Subject: Osorio
Dear Family,
I got transferred last week from Carazinho to a small city called Osório on the opposite side of the mission (from the furthest city interior almost to the beach). Osório is a city of about 35-38 thousand inhabitants. It is considered one of the 4 beach areas in our mission, but is the only of the 4 that isn't actually on the beach. The branch here is really small. Last Sunday there was about 30 people in the rented house that they use as the chapel. My new companion is Élder de Paulo. It's his second transfer on the mission (I turned Senior also (with 8 months)). The area here is pretty dead; we don't have any good investigators. We have been knocking on a lot of doors lately in search of new people. Hopefully the efforts will pay off. Knocking on doors is pretty ineffective, but every once in a while you find someone that progresses. We had a zone conference yesterday and there is going to be some big changes in all the missions worldwide. Zone conference will be held every 3 months, instead of every 6 weeks (transfers will stay at the normal 6 week intervals). Also they are revising a little bit of the leadership responsibilities in the mission to make the missionaries more self-sufficient. All this will be in full effect by next May.
Tell the Relief Society thanks for the small package and the letters they sent.
I hope to hear from you all next week.
Love,
Élder Steele
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
9 August Email and Photos
Subject: Tchau Carazinho
Transfers are today.
Already got my bags all packed, heading to Passo Fundo tonight and then to Porto Alegre in the morning. How is everyone at home? I heard Rem got attacked by a bear. Maybe I will have some time to email you guys tomorrow, inform you who is my new companion and what's my new area.
With love,
Élder Steele
Already got my bags all packed, heading to Passo Fundo tonight and then to Porto Alegre in the morning. How is everyone at home? I heard Rem got attacked by a bear. Maybe I will have some time to email you guys tomorrow, inform you who is my new companion and what's my new area.
With love,
Élder Steele
3 August Email and Photos
Subject: I found Rem and Madison here in Brazil.
Hello my dear family,
Life is great here in Carazinho. My companion is super trunky (he goes home next transfer), but at least he is still trying. We are working with a big teaching group right now, and have a bunch of people progressing. Hopefully next transfer we will have a few baptisms to finish off my comp's mission. Not much has happened here in the last few weeks. This Thursday we are going to a pizza rodizio (all you can eat pizza) with an investigator. I'm pretty excited for that. The payment fell last wednesday (2 days late) and we were able to buy some more food here. Sounds like everyone is having fun back home. Now that it's August the kids are probably already done with school. Dad had some pretty good luck selling that Toyota last week, congratulations.
The language is going great.
I hope that I don't get transferred, I really love all the people in the ward here. Transfers are next week (email me Monday).
I hope you all have a great week.
Love you all,
Élder Steele
Life is great here in Carazinho. My companion is super trunky (he goes home next transfer), but at least he is still trying. We are working with a big teaching group right now, and have a bunch of people progressing. Hopefully next transfer we will have a few baptisms to finish off my comp's mission. Not much has happened here in the last few weeks. This Thursday we are going to a pizza rodizio (all you can eat pizza) with an investigator. I'm pretty excited for that. The payment fell last wednesday (2 days late) and we were able to buy some more food here. Sounds like everyone is having fun back home. Now that it's August the kids are probably already done with school. Dad had some pretty good luck selling that Toyota last week, congratulations.
The language is going great.
I hope that I don't get transferred, I really love all the people in the ward here. Transfers are next week (email me Monday).
I hope you all have a great week.
Love you all,
Élder Steele
27 July Email
Ola family,
Everything's going great here in Carazinho. The financial secrtary is new this transfer and isn't familiar with the system, so me and my companion are stuck without money today. Hopefully the monthy check will drop into our accounts tomorrow. We were able to scrounge up 1.60 reais to pay for half an our of internet. My 15 minutes already went gone. Hope you all have a great week.
Love,
Elder Steele
Everything's going great here in Carazinho. The financial secrtary is new this transfer and isn't familiar with the system, so me and my companion are stuck without money today. Hopefully the monthy check will drop into our accounts tomorrow. We were able to scrounge up 1.60 reais to pay for half an our of internet. My 15 minutes already went gone. Hope you all have a great week.
Love,
Elder Steele
20 July Email
Dear family,
Everything is going great this week. Thanks a bunch for the emails from everyone. I will try to answer mom's questions now.
Short, chubby, 5 o'clock shadow at noonday.
What are some of your favorite foods there?
Custello de porko feito na churrasceiro - bem gordo (ribs, on the grill, with fat)
Salchisa
lasagna
Do they have foods similar to ours?
Yes, but all things American are expensive.
What is a typical day like for you?
6:30 - Get up
11:00 - Leave the house for lunch
1:00 - Leave lunch for the road
1:00 - 9:00 - proselyting
One with churrasco after.
Not really.
Everything is going great this week. Thanks a bunch for the emails from everyone. I will try to answer mom's questions now.
So tell me about the ward you are in .... big or little?
Medium.
How active are the people?
Some are super active, others only go on sunny days (not many people have cars here and so it's really superannoying to walk to church in the cold and rain).
