Merry Late Christmas!

Happy New Year!

Feliz Ano Novo!

Well My Friends.....

I hope your Christmas was Merry. Mine sure was, on Tuesday we had a Mission Conference....yes that means everyone...EVERYONE.... it was really cool. So we got to see all of our friends at the same time and even had time to make new ones. Our Mission Presidente, Presidente Prieto, talked about Christmas and then Sister Prieto cried because they are away from their families too for the first time in years.... I think they are even Grandma and Grandpa! and they aren´t even that old!

So they have a tradition in their family that they have a Christmas tree with candy on it and everyone gets candy from the tree, so they gave us candy from a tree they had for us, because we are their children. It was pretty cool.

Then we had Churrasco for lunch and then we had a cool Christmas program with singing and little stories and stuff like that. Then we watched a movie..... How the Grinch stole Christmas!!!!!!!!!! not the cartoon one, but the Jim Carrey one..... it was pretty neat!

Then we ended and everyone got letters and all that and then we took a mission picture (which you will see, good luck finding me!) It was really cool. Then we went home. (We didn't get the picture--maybe he'll send it next week.)

Then on Christmas Eve me and Elder Passos decided it would be really hard to visit people today so we ended up walking around all day finding people that didn´t seem rushed to talk to and saying Merry Christmas to everyone, but no one said it back, and we were thinking 'man, what kind of city is this? No one says 'Merry Christmas' to anyone...' Then finally at 8:11 at night when we were walking to the Bishop´s house to get a key to call our parents the next day, a lady yelled out of her car, 'Merry Christmas brothers!' It was really cool!

Then we had some Lanches which is like a hamburger for dinner. They were really good, they have hamburger, eggs, bacon and all kinds of stuff on them, it all depends on what you want.... and that was our dinner.

We both got packages so we are overloaded with candy....and junk food. But it´s all good, then on Christmas, we slept in and then went to lunch and we ate pretty much the normal stuff, you know, rice, beans, salad, potato salad, and the different thing was a gigantic ham. It was very good!

Then we went to the Church and talked to our families. That was pretty cool, seeing as it has been 7 months since the last time we talked to them, if you had already started your mission before Mother´s day.
It was a neat experience. it was satisfying, and it didn´t cause you to get homesick, it was just cool.

So yeah that was my Christmas, how was yours?

Oh yeah next week is transfers so if something happens then you may not hear from me, just so you know....so don´t freak out, or stop reading my blog, it will still be there the next week.

I hope it was good. I love this time of year, that we get to focus on the Savior, even though we should everyday.... but still it is a time where mostly everyone is remembering Him. Please Remember Him.

Have a good New Year!

In fact make that a goal, Remember your Savior, everyday.

I am Elder Richardson, and I wish you all a Happy New Year and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRAVIS CLOWARD! and I end mine epistle, amen.

Well my English speaking friends,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVAN EPPERSON!!

How is life?

The Christmas season is coming to a close, yet again, I hope you are all prepared. As a missionary, well I don't really have to worry about much. I only worry about this,

LUKE 2:8 -148 - And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 - And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 - And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 - For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 - And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 - And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 - Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Remember this on Saturday. Merry Christmas.

Oh this last week on Friday, we were visting with a member to get them to go to the Ward Party, and for some reason, I was talking about something to get them to go and I let it slip that it was my birthday on Saturday, and so then at the Party they told everyone and sang Happy Birthday.

Ok I have 3 scriptures for you, Mosiah 5:8-9

(Okay, I looked 'em up and will print them here--And under this head ye are made afree, and there is bno other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other cname given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should dtake upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.

And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.)

Jacob 1:7 Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to acome unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his brest, lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they should not center in, as in the dprovocation in the days of temptation while the children of Israel were in the ewilderness.

2 Nephi 25:26 (And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we bprophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our cchildren may know to what source they may look for a dremission of their sins.)

They are pretty good, I suggest that you look them up.

Man this last week, Sunday to Friday, it rained. we thought it would stop on Friday, but at about 4 it started again. It is really hard to work in the rain, even with an umbrella. No one is on the street, and it´s almost impossible to get into someone´s house when you are soaking wet. So that´s what happened this week.

Oh on Saturday and family invited us over for Dinner and Cake. It was pretty cool.
I hope you are all having a great Christmas season. Remember your Savior and everything He has done for you, without His Birth, we wouldn’t have this holiday, so be grateful to Him.

Pray to your Heavenly Father and thank Him for everything. I Love you all.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I am Elder Richardson, man of 20 years, and I end mine epistle, amen

Elder Passos and me

Sister Lobato, Elder Carneiro, Sister Martins, Jeppson, Passos (on the chair in the back) and ME

Me, Passos, Jeppson, and Carneiro

Feliz Natal!

Everyone I hope you are well, and cold, because it´s super hot here, and it´s only going to get hotter!

