Middle of May

Oh hey,

Im still here! I added some more photos for you to look at.. These are from my companion's camera.. I think that they are all pretty self explanatory except for the last one. (others are people we are teaching, an awesome bird from an investigators house..) That one is of me and Nicole--one of my favorite kids here! Whenever I come over we always get up to something awesome--yesterday we found that we both enjoy math and she 'taught' me a couple of things and was impressed that I could so quickly know that 12 fours is 48. (she is nine). In that moment I decided to show her my 'trick' and she and I made an entire multiplication table. It was great fun and she had patience to figure out every single one!! She was also great a week or so ago because we went over to their house for FHE [Family Home Evening]. About 10 paces in front of their Apartment Sister Colares said, "Oh, and by the way, YOU will be giving the lesson! Not just a short brief message" (which I am now accustomed to her springing on me all the time). Me and Nicole (pronounced Nick-cole-ee) got up to some awesome drawing and taught how faith is like a little seed. Basically, she's awesome.

The transfer came and it looks like I will be in staying here with Sister Colares. Yay English class! I had many students tell me that they hoped that I would stay.. saying silly things like, "If you're not the teacher, I am not coming back.." haha Oh my students.. how I love them all dearly.

As of right now, we aren't teaching too many different people.. Just working with Suelen (baptized 2 weeks ago) and her mother who may be baptized this coming week. But Sister Colares has a kidney stone which is giving her a lot of pain. She is a trooper though. still hits the floor running everyday at 6:30am. It has been a little bit slower, but hopefully it will pass soon. She made me memorize "Hospital da Caridade" just in case.. haha but I don't think it will get that bad.

My mom asked what we do on PDays;. Sister Colares is a fan of sleep (Even more than me.. hard to believe, I know), so we usually wake up, clean the house, run errands, email, go home, write letters and sleep. Today however we also got manicures. For some reason manicures and painting your nails is a huge thing in Brazil all the women go every week and change colors and comment on the each others nails (not something Im used to doing)... Its also really cheap, but also more painful than I remembered from the states. I think Sister Colares has it in her mind that she will transform me into a Brazilian (fashion wise). She is well on her way with the awesome shoes and the bright pink nail polish.. haha

I hope all is well with everyone!

Much love,

Sister Reising

ps. I think that I have become the animal and kid whisperer.. All animals come and sleep and curl up with me and the kids too.. I think Sister Colares doesn't mind though, she's much better at talking with the adults.. hehe

Day After Mother's Day (and a phone call home)

This week my message will be a message of Pictures!! Hope you enjoy!

There are pictures of my first baptism with Suelen, my apartment (the biggest room), my companion making lunch, me and my roommates from the ctm in Brazil.. loved them, me and the sand dunes a while back... me playing ping pong with my last opponent (i was teaching her), and me and Danielle in the mtc in provo right before I left.

I will send more next week! hope you enjoyed!







[Note from Sam's mom: We had an hour-long call via Skype with Sam yesterday and it was so wonderful to hear her voice and have a two-way conversation! Her dad was in Florida, so we got a 3-way call going with her brother Alex and I here in Washington. She was in the home of the Bishop in her area, using his computer. She reports it is starting to get cooler there, but it's still in the 70's. It likely won't get colder than in the 40's in the dead of winter (July) - at least where she is right now on the coast. Transfers will be happening a week from tomorrow, and she has no idea if she'll stay put or be transferred to another area of the mission. We'll see what the mission president thinks in a week or so. She finally got the box of Easter stuff I sent- so it took about 4-5 weeks to get there, but she's receiving letters in a little over a week's time. She reports she hasn't heard from very many of her friends since she arrived in Brazil - but has loved letters from her cousin Jared, a friend from year 1 at school (I'm sorry I don't remember her name!), Annie, and Elin (thank you thank you!)... she's feeling a little homesick - 15 more months feels like an eternity away, and news and support means a lot. Despite her fight with mosquitoes she is in good health, and we enjoyed some detailed descriptions of daily life. And I believe she mentioned she has already done some shopping to add some vivid Brazilian color to her wardrobe. It was a great Mother's Day - so awesome to talk to Sam!]

3 Months Out Milestone Reached TODAY - 1 Month in Florianopolis

Dear family and friends!

First thing I learned this week? I do have allergies! Surprise!! Not really allergies, but since I am not accustomed to the mosquitoes here and I am eaten alive nightly (sleeping doused in bug spray, in pants), I had my first allergic reaction. Party. Luckily I was in the best possible place for it to happen.. I was at a mission meeting at the center, with the Mission President and his wife (a nurse).. He was giving us a message and all of a sudden my face started getting red, and hot.. my heart started beating fast for no reason, I was having a hard time swallowing.. I had no idea what was happening.. It was so strange!! My companion just looked over at me and asked what was wrong.. trying to explain it in Portugues was also a bit of a party. But I got water, and sat by a window and the symptoms went away. After I was talking to the mission president's wife and she said that it was stress--but then she saw the huge mosquito bites on my leg and said- "Those are horrible! Allergic reaction!" She gave me a shot, got me medicine.. she also said its normal because we don't have those type of bugs in the states, but yeah.. that was a party!

Other than that, the week was pretty long.. a lot of appointments fell through, but we also have a baptism confirmed for this saturday!! AND she wants to do it in the ocean!! Good times (pro of being on the beach). Other than that I have rediscovered my affinity for small children--I can communicate with them in small gestures and sounds-- I even had a ten minute HomenAranha (Spider man) fight with a few of them.. it. was. AWESOME! Sister Colares keeps up the talking with the adults when I'm lost and I just stick to making faces, entertaining the kids, and smiling.. a LOT of smiling.

Something else that I found interesting is the 'cleaning' habits of Brazilians. All of the sinks have cold water only.. Soap? Maybe.. In my house we clean every p-day.. We use water with laundry detergent and a broom to wash the floors and a squeege (sp?) type thing as well. Also, washing things like cups and such only requires a run under the water... hot water, soap? Nope! I am impressed that more people don't get sick...

Another fun Brazilian thing are the buses.. There are crazy speed bumps on the road everywhere (huge) because everyone speeds like there is no tomorrow. The smaller roads are unevenly paved with big stones and therefore any trip by vehicle is a bumpy ride! (Extreme Mr Toad's Wild Ride). Without fail every time that I am standing on the bus I lose my balance and almost fall on someone to which my companion always laughs.. I guess I'm just not used to the crazy yet.. haha. Also, you want to cross the street at a cross walk? Good luck!! No cars slow down, and on many of the smaller streets there are no sidewalks so you and the cars become best friends! haha Its definitely a new world down here.

Now that I have the medication I am doing well, even though it does make me a little sleepy. I will be calling on Mom's day around 4 my time! Sounds perfect! Hope all is well!
Love you!
Sister Reising