2-01-2010 Letter Home

Hey families and friends!
More news from "The Lagoon Where The Macaws Drink" (literal translation of Maracanau from the native American Indians here) ...and about your favorite missionary there!

Well this week was really tough! This was Sick Week, because I was really sick! Headache, bad stomach ache too, felt really wasted and wobbly a coupled days as well. The Brazilians say it was the sun but I suspect it was a virus of some sort, because I've been out in the sun for the last three months and it never hit me that hard. The pace we had been at during the first week of this transfer kind of crashed to a halt because  I had to take it kinda slow.

As if that wasn't bad enough, our district has taken another blow because of missionaries leaving for home. It turns out that Elder ------- was feeling really homesick, missing his family a lot, or that's what I heard. Really, I don't know what actually happened and it hurts to reveal this kind of negative information to all of you as it is. President Batt did his best to convince him to stay... I've also heard that a telephone call was made to President Eyring to try and help Elder -----, but he had made his decision already and now he is home in Sao Paulo. This situation affected his companion enough that he in turn decided he needed to return home, as well, after serving over a year and earning a reputation as a great missionary.  Both of these wonderful missionaries, were great friends of mine.

When Elder Matias and I were alone here in Maracanau last transfer, they helped us get through the isolatedness that we felt here sometimes. Elder --------, especially, was a powerful missionary who I looked up to a great deal. He had been studying to be a Catholic Priest about  two years ago, and during his religious studies he heard about a book of "extra scripture" that "the Mormons" had. He was struck with interest, somehow got his hands on a Book of Mormon, started studying it, prayed about it and received an answer from our Heavenly Father that it was true, then found the missionaries, was baptized and a year later he left for his mission. He was loved by almost all the missionaries and did some incredible things here because of his cheerful, friendly personality and his strong testimony of the Gospel. What caused him to feel so badly, what thoughts entered his head because of this incident, I do not know, but his departure made waves here in Maracanau.

So, now Elder Matias and I have three wards and a branch to look over instead of just two wards! Haha, it happened again. But there are also some good investigators we are going to teach in those elder's old area, called Pacatuba. I am confident that you will hear about these people in upcoming letters.

I've gotten better from my physical maladies only in the last day or two, but I feel now kind of mentally and emotionally exhausted, drained, from this week. I don't know, I just kinda feel like the excitement and enthusiasm I had been holding on to slipped out of my hands like a bar of wet soap, and now I can't find it among all the steam. I am still feeling the Spirit, I still have my testimony, but the lack of these positive feelings are kind of hindering it, I can tell. What I need to do is simple, I know. Pray more, longer, maybe fast, search the scriptures a little more deeply for guidance. There's already a strong rope thrown into this well, I just need to start climbing up it.

Not the best thing to read after a week of suspense about my current travails, hah! But really, that was how my week was, for better or for worse. It was a traffic jam, it was accidentally getting smoke in your eyes, it was figuring out the song was ending just as you started dancing. It was the wind prematurely knocking down your dominoes. Hehe.

Hey, so, one thing I kind of am excited about but in a distant kind of way is the start of the last season of LOST tomorrow! Oh man, guys! I hope some of my relatives and maybe my family too can be there for the premier. I want to know what it was like watching it on the very night it aired. By tomorrow you and I will enter a new part of my mission and how we communicate. There's "The First Part of My Mission Where No One Knew Anything About The Last Season of Lost", and "The Latter Part of My Mission Where You Possibly Know Something About the Last Season of Lost". So here's the rules for the next nineteen months... "No one shall communicate to me, through whatever medium or fashion, any information about what happens in the Last Season of Lost." That is, I think, the only rule we need here. Wait, you can reveal one thing, you can write the sentence "Lost is AWESOME!!!" or "Lost was AWESOME!!!" I think it would be appropriate to allow that freedom for all of you. I fully expect, a short period after arriving home in August 2011 (dare I speak of it!), that I will watch the Last Season of Lost with my beloved twin brother and my awesome family, and that I will watch it with a mind completely unspoiled as to what happened on the show. I want to be as surprised as possible. I think this is all that needs to be said concerning this favorite television show of mine.

Mom, that spiritual experience of yours was very cool and uplifting. It helped me realize too that Heavenly Father is watching over us, he is helping us, constantly. Many times when we have trials its hard to see that, but though we cannot comprehend Him, we do know that, when we are doing what is right, He will always guide us through the paths we need to to arrive at the most happiness at the end. Thank you for your awesome testimony! :)
Thanks for catching up on the blogs, by the way. My companion is my best friend, and I think we is doing well, but lately he's been kind of dispirited by some of our challenges. One time after lunch he broke down crying suddenly... he has a big heart, he wants to help the people here, but lately its felt like we can't reach anybody. I assured him though that he was a good missionary and we had a good heart-to-heart.
Early mornings... when I was sick this week I decided it would be smart to wake up at 6:30, eat a little something, drink some water, then get some more sleep. Without those extra few hours it'll be hard to get back to studying in the morning but its all good. The food is still good, though every lunch feels like the last, hah. My feet are fine, same with the shoes, clothes are getting remarkably dirty very quickly, and other than being sick this last week I am doing fine now! No real problems with bugs any more and I hope it stays that way!

Hey Dad, no problem about the letters, you have plenty of time later to write big long messages. I love you very much,  Dad, and once again, you have my thoughts and hopes and prayers with you this week, regarding your work. Sales this next week, huh? That's a little less exhausting, isn't it? I hope you are doing well with scripture reading and are receiving help, guidance and comfort there as well. I know I am more down when I go without it. I love you so much, Father. Bon Trabalho! Your family loves you and is proud of you and immensely grateful that you are at its head. :)

Lynsey, life has gotten even more crazy and busy? Dang yo! I do miss those days too, when we had more time to just be together and play around with whatever was around. You stressing about college, huh? You probably should... but not too much. Let it build up until the beginning of Senior Year. Then let it burn out during the first semester, that's when you should be the most stressed out. I know you will do great getting into the colleges you want, I am so proud of you, you are awesome and intelligent and interesting and what college wouldn't want to accept you? Loveya girl! Give Kaitlin a big hug from me and tell her that I love her sooo much!

Connor, awesome photos man! Shoot, the one with you in front of the field looks like it was greenscreened. Definitely a beautiful area you've got there. I wish I was a little more courageous taking my camera with me, though I have practically no easy nature shots like you do... just stuck in the urban spread all day practically. Bleh. Hah. "And the truth will set you free!" Oh man, that was very funny too. Can you believe Lost is starting!!! Dude, I will be thinking about it alot this Tuesday and Wednesday, I don't think there is any way not to. How is Elder Lima? Have you talked about Ceara a bunch? Keep up the great work there, bro, and be the best that you can be!!

Hey Grandma, thank you so much for your latest letter that I received, and for your e-mails. I love you so much! I hope you are doing well, staying happy and healthy. :)

Love you, everyone else! Have a great week!
Your brother, friend, son and/or relative,
Elder Brendon Carpenter

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Looks like pictures aren't getting through this week, everybody! I'm sorry, the computer or internet or fate isn't being too nice to me right now. *weak smile*