Well as for Christmas style things here, we have no one home and gigantic pole with wreaths that light up at night, and in the Centro we have a Nativity set, and we have Trees, lots of things done by the Catholic Church (Probably most Prominent Christian Church here) some people have Christmas lights, but it´s just not the same without snow....

We even saw Santa Claus on the street, or Papai Noel as they call him here. I feel kinda bad for saying this but I just don´t think Santa works when he´s Black......

Oh yeah in the Centro there are these angel looking dudes and they all have the same face and there hands look like they go melted slightly or something they look almost retarded. It´s really funny looking!

This last week wasn't bad, we taught a bunch of people but no one wanted to go to church and our mission presidente wants everyone to go to church at least once before we can baptize them or really do much more with them.

We did have a baptism yesterday, but it hardly counts. It was a daughter of a active/inactive family and it was only her that needed to be baptized, but since she was 9 it went to the missionaries, which is... well me. Her dad was inactive for like ever, and they wanted to wait for him to get back to church to baptize her and they thought that her waiting might work, but it didn't seem to do much and when you are 9 and up you go to the missionaries.

So we did the interview because her dad went back to church a couple weeks back and then they wanted her to get baptized so they asked us to interview her, so we did and her older brother baptized her and her dad confirmed her.

It reminded me of a time a little over 2 years ago when I baptized my little brother and my dad confirmed him. It was a cool experience. Both times.

My sister will like this part, there is a guy in the ward here that played his clarinet for the baptism yesterday, it was pretty cool.

I've been remembering lines from Christmas movies.... wow good times, Christmas is a wonderful time of year, and I think we all need to remember the real meaning of Christmas, read it in Luke ( the Bible) it´s about our Savior. It´s about what you can do for other people, not what you´ll get in return, the Savior didn't ask for anything in return, just obey and do what is right, a small price to pay for Eternal Life, and your Salvation. The Savior died for us. What can you do for another person?

I will write more next week about the real meaning of Christmas seeing as next week is the week of Christmas.

But now, it´s Turbo time!
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner(or Donder, depending on the story) Blitzen, hahaha I can do this all day!

And the Classic,
You´ll shoot your eye out kid!

Flick, Flick who?

Oh one funny thing happened this morning, the Assistants called us to confirm who we baptized yesterday and then they said to my comp, have a good p-day and my comp said you too, but p-day for them.... is on Saturday! It was pretty funny..... you too! (From Brian Regan)

I am Elder Richardson, and I end mine epistle to the Americans, amen

Joy to the World, the Lord is come, let earth receive her king!

That is something I want to tell everyone, but then I’d be like Alma and he told us that is a sin, and we must give God the Glory and let Him use us and tell us what we need to do.

I wanted to say MERRY CHRISTMAS!! FELIZ NATAL!!!!!!!!!!!

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMILY OBORN!!! (yesterday)

I hope you are well in your first weekend of Christmasy, snowy goodness that almost doesn’t exist here.... well the snow.... but people have fake snow and it’s kinda funny. Oh this last week we got a new WASHING MACHINE!!! It’s actually like a real one, or a super Tanquinho (the old one) but it works like the MAGIC CLEANING BOX! and my clothes are almost dry when I take them out! It is really cool, so now our lives are better!

This last week was hard but good, things are looking up. We taught a lady and she was really good, she accepted our help to be prepared to be baptized, but then we went back two days later and she tried to give us back the Book of Mormon. I’m not going to let that happen, so we told her to read it and pray about it. So we’ll go back this next week.

There are some Christmas decorations around the city here but I haven’t seen a lot of real Christmas stuff, but yet again I’m in a whole other place.

Oh man, yet again it rained like no other, and Elder Jeppson (another Elder in the city) and I saw lightning hit RIGHT ON FRONT OF US!!! It was really cool but kinda freaky. We got so wet... then on Sunday, we wanted to work but you can’t work right in the rain, it rained like 5 times on Sunday. We visited with a member and the rain stopped and then started every time we wanted to leave so finally we decided it wasn’t that bad and left. And we were going to leave our bags at home and go on the main street to go do some contacts and then the rain got even harder so we wouldn’t have been able to talk to anyone anyway.....

Other than that this week was good, but we had 3 days we couldn’t do anything. One was because the guys in Ribeirão Preto had an idea of getting all the missionaries in one area, in the same city, and having them work only in that area, but when the area is almost an hour away and you don’t know the area and your map isn’t right, how does it work? You end up spending most of your time trying not to get lost and sweating because the sun is so freakin’ powerful, because São João da Boa Vista is supposedly the second clearest city in the world, next to one in Indonesia or Japan I think. SO we get really sweaty here.... it’s so hot..... then the other 2 were because of an interview that was crazy long and rain.

