I'm Doing Better Now!

I’m doing better now thankfully and now my comp is sick. I got nothing done the last week because I was sick in bed the whole week taking all sorts of medication, but I am better now and now my comp is taking the medicine. So this puts a damper on the work, but will continue to work hard to find people to bring to church.

So the rain stopped for maybe a day and was good to work a bit yesterday. But today its just raining again. Oh and I’m in Arapiraca right now to celebrate our year mark. We’re going to eat today at a nice restaurant and stuff.

Just about every night people light fires outside their homes and are lighting fireworks etc for the são joão thingy this month and that with the roosters that crow all night don’t help with sleep that much. The city here is cool, my area covers half of it and we walked out to the farthest part of my area yesterday and that’s like a 30min walk to get there and is on the other side of the mountain.

I have some questions: Can you send me my line of authority please? How do you play phase 10 with face cards? There was a game my brother Jason taught me called lucky kings or something, how do you play that?What’s the recipe for brownies?

So I’m feeling better and things are going great, so I think I’m going to try n send some photos right now.

So love you all and thanks for the prayers.
Love Elder Roberts

Beautiful San Lorenzo

The beautiful area of San Lorenzo

Elder Roberts and his comp and some people they met

What in the world is this? Must be a big melon or squash of some kind

Not sure if Brian likes it or not

A Really Sick Week!

I almost decided to not write this today because I am really sick and almost dead, but I'll write a bit about my week.

So yeah it's been raining nonstop and has got me sick with allergies every day now since I've been here, so I take benedryl every day and sleep it off a bit, but yesterday I had a fever and was leaking like crazy and the benadryl didn't help nor the Ibprofin. I had appointments and was doing a division and thought about not going to my appointments, but I wouldn't be able to see these people until Friday because p-day today and tommorrow conference in Maceio so I decided to go out to them all. By the way it never stopped raining yesterday so the streets were flooded and it stopped me from getting to a lot of my appointments because some of the roads were litterally turned into rushing rivers and so I was muddy, all wet, and things just got worse while we were visiting some of these people, so I finally decided to go home and sleep.

I haven't gotten much sleep and have been in bed since and barely had the energy to come here and email. Well other than that my week was pretty good. We worked hard, but weren't able to get people to church this week, mainly because of the rain, but the members are good and have about 40-50 people attending each week. It was a good fast n testimony meeting and got to know alot of people here.

OK well I'm going to try n get better. You guys have a nice week.
Love Brian

I've Been Transferred to Palmeiras dos Indios

Sorry I didn’t have time to email last week. I had gone to visit one of my last areas to visit some of my converts and had no time to write at all that day.

So yes Arilene wrote: (This is what she wrote: HE WAS:TRANSFERED TO: PALMEIRAS DOS INDIOS. Elder Roberts foi transferido para outra ala, ele é um bom missionário, sou grata ao Pai Celestial por tudo que ele compartilhou.Tenha uma boa noite. com amor,
Arilene)

In English is says: Elder Roberts was transferred to another ward, he is a good missionary, I am grateful to our Heavenly Father for all that he shared, have a good night. With love Arilene

So I’m back to the interior which means the whole middle of nowhere, dirt roads, cows n horses in the streets kind of thing. I’m loving it though and actually prefer it over the city. The area seems nice, I’ve only been here since yesterday though. There is a ward here and a branch and I’m working in the branch and hasn’t had a baptism in over 6months or more but am excited to turn that all around.

My comps real name is Dos Santos, but that was changed to Wellington so that what it says on his nametag. I think he is shorter than me. So there are 4 of us living in the same home and have to travel to get to conferences etc.And yeah I was made senior and am enjoying working, my comp was shocked that we worked last night because his last 2-3 comps never worked or planned or did much of anything.

