Week Fifty - Transfer to Paracuri!

Tom driving a boat with 100's of cars on it!  Love this pic!

 

Good Morning Loved Ones!

 

     Glad to hear everyone is good, that Thanksgiving was good, that you all had a good week. EEEESH! Eu vou ter muito saudade neste proximo mês! This past week was good. We had a wedding here in the area. The first couple I taught that got married, so that´s pretty cool, and after the wedding, the wife and her daughter were baptized, and in the next week, the husband and son should get baptized, I hope, but unfortunately I won´t be here to see it. I received the news yesterday morning that I will be transferred, which I´m not too excited about. I didn´t realize how good I had it here, and now I´m leaving. :/ My next area is called Paracurí, which is back in Belém. I didn´t really want to return back to Belém, and I´ve already served in Paracurí once. We had a companion exchange one time a few months ago. I went to Paracurí while one of the missionaries of the dupla there went to my area. The area was okay, but it didn´t seem very lively... but I don´t know how to explain it better than that... Anyways, I have to continue on. Egua I don´t feel like saying much more! Christmas has come, I´m being transferred!, I have to leave everything behind, again! Being a missionary is difficult...
     Q&A

Any packages this past week?  I am really hoping you get the first one I sent in the next week - you'll see why! I received cookies from Mr. Cheyneys, but it ain´t my cinnamon roll! I want a cinnamon roll now!, but thanks for the cookies, whoever sent them. Also, a package arrived at the mission office for me, but the post office is holding it until I pay 320 reais, I think (160 bucks more or less) or they send it back. I´ll go ahead and pay it, don´t worry when a lot of cash is taken out of my account this week, but you have to send smaller packages I think. I´ll get more deets today, because I´m going to the mission office. Anyways...

How are your shoes holding up?  If you need new ones, can you buy them down there?  Do they have the kind of shoes you need?  Let me know.... My shoes are fine, they should last a few more months, and there are shoes that I can buy here, so don´t worry about shoes.

If you are getting taller, are your pants long enough?  I hate the thought of your pants being too short! My pants seem to be fine still, thanks for worrying.

Where do you go to get haircuts?  Your hair always looks good in your pictures! There´s a bunch of barbershops here, but I haven´t got my hair cut since I arrived in this area. In my previous area, a member always cut it for free, lucky me... but don´t worry... thanks for worrying....

Do you need me to send you a jump/pen drive? that would be cool, I accept!

Just one pic this week, I´m out of time. It´s me, driving a boat, but not just any boat. The kind of boat that carries 100s of cars. (I hope I didn´t already send this pic)

 

Anyways, I love you all, Have a good safe week, and enjoy 1 last Christmas without me, and the next one I´ll be home! YEAH YEAH!

 

Love Elder Williams

Week Forty Nine - Getting Ready for Christmas!

Picture posted on facebook by Carla.  

No pictures this week, but I found this picture of Tom and his companion on facebook, so I added it to this week's post.  I am wondering if this is from when he and his companion acted in a ward play?  Guess I'll have to ask him!

HELLO!

     EGUA! this is annoying. I got a kid here to fix my pen drive,and while he was fixing it, I bought another pen drive. I tried to put some pics on the new one and the same thing that happened to the old one happened to this one, saying I need to insert a disc  to use it... but meu amigo ends up getting the other one to work again. I try using the old one today, and it ends up saying the same thing, "insert disc...." GAAAAHHHH, WHAT LUCK! friggin frustrating!
     Anyways, this week was okay.... but now I can´t remember anything because there is so much frustration in my brain.... This week we had an exposition of the church at the park, which went well I guess. We gave away a bunch of Books of Mormon and Teachings of the Prophets. Some people showed some interest, others were a little mad that the Mormon missionaries talked to them... but whatev. Wow, it´s the last week of the transfer already. Every single one just passes faster and faster. I think when I arrived in the mission field, I looked at everything on a daily, maybe hourly, basis, but now, the transfers are just flying by! hrmmm... what more can I say?