Nothing dampens your spirits does it Sam? Those Rain clouds might.... For sure the rain dampens your spirit, it soaks it to the CORE! But hey what can you do? NOTHING! But this next week will be better, you’ll see, you’ll all see! hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

So anyway I guess I’ll close. I hope I didn’t forget anything.....

I am Elder Richardson, one of 2 Americans in SJBV and I end mine epistle, amen.

Oh yes HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMILY OBORN!!!!!!!!!!

I just wanted to say that!
Oi meus amigos em Estados Unidos!

Como vai?

Tudo ótimo aqui, então eu vou falar sobre última semana.

Na verdade estava bem, mas difícil de mais, Eu senti como Moises, ele tinha muitas pessoas mas neuma queria nada! Eu falo com muitas pessoas mas ninguem quer nada! É chato, muito chato. Que isso?

E agora Thanksgiving acabou! Agora nós podemos pensar sobre Natal oficialmente!

Então FELIZ NATAL!!!

Vou falar isso muitas vezes em proximas semanas....

oh então um experiência Eu tinha última semana é seguinte, Meu companeirho Passos estava falando com uma cara e a cara falou que ele não queria nada, então Passos perguntou porque? E a cara falou Eu Não gosto Missionários.

Passos perguntou mas você gosta de Jesus Cristo? E a cara falou, sim, mas não vocês.

Louco néh?

hahahahahha Eu vou falar em Inglês agora.

Tell him about the Twinky.

WHAT about the Twinky?

Yeah this week was hard, but good, it was hot as can be. I think I’ll tell you about the rain here.... It rains but not like BAM rain for 3 days it rains then it stops.... just really powerful for about 20 minutes or so, then it stops but it does that all day.

Hey how was Thanksgiving? Mine was a normal day, I didn’t even have a dinner I had some salgadinhos.... they are kinda like chips but that’s about it. It was funny, kinda.... hahahaha
Sorry about the Português, I won’t translate it, you can do it yourself!

I think mostly in Português now. So that’s why.... I realized I have less than 20 days left of being a teenager..... then I’m 20. This is weird.... but kinda cool at the same time.

I hope you are all happy, I know I am.

Do your best out there. Everyone, I want you to be good and pray for everyone, including yourself! You never know when people will need it!

I am Elder Richardson, Keymaster, Comp of Elder Passos de São Paulo, one of 2 Americans in São João da Boa Vista, and am hoping to hear from you all, and I end mine epistle, amen.

I begged Taylor for a translation—it would take me forever to do it, and I probably don’t do it correctly, so here is his translation of the portion written in Portuguese.

Translation:

Hi my friends in the United States!

How are you? Everything is awesome here, I’ll talk about last week. Actually it was good, but harder than heck! I feel like Moses, he had lots of people but not one wanted anything! I talk with lots of people but nobody wants anything. it’s chato, really chato.....

What’s up with that?

Oh yes Thanksgiving is over! Now we can talk about Christmas officially! So MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

I’m going to say this a lot here in the next couple of weeks....

Oh I will tell you about an experience this last week. My comp Passos talked to this one guy and he said he didn’t want anything and so Passos asked why and he said that he doesn’t like missionaries and he asked if the guy like Jesus Christ and the guy said yeah but not missionaries.....it was crazy!

There you go, here’s the translation...

hahaahaj

Love, Taylor

My friends in the Motherland,

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! It’s this week right? We don’t have it here in Brasil, so I forgot....

Well anywho this last week was kinda funky.... we had a conference and I got to see some old friends, Malaquias and Rich. It was pretty cool.

I have a question... Have you ever been on a bus and felt like you were on a roller coaster? It’s kinda cool....

Oh this week our beloved amiga, Sister Nascimento went home, well ok tomorrow she goes home officially! She didn’t know what to feel.... happiness, sadness..... anything...... and when we were going to say good-bye to her we took a different route than normal and Passos and I got caught on some barb wire, in our SUITS!!! It was pretty funny, our pants didn’t get ripped really just kinda scratched.....

Hey I’m actually sending you some pictures this week, Passos took some and he passed them to me so I can have them too! Now you can have them, but remember they are copyrighted so do not copy or duplicate without permission!

I hope everything is going well with you, I hope you have a good holiday. I’m pretty happy, I’m still here with Passos, and we’ll be here until at least January 2.

Oh this week we were talking to the Bishop, two less active guys that I don’t even think they know each other, another dude from Poços de Caldas and a local old dude we call ‘O Tiozão’ pronounced tchu- zaown kinda.... and the tiozão was drunk out of his mind but he always stops to talk with us. It was way funny. You’d probably have to be here and understand it all.

But anywho, I guess that’s about it.

I am Elder Richardson, Keymaster, one of 2 Americans in São João da Boa Vista, and I end mine epistle, amen.

My Friends,
I send my greetings to you.

