Aldeia Indignea

Today I had the most rewarding experience to visit an “indian reservation” here in Brazil. Few people are even aware that there are still Indians living in the state of Rio de Jeiro. We hiked about 3 miles up a steep mountain to this amazing reservation. The people of the village didn’t speak Portuguese but Guarani. They performed for us with their traditional dance and song. They showed us their village and their church. I even got to play soccer with a little boy, I guess soccer is the universal language. The purpose of this visit was to increase our knowledge about diversity. It was so interesting that we couldn’t communicate and how we tried our best to communicate with hand motions and pointing. I know it is cheesey but I felt so much love for those people, I love that they are working so hard to preserve their culture. As I was there I felt really blessed to feel a bit of the love that Heavenly Father has for all his children. They live in literally the middle of nowhere and Heavenly Father knows right where they are, and he speaks their language perfectly!

Weekend Fun

Wooh…what blast! Friday night our ward managed to get tickets for the local theatre where we got to watch a ballet production of Romeo & Juliet When I first got to Rio, I took a tour of the theatre but I never imagined I would be able to watch a performance. The theatre was beautiful and the dance even better! The next day I went my friend Danielle and her family to a bbq( Churrasco). I must say that the Brazilians know how to barbeque. Things needed for a churrasco: 1.) lots of meat 2.) loud music and 3.) more meat!

Happy Holidays

Here is our decorated door and a pumpkin pie, proof that we have not forgotten the motherland and we are doing what our forefathers would want.

I Love to See The Temple

I had such a great experience this weekend to go on a temple trip. It was an experience that I always wanted to have when I was on my mission and I feel so blessed to get to do it! We left Friday night at 10:00 after a special devotional. It was so fun traveling on the bus with all the members of my ward and stake. I felt like we were all united in a righteous cause. We got to the Campinas Temple at about six in the morning and spent the whole day at work. We had lunch, and left in the late afternoon, and were back before 10:00 Saturday night. It was a quick trip but it was so good to be rejuvenated spritualy, and to get to spend the whole day in the temple. It also makes me appreciate living in the only city in the world that has two cities…South Jordan. And I promise to take more advantage of those temples.

Visitors Welcome

Considering the fact that I am living in a different country I have still had quite a few visitors. Recently, my best friend Vicki came to stay. Some best friend huh? Vicki served her mission in São Paulo and was so excited to come back. I got to show her and some of her friends from work around Rio. I must admit it was fun to not be the tourist, and watch them see Rio for the first time. I of course took them to the Cristo, Pão de Acucar, Copacabana, and Leblon. They eved stayed at a hostel in a Favela which they loved. Vicki left on Sunday and on Monday came Veronica. Veronica is my “Brazilian mom”. I met Veronica when I was serving as a missionary in Fortaleza. Veronica is one of the most amazing and incredible people I know and I was so excited to have her come visit. Bruno Goulart, who also served in Fortaleza also knows her very well. So the two of us did our best showing Veronica the city. One of my favorite stops was the zoo. The bird area was my favorite. I saw colors that I only knew existed on pictures. The toucans and parrots, and macaws were breathtaking. It was so good to see Veronica again and I cannot wait till I get to go to Fortaleza to visit!

Let Me Take You To Rio

So, today was my day off so Abbie and I decided to take trip into the city and see what we could see. We were fortunate to find the national library as soon as we got off the metro. I love riding the metro. We ate frozen yogurt as we walked through the park, it felt like a dream or at least a movie I once saw. We had lunch, took a tour of the national library, and visited several musuems. There was a museum with a special exhbit of RIO the movie…I found blue!

You give me fever...

I was thinking things were pretty boring around here since I came back from Sao Paulo, until I woke up Saturday feeling awful! Why didn’t want things to be boring anyways? I just got worse and Sunday, I had to go the hospital with a fever of 104. The doctor diagnosed me with a throat infection, which I think is strep throat. He gave me medicine and luckily I am feeling much better. Guess I should just learn to be content!

