April 21, 2014 -Brazil

Brazil, what?

Olá! Tudo bem! ha. First of all, HI!

I love it here. This week was super crazy! We walked everywhere, what was i thinking not exercising before my mission... My legs HURT! Ha but its okay. just means they will be super toned right? :P the people here are awesome. And i love my companion! She has been out for 14 months, AKA shes te best. I am her 16th companion and she has been training almost every single transfer since she was at 4 weeks. Shes that great :)

My area is called, Cachoeira (which means waterfall in Portuguese). But, there are no waterfalls, sorry. hahaah. But i love it. Right before i got here they had 5 baptisms, so this week, we get to find! :) Yay. :) Clap doors and everything! hhah.

My portuguese is sad, but i learn so much everyday. It hurts my head.

Easter was cool.. I lead the music in Sacrament meeting, and i dont speak portuguese yet, and they asked me to get up and introduce myself, but i didnt hear/understand that that was what they said, so i just sat there, smiling. Haha everyone was just staring at me and the branch president was dying laughing haha. So i got up, said "Hi! I´m sister Holden, ive been in Brazil for 3 weeks and my portuguese is really bad!" then i sat down. i was so confused! hahahaha. Hopefully i made a good impression ;) jokes. Hopefully these members practice what the teach about forgiveness! hahahah. After church we had a GINORMOUS lunch. and i couldnt breathe. haha SO GOOD. we had kind of a chicken caserole, but the dessert.. Mmm.

ALSO, you know how i love hot dogs? WELL. Brazil has their own kind of hot dog. Man. i shouldve taken a picture of it... It has mayonaise, ketchup, peas, potato chips, corn, cilantro, cheese, some weird ot sauce... MAN. Eu gosto, muito :) haha. They also have interesting desserts here too, i can explain them.. kind of the consistency of a thick pudding, with brownie type stuff in it.. I´m sorry. I shouldve taken a picture of that too. Ha. Next time.

What else what else.. i love it here. Definitely different, but i love it :)

Hope everything is well!

<3 Sister Holden

PS i will send pictures later on today. and my address if you want to write me a letter to see how long it takes ;)


Also, this is my address!

Sister Janelle Holden
Brazil Porto Alegre South Mission
Av. Princesa Isabel, 342-B
Santana
90620-970 Porto Alegre -RS
Brazil

What an address :)

Tchau!

PS I don't have time to type everyone's name in, if someone could forward it to someone that wants it, that'd be super :) 

São Paulo. Our CTM room had the view ;)

the TV thing in the plane. It took forever for that little guy to get to Brazil haha.

My companion, sister Morales :) she's the best.

view from my apartment now! This is the drveway.

 

April 2, 2014 - Brazil!

Eu estou em Brasil!

By the way, i have no idea if that is correct. :)

 

Hi!! Just wanted to let cha know that i made it:) the flight was LONG... Haha. And i was sitting in between an elder a Brazilian guy, who when they were sleeping leaned towards me.. So i didn't really sleep. At all :) haha. but the food was good! I liked it. Can't complain.. I was almost in tears though when i thought that my carry on got left in the US.. don't worry, it didn't :) PHEW. So i have all my stuff.. too much stuff. They let us take a shower and un pack a little, now email! Next is Lunch! :) YAY! My companion is awesome, i'll send pictures next week, or whenever my PDAY is. It smells different here! And it is muito quente! ;) BTW, i'm giving up English tonight, i think i told you that yesterday.. but it's cool being here and EVERYONE speaks Portuguese! I think i'm gonna love it here :)

Love you all! :)

 

Sister Holden

March 31, 2014- Indiana

You have one week!

I guess now it is one day.

Last Tuesday, we had a new missionary training. We talked a lot about
awesome things that helped me figure out how to be a better
missionary:)

Then we watched a video if the conversion story of the Robles story,
such a good one. Watch it.

Then President Woodbury called Sister Edwards and I up, and asked all
the missionaries what they thought of the video. An elder stood up and
talked about time and how we need to take advantage of all the time we
have. Then president looked at me, and said, "You have one week,(I
thought he was talking about the challenge to baptize someone by the
13th of April) your visa has come and you leave in April 1st."

Tears. I could not believe it. Still can't believe it. 7 1/2 months
have flown and I am so grateful for everything I've learned. Soo
grateful for my awesome mission president and all the advice he's
given me.

Man oh man.

Chicago will always have a chunk of my heart. I will come back!

Today I am going to stock up on peanut butter and stick deodorant! Haha.

I also got an email from my mission president, in Brazil, in
Portuguese, saying that the winters in Brazil are intense. But has he
endured the coldest Chicago has ever seen?;) that was fun news hahaha

Love you all, I'll send pictures of Brazil next week ;) and I'll let
you know what the Brazil MTC is like!

Love
Sister Holden

Women's Conference

Women's Conference

District Unity :)