week 47 . taste of brasil

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This week has been a party week here in Brasil. Right now is the time of the Festa de São João. I don't know what it's celebrating, and it seems like nobody else knows either, but everyone is celebrating. There was one night when there were bonfires in front of every house in the street. Yes, in the street. And lots and lots of fireworks. We're feeling like we're in a war zone here haha. But it's so amazing to see and enjoy another culture. I think I'm bringing this party home with me. We had a churrasco (barbecue) with the ward the other day and there was meat and a bonfire and it was such a fun experience. I LOVE BRASIL.

Sister Morais, Sister Jesus, Sister Rios, Megan

Sister Jesus

Megan and Sister Rios

This week I spent two days in the Vila do Príncipe Ward with Sister Jesus. It was a great exchange and I learned a lot with her. She's getting ready to go home pretty soon here and is a wonderful and spiritual missionary (as her name suggests). One of her investigators is a riot and literally would not let us a get a word in. He shhh'd me a few times haha. We laughed a lot and the change of scenery was nice. 

Francisco was confirmed on Sunday and is an absolute sweetheart. In his prayers he always thanks God for his baptism, confirmation, and asks that his entire family can be baptized. His mom also said that since he was baptized he doesn't do the same dumb stuff that he did before haha. We're glad she's happy and sees the difference in him! 

We have an investigator named Tiago who wanted to go to church on Sunday so we had planned to meet up with him at 8:30, but we ended up showing up late because we were picking up other investigators in another neighborhood like a million miles away. When we got there he had already left! We got so worried that he had gotten lost or wandered into some other church. But when we got to church he was there! One of the young men in the ward said that Tiago went up to him in the street and asked him "where the church of Christ is" and the young man got so pumped and basically ran to church with him. But he loved church and he's planning on being baptized next week!

#minhavida :: We were at an investigators house and her mom offered to give us dinner. Obviously we accepted. She offered something called coalhada and said it involved milk and sugar. I thought...milk, sugar, sounds good to me. So I accepted. Sister Morais was staring at me with this face like why did you do that? And the woman comes over with a pot of what is basically spoiled milk hahaha and then gave us sugar to mix in with it. And we ate it. And it was not good believe it or not. haha. Then she gave us tapioca which is fantastic. She also gave us something called canjica that's fantastic. 

[mom note: Videos on how to make coalhada, tapioca and canjica. Posted mainly for me so I can try out the recipes. I can't understand the Portuguese but I can get the general idea. I'm pretty sure we wont be trying the coalhada though.]

Alright I've got to go, but I love you guys so much. Have a great week. 

Love,

Sister M. Baker