So I took a 2-3 hour bus ride to get here and then taxi to my home. Its funny there’s like 20 little girls always outside our home wanting to talk to us and playing, I’ll see if I can get a picture of them. Haven’t been to church yet but have met some of the members and the branch president and look forward to working with them. The home is nice compared to were they lived before because it has water and a washing machine now and plenty of room in the backyard to hang clothing and it’s a lot bigger inside compared to the last one. A lot more mosquitoes and humid and it gets colder at night. I love it.

I guess this month is São Juão (I think), it’s a big fiesta. They spend this whole month celebrating and it’s really big here and all over the interiors in the north. Let’s just see if that affects the work at all.

OK well love you all, Brian

Baptisms and Site Seeing

Three Baptisms on Saturday!

So this week went a lot better. We got a record 4 people to church and have three people we will baptize on Saturday! Our guy Hector from Sao Paulo who is here working has been going for the last three weeks by himself and has been really hard to teach him because of his work schedule and when we taught him in his home is was full of cigarette boxes and so we new that would be a problem. But he has been going and told us he has a desire to be baptized and so Sunday we taught him the word of wisdom and we had in mind stealing all his cigarettes and he then told us that those were all empty boxes and he had smoked those a long time ago and that he just wanted to keep them to show how much money he wasted on them, he said he knew they weren’t good for him and that he quit a few months ago. We were so thrilled and told him his baptism is this Saturday and he’s excited for it all.

The other two is a lady that we did a huge service project with the ward in painting their house and the Relief Society cleaned it and was really nice because she just had a baby, making 6 kids and helped to reactivate her family. They’re now coming to church and her husband stopped drinking and they are improving. So anyways we were talking to them and come to find out she tells us that when her husband was baptized that she wasn’t because she had had a cast on her arm and wasn’t able to be baptized at the time. So we checked the records in the church to see if she was there and she isn’t so we are going to baptize her and her daughter. Her name is Sandra and her daughters name is Saria. So this should make for a good end to this transfer in our area.

Today we went to two different museums and took lots of pictures of some of the things here in my area. Then me n Elder Lundgreen went to McDonalds and ate lunch and found out that they opened up the new Subway here so we will be going there next week. Tomorrow is our conference with Elder Didier and then Saturday we are doing another service project of painting a member’s garage.

It hasn’t rained too hard lately, but it does rain here and there everyday and every night. But everytime it rains hard our street floods like in those pictures and is cool to watch. I know you would like me to write more, but my weeks are the same stuff every week and not much changes. So just know that I love you all and if anything crazy happens you’ll be sure to know about it. Send the Huber’s my love and will be sure to pray for them. Things are all going good and am excited of course to be hitting my year mark in Brazil in a few weeks here!

K well Love you all, Brian

Talking and Relaxing!

This is how Brian talked to us on Mother's Day

Brian is relaxing in a hammock while talking to us on Mother's Day

Photos from the Beach!

Enjoy these views from the Beach.

It Was So Fun to Talk to Brian On Mother's Day!

Hey so Monday night I got really sick and have been bed ridden since and so my letter today will be short again so that I can go home and sleep more.

So yeah it was awesome to call home and talk to everyone. The thing I wanted that would be nice is a business card type thing with: Elder Roberts, my mission address and home address, 2008-2010. I think that’s all I need on it so that would be cool to have like 100 of those to give to people. Another thing I thought of that would be fun to make is some Mac n cheese.

I’m not sure what I got but I’m feeling a little better today and hope it continues to improve. Currently we only have 1 guy going to church and we were actually surprised he went on Sunday all by himself. So we haven’t been able to teach him more because of me being sick, but we will and need to help with his smoking and other bad habits, but he has a desire to be baptized. We just need to see how much he wants it.

I told the lady to resend the pictures of the rain and my trip and of the phone call on the hammock, so let me know if you ever get them. If not I’ll have to help her figure that one out. She’s not too smart with computers.

