10/30/11
Oi Familia, Tudo Bem?
Here I am starting on week six at the MTC. It feels like I’ve been here a lot longer than that. Life
here is fun and I’m learning constantly but the days and the weeks all blend together, and it’s difficult to say when, exactly, things happened. Elder Barkdull has been a few days behind in his
journal lately, which exacerbates this faulty perception of time even more. The other day I was talking to him about talking to Brother Weatherly, Alexis’s fiancé, and he could not figure out when that happened. I kept telling him it had happened the day before, but he was convinced
that it happened five days ago. He was getting really tripped out about it, lemme tell you, keeping a journal is so important especially here. It helps me get a grip on reality. It’s something I can point to and say, “I know that his day happened, and that I did these things on that day, because I recorded it.” It’s very stabilizing. I do not suggest Elder Trevisanut’s method. He’s so fed up with life at the MTC. For the past few days, he’s just been putting stuff like “Another boring day at the MTC,” or “Same old day at the MTC” and that’s it. It’s definitely making him lose some Marbles.
It’s kind of funny how everyone is on the Missionary moms now. I don’t know, we just think it’s weird that our moms all talk to each other. We all hear the same things at the same time form the Missionary moms. It’s kind of fun. And yes, Sister Barkdull needs to join. Then we’d have the whole district in the group!
Having a four person district has completely changed the dynamic of MTC. All four of us have to go everywhere together now, because Sister Patton can’t be with just one missionary at a time, she needs at least two, but, if two elders are with her, that means that there Is one Elder alone, which can’t happen. Therefore, all four of us have to be together which is kind of fun. The
weirdest thing about it is teaching. Since we can’t be separated, we’re all in the same room together. But, teaching with four is overkill. So, we teach in the classroom now, but only two of us are teaching at a time. The other two missionaries are quiet, and we just pretend like we’re not there. It’s a bit strange. Also, we switch who we teach with a bunch. When I’m teaching our “investigators” (Irmao Simons & Maxwell) I teach with Elder Trevisanut,. We also started a thing where one pair of missionaries pretends to be investigators, while the other pair teaches, and then
we switch being investigators to missionaries. It’s pretty fun. When we do this, Sister Patton and I teach Santiago (Barkdull) and Khan (Trevisanut). When Elders Trevisanut and Elder Barkdull
teach, they’re teaching Jaque (me) and Maria (Patton), who are siblings. It’s a ton of fun trying to act like an investigator, and I try to be difficult for Elder Barkdull (but not over the top). So, teaching is very different (and admittedly weird, when teaching with just Patton) but it’s very rewarding. My only issue is that I don’t really teach with Elder Barkdull anymore, which sucks, because we were getting good at it. But, come TRC time, we’ll ask if we can teach with each other; that way we can teacher together two or three more times.
It’s been great, especially since we’re all at about the same level now in Portuguese. The only thing is that elder Trevisanut has been really down and negative lately. I can see why, because he’s been tossed from Companion to companion. He started with Holland, who left the first week, then went to Frahm, who left about three weeks ago, and then went to Glenn and Johnson who both left last week. So, he feels like he won’t ever get his visa, which is hard.
But it has taught me a few things. We have to always look up, and have faith that the Lord will help us with our trials. Also we need to pay attention to the blessings that we receive, instead of focusing on the difficulties. If you focus on the negative for too long, the world is going to seem to turn against you, and you will be a lone. You’ll be like Dudly in the 1st harry Potter, during his Birthday, when he gets 36 presents:
“36!? 36!? But last year, last year I got 37!”
And then no one like you because your Dudley. I would encourage you not to be a Dudley. Enough of that, I’m turning Dudley.
I’m doing well with Portuguese lately, although there are still some difficulties. These difficulties mostly have to do with grammar, for example, they have two words that mean for, by, through, because of, etc. These two words are por and para. But, you cannot substitute one for another. So, if you use one instead of the other the meaning completely changes. Here’s an example.
