saw it as an excuse to eat more food. So maybe Brazil adopted it too. Who knows. Apparently every Christmas they have a Missionary Conference so that will be how I will celebrate that awesome day. I don't know if we go prosyliting on Christmas. I for one would not want two missionaries knocking on my door during Christmas, but that's just me. (Joking) Good to hear Halloween went awesome. Save the Reese´s for me. (Not Joking).

All right, so this week I escaped from Alcatraz, and I am now in Paridise. It is very warm heat here in Chapecó, and the most rain that we have had was the smallest sprinkle one can imagine. The rest of the days we have nice sunny weather. I am sorry that I have been awful with the pictures, but I do promise that next week, I will bring my camera. You guys can see my awesome farmers tan. Chapecó would probably be considered the cowboy city of Santa Cantarina. That is why it is so awesome. Out of the three cities I have served in, this one is the best.

My new companion, Elder V************** is great and the contrast between him and my previous companion is night and day. Elder F***** was constantly moving and walking, going from place to place. I don´t think he ever got tired, and Elder V** will sit down and take a break for a few minutes to rest. Some may see that as lazy, but we got three new investigators from it so I am not complaining. Elder V** pushes me in lessons to teach simple things, and that is pretty much where I get my language practice in. I guess that I should talk more at members homes, but I don´t know what to say since I have never been a talkative person. But it is no different than before since everyone sounded like they were speaking a different language before the mission, too.

Today was good. We went to the other mission apartment with other elders and we played Phase Ten. So now I am actually making friends on the mission which did not really happen before except with Elder T******.

These last few days I have been having a bit of insomnia, but last night I passed out, so that felt nice. I think the insomnia only happened because I am in a different place, so I don´t think it will last much longer.

No the package has not come yet. I may get it this week since my companion will go off to Floripa with the other Zone leader to get mail for the Zone conference this week. But I do not expect it until much later since we are in different countries. But I do have lots to talk about. It says in the handbook that we cannot talk more than 40 minutes unless the mission president allows more, because they don't want us to cause a money burden for you guys. But if you are fine with more, say it, and I can ask the mission president.

Investigators here are awesome. They are all reading the Book of Mormon and taking the lessons; the only thing they need is to actually come to church. That will help them a lot to progress.

Well, not much more time to write anything. I love you guys, and I look forward to the next e-mail. I still have trouble focusing, but that is something that I have to work at.

Love,
Elder Brady.

P.S. I had a dream that I was a little pig on a farm! Oink! Oink! Oink! (Harry Potter Puppet Pals - The Vortex)

October 31, 2011

Dear family and friends,

OK, many questions, but I will tell you guys that last week it was the other missionaries that had the transfer, and we had to go with them because there was a time that Elder *************** did not have a companion. An Emergency Transfer is when the Missionary President makes a random transfer, that is in the middle of a transfer cycle (so, not normally when people are transferred), and they usually have about two or three hours to pack and leave. I am not sure though why anyone would say that missionaries dread to hear those words. I would have been happy to hear them these first three months...

But that doesn´t matter now because on Wednesday, I leave for Chacepou, which is on the opposite side of our mission--about an 11 hour bus ride, but I think I might be taking a plane there. Not sure. My new companion will be Elder ******* who is a Zone leader there. I think that he is an American, judging from how the Americans say it differently than the Brazilians. I told everything that has been going on to the A.P.s and they promised that I will have a very good companion, and I have also heard that this guy is awesome. So I can´t wait.

This week we did not really do much because we moved to a different apartment, and that took up all of Wednesday; and then we spent time the other days preparing for a ward activity. The ward activity was pretty fun; I played some ping-pong with some of the members. I talked with a few, and I practiced my Portuguese.

I will miss the food and members here. But I also heard that the food is good at Chacepou, and that they have many Grills there. I think that we drink only two types of sodas as missionaries now: Guaraná and Coke-Cola. very rarely do we get others--like I think I had Pepsi once. We get juice a lot. At times, it's like actual juice, but I am not a fan of that because they make it really thick. Lots of rice of beans. And meat. I am sure that when I come back to Oregon I will be upset because of the lack of meat. And if you guys are vegetarian or something when I come back, I will live with some other family. I don't think anyone could be allowed to be a vegetarian here in Brazil. I never really liked it when people would tell me that there will be no meat during the millennium. They would say, "It says in the scriptures that the animals will live with the humans in harmony." OK, so the animals will give themselves up peacefully. That is fine with me.

I'm tired. I have been the first person up this last week. Everyone else is now slower than me to get up. That is not normal. I am kind of worried about this. I'm also the first to go to bed. But that doesn't mean at all that I can focus on anything, though.

This will be my second transfer on the mission, and my third Zone. This is odd for a missionary. Generally missionaries stay in the same zone for many months. If this keeps up I may meet almost every missionary in my mission.

I've run out of ideas, and now I have to write to the president. I hope everything goes well for you.

Love,
Elder Kevin Brady