Ummm so next week Charles Didier will be doing our zone conference and will fun to see and hear from him. Last Sunday I guess Elder Bednar was in our stake giving a special Mother’s Day devotional for our stake and was kind of a last minute thing because they didn’t announce it until that Sunday in church. Instead of me going to that I talked to you guys, but it was worth it.

Ok well I love you all and thanks for all the packages and prayers and love. Brian

Only A Few More Days Until Brian Calls!

Ok well let’s get the calling situation worked out first. So Tate will call at 2pm and I think that’s just fine. I can talk to my mom during that time and when you guys are ready to call me just call my mom on her cell phone and she can tell me over the phone. So the phone is a land connection and shouldn’t have problems. So just tell people to come at a different hour please.

Yeah I’ve seen skype but don’t care to use it and don’t know of anyone in my ward with it.

So Mariajose has a home in an interior city called Pilar and we spent all day today there and I took a lot of pictures and was a fun day and will try and get them sent before Sunday and will explain them over the phone if you want.

Yeah I remember those guys and is crazy that their coming home already. (Two RM's just returned home in our ward and another one coming next month) Crazier that Craig will get his call this year and be gone before I finish my mission.

Well don’t have much time for this email, but will talk on Sunday to make up for it.

Love Brian

I Got to Baptize Mariajose Dos Santos Lima

Yeah, that time sounds fine (2:00pm our time). Next week I'll email the number for you to call at that time on Sunday. I'll have my mom call me after I'm done with you guys, and my buddy Henry gets the first few minutes to talk to me if that's ok.

So I got to baptize Mariajosé dos santos Lima last Saturday and will see if I can get pictures sent this week. We got a few people we are working with and will see how all that goes. I can't think of much that happened, but that we work like normal and we're making some progress with the people here. I won't lie though, my area is tough and hard to teach and get people to church here. Yesterday we worked all afternoon and found one guy to teach and get to church, but he seemed like a really great guy and excited to go to church so we will see how it goes.

Today for p-day we played games and me and two other Americans went to McDonalds because our companions don't like food without beans n rice. So it's been a good day and week and enjoying it here.

K well love you all, Brian

From the Streets of Jatiuca

A view from my bishop's balcony

Another view from the balcony

Another view

Through a chain link fence

One more view

A great view of the ocean from Brian's area.

MacDonald's...A favorite place to eat Right across from the beach!

Looks the same as home, and it's still called a Big Mac in Portugese

The Hansen's made them lunch while watching conference with them

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches...Yum!

Elder Hansen, with Brian and Elder Lundgreen

A boy on the street

Brian with his companion Elder Dos Santos in their apartment

A street in their area

The Work Will Go On!

I asked him to explain the pictures he just sent this week. I will post those along with this letter. His letter begins with those explanations.

So the pictures of all the buildings and beach etc, was of my working area. The church is in some of the pictures if you look closely and is close to the beach. I took a lot of the pictures from my bishop’s balcony on the 9th floor and has an awesome view. The ones with food are just lunches I’ve had. I like to take pictures of everything I eat before I eat it. Umm I think the one with pbnj (peanut butter & jelly) is what the Hansen’s made us when we went to watch conference with them, which btw (by the way) the older guy is elder Hansen and so that was conference on Sunday, the kid was just some random kid I took his picture, and the one with me and the lady is Amiere the woman we baptized here, so I think that covers the pictures for now.

Arline doesn’t speak English, but I think I'll call home with her phone at her home.

So this last week went good, we had transfers and nothing changed for me. We had three people to stake conference which was awesome because they all went on their own which is a good sign and we will be baptizing Maria José this Saturday, and I want to do it at the beach because our tiles in the fount are stained, but I think we will end up doing it at the church. We taught another guy that was a church Sunday last night and was funny when we walked into his apartment we noticed just two big piles of cigarettes huge piles and all unused so this will be a fun guy to help but we taught him and marked a baptism date for him and he accepted it so we need to go back and see how is reading was etc and teach the word of wisdom to him, he does work like crazy and is actually from Sao Paulo but we will see him again Saturday and also will call him tonight because now we got new cell phones and can call our investigators. The other lady has known the church for a while and she has a busy schedule also, but I marked to visit her on Saturday too so hope that goes well. I’m also working with the ward with inactive members and helping them out there.

