OLÁ!
Story Time: Okay, so I was just walking to the chapel, everything is a normal, until this super territorial bird attacks my head. It was a little bit scary, but actually hilarious. This bird has been attacking everyone. Sister Uricoechea and I watched the bird after I got attacked and you see it run up behind someone, do a flying jump, and just go for their head. Apparently someone doesn't want us to go to church. Speaking of animals, there's a ton of stray dogs here. There's definitely a few of them that don't like me either. One of our investigators literally has to protect me from their dog. What is it with me and Brazilian animals?
On another note, it's so interesting to be an American in Brasil. I get a whole bunch of questions I never would have thought of, such as: "I've bet you've never eaten rice and beans!" "Are all people in the US white?" "You only eat fast food, right?" Sometimes a little of my American pride that I never knew I really had comes out and I'm like "I'm cultured. I eat real food." Hahaha! It's funny. People have also asked me what are primary food is in the US, but we don't have any. Here and in other countries too, there is a food that people eat everyday! (Rice and beans of course in Brasil.) There's just things you learn when you're in a different place. It makes me think of people in the US who think that all of Brasil is like Manaus (the Amazon Jungle.)
Here's some other weird food things:
- So salt an pepper isn't a standard here. It's just salt. I almost bought some pepper until I realized that the "normal pepper" is super hot actual pepper. They have regular pepper-- it's just not the regular one here.
- Random things will be pickled. Like I'll see some yummy looking broccoli and carrots and cauliflower and it'll be pickled. What? Disappointing. But missionaries literally eat everything. Seriously. I always want to eat. Like when I finish lunch and I'm stuffed, I always still want to eat. Missionary life is weird.
SPIRITUAL THOUGHT:
So Sister Uricoechea and I have been asking a lot of people this one question: "What will you give Jesus Christ for Christmas?" (Because besides for the 1-5% of people who aren't religious at all, everyone is Christian either with or without a specific denomination.) I want to ask you all this question. What could you give God this holiday season? Will you live a commandment more exactly, give up time for service or scripture study, or do something else? God has given us everything we have, and everything we give back we just get more. I've seen this in my life. As I've given parts of myself away, I always end up a happier and better person with way more blessings than I deserve. Here's a principle I love: God doesn't give us commandments because He wants us to obey Him or because He wants power or anything like that; He gives us commandments as a road map to happiness. He doesn't tell us to give up things or avoid things to restrict us or make us sad, He tells us because He loves us and He wants us to be free from the parts of the world that don't help us improve. Have the faith that giving up a favorite sin or free time really won't be giving up, but instead giving God the opportunity to make you better. I promise that we're better off following God than not. When we sacrifice for Him it's really like going to a donut store right before it's about to close with a cute little sister and getting twice the amount of donuts that you paid for. Haha!
Here's an idea: put up a stocking for Jesus Christ and write down what you're going to give Him for Christmas. Then try to follow through with this commitment. Let me know about your experiences!
I love you all,
Sister Hansen
P.S. If any of you are curious, I'm in São Bernardo. Look it up on Google Maps or something. Haha!
P.P.S. Pictures of our Christmas decorations and the cute garden outside my house!
More pictures! Flowers and graffiti. Literally every wall
that's not a house or a store or a super rich thing looks like this or
has prettier graffiti.