What other church activities do they do besides church on Sunday?
Seminary, ward activities. We are having a ward party the last Friday of the month, called Festa Julina (July party?). Everyone dresses up as farmers.
YM?
Yes.
YW?
Yes.
RS?
Called SocSoc.
Do they support the missionaries?
Sure.
How often do you get meals in their homes?
Every day, minus Thursday because we are always in Passo Fundo for the district meeting and we eat in Passo Fundo.
What meal do you eat in their home?
Rice with Beans (black beans here in the south (Gaúcho Tradition))
Churrasco
Maionaise (ask Matt, maybe?)(like potatos and mayonaise mixed)
Lunch?
With members.
Dinner?
If we're lucky our investigators give us snacks.
What is the Bishop like?
Medium.
How active are the people?
Some are super active, others only go on sunny days (not many people have cars here and so it's really superannoying to walk to church in the cold and rain).
What other church activities do they do besides church on Sunday?
Seminary, ward activities. We are having a ward party the last Friday of the month, called Festa Julina (July party?). Everyone dresses up as farmers.
YM?
Yes.
YW?
Yes.
RS?
Called SocSoc.
Do they support the missionaries?
Sure.
How often do you get meals in their homes?
Every day, minus Thursday because we are always in Passo Fundo for the district meeting and we eat in Passo Fundo.
What meal do you eat in their home?
Rice with Beans (black beans here in the south (Gaúcho Tradition))
Churrasco
Maionaise (ask Matt, maybe?)(like potatos and mayonaise mixed)
Lunch?
With members.
Dinner?
If we're lucky our investigators give us snacks.
What is the Bishop like?
Short, chubby, 5 o'clock shadow at noonday.
What are some of your favorite foods there?
Custello de porko feito na churrasceiro - bem gordo (ribs, on the grill, with fat)
Salchisa
lasagna
Do they have foods similar to ours?
Yes, but all things American are expensive.
What is a typical day like for you?
6:30 - Get up
11:00 - Leave the house for lunch
1:00 - Leave lunch for the road
1:00 - 9:00 - proselyting
Since they have the opposite "seasonal" schedule as we do - do they also have the opposite school schedule?
They just received their 2 week winter vacation (and summer vacation is about 10 weeks here, I think).
Are they in school now - whereas our kids are out of school for the summer?
Yes, but on vacation (2 weeks).
What do you do for fun?
Fubekar
Comer Churrasco
Tomar Chimarrão
What is your favorite service project?
They just received their 2 week winter vacation (and summer vacation is about 10 weeks here, I think).
Are they in school now - whereas our kids are out of school for the summer?
Yes, but on vacation (2 weeks).
What do you do for fun?
Fubekar
Comer Churrasco
Tomar Chimarrão
What is your favorite service project?
One with churrasco after.
Since we need to mow our huge lawn today - do Brazilians have lawns?
Not many. They use electric lawn mowers if so.
And do they mow them?
Some of them. Others let the horses mow them.
And do they plant gardens?
Some of them.
Do they eat weird things?
Not many. They use electric lawn mowers if so.
And do they mow them?
Some of them. Others let the horses mow them.
And do they plant gardens?
Some of them.
Do they eat weird things?
Not really.
Have you made pancakes for them - or cooked anything else?
Pancakes is a big seller here.
Is the recipe book helpful?
Yes, could you send me a bigger one (similar to Purdy Good Cookbook)?
Do they like the maple syrup you make?
Yeah.
What have you learned the most from your Brazilian companions?
Brazilians seem to like to slack off a lot.
Everything else is going great here in Carazinho. The transfer is already halfway done. We have a few baptisms coming. Hopefully they won't take a while. All of our investigators are slackers. I think I had about 20 people promise me that they'd go to church on Sunday and not one of them came. Have any ideas? It sounds like everyone had a great time at Pageant. Rem seems to be selling an oddly large number of cars lately. What kind of margins is he pulling in?
I hope that everyone has a great week. Love you all!!
Elder Steele
P.S. - Happy Birthday Zachary!!!! 25 Already Tchê - Parabéns!
Pancakes is a big seller here.
Is the recipe book helpful?
Yes, could you send me a bigger one (similar to Purdy Good Cookbook)?
Do they like the maple syrup you make?
Yeah.
What have you learned the most from your Brazilian companions?
Brazilians seem to like to slack off a lot.
Everything else is going great here in Carazinho. The transfer is already halfway done. We have a few baptisms coming. Hopefully they won't take a while. All of our investigators are slackers. I think I had about 20 people promise me that they'd go to church on Sunday and not one of them came. Have any ideas? It sounds like everyone had a great time at Pageant. Rem seems to be selling an oddly large number of cars lately. What kind of margins is he pulling in?
I hope that everyone has a great week. Love you all!!
Elder Steele
P.S. - Happy Birthday Zachary!!!! 25 Already Tchê - Parabéns!
13 July Email
Subject: Carazinho
Hey,
It's about 40 F here in Carazinho, which makes it hard to type on the keyboard with fingers iced. We had zone conference yesterday. Was pretty good. I got a package from Bryn. =] Thanks!
