Dear Family,
Well we made it! We had a great week of training at the MTC and in Salt Lake City last week. Our training was on the Welfare/Humanitarian programs of the church. WOW!! That is about how I felt after that training. I had no idea the huge scope of the welfare area of the church. One thing I learned is that if some other group is doing something really well and having good results, the church doesn't automatically step in and say, "Our program is better so let us do it." The church has lots of partners all over the world and when they see that something is working they say, "What do you need from us to keep it going?" Usually with those projects the church helps out with money and let whatever group keep doing their work.
Another thing I learned is that if people don't want to change, they aren't going to. We all have the mindset that everyone would want our lifestyle if they had a chance, but that isn't the case most of the time. One brother said that the American lifestyle is not normal as far as the world goes. We often hear around Rexburg, "You need to get out and experience the 'real' world." Well the 'real' world lives in total poverty. We are definitely the exception.
We had presentations from several different people from the welfare department all week. One brother told about a group of women in Africa who went to the river to wash their clothes. The welfare missionaries felt like things could be a lot better for them so they built a washing station with multiple sinks and then a public shower next to it. It worked great, that is until the couple went home and the women started going back to the river to wash their clothes and used the shower as a latrine. The problem was that the missionaries didn't ask questions of what the women needed or wanted. They LIKED going to the river to wash because it gave them a chance to socialize and the washing station took that away. We heard many stories like that.
Another one was an interview with a lady in the Philippines who lost her home in a recent typhoon. The church helped fund a program for the victims and train local people to build new homes. This lady was so grateful to get a new home and was completely overcome with emotion as she never thought she would ever have a home so large. It was 10x12 feet and one-room.
Anyway it was quite the humbling week. There were six couples in our welfare group. Two couples went to Kazakhstan, one to Moscow, one to Liberia, one to Madagascar and then us. I was very grateful to be going to Brazil! Brazil has lots of problems but nothing to compare to those other places.
We had a great flight, in two legs, to Brazil. We flew from SLC to NYC and then to Sao Paulo. Sao Paulo is huge!!! It is ranked the third largest metropolitan (incorporated) area in the world, behind Tokyo and Mexico City. The city is managed in 31 boroughs (New York has 5). The city of Sao Paulo is more populous than 170 countries of the world, including Australia! It also covers more land area than the U.S. states of Delaware and Rhode Island combined! Anyway, it is a humongous city. It stretches on forever it seems.
We went to church today and I came home (our home away from home) feeling like I had been spiritually fed. They have a system to translate for the English missionaries. I hope that at some point I will be able to understand on my own but this was great for now. The RS was so big that they have to meet in the Cultural Hall. It is a very good ward.
We start our training tomorrow and learn what our assignment will be. We hope that we won't just be in the office. The senior couples have FHE each week and they are planning a trip to southern Brazil during the Christmas holidays and they have invited us to go along so I think we will. I guess things get pretty slow here at that time. We went to the store yesterday and the first thing I saw was a decorated Christmas Tree! The whole front of the store is full of Christmas decorations! It is kind of funny seeing snowmen, etc. when it is so hot and humid here! You will remember that we are just going into summer. It will be a different Christmas for me, that is for sure!
Our apartment is very comfortable and has new appliances, including a washer and dryer. The shower is interesting but way better than what we had 19 years ago and the water must be naturally soft and now my skin feels heavenly! Our bed is comfortable and we have lots of storage space (hopefully we won't fill that up). I think that we will be very happy here. We are only a short walk from the temple, church, office, grocery store, and WalMart! We are saved! :)
I'll try to figure out how to transfer my pictures from my camera to this laptop. We hope that you are all doing well. We sure love you all.
Love,
Mom and Dad/Paula and Ferron
(Note from Emily: Mom took me on a FaceTime tour of their apartment. It's really nice and has a fantastic view. I feel much better after seeing their accommodations!)
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