    Can you believe it´s thanksgiving already? I´m quite sure Thanksgiving isn´t celebrated here. People here are already getting ready for Christmas. It´s weird, lots of Christmas lights but no snow. NATAL CHEGOU! Hey! good idea about the party! I think I´ll do that too! Should be easy, and awesome. I´ll probably eat a loooot of pork and beef! Hmmmm, soo good! Thanks for Justin´s info, I´ll be sure to right him today. Don´t worry Justin! A letter´s coming buddy! Egua! Only 6 months left! Eeeesh the mission passes too fast. And all that other stuff is interesting, moving on!

Q&A
 Grandpa wants to know what "Equa" means because you say it a lot in your e-mails.  He tried to look it up and translate, but got something like a female horse, which he doesn't think that's what it means. Egua, in fact, does mean female horse, but it is used here as "wow!" or "gosh dangit" or "frick" or "holy moly".... I promise it is not palavrão (swear word).... where I´m serving at least....

Do you know if you'll be able to Skype on Christmas when you call home?  If you find out you can, let me know asap so I can get a camera.  We can't wait to talk to you, again! I´m not sure... I might be transferred this next week, so I´ll wait until after the 27th to see what to do for Christmas.

Any packages or letters this past week and if so, from who?  I mailed you another small package this past week with mostly some letters and than a couple, small gifts that didn't make it into your big Christmas package. No, but that´s okay, you´re e-mails are good enough for now.

What season is it down there, now?  I figure the weather probably isn't much different but someone asked me about the season the other day and I didn't know. The weather is the same. Very hot, lots of sweat, but I think it will start raining soon.

Does Brazil do a holiday like our Thanksgiving?  I am sure you won't be too bummed to miss it, as I never got the feeling it was your favorite holiday. I´m not sure. Thanksgiving in Portuguese is "dia de ação de graça," or day of action of grace... or something like that. Search it up on the net...

 

Okay, that´s all. I forgot my camera, sorry!. I love you all and will miss you a bunch, especially in this next month, mas eu preciso continuar firme! Have a safe week and enjoy Thanksgiving. Gotta go now Tchau Tchau!

Week Forty Eight - Fourth Zone Conference

Tom, his companion and Cleide at her baptism.

"The church of the Brothers: The Bible, All of the Bible, nothing but the Bible."

It sounds to me like Tom learned a valuable life lesson this past week about people.  Sometimes, the kindness you receive from strangers has nothing to do with their religion or lack of, for that matter. It's their humanity that guides how they treat people in some cases.  I hope it's a lesson that stays with him forever.  So proud of this amazing kid!

 

Hello Fam Fam!

     Egua! those pictures of snow make me sooooooo jealous. But I must continue.... in the place closest to the inferno... So my week was pretty interesting. Tuesday we had a zone conference, and wow those 3 months from the last one passed fast. There´s only 4 zone conferences in the year. My first was the day after I arrived in the mission field, and this past one was the last of the year! EEESH it passes fast! At the zone conference I saw Elder Hoch and Elder Kaufman. Elder Hoch looks 5 years older already, and Elder Kaufman is about the same... but he says I´m getting taller which is cool.

     We had some pretty interesting experiences this week. We tried talking to one woman, who was taught by my companion and another missionary some days before, and she told us that we were deceived, the Joseph Smith is a liar, that the Book of Mormon comes from the Devil, and that my companion and I are going to perish in the last day.... O_O. Egua! Eu não acho que tive senimentos tão ruins na minha missão até escutar aquela mulher! (I don´t know why I had to say that in portuguese, it just kind of makes more sense to me right now. you can Google translate that though -"I do not think I've had such bad feelings in my mission to listen to that woman!" ) I heard, but I don´t know for a fact, that she burned the Book of Mormon we gave her.... Eeeesh, that´s going to be held against her in the last day.