This week has been good, it was different for sure. I got to see if I would like train an American, and it wouldn’t be too bad. I had to do a 3 day division with a guy named Elder Britton. He was a pretty cool guy.

We got some work done, I’ve never had to do so much translating in my life! I forgot what it was like to not understand people. It was a really cool experience.

Man, this week we tried to visit a lady but she told us she didn’t want us coming over anymore... it sucked.... but oh well, we’ll just save her name and address and all that for other guys. We have been teaching a lot of less active members lately, because no one is ever home.... but we have a bunch of good addresses so we are going to visit there....

We have been doing a lot of contacts and not a lot of teaching because of this, but it is coming along. We did find a girl who is 9 and is a very active member that isn’t baptized so it is our responsibility now....

I hope you are all happy this week, it’s the week of Part 1 of HARRY POTTER 7!!!!!!!!!!!! Lucky!

My life is pretty good here. it’s just a little too hot for November..... but it is summer here so what can I do? NOTHING! I really think one of the coolest things to do right now is serve a mission, it is so fun here, you get to meet so many cool people, and so many jerks, you learn a ton and not just stuff about the Gospel but stuff about life.

I love it. I encourage all to go on a mission. Oh yeah transfers are next week so if you don’t hear from me, that’s why. I think nothing will happen though.... but that’s just me.

Anywho I think I’ll end, I don’t have much more to say, except, I love you all.

I am Elder Richardson, Keymaster, American, and master of absolutely nothing, and I end mine epistle to the People of the North American continent, amen.

Well Hi.

My Friends in the North,

I´m fine, how are you?
Everything is going fairly well, Today we are having a division for like 3 days, I´m with a new missionary called Elder Walker, for now, this is a different Elder Walker than before when I was in Franca. They have the same name so this Elder Walker will need to change his name. He just doesn´t have his new nametag yet. He is in his first transfer, so he doesn´t speak much yet. So My Português will have to do, this is pretty cool, I get to see if I will like to train or not.... So far it´s pretty cool, I really like this kid.

Oh I want to say one thing...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON ANDROES!!!!!!!!!!

This last week We did a 3 day contact party... it was ok, we went to all the areas in our city and just contacted people for like an hour. We lost a lot of good teaching time, but it was ok, we got our contacts done. So not much happend this week.

We worked and did lots of contacts, that´s about it.

Oh man one house we visited we had a dog barking in our faces, literally our faces.
it was crazy.

We walked all over the city this week just doing contacts.... it was so tiring.......
and this week it rained again, have you ever been rained on so hard you can´t tell if it´s sweat or rain coming off of you?

I have.

Just so you know.

Well this week should be eventful.

It´s because of our contact partys..... so see ya!

I am Elder Richardson and I end mine epistle. amen

Hi. My friends, unless you have forgotten about me..... but anyway, people I know in GRINGOLÂNDIA, E AI?

Have you ever been so sweaty from walking that the reason you have eyebrows and eyelashes DOESN´T WORK???? I have.

On Sunday we visited 5 families before going to church to try to get them to go.... we got back just in time for sacrament meeting.

Oh yeah HAPPY HALLOWEEN! OR DIA DAS BRUXAS!!!!! Oh last night I saw trick-or-treaters..... it was really funny, they had a sheet over their heads to be ghosts....
Oh yeah some dude we were talking to thought that I spoke Spanish so he used a couple words in Spanish with me, I know more Spanish than he does! and I don´t speak Spanish!

Oh there is this family we visit, and they have a little girl and she was looking at my planner and it has a picture of Jesus, you know the one that everyone has.... and a picture of the Salt Lake Temple behind Him and I asked her who it was. She said, “Jesus.” Aand then I asked her what the building was and she said, “Jesus’s Castle.” It was pretty funny.

Oh yeah every transfer we get our planners and put pictures from the Liahona and the Ensign on them and then use contact paper to laminate them.

I want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY XELA!!!!!!!!!!!

During Church we heard the bell of the Icegurt..... (frozen yougurt in a tube) and all you can think about are the flavors of manga, coco, limão, graviola, and orango.... saboroso.... gostoso... gelado.....

The churros here are great, doce de leite!!!!!!Yep we can get the inferior kind too... chocolate.... but doce de leite is so much better, and we have doce de leite ice cream and everything! oh wow....

The food is good but usually very the same. Rice, beans and meat, here macarrom, or some type of spaghetti.

Everything is going great here.... work is still hard but its coming great, Elder Passos and I are getting along great still, we have some cool members here but a lot of them are menos ativo (less active), so we visit them and try to get them to go to church every week.

São João da Boa Vista has 3 pairs of missionaries. The ward has about 70 people going each week. We teach a lot, maybe 2-3 lessons a day or so....we usually do contacts on the street and try and visit them in the next couple of days if they seemed good, and when all is lost knock on doors.