The work here is going great. We should have 2 baptisms toward the end of the transfer. Maybe 4 if we're lucky. The retention rate in our mission moved up to the 3rd place in all the Brazil missions (I think 75 or 76 percent retention). And our mission is baptizing more people with less missionaries. Last transfer we had 122 baptisms.
My companion is doing great. He likes to sing to himself in the shower. I haven't taken many photos in a while. Will try to take some more. The Pageant looks like it's doing great.You guys probably are getting home completely tired every night. I hope you guys have a great week.
With love,
Elder Steele
Hey,
It's about 40 F here in Carazinho, which makes it hard to type on the keyboard with fingers iced. We had zone conference yesterday. Was pretty good. I got a package from Bryn. =] Thanks!
The work here is going great. We should have 2 baptisms toward the end of the transfer. Maybe 4 if we're lucky. The retention rate in our mission moved up to the 3rd place in all the Brazil missions (I think 75 or 76 percent retention). And our mission is baptizing more people with less missionaries. Last transfer we had 122 baptisms.
My companion is doing great. He likes to sing to himself in the shower. I haven't taken many photos in a while. Will try to take some more. The Pageant looks like it's doing great.You guys probably are getting home completely tired every night. I hope you guys have a great week.
With love,
Elder Steele
6 July Email and Photos
Everything is going great here in Carazinho. Elder Pereira is good also. Our investigators are doing well also.
Love, Elder Steele
Love, Elder Steele
29 June Email
Subject: Passo Fundo Tche
I am here in Passo Fundo. Stayed the night at the LZ's house. The 6 that were transferred from our zone left. We are going to have lunch and then I am going to work in Passo Fundo for the afternoon with Élder DeMille. The new 6 should arrive here in Passo Fundo around 7 o'clock and we will all head to our appropriate areas. I'll let you know next week who my new companion is and everything. Hope you all have a great week.
Elder Steele
I am here in Passo Fundo. Stayed the night at the LZ's house. The 6 that were transferred from our zone left. We are going to have lunch and then I am going to work in Passo Fundo for the afternoon with Élder DeMille. The new 6 should arrive here in Passo Fundo around 7 o'clock and we will all head to our appropriate areas. I'll let you know next week who my new companion is and everything. Hope you all have a great week.
Elder Steele
28 June Email
Subject: New Transfer
Everything is going great here in Carazinho.
My companion, Elder Tavares, is being transfered. He will report to the bus station in Porto Alegre tonight. We will stay in Passo Fundo tonight also so that they can grab the bus in the morning and head to Porto Alegre. I should be receiving my new companion tomorrow around 7 pm.
The baptism Saturday was great. Everything went smoothly. We have 2 more planned for the end of July; hopefully the papers for the marriage will all go smoothly. Right now it is looking like we are going to have a little difficulty and delay, but they will just be even more prepared to be excellent new members. The bishop here and the members are all pretty happy with the work we have been doing here. I assume that President is happy as well. Also all the young men in the ward gave us thanks for the baptism we had Saturday...
Give me the findings on the catscan for Rosie. You guys have me really worried. I hope everything goes smoothly. I will pray for her.
Perhaps I will get a chance to email a little more later tonight or tomorrow since transfers are like a 2 day long P-day.
Love you all,
Elder Steele
Everything is going great here in Carazinho.
My companion, Elder Tavares, is being transfered. He will report to the bus station in Porto Alegre tonight. We will stay in Passo Fundo tonight also so that they can grab the bus in the morning and head to Porto Alegre. I should be receiving my new companion tomorrow around 7 pm.
The baptism Saturday was great. Everything went smoothly. We have 2 more planned for the end of July; hopefully the papers for the marriage will all go smoothly. Right now it is looking like we are going to have a little difficulty and delay, but they will just be even more prepared to be excellent new members. The bishop here and the members are all pretty happy with the work we have been doing here. I assume that President is happy as well. Also all the young men in the ward gave us thanks for the baptism we had Saturday...
Give me the findings on the catscan for Rosie. You guys have me really worried. I hope everything goes smoothly. I will pray for her.
Perhaps I will get a chance to email a little more later tonight or tomorrow since transfers are like a 2 day long P-day.
Love you all,
Elder Steele
22 June Photos
[Elder Steele sent 125 photos on 22 June. I've selected a few for your viewing pleasure. :) -The Editor]
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
22 June Email
Subject: last week of the transfer.
Everything is going great here in Carazinho. We are going to have a baptism this saturday of a girl named Gabriela. She lives about 60 km from Carazinho in the middle of nowhere. We have 2 more planned for the 17th of July; we are just waiting on the papers to go through for the wedding. This last week went by fairly quickly. It feels like the time is starting to really fly here.
Everything is going great here in Carazinho. We are going to have a baptism this saturday of a girl named Gabriela. She lives about 60 km from Carazinho in the middle of nowhere. We have 2 more planned for the 17th of July; we are just waiting on the papers to go through for the wedding. This last week went by fairly quickly. It feels like the time is starting to really fly here.
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