    Yesterday, my companion and I were walking and walking and walking, we had a few appointments fall, and a man at the front of his house stops us, asks if we wanted some water, lets us in and we end up talking to him and a few others that were there for almost 2 hours I think. It was funny, because all of them were drinking and smoking, and the oldest woman there was screaming while watching a soccer game the whole time. Every time someone scored (3 times because it´s just soccer) she yells GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLL!! while everyone else was interested in learning about "Os Mórmons." Just a funny experience.... kindness shown from people that aren´t really religious and rudeness from the people that claim to follow Christ. (I´m not saying that all are like that, just in these cases this past week)

     Anyways, we had another baptism. A woman of about 34 years of age, Cleide. She actually brought some amigas dela that we are going to try to start teaching, which is cool. I talked in sacrament meeting for only the third time in my mission, the other day. I think I´m getting better. I was not as anxious or nervous this time. So that was my week! Did you like it? I did.

       Pics: The first is our baptism this week. The next one is a pic of a church. "The church of the Brothers: The Bible, All of the Bible, nothing but the Bible." Funny. The next is the zone conference and after that is a pic of the river at about 6 or 6:30 in the morning.

What do you like to eat at the barbeque places?  Are they kind of like Cafe Rio with barbeque pork, chicken and beef?

Did you hear anything about our presidential elections in Brazil?  Does anyone talk about our president? I just heard that Obama won... but that doesn´t matter because I´m in Brazil"

How many missionaries are living in your apartment...please send some pictures! Just 2 duplas, me and my companion and one other companionship. But I already chose the pics for this week, sorry.

Did you do anything to celebrate your companion's one year mark?  Don't missionaries burn something, like a tie or a shirt? Just the 10 baptisms in one day.

Any packages or letters this past week?  If so, from who, so I can let them know.  I hope you get my first Christmas package pretty soon..... nope but that´s okay thanks anyways!

okay I gots ta go! Tchau! I love you all!

Love Elder R. Williams

Week Forty Seven - White Saturday!

Hello!      This week was pretty good. We had a little activity called "White Saturday," which is when you have all the missionaries of the zone (6 duplas here) baptize in the same chapel. We 10 baptisms in total. My companion and I only baptized one person, and we didn´t have a confirmed baptism until the day of, so we were running backwards a little this week. At the baptism, we sang that primary song "quando eu for batizado" (when I am baptized, but I´m not sure if that´s the title in English) and "que manhã maravilhosa" (that marvelous morning, again I forgot the name in English). It was really cool. President and Sister Scisci were there, and sister Scisci said she cried while hearing it. How spiritual are we, nè? (probably not so much) Anyways, that´s about it for this week, unfortunately. Oh, some exciting news! My companion hit his 1 year mark! Wooohooo! Me next! Me next! Me next!.... continuing on.
        Interesting news to hear that someone was called to a 3 year mission. A few months ago, one of my companions asked me if I would serve a 3 year mission if I were called. It´s a tough decision, but I think I would. And that´s even more interesting that he got to call President Monson´s office. Hrmmmmmmm.... Nate´s costume is pretty awesome, but I´m drawing a blank on Macklemoore, too. Hey! Give me updates every week about the jazz games por favor! Egua! Only one more season and the first few games of the next and it´s all over for me. Scary.
Q&A
Dad wants to know if you are teaching anyone or have any investigators? Yes we are teaching people. "Nothing happens in the missionary work until you find people to teach," and I´m definitely not doing nothing, although I have heard that many missionaries are slacking off. FUBEKAS! We taught 2 people who have gone to the church a number of times, but we just found out at church yesterday that they aren´t members. And they both accepted a baptismal date this Saturday, which is really exciting.

Do you have an oven, microwave or both? and a stove!

Are there any little bakeries in your area and if so, do you ever go to them? yes there are, but rarely do I buy from them.

Andy has asked me a couple of times if you have gotten his e-mails -- can you reply to him when you get one, just so he knows it went through? Yeah I received an e-mail from him a week or 2 ago, don´t remember very well. Sorry I forgot to mention that. It was great to hear from him and that he and everyone else is doing well.

