Monday, Jan. 25th was a holiday here, the birthday of the city of Sao Paulo I think. So all the American missionaries (us old ones) went to Pico de Jaragua, the highest point in the city. It is a mountain covered with jungle and we have taken our kids there in 1996. We hiked up the many many stairs to the huge tower at the top and we had a marvelous view of part of the city and the surrounding areas. We could not see all the city from there as it is immense. They have a saying here that goes, "Sao Paulo nao para" (Sao Paulo doesn't stop), and it doesn't. It goes for ever and ever. We saw one of the miniature monkeys which is common to the Atlantic Forest here. There are so cute, but as you kids know (remember Pres. Barbour), they can bite, so we didn't get too close. While at the top, a Brazilian fellow came over and started showing me all the pictures he had taken on his phone of different kinds of monkeys he had seen that day. It was really interesting. We had a good visit about a lot of things for probably over 30 minutes. I gave him a pass along card. We then had a picnic that sister Zaugg had prepared and it was wonderful. She is a really good cook. She had make homemade rolls for ham sandwiches and a bunch of salads and chocolate cake. I noticed all day and as we were eating that we were being watched by a lot of people. As we were finishing, I noticed a lady with her family paying a lot of attention to us and she finally came walking over and went right up to Elder Hart who speaks very little Portuguese. I could see he was getting a bit nervous so I ran over to save him. She said, "Who are you? You are such a beautiful group of people." So I told her who we are and why we arer here and that most of the men served missions here anywhere from 43-55 years ago. She was amazed. I gave her a pass along card. One family came up to us and said, "Hi elders." They were members.
We next went over to a small amphitheater and Elder Zaugg began playing his guitar, mostly hymns and we all sang along. That got a ton of attention. There were hundreds and hundreds of people up there because of the holiday. Several came over and I got up and talked to a number of them. One little girl came over and took a bunch of pictures with her phone. She couldn't have been more than 8 or 9 years old. Some came over to practice their English. We stopped at the Villa Lobos Shopping Center (huge, really huge) and went in for some ice cream. Tons of stores and restaurants of every kind, like Outback, and of course mostly Brazilian restaurants. I will go out on a limb and say that quite frankly, you would have a hard time finding better restaurants in the USA. Brazilians know how to cook. I apartment smells good all the time from the smells coming from our neighbor's kitchens. Well it was a really great day.
On Wed. Fernando and Paula and I went to Praia Grande on the coast again. I drove most of the way down and so I got to drive through the chain of mountain tunnels which is pretty cool. Some are several miles long. We went down purposely to see the Stake President as we needed a signature from him. When we got to the church, he wasn't around, so Fernando called and he said he would be there in an hour. So Fernando decided to visit a few members in the area that he had know when he was a bishop and stake president in the area. He is from Santos, the neighboring city where Pele played. The first home we went to made me feel really humble because of how little they had and how much we have. The family was actually in pretty good shape compared to many in that area. They are good people, really good people. For as little as they had, there was the scripture from Matthew 22:36-40 painted in beautiful writing on their wall. It made me think that the family understands what is most important in life. They have a spot of ground, very very small, but enough to do a tiny garden. We will be going back there. We then visited another family and the sister brought us a lemonade. As I listened to several people talking with Fernando, I realized that there was a problem. The good member fellow who originally offered to let other needy families use his large piece of ground for gardens is having second thoughts. That is where Paula and I held our first training meeting about being prepared and being self sufficient. All who attended the meeting had the exact same thought about what the project was going to be like. But the brother has decided differently and he never had the same idea about our presentation as everyone else. So I was feeling a little discouraged.