Just Remember Bond, James Bond and Noel, Papai Noel...... hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

I Hope you are all having fun preparing for Turkey Day!

Have fun! I am Elder Richardson, Keymaster, contact machine, and the only American in the city and I end mine epistle to the Gringos of Gringolândia, amen

Hello my friends in Gringolândia!

Ok this week was hard, everything fell, no one was home, no one wanted to hear our message, it was crazy and whenever we decided to make contacts no one was on the streets!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so hard to work. Things are going well though.... But we kept at it and managed to do what we needed to do!

Oh man this week when we were walking we passed by a store and a lady was undressing a mannequin... but she pulled down the pants right in front of us and started to lift up the shirt too... it was pretty funny.

We also met the Churro Man, it’s like the Ice Cream Man. They drive around in an old hippie van and have an announcement saying they have Churros! It was pretty neat!
This week during one of our lunches I met a member that looks just like Barney Fife. It was so hard not to laugh.

Oh yeah this week Elder Passos and I were talking about whatever and I happened to mention that we have church dances so he wanted to know the differences... I told him that we needed a dance card and he laughed for about 5 minutes!

We also made Yakissoba, which was really good especially because we made it at home and from molho (gravy) that we bought at the store.

Oh our investigator Nice (pronounced Nee see) is almost done with smoking; she is only smoking maybe 6 or less a day now and last week it was more than 40! She is really excited! Now all we have to do is get her to church and get married, you can’t live with someone and not be married..... Everything will work out just fine! Hopefully this week or next.

Well that’s about it, I can’t think of much more that happened this past week, so I guess I’ll say good-bye!

I am Elder Richardson, The Gringo, Keymaster, Mestre de Contatos (Master of Contacts), and I end mine epistle, amen.

Elder Passos making a face.
Stormy weather.
After the storm?
Little parrots.
View from Taylor's balcony--I think.

muh muh muh muh muh, muh muh muh muh muh muh MISSIONARIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well my friends on the other side of the PLANET! How is everything? Everything is good here, we actually did work!!!! Finally!

Yes I have a good comp! His name is Elder Passos, again, I said this already! But we worked. He only has one more month than me on the mission and we get along just great! He is from São Paulo, right next to the Temple in fact.

Ok I have pictures from the last little while! My camera is having problems so if I don't send a lot of pictures, that's why.

Everything is going well here. We baptized a little girl who is 9 and her name is Kristina. Her family is inactive, but we are working to get them back to Church. Her dad wants to stop drinking, and he is doing it! We have a couple of investigators that have problems with smoking, but we are working on some goals with them!

One lady is really liking it all and she wanted to get rid of some Catholic statues and pictures of her boyfriend, because he said they don't matter to him, so she felt like it was bad to have them in the house so she gave them to us!

Here in my area, it's very hilly. We walk a lot, one day, I think it was Thursday, everything fell and so we did contacts até o pó! I don´t know how to translate that! (Translator says "until the dust" so maybe until they went home?) I don't remember, honestly. So then we tried and tried to visit people and then at about 6, when you want to give up, everything goes right.

Man we have mountains here, it was cool to see that after 8 months! Yeah I've almost been here for 8 months now! Oh we have wild parrots here, they are little green ones.

Everything is going great--it's a little rainy today, but that's ok. I'm learning how to teach better and everything, the português is coming along great! Man, this is a good area! Everything is going great! Well that about sums it up.

So I am Elder Richardson, Keymaster, THE American in São João da Boa Vista, and I end mine epistle, amen.

Well Hello USA! I’m here and ALIVE! I have a new comp, his name is Elder Passos and he is from São Paulo. My new area is called São João da Boa Vista. I’ve heard this guy is good, so I’m in for work! Yay work!

This is my comp’s first time to be senior, I do believe. Yeah, I’m a little too excited to work I think. He said he already likes me because Elder Ellis was my trainer. I’m super stoked so yeah we will get some stuff done, I’ll have some good stories in the next weeks...

Sorry still no pictures, I just got here in the city about maybe a half hour ago so I didn’t have time to find all the stuff I need for pictures.

Well the last week in São Joaquim da Barra was ok, it rained a lot again and we spent 2 days in Franca because we had interviews with our Presidente. Our bus left at 9:30 and Presidente was originally going to get there at 8 but didn’t until 9, so we missed our bus. Then the LZ’s had lunch for us in their area which was forever and a half away, so we didn’t get there until 3.... our bus left at 4 so we ended up staying with them for the night and it rained like no other man!

Interviews with the Presidente were good. And at interviews that means MAIL!!!!!!!!! Elder Walker got a package of candy and so some of the sisters wanted to see what he got, and Walker said to Sister Pietróski I have a present for you and he had a RING POP!!!! and so he “proposed” to her! It was so funny!

I did a division with Elder Israel and it turns out that he likes Gun’s N’ Roses so that’s all we talked about all day!

