Natal!

Christmas Conference

Hello Everyone,

I have cut and pasted the mom questions so that I will not forget. I am not training for the time being. Elder Pesantes went home to handle some health issues and I am with Elder Andrade from the Nordeste.....and Elder Vighetto from São Paulo,  Elder Vighetto is in my district and is also my zone leader. His companion was made AP so he's going to be with us for the last week of this transfer. It should be a ball in the Parigot de Souza household. We cleaned our house and it smells like an orange febreeze knock-off. We got(received) a bunch of Christmas boxes from our ward which was super nice and a mountain of "panetone". I have no idea if panetone has the same name in the USA. I have never seen it or eaten it before the mission. It's a soft bread with chocolate and fruits baked inside. I think we have 8 so far and we are grabbing more by the minute. It's a good way to do some street contacting. Talking about Jesus while giving some nice bread on the side. I have another week here in Parigot, Maybe I'll stay, maybe I'll go. We'll know next week. I think I'll be staying for another transfer.

OS acontecimentos da semana (the events of the week)

I cut the price of a hammock in half on the street the other day. 100 reais down to 45 reais. My brother Eric suggested pulling out the American charm by giving a neck-tie right there during the sale. I'll give it a whirl. Maybe I will buy some Brasilian sandals. 

CONFERENCE CALL WITH THE FAMILY!

It was a blast hearing all of their voices and seeing little people that I had never met yet. Francesca was still Francesca. That was the most important part. I have to throw the truth down. I felt super strange. At first I thought they were strange...then I thought back a little and realized that I am super strange. I can't really speak English very well. I had to ask several times if I was saying things that seemed normal. or, "did I say that back at home?...how would I have said that back at home?" I came to the conclusion that I am super weird now. I'm an American missionary that doesn't know how to speak his own language correctly. The next year and 2 months will be strange if I continue getting Brasilian companions like the past. The English skills will be erased, I think.

Music

My mom has been asking if I have been singing or playing the guitar at all here in Brasil. I haven't been singing that much...even with my companions. I started to sing a little more and now Elder Andrade won't stop telling the women of the ward that I sing and play the guitar. As lunch starts to wind down and we transition into leaving the table to head over to the living room for a message, Elder Andrade always says "IRMÃ IRMÃ, sabia o segredo de elder forsyth?....ele não contou pra vocês? serio? canta ai elder canta logo....vocês tem uma violão em algum lugar? Passa por elder forsyth ele vai contar hallelujiah agora...vai á elder vai" When he started to do this I got a little embarrassed at first because it had been awhile since I had sung in front of actual people, not just my shower head. To make a long story short, it is our new way of getting some member referrals.

Elder Andrade is a caboeiro, karate, kunfu, judo and everything else that has to do with fighting expert. He started at age 7 and hasn't stopped winning competitions in Brasil. The man seriously knows how to fight. He trained every single day of his life. Our 6:30 exercises are now based in fighting each other a little. I am learning a bunch of judo right now

Christmas churrasco: smokey, salty and splendid.

Much Love from Elder Forsyth

p.s. Stay sweet America (and the blog readers in other places). Jesus loves you and the church is true. Read the Book of Mormon to find out! 

Elder Andrade at Christmas lunch

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