Almost Christmas

Feliz Natal Minha Querida Familia!

What a week it has been! I´m exhausted! haha It´s so weird that it´s almost Christmas. It doesn´t feel like Christmas at all. Which, I think probably makes it easier to be away. But it´s still hard. haha The weather got into the 40s this week and everyone is telling us that it´s supposed to get into the 50s before the summer is thru. I don´t know what that is but I´m pretty sure it is not pleasant. They say that last Christmas was 50 degrees. I just honestly can´t comprehend it. haha We did get to go Christmas singing this week tho! One of our members organized a gathering at their apartment complex and had the missionaries come and sing. It was really fun because President Wright came to direct and Sister Wright played her violin! It was a fun little outing. :) And it felt more like Christmas. Except for the part where I kept singing in English and well... that was embarrassing. haha 

Singing with President and Sister Wright!

Also this week Andressa and Marcio were confirmed!! :) YAYY! They are so incredible. Their family is just so prepared. About 3 weeks ago, we challenged their dad to go 3 days without coffee. We learned yesterday he hasn´t had a single sip of coffee since the day we challenged him to go three days without! Also, he´s gone down from 48 cigarettes a day, to TWO!!! It blows my mind. These people are incredible. haha

FOUR ice creams for R$1.50!!! On one of the hottest days, we may have had 4 ice creams. Each.

This week, one of our members feed us chili, brownies, doritoes (I can´t spell anything anymore.), and OREOS!!!! There are now 3 American missionaries in the ward (and 1 Portuguese) so they went all out for us to feed us an american meal! I almost cried. haha they were very kind. :) 

MCDONALDS RUN!!!! McDonalds here is so expensive... this was a serious treat.

The food here is pretty normal actually. But we eat the same thing every day. Beans and rice, potatoes (usually with tons of maionaise), and churrasco (some sort of delicious bbq´d meat). So, we´re doing well on the food front! I do miss vegetables though. There really aren´t many vegetables available here, but OH the fruit is magnificent! Sometimes I eat an entire mango for breakfast, just because I can. Actually... I did that this morning. And yesterday. hehe

A little kitty that keeps coming into our house!!! It makes me so happy.
 We keep finding her chasing the bugs in our house! It´s so weird.
 I think she must come from our downstairs neighbor. haha

Besides that, this week has been pretty normal. :) It´s been good. We got to close our numbers after this week (because last transfer was short, we´re including the numbers from one week of this transfer) and it was so exciting! In total, we taught 107 lessons in 6 weeks, and had 59 new investigators. My mind is blown. Like... really blown. haha I think the most new investigators we had in New York during a transfer was... 2. And I think we had 60ish lessons? It´s a different world down here! haha 

Our pretty flowers.

Well, I get to talk to you on Christmas!!!! We´re allowed to use google+ so, that´s so exciting!!! :D I can´t wait to see you all!!! I´m not positive what time it will be yet, because we don´t exactly have a place to go yet. But... we´ll find a place! And we´re allowed to call home before so I´ll try to call Mom and Dad tomorrow (is that okay?) and tell you a time! I think it will be around 5:00 my time. PM. haha

My mark in Porto Alegre! This is my cement footprint and initials! haha

I am sooooo excited!!! :D I love you all so much!!!

Drea