OK I got up at 5 today so I could get here at 1! And then it was just me and 2 sisters.... hee hee hee! One is actually and old friend, Sister Nascimento.... it was good to see her again. I got to my new area by bus and taxi.

I had a fun time in São Joaquim da Barra, but now it’s time for a new area with a new comp. I’m super excited, everyone that has passed here loved it! I really think this next transfer will be good, and if we stay for more, well then 2 or more will be good!

Oh one thing I noticed about Brasil is if you ask for a cup of water they will only get one for the person that asked, then they will ask the other person if you want one.....

I hope everyone is doing well, because if I am then you should be too! I hope you are happy!

Oh people, if you were planning on sending Christmas cards.... or letters or packages to anyone, I would do it now....... Remember I did work for UPS last year and we started in October. SO if you want them there on time be smart and send them now! (Major hint . . .)

I am Elder Richardson, it’s what I do, I carry chapstick in my pocket, and I end mine epistle, amen.

P.S. And is Brother Epperson lying to me, or are there actually 4 girls that are 20 and quadruplets that live just down the street from us? and they go to the U? and are boyfriendless? (Hmm, what do you think? That does sound like Brother Epperson . . .)

Like there was this one time and I was laying on my bed and a spider was hanging above my face and I was all like’ poosh’ and then he fell... on my face and I was like ‘ahhh spider’ and he was like ...... ‘ahhh Kyle’ and ..... spider.... and That was TOTALLY KYLE! TOTALLY!

Hi guys......

Well this last week was nuts. It rained until Friday! My shoes actually stayed dry, I think they are waterproof and if I remember right Dad sprayed them... .So it was hard to talk to people because no one was out on the road and no one was home for some reason.

Well we had a member girl come with us and she beat me in doing contacts in one day! She got 66 and I got 62. This is a little more than a normal number if you are really trying to do contacts in one day, you really only need 80 per week. Nayra is a 15-year old ward missionary so she could go with us. I told her I’d get her ice cream if she beat me.

I found out I really miss Conference. We got to see one session at a member’s house. His name is Milton and we used his daughter's laptop and heard the first session. Sometimes the branch president will get a bus for the members to go to the bigger city, but that didn’t happen.

Oh when I was talking to people I got a flat out no and when I asked why the lady told me.... I don’t know why you can’t visit me, just no. It was totally funky..... oh no pictures this week either..... the other lan house ( where we do internet) wasn’t open so we came here.

We usually go to Franca (the neighboring, larger city) because we have District Meeting that night, but this week we'll go on Wednesday and then have interviews on Thursday with the Mission President. (Then transfers are next week.)

My comp is still the same... I’ve tried to like him but now I’m to the point where the littlest thing bugs me..... he told our LZ that our numbers are down because of me! that I’m not doing anything! Which is a lie, I’m doing it all! The LZs came to do interviews and my comp went off and Elder Walker and I went off. Walker works so I wanted to get some work done and asked if we could do some contacts.... and that turned out to be good because the LZ asked Walker to “spy” on me to see if I was working or not, because my comp is notorious for being a fubeca and pretty much the crappiest missionary in my mission. So I totally saved myself from getting chewed out or getting burned as we call it......

Oh yeah next week I might not get to email you guys so don’t cry if I don’t it all depends on transfers... if I stay or leave or what...... so anywho I don’t remember much more.

Hooray for PIZZA DAY!!!!!

I am Elder Richardson and I am the Keymaster and master cartographer, I am a Legend, and I end mine epistle, Amen

P.S. I remember my first day in public school I was very scared of getting pummeled and sure enough I did at first recess I got pegged in the head by a big red ball it stung with my head hung back to class with a bloody nose and soon it was lunchtime...

Mom said I should ask how poor kids could get fed so I got a book of tickets and a schedule and it read:

Monday -- Hot dog
Tuesday -- Taco
Wednesday -- Hamburgers and Chocolate milk
Thursday -- Sloppy Joes and Doritos in a bag
Friday was PIZZA DAY the best day of the week!


(For those of you who don't know, this is from a song. . .)

Well hello my friends from the North.

I’m sorry but this week will be without pictures.

Essa semana foi boa (it was good this week), certeza, batizei 3 pessoas (certainly we baptized 3 people). Foi legal. (It was cool.) Então eu vi uma velha com uma barba! (Then I saw an old guy with a beard.) Vixi! (Geez!)

Ok English now. Well we baptized this week, named Danilo, a girl named Yasmim, and her brother Mateus. We have to take a bus to go to our other city Franca for District Meeting, and I have a buddy there so sometimes we do stuff.

Not much else, we didn’t do much.

Oh I was with Elder Walker and we ended up talking to an old lady who showed us an old closed down church. And then we passed by this super hot chick and the old lady put up her fists for some reason as if to fight the girl. Then we found out that it was like a “Check out what I have” to the girl. It was funny.