Ok well the work here will go on, things are all good and thanks for all the prayers n support. Brian

Sexta Santa or Easter in Brazil

Yeah it was a good Easter Sunday turnout and seems like the ward is getting better attendance every week I go. It was Sexta Santa were everyone took work off and everything shuts down and have parties and they only eat fish for the week, so you can guess what I’ve been eating for the past few days. The stores here sell chocolate eggs etc...people here like to do that and give candy for Easter.

It hadn’t rained for 4 weeks here in this area until the past 3 or 4 days it’s been raining a lot and has been good to get the rain. I love it when it rains, but does mean less work. The weather here I think is the same all year long, it just has its season of rain and no rain.

I’m emailing today because we have conference tomorrow so today is p-day and next week will switch to normal.

So at church we had another German family come to church and they were just vacationing here and was fun to talk to more Germans.

Today I went to McDonalds and to the beach and took a lot of photos of the area for you to see, I got up into the bishops balcony and took some good fotos of my area. I tried to see if Amerie was home to take pictures with her so you could see her but had to mark it for another day and time. I didn’t have my camera the night of the baptism because we didn’t have time to go home and get it. We found another lady that wants to be baptized, she’s a mother of a lady in our ward but don’t think that will be till next transfer.

So it was a good week and cant believe the transfer is just about over, so we will find out if I stay next week or leave. Any whoo love you all and will try and send some fotos again.

Love Brian, thanks for the pictures.

Great Visit With My New German Friend

So it was another good week, especially to be able to watch conference. We watched the first in Portuguese and then me and Elder Lundgren got a taxi to watch the rest at another church in English. So I saw the rest in English, but also missed the priesthood session because of the times they showed it. But yes conference was awesome and I noted the one when Elder Nelson talked and thought of you because he talked about prayer and he said something about keeping your public prayers simple and don’t need to be long. Just brought back some memories of your long 20 minute prayers. (Yea, but my prayers aren’t public and I have never said 20 minute prayers. Our kids just exaggerateJ) But yes I miss the temple and am excited to come home to the building of more near our home which by the way how is that coming along? Did they announce ground breaking for the temples?

Yeah I like getting pictures and I just load them on my pen drive and then print out the ones I want to. I don’t believe you sent the pictures of the baptism yet but I just think that would be cool to show and explain how a baptism is with pictures especially with a picture of me that makes it personal. It helps because a lot of people I baptize no matter if we explain what baptism is they still don’t know what to expect the night of their baptism.

So yesterday we went to our lunch appointment and after we ate a lady that lived below in another apartment walked in before I gave the message and it turns out she’s a member and hasn’t been to church since before President Benson. She bore testimony in how she knows the church is true and all, but said she isn’t ready to go back yet etc...so I just tried to get to know her and be her friend and so was fun to talk with her. I found that she married a German and that she lived in Germany for a long time and also in Romania and she speaks fluent German and Romanian and so I spoke German to her and we talked for at least 2 hours talking in German n Portuguese and made me really remember my German and I actually miss it. So I tried to mark a day to go to her home and just make a thing called mousse with her and talk more, but she said no to that so I made a deal with her that if I stay here another 6 weeks this next transfer that she has to teach me how to make this certain type of mousse that I haven’t figured out how to make yet and will hopefully get her to church. I just really love this lady and was a lot of fun talking with her about her experiences in Europe and would really help the ward out because she could really bring a lot of other inactive friends n family she knows back to church with her. So I actually hope I get to stay and help her, but we will see. I told if I do leave this next transfer that I’ll visit her again and she said that’s fine.

Well that was a long story, but was probably highlight of my week getting to talk in German, a language I will learn along with Spanish when I get back.