Trippin...

I have been meaning to blog but I have been up to a lot. Time is just passing by. The guys who are doing the exchange program in Florianopolis came to visit us and went to the Cristo Redentor again and Copacabana. I never cease to be amazed by the grandeur of that beautiful statue. I love how Christ’s arms are open to all. The following day we hiked Urca again and saw so many monkeys. We also went to Ipanema where I made the mistake of going too far out into the ocean. Thank goodness for the lifeguards! That was a great life lesson!

The guys were heading back to Sao Paulo for the week and I decided to go with them, since I didn't have class. We took a six hour night bus ride to Sao Paulo. That was the first time I had been there since I had been a missionary. We saw a beautiful cathedral and got to watch a service. I love the tradition of Catholicism, and I wish I knew more. We walked on Avenida Paulista where I had proselyted as a young missionary in the MTC. We took a train through several favelas to get to Jundaï, and from there we picked up and taken to Lorena’s house.

I knew Lorena in the MTC and she met the boys in Florianopolis where she goes to school. She and her family were so amazing and it felt so good to hang out with a Brazilian family again. I must admit that it felt good when they slipped and called me Sister, I even learned how to make feijao(beans). We went to a giant young single adult dance. I ran into a lot of friends and companions from my mission. I got to see Sister Hilaria Britos who came to be one of my best friends. It was so fun to catch up! We even got to stop by the temple to take a picture.

I spent the weekend in the capital of Sao Paulo where I went to a beautiful park and saw some of the coolest trees ever andthen church, it is always so good to know that wherever you go the church is the same. All in all, a great trip!

Two weeks

It is hard to believe that I have already been back in Brazil for over two weeks now! I may never leave! I am absolutely loving it here. Classes started this week and I am able to manage. Reading in portuguese is a lot different considering I speak "street portuguese", but I am learning so much!

Santa Teresa

This morning we went to Santa Teresa, which is a neighborhood in Rio known for its historic buildings and trolleys. We got in line for the trolley but it was over an hour wait so we ended up climbing a staircase created by a chilean artist. He takes tiles from all over the world and some he makes and created a masterpiece. He even sat to take a picture with us. We stopped at lar
ke a picture with us. We stopped at Largo dos Guimarães where we had lunch and took a tour of Benjamin Constant´s house.

Rio De Janeiro

I made it! After a long of journey I have made it Rio de Janeiro and let me tell you it is beautiful! I have seen so many beautiful things! We have been to Pão de açucar, Cristo Redentor, and of course the beach, as well as many other beautiful places. It has felt a little like coming home to be back in Brasil! I love it here! We arrived on Tuesday August 2nd and I stayed in Lapá (a neighborhood in Rio) until Thursday when we moved to our apartment in Nova Iguacu. It is really small for the three of us but it has been just great. I hope to post picture soon but we have not been able to install internet yet and my laptop does not like the internet on campus.

Lets try this again...

Ahhh! I am the worst at blogging. I figured that since I am leaving the country in a couple weeks it might be a good idea to start doing this again. So we'll see what happens. Life is great!

Update

It has been a while! I have good news! Lots of good news! First thing first: Today I ran five miles in 55 minutes! I can not believe it. I remember when I was running for just a minute and then taking walking for a minute. It feels good to have come so far! The other good news is that I am official going back to Brasil!!! I will be taking classes at UFRRJ in a city called Nova Iguacu which is in the state of Rio de Janeiro! Pretty exciting! My classes start August 16. I do not have a ton of details but I will be living across the street from the university! Let's just pray that I can get my visa!

I'm grateful....

Lately I have just been floored with how blessed I am...really it is unbelivable. One specific blessing I am grateful for is my Mom. I have this awful habit of taking on too much and thinking that I can do everything at once. Who saves me every time? That would be my mom and that is no different story today. If it were not for my mom helping me out with the kids I nanny and going to be watching for the next two weeks I would be out of a job or not able to attend any of my classes for two weeks. MOM...I LOVE YOU!