Oh and an old dude told me he wouldn’t buy yogurt because of one centavo! Crazy man.

I’m sorry there isn’t much to say this week. I’m sure I’ll have more this next week, this last one we just focused on our people to baptize.

Anywho, see ya!

I am Elder Richardson, the Legend, and I end mine epsitle, amen.

Remember I’m right here. In my heart? Actually in your arteries.

Well these last couple of weeks was nuts. My sidekick is a whiner and I told him off and said that we needed to work. He called for an emergency transfer because he can’t work in Votuporanga. But I got dragged into it and got ripped out too. (Ripped out of the city?)

So we are still together but in São Joaquim da Barra. Awesome city with awesome members. The members hate my comp. One lady who is key here will only talk to me.

Oh man one thing I saw this week was your stereotypical black dude who is a wannabe gangster and he has the hair, the clothes, chains, whatever and a FANNY PACK!

This last week was nuts, we left Votuporanga and came here and we had conference. And then we were getting to know the area, so it was fairly uneventful, but I like the new area.

Can you find Taylor???

I am still with my sidekick but for probably 3 more weeks. The key members here are going to tell our president that he can’t stay here.

I can’t think of much more, I love you guys.

I am Elder Richardson, the Legend, the Man, the One who used to wear a hat everyday, and I end mine epistle, amen

Hey everyone, how’s life? It’s looking a lot better here. You want a translation? Café Rio is coffee river.

Ok I saw something way cool a toucan flying, I didn’t get a picture though.....

We were sitting in the Rodoviaria (bus station) and I saw 2 dudes signing, I could understand a little but it’s so different.

Oh yeah I was talking with some other missionaries and someone said something funny and I was drinking water and I laughed and it came out my nose.

Here it’s different than other South American countries because we don’t have a siesta. On Saturdays in Votuporanga after 2 p.m. everything is closed. Oh yeah there is a myth or legend or superstition here that if you drink really, really cold water you will get the flu, I thought that was only when you go bowling?

Oh we have a bunch of missionaries from the Nordeste and Sul so we have a bunch of different slang and accents. It can get frustrating sometimes.

You know I think that’s about it, oh wait, I remembered no one here likes me, we try to teach people but they always say they don’t have time come back tomorrow and they aren’t home or something.

We went to the English school again, they love me there, I taught them a whole bunch of slang and how to actually say it. It was pretty cool. Oh I taught them some pick-up lines too, and “love/dating phrases and words” it was fun. Oh, one pick-up line is this: “Are you tired? Because you have been running through my mind all day.” The teacher was explaining it and one girl (who is actually really cute) said yeah I’m tired, and so I started laughing and so the teacher explained it and the girl thought it was funny too. Everyone did after the explanation.

So that is about it for today. Até semana que vem Abraço

I am Elder Richardson, Keymaster in Votuporanga and I end mine epistle, amen.

drinking out of a coconut


Me and E. Bernards--he went home today! He was so done.

Our Zone: Front E. Nascimento, E. Melo (Cortopraza missão - Temporary Mission), E. Macedo, E. Lopes Back E. B. Anderson, Me, E. Camilo (Mat Snarr knows him as E. F. Silva, shared the same room in the CTM, E. Camilo is my District Leader and looked at my pictures and almost snapped when he saw Mat (Mat is a lifelong friend from Tooele who is serving in the Recife Brazil mission)), E. Bernards, E. Lund, E. Sória, and if you look closely behind Bernards and Lund you see E. Johnson and E. Wesley.


Hello, Hello, Hello!!

You know wearing a backpack all day with your missionary clothes feels like a really weak midget trying to bring you down all day, and just having a collar feels like a really weak guy trying to choke you all day.

I have information for you guys but it’s nothing important just something about a ring and the end of the world, just don’t turn me into anything.....unnatural....
Ok this last week was nuts, we didn’t do much but we saw Michael Jackson, ok a dude dressed like him and he was dancing! Then we saw some cartoons/children’s books of the Bible at a bookstore, they were pretty funny. There was even a pop-up book about the Nativity.

Ok, it is true about bars having one girl and 20 guys! The only way to get guaraná on the go is visit a bar, you only need to be 18 to go in and half of the bars are bakeries as well.

Oh here they have pay phones still and sometimes they ring, so I thought of Kramer when he had almost the same phone number as a movie theater. I thought of the Missão Brasil Ribeirão Preto hotline! Press one for a visit of our representatives, press two for a free pamphlet, press three for a free book, why don’t you just tell me what you want? And I actually answered the phone and ALMOST got the lady's address on the other side but she said to call back, but I don’t have the number so it’s ok.