So today for p-day we went to another area closer to my last area to a multi-zone activity where we played soccer n football n had bar-b-q etc...so that is why you are getting this email later than usual.

So I don’t think well get anymore baptisms pulled off this transfer when we aren’t getting people to church, but hopefully we can get some work done with these members n inactives.

Oh yeah your package got here and was really cool to have more candy and the tapes and other fun toys. Thanks so much for it and is weird that my b-day is coming up, but hey I’ll get to call home on that day, so that’s very exciting.

K well thanks for everything and until another week,
Love Brian

New Photos from Maceio

Brian to help cook food for the ward party

Looks like he did a good job cooking the meat. Yum!

Instead of water, they decided to fill their water bottle with pop.
Brian with the patriarch for their area

A Good Week!

Hi
It was a good week and got her baptized. Yeah this lady in my ward, her name is Ariline and has been a member for a long time and is the lady I go to, to send pictures to you, always nice to have someone to do that for me.

The roach thing has sadly happened to a few times, I remember in Arapiraca when I was teaching a family I had two of them fly in on me and just was funny and freaky at the same time. It’s Brazil so you can see roach’s all over the place in the roads and especially near the drain holes or ditches w/e. The photo is my comp and the ones of us playing cards is at our ward activity we had last Saturday and turned out really well and had many inactive people show up and some nonmembers and helped give a good turnout on Sunday in church. War is a different game that a lot of people like to play as well but no at the activity we all played dominos and Uno and they had a huge water fight thing and then we played their version of dodge ball with them. It was a fun activity and went well I think.

I do my part to keep the house clean but Brazilians are just lazy and don’t like to clean but I leave a part for them to do and they never do it but I just let it be. It has been a lot more fun having 4 people and love having another American to even things out and can talk in English.

So yes we baptized Meire who is 45 or 48 and she was confirmed Sunday and Carline is doing good and has been reading and progressing so we will see if we can get her to conference this week but for the most part it will be hard to get people to the stake center to watch conference but we will do our best with that. I’m really excited to go watch it, me and Lundgren while at the church found a room where they have a cable and so we will get a TV and set up conference in English for us. Last conference I understood nothing and didn’t even get the Liahona in English so I had to read the talks in Portuguese as well. Me and my comp gave the lesson and message at the ward family night thing last night and we did practices with them on how to invite their friends and family to conference this week and was funny and made it fun for them the best we could.

So yeah this last Sunday went well, this time we filled the chapel! The chapel is very small as it is but it turned out a lot better than the first week and got many inactives to go and some nonmembers too. That Sunday the bishop asked me to give a 10min talk on anything but he asked me right before the meeting started so I had 5 min to think of what to talk about but it went well and I think they learned from me so I feel like the language is going great. The president told me in my interview that I was ready to be senior comp and wants me to be expecting it next transfer so we’ll see if that happens and could mean me being transferred again but don’t know yet.

So this last week no of us had water so I boiled water the first time on the mission and was fun. Then we get our monthly money yesterday and that’s when we decided instead of getting water to get coke. It was funny and has already been drunk.

Ok well cant think of much more but things are going good and love you all and until next week.
Brian

Oh The Games People Play!

There is no explanation where this is. I am guessing the church on P-day, but not sure.

Playing UNO with the members

They love to play UNO in Brazil
This might be the game "War" that Brian wrote about

Brian's New Apartment and Yummy Food

Brian's bed is on the right. We can tell by the brown sheets he took. We thought they wouldn't show dirt as much. Do you think it must be warm, by the fact that they have 3 fans in the room? They do have a nice tile floor.

Much appreciated washing machines

Nice tiled bathroom
Big Kitchen
Brian and his new companion, Elder Dos Santos from Brasil, in their new apartment

Their great refrigerator. Look at all their food, haha

Some yummy food they can buy

More yummy food

And one of Brian's favorites...Bob's Hamburgers