We finally met with the Stake President, Presidente Vallafan. As soon as he began to talk to us, I could see why he hadn't signed the paper. The situation wasn't right. He was really wise not to sign. He must be a man about late 30's. I really liked him and could feel the strength of his testimony. There were quite a few of us discussing the problem with Paula the only sister in the room. One fellow, another young member is in charge of taking care of the grounds of 30 different chapels in the area. So in reality, he is an accomplished gardener. So he has been assigned to lead out on this or be what we call the "Champion" of the project, making sure that things keep moving along. Paula and I are ready to start buying seeds and tools. Brother Mauro will be looking at things like topsoil and materials for building box type gardens. I really like him a lot. He had a lot of insights and we are excited to work with him. One neat thing happened which was unexpected. We had visited briefly with a brother in the SP temple while waiting in the lunch line. I mentioned that I was happy they had some pasta today and he said he was too. He said, "I am a polenteiro which made me laugh. It is just a made up word which basically means, "I am a polenta lover". I said, "Oh you must have some Italian blood in you." He replied, " Through and through." So midway during our meeting that night, in he walks to the Stake President's office and the first things he says after looking around was, "Hey, I know you." We laughed and gave each other an abraco. He is the stake executive secretary. Well we finally got the signatures we needed. I had a chance to tell some of them about by father's experience (He was the stake president of the stake that was hit the hardest) with President Kimball at the time of the Teton Dam Flood in 1976. I had everyone's attention. Dad asked Pesident Kimball if he might be able to do two meetings on a Sunday so all the members could hear him. The Hart building on campus couldn't hold everyone. So here is the Prophet, the most powerful man in the Church and Dad has just asked a favor of him. I can imagine that some people in different positions of power would have replied, "Don't you know who I am and how busy I am. Who do you think you are asking me a question like that." But this great prophet simple replied to dad, "President, I will do whatever you ask me to do." Dad got some tears. He had a great love for President Spencer W. Kimball.
As the meeting ended, I said, "Before we leave, I have something I would like to say. Tonight I have learned a lot. This is the way the Savior would want us to proceed with this project. We came here in the spirit of of listening and learning from each other. I know the Savior is happy with the decisions that have been made here tonight. I love you all." I got a little choked up and so did they. Then I looked at President Villafan and said, "President, I owe you an apology." He turned and said, "No you don't Elder." I replied, "I do. I was a little irritated that you would not sign the form and send it back to me. It seemed such a simple thing to do. Now after this meeting, I know why you wouldn't and I apologize." A few tears and another big hug. I felt like I had known all those men my entire life. I am excited to go back and work with them some more. That night was probably the first time that mom and I felt like real missionaries. We felt like we could make a difference. My attitude has changed from being terribly homesick to wondering what steps we need to take next. I can see that we have a ton of work to do now. The Lord had several reasons that He wanted us to be in that meeting and one was that we need to understand that He is in charge, that He loves us and that He will direct us. He opened His vision of what needs to be done and we could see quite a lot of it for the first time. We still have a way to go and a lot of work, but I know that the Lord and His son Jesus Christ are directing this work. It made our whole week and we came home filled with more love for the Lord and for the Brazilian people.
So we have been busy getting other forms signed, meeting with another brother to do a food project at his home just a mile from us, and getting ready for other assignments. I happened to see a piece of paper at the copy machine that had been left there. Without trying to pry, I quickly saw two things: the name Marcio Saito and 109 wheel chairs. So I wrote to Marcio Saito and told him we were here in SP. He immediately wrote back. You see, Paula and I stayed with him and his wife in 1993 in the city of Aracatuba where I served as a young missionary and where his father Horacio was the branch president. I was at the baptisimal font the day that Marcio at age 8 was baptized. Marcio invited Paula and I to represent the Welfare Department on Wed. Feb.3rd in Aracatuba when they give out the wheel chairs to 109 people who currently have no means of getting around. Fernando said that we should go. We are taking brother and sister Guimaraes with us. The are the wheel chair missionaries and we love them very much. Brother Guimaraes himself uses crutches. I asked him one day how long he had used them and he said, "All my life." The bones in his legs did not grow correctly and were very weak. He is also mission parts of some of his fingers but i haven't every asked him about that. He is a very small man with a very huge heart. I could pick him up easily even with my fused back. He has a great sense of humor and always laughs at my dumb jokes. He is from the city of Bauru which we will pass through on the way to Aracatuba. I said the other day to him, "We can eat a bauru in Bauru," and he went away laughing and saying, "Ha ha, a bauru in Bauru." A bauru is a ham and cheese sandwich with tomato. I guess it was dad humor, but Elder Guimaraes thought it was really funny.
I guess that is about it I think I will let mom tell about our shopping experience on Rua Joao Paulino in the center of SP. Very interesting and some humorous things. I love all of you. I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is the way to lasting happiness. I know that the Father and the Son have great love for all of their children in spite of the hard and horrible things we see happening all over the world. Some time I will tell you why I think the Lord allows these things to take place. It is not an easy thing to understand, but I do know that He loves everyone.
All My Love,
Elder Sonderegger
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