So this next week will be different, same area, same comp, everything, but we are going to work now! I wrote out some rules and made my comp sign them, like no sleeping during the day, you have to make 15 contacts at least per day etc. I even told him I would be senior comp if that’s what it takes. (Go Taylor!)

Me and Sória in Normal clothes when we got a haircut

We went to the Napoli pizzeria and had, of course, pizza!
(No, this doesn't look like pizza Taylor's mom had in Napoli, but that's okay. It still looks good!)

3 Nephi 5:13 “Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.” Yeah that’s me.

Hey I have another announcement NEW ADDRESS FOR THE MISSION!!!!!!! Write this on my letters now:

Elder Taylor Cotton Richardson
Missão Brasil Ribeirão Preto
Rua São Sebastião 1003 Centro
Ribeirão Preto SP
Brasil 14015-040

Ok that’s about it just remember you gotta make room for the TUNA!!!!! (For Invader Zim fans.)

Abraço—I am Elder Richardson, Missionary of 6 months currently in Votuporanga, Master Contactor, Speaker of English and I end mine epistle, Amen

Note from the Missionary Mom:

Taylor has had some hard weeks with a companion who didn’t want to work very much. I know he was hoping that one of them would be transferred, but that isn’t what happened. I was really happy when Taylor’s comment to me was “the Lord knows best.” I was glad that he seems to have such a great attitude about it all, and my suggestion to him was to be the example, make sure he follows the rules and then get out and work; take charge if necessary. I know his companion will catch the spirit of the work--perhaps he’s never had anyone show him how to be a good missionary before. Taylor responded by quoting the following scripture to me. I think he has this same kind of faith. He is full of life, enthusiasm for missionary work and love for the Brasilian people. What more could he need? I guess just a companion with the same vision. I’m anxious to see what the next few weeks bring.

Alma 57: 20-27
20 And as the remainder of our army were about to give way before the Lamanites, behold, those two thousand and sixty were firm and undaunted.

21 Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them.

***

26 And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power.

27 Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually.

I'm sure Taylor was thrilled when he saw this--for all of you who really know him--he loves the Ramones! You don't think he had a can of spray paint do you???

We have a piper down, I repeat a piper is DOWN!

Hey this last week was again uneventful, you know why? I didn't do anything.... I can´t help it.....it’s my comp. Oh well only one more week!

So I´ll apologize, I´m sorry I don´t have anything interesting to say. I did get a flag of my futébol time! São Paulo!

We saw a car show this last week and a huge Catholic church service.

Wow--the little brothers would love this one!

The favorite?? Perhaps.

We walked a lot, I worked. I just talked to a lot of people, and got told off plenty of times.

You guys need to try Pineapple with cinnamon, it’s super good! Hey my address will change soon, but when I have the new one I´ll let you know!

Just remember Eu sou Batman, que Eu faço, Eu levo coisas na minha cinta, porque Eu sou BATMAN! (I am Batman, I carry things in my belt because I am Batman!) Sometimes you need your own Little Wooden Boy!

Guys I’m sorry again! More will come next transfer!

Oompa loompa doopadee dawesome; Dwight is now gone and that’s totally awesome! Why is he gone, he was such a nice guy! No he was not he was a total douche. Oompa loompa doopadee do! (Reference to "The Office.")

Até mais
Abraço

I am Elder Richardson and I end mine epistle, amen

The moon is made of cheese........
E AI USA!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey guys what’s up?

Not too much is going on here, it’s a sleepy city....

Favorite drink, Guarana

I found out that Halls (cough drops) are candy here.... talk about abuse of medicines..... some people’s kids.....

Ok I found this chiclet called Baba de Bruxa, which is Drool of the Witch, and Cabeça de Abóbora, which is PUMPKINHEAD!!!!!! For those of you who know what the signifcance of that is, LAUGH!

Ok I’m going to tell you something I miss: I miss being able to put my clothes in a magic box with magic powder and push a button and poof my clothes are clean, then you put them in another magic box and push a button and poof they are dry and ready to use!!!!!

I went to an English school and the teacher thought I didn’t speak Português, but I do speak a lot for 6 months, (well that’s what everyone says) I don’t think so...... anyway, she started speaking in English with me and I naturally responded in Português, and she was like wait you speak Portugês? And I said, yeah, I have 6 months here.... But it was way cool, her students are more advanced, they asked me questions in English and I responded. It was cool then I talked to a newer class and they thought it was way cool.

Here's a picture for my dad. . .

But yeah that’s about it. I don’t remember much else, we kinda worked, we had conference, my mission president is way cool!

I’m super happy and I hope you are too! I love you guys!

Abraço com amor,

Elder Richardson

P.S. I am Elder Richardson, Master of Awesomeness, Speaker of English, Hero of Casmo the English School, Only American in Votuporanga, Comp of Elder Sória and I end mine epistle, Amen.




Any guesses what this is? Think of Taylor, you'll see it. . .