Have you been out to eat at any restaurants in your new area and if so, what kind of restaurant was it? There are a lot of churrascarias here (BBQ), and I´m loving it. But we don´t there too often.

Do you have a washer and dryer where you are now? Just a washer, but we don´t need dryers here. I don´t think anyone in the state of Pará uses a dryer.

Any packages or letters this past week and if so, who from? Nothing yet, but it´s almost Christmas, já, and I´m as excited as relampago!....

Well that´s all for this week. I´m feeling a little too lazy to search pics to send him because it´s completely out of order and I don´t know what I´ve already sent home, but next week, first thing I´ll do is send about a bajillion pics home, tá? tá! I love you all and am glad that you are all safe, and that he hurricane hasn´t hit Utah yet! Have a great week and forget about MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!e!E1E11E!E1E1!e1!

Love Elder Williams

Week Forty Six - Sword Envy!

View on Tom's street.

View out of his window.

Elder Mendonca's sheath and sword.

 

Bom Dia! Que belo saco de milho você tem!

 

     Well, as usual, hope you had a really good week last week! I was glad to hear about your new companion and that you think he will be a good missionary to be with yo.... oh wait... I´m just repeating what you said. That´s weird. Anyways, my week was okay. My companion´s pretty funny. He likes to talk a lot. He has about a billion and one stories to tell. And he´s usually pretty blunt with with people we teach. But he´s a good missionary, has lots of experiences, and should help me out a lot. Unfortunately I don´t have a lot of news this week. Not a lot is going on here, Ma!

         Thanks for the picture of the mountains. Looks cool. Hearing about that hurricane is unfortunate, but it hasn´t affected anything here.  Funny to hear about Elio in the Air Force. Good Luck! If it´s anything like the mission, it should pass quick and be a good experience. Egua time is passing fast. It´s already almost Christmas, you already sent me my package. Justin´s almost in the last quarter of his mission, já! Frick, this is weird!

      Anyways, pics this week are assim: Elder Mendonças sheath and sword. Egua I´m jealous. If you see me take out about 500 bucks from my account, it´s because I bought a sword. The next one is the view of our street outside the window, and the next is a view out the window of the chapel on the third floor.

Q&A

  Do they celebrate Halloween in Brazil?  If they do, does everyone dress up like they do here? I think they do, but it doesn´t seem very popular. I´ve only seen a billboard that says there will be a party in the forest on the first instead of 31st anyways, I haven´t seen much about Halloween here.

Have you had any bad weather there - maybe could be from that hurricane headed our way. Nothing here. I think the daily rain should start up again this next month.

Is there anything you need that I could have Grandma send in her Christmas package to you?  How are you on deodorant and sunscreen? Deodorant don´t need, nor sunscreen. Oh I have an idea. Cinnamon(?) rolls. I think if you send the kind you have to cook in the oven, I can learn... but send some microwavable ones just in case. UMMMM CINNAMON!

Is the beach you sent a picture of on the banks of the Amazon? I don´t really have a clue. I think I need to look up where I´m at on Google maps.

Any packages or letters this past week?  If so, who from? zero letters from my good friend, no one... But that´s okay, my mission is almost over já. 

 

Anyways, that´s my life so far. Thanks for everything you do for me at home. Thank you for your love and support. The church is true, I love you, em nome de Jesus Cristo, Amém!

 

Love Elder Williams
  

Em Turns Twenty Four - Happy Birthday!

Em and Davey at Brio!

New Tom's!!

Em opening presents.

Birthday dinner at Spaghetti Factory.

Em blowing out the candles, with Rachel.

