Weekly email 8-18-2016

Hey everyone I am still alive. 

This week has been pretty uneventful. I have gone to classes and have grown closer to everyone in my district. This week's shower song was The Spirit of God, which actually sounded good. We all harmonized and it was fantastic, we are pretty much the next Vocal Point. Then we tried to sing Praise to the Man, but let's just say that night we were a one-hit wonder. 

      This week I started TRC, which is when they record you teaching a lesson. Then you go back and watch yourself stumble over the wrods. Funny story, I was teaching about the importance of families and tried to say that we believed that marriage should be between a man and a women. However, in my broken Portuguese, I said the opposite. I pretty much endorsed same sex marriage for the church. Then there were lots of questions, and I was flustered because I couldn't answer them, or really understand them that much. It wasn´t pretty. My Portuguese is getter better though. I am in the upper percentile of Portuguese speaking Americans. Another story, this one is about the gift of tongues. I was answering a question from Irma Cassiano and just spoke for a full minute in good Portuguese. I didn´t even have to translate in my head first, the words just came out.

I  wanted to tell you that i had a really spiritual moment in the temple today. I have been struggling with feeling the Holy Ghost here, and I have just been praying to know when I feeli it. I know that it is here, because a lot of my district will say they feel it, but I wasns´t recoginizing it. So in the celestial room I said one of the most sincere prayers of my life and felt the spirit way strong. It was a Portuguese session, and II was proud that I could understand 65% of the words.

     Oh yeah devicoes or splits happened. They pair you up with a Brazilian for 3 hours to help you learn and practive. My Brazilian spoke decent English so it was very helpful. He learned how to speak English from playing GTA5 which is hilarious. He had a sick leather scriputer case and I want one. Apparently there is a place right outside the MTC that mkakes them, but the guy who hand-made them literally just passed away. If the elders who told me that are to be believed. I do get to go into the town today, soIi will see if there are any in his store that is supposedely closing soon, but i have low expectations. 

     This week I ate some really good and really bad food. I had a chocolate eclair from heaven. It was better than the eclairs that I ate in France. I also ate pig tongue, which has a weird texture but tastes like a hot dog. I am still confused if I like it or not. Other than that all the food is literally exactly the same. Not going to lie, I am starting to get real tired of it. I just want one burger. It could even be from Mcdonalds. I am not picky at this point.

     The days are starting to blur and tomorrow we go proselyting. It is just starting to get real. Love you guys, and love hearing about what is happening back home. USA USA USA. I hope we are doing well in the Olympics. Literally in a host city, but dont here or see any thing to do with the Olympics.

 Ethan's CTM district.  Not sure all the names.  District leader is Elder Johnson

 Ethan's companionship:  Elder Ricks and Elder Hill

Nametag photo at Campinas Brazil temple on P-day

TIll next week.

Elder Smith