Saturday, November 5, 2011

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Hi family:  
   Today was the second to last time I go to the temple, with next Tuesday being the last time. It's kinda weird.... I only have two weeks left. I sometimes forget to pray Daily for a good first companion but I do pray for one. My teacher told me about a companion he had who had 2 lazy missionaries in a row, and so when my teacher got to him he had to reteach him the missionary purpose, how to use preach my gospel, all the lessons, and everything. Then the companion he had right after him was an american out 8 months who, because of laziness and lazy companions, still could not speak Portuguese! I really hope that doesn't happen to me. It's getting better but I don't think I'll get really good until I'm out in the field. Some brasiliens compliment me on my accent though. They say sometimes I sound like I'm really from Brazil! That makes me happy when I can do that.
   Weather here is starting to get hotter. The past few weeks it has been nice and cool, just under or around 20 Celsius. Today though was more like 25 and I think it will just get hotter. Also, it's starting to get more humid which just makes things worse. But I’ll get through it. I'm not sure really what I want in my Christmas package. It's weird, before the mission I never really cared much for ties but here I really want to by some but do not want to waste my money on them. So yeah, ties. Not silk ones though.... apparently the sun here ruins silk ties so send me polyester. Its really too bad because almost all my ties are silk. They said it's fine as long as I only where them like once a week though, but I still want to be safe and have some polyester too. So yeah, that’s all I can really think of. 
   Today I bought a notepad and two cheap pens and I'm starting to practice drawing when I have free time. Just practicing drawing people and different things. An Elder in my district named Elder Swinney can draw really well and has started teaching me a few techniques. It's weird being out here on the mission made me really think about all the talents and skills I really want to develop, but never "had the time to" because I was playing video games and what not. Like drawing and painting, playing the piano and other musical instruments, and other things like that. Also all the books I want to read like Jesus the Christ and the Bible,. I know it sounds weird but those are the kinds of things I want to start doing now... but can't because now I'm busy with actual important things. 
      Yeah the choir directing went pretty good, but I chose a song that was a 6/8 so I'm sure my arms look like I was windmilling, but everyone told me I did good. This past week our district sang the special musical number. We sang I know that my redeemer lives in Portuguese. It went really well. Also, tonight for the devotional we will be singing about 4 songs for prelude music, so taking choir really helped me out on my mission too in helping me learn to sing. Brasilians here do not recieve music classes in school, so many do not know how to sing, follow sheet music, or play any instruments. Even the LDS ones, so many times missionaries have to play every week for sacrament. This one elder told me he knew three songs and he was in a branch where he was the only one who knew how to play, so they sang the same three songs every single week.
      I wanna check out the blog but won’t get the chance until maybe the field, and maybe not even then. Keep it updated though and I will see it for sure when I get back ;) No, they have not given us any culture training here at all yet, and I don't think they really will, so... I don’t know. When I get out in the field I'll start walking around with less stuff, especially in the shady areas, but around the CTM it's pretty chill and in the CTM no one is going to pick pocket me. But yeah I’m sure if I get transferred to a bad area the President or my companion will warn me first.
   I love you and will try to think of more things to put in the package, but If you were gonna send it this week go ahead and send it. Oh, and you will get an email with a letter scanned to you, hopefully you can read it. I only have two more weeks in here so don't pay for that and use it. I just did it to get the free cookie and send you guys another letter. Well, Tchau!
   Lots of Love,
                      Elder Baldwin

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