On Thursday, October 11th, my first born and only daughter turned twenty four years old!  Happy Birthday, Em!  I remember the day she was born, like it was yesterday!  It was a beautiful day and still felt just like Summer.  I was told by my doctor to call a phone number on Monday morning to tell them I was supposed to come in to the hospital for an induction.  When I called the number, they told me they were completely full and didn't have one room open.  I was devastated and remember I went back to bed in tears.  Dave went off to work and about a half hour later, my doctor called wondering where I was.  I guess he had accidentally given me the phone number to Holy Cross instead of LDS Hospital and he wanted me to get up there right away.  So, the day started out pretty chaotically, to say the least!  I was in labor all day, after they hooked me up to the Pitosun and Em finally arrived around 8:30pm that night during a World Series game on the TV in my room.  I had been sure that I was having a boy, so when they told me it was a girl, I was in shock!  She was so incredibly cute and I remember Dave and I taking her home from the hospital and then looking at each other while she was sleeping and wondering "what do we do now?"  

There is just nothing like the experience of having your first child.  It's scary and incredible at the same time!  It's amazing that we apparently have instincts that help both the child and us survive.  It's funny how in some ways it seems like a lifetime ago that she came into my life and it other ways it seems like just the other day.  I can't imagine life without my daughter.  She has become my best friend and the person I would do anything for.  At twenty four, she has become all and more than I could have ever wished for her. I am so proud of her!

Em had to work on her birthday (part of being an adult, apparently), but when she got home, we all went to dinner at Brio at Fashion Place Mall.  It was really fun to have the four of us there, but we all were wishing Tom could be there, too.  After dinner, we went home and she opened her presents.  The next night, she went to dinner with friends and then on Sunday, we celebrated with my family at Spaghetti Factory.  It was a four day birthday, but I think she had fun.  She was complaining about feeling old and not wanting to get older than 24!  Oh, to be 24 again!  I know the feeling, though, that you get to a point where you just want to stop time, but you can't - you just have to accept it!

Week Forty Five - Assistant to the Assistant to the President!

Tom, his companion and Jean.

The beach, which Tom cannot enjoy :(

Tom and Elder Puffer watching conference.

Alo Mamãe, Papai, meu irmão e minha irmã!

           Well my week was pretty good! I met my new companion, Elder Munhós. He´s from the south of Brazil, I forget which state. He hits one year in the mission this next month. I´m still the zone leader´s companion, which I hope changes after this transfer. Elder Munhós actually trained Elder Hoch, an mtc buddy, which is cool. He doesn´t show a lot of emotion, but he seems like a good missionary, and a hard worker. Before the mission he was drafted into the army here in Brazil and says he wants to return after his mission. But this week I actually had 2 companions, the second was Elder Cavalheiro, one of the president´s assistants. The assistants arrived Wednesday night and stayed at our place. Six missionaries in one home is kind of annoying, but anyways, they ended up dividing my companion and I, one assistant went with my companion, the other with me. I now have an idea of what it takes to be an assistant in the mission, which doesn´t seem easy. Anyways, it was a great learning experience, and I think it will help a lot, because I have a better idea of what I can change and where I can improve.
         But that´s about all that happened this week. So yeah, kind of short. But I´m glad to hear everyone´s week went well! The increase in missionaries is cool to hear, good luck President Monson!
Pics!
The first is of me, my companion, and Jean, the kid that left for his mission just over a week ago. The next is me watching general conference with my roommate, Elder Puffer. He just started his second to last transfer this week. A picture of the beach, which I can´t enjoy. And a little family home evening we had at a members place.
Q&A
What is your new companion's name?
Elder Munhós!
Where is he from and does he speak English at all?
Some place close to Santa Catarina, and no he doesn´t speak English, at all
How are you feeling - are you healthy?
I´m feeling fine, no problems here.
Where do you go to e-mail each week in your new area?
A cyber/lan house close to the park, here in the vila
Any packages or letters this week and if so, who from?
I received a letter from one of my teachers in the MTC, Irmã Korth. It was really cool to hear from here.... what more can I say?

Anyways, I think that´s all for now. I love you all, stay safe, let me in on some more news outside of home too please.... what more can I say? Tchau!

Love Elder Assistant to the assistant of the president!