weirdest thing about it is teaching. Since we can’t be separated, we’re all in the same room together. But, teaching with four is overkill. So, we teach in the classroom now, but only two of us are teaching at a time. The other two missionaries are quiet, and we just pretend like we’re not there. It’s a bit strange. Also, we switch who we teach with a bunch. When I’m teaching our “investigators” (Irmao Simons & Maxwell) I teach with Elder Trevisanut,. We also started a thing where one pair of missionaries pretends to be investigators, while the other pair teaches, and then
we switch being investigators to missionaries. It’s pretty fun. When we do this, Sister Patton and I teach Santiago (Barkdull) and Khan (Trevisanut). When Elders Trevisanut and Elder Barkdull
teach, they’re teaching Jaque (me) and Maria (Patton), who are siblings. It’s a ton of fun trying to act like an investigator, and I try to be difficult for Elder Barkdull (but not over the top). So, teaching is very different (and admittedly weird, when teaching with just Patton) but it’s very rewarding. My only issue is that I don’t really teach with Elder Barkdull anymore, which sucks, because we were getting good at it. But, come TRC time, we’ll ask if we can teach with each other; that way we can teacher together two or three more times.
It’s been great, especially since we’re all at about the same level now in Portuguese. The only thing is that elder Trevisanut has been really down and negative lately. I can see why, because he’s been tossed from Companion to companion. He started with Holland, who left the first week, then went to Frahm, who left about three weeks ago, and then went to Glenn and Johnson who both left last week. So, he feels like he won’t ever get his visa, which is hard.
But it has taught me a few things. We have to always look up, and have faith that the Lord will help us with our trials. Also we need to pay attention to the blessings that we receive, instead of focusing on the difficulties. If you focus on the negative for too long, the world is going to seem to turn against you, and you will be a lone. You’ll be like Dudly in the 1st harry Potter, during his Birthday, when he gets 36 presents:
“36!? 36!? But last year, last year I got 37!”
And then no one like you because your Dudley. I would encourage you not to be a Dudley. Enough of that, I’m turning Dudley.
I’m doing well with Portuguese lately, although there are still some difficulties. These difficulties mostly have to do with grammar, for example, they have two words that mean for, by, through, because of, etc. These two words are por and para. But, you cannot substitute one for another. So, if you use one instead of the other the meaning completely changes. Here’s an example.
O livro de Mormon foi tradazido para nos.
The Book of Mormon was translated for us (True statement)
O Livero de Mormon fori traduzido por nos.
The Book of Mormon was translated by us. (False doctrine)
And the rules are pretty strange sometimes, so it’s hard to figure out, especially on the fly, in mid-conversation. Oh well, I’ll learn it eventually. It’s just difficult.
That’s weird that everyone is getting married. We have Gibson, Palmer, Tuttle, Porter all getting married. Oh, and Hull will be getting married soon, so that another.
That’s cool that you are reading the BoM so much! Reading the BOM is my favorite thing to do
here. It’s such a good source of personal revelation. It’s amazing how often the direction I get applies to a discussion or lesson we have later. It’s sweet! It just shows me that everything I’m learning I can use to help other. It’s cool beans. Feijao Legal (cool beans) (It’s funny, the Brazilians use the word legal to mean “cool” It’s a fun word though Que Legal!)
I hope everything is going well at home. Keep strong, and keep looking up! Show love to others, and especially show love to Heavenly Father! He knows you, and will help you in all things!
Keep it up, pray everyday, and read the scriptures!
That’s cool that you are reading the BoM so much! Reading the BOM is my favorite thing to do
here. It’s such a good source of personal revelation. It’s amazing how often the direction I get applies to a discussion or lesson we have later. It’s sweet! It just shows me that everything I’m learning I can use to help other. It’s cool beans. Feijao Legal (cool beans) (It’s funny, the Brazilians use the word legal to mean “cool” It’s a fun word though Que Legal!)
I hope everything is going well at home. Keep strong, and keep looking up! Show love to others, and especially show love to Heavenly Father! He knows you, and will help you in all things!
Keep it up, pray everyday, and read the scriptures!
Love Elder Avram Twitchell
PS The picture with Elder Barkdull and Hobbs jumping over the couple is a funny story. It was Sunday 10/23, and we were on our Sunday Temple Walk, so hundreds of missionaries were walking around. And then we see this couple, on the grass, making out. Which, first off, why make out at the Temple? Second, why during the time that all the missionaries of the MTC are coming by? Anyway we hatched this scheme to jump over them. Barkdull and Hobbs ran down and jumped over them and I snapped this beautiful picture. Lasciviousness does not go unpunished. Although, thinking back, we should have just taught them the Law of
Chastity.
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