Oi Mãe! 

Sounds like you had a great week! Ryan's birthday sounds fun! As you know, I'm at the Pinto's house, and I got permission from President to use their computer, so I'm gonna try and be brief because Irmã Pinto is going to teach me how to make strogonoff from scratch! I almost barffed when she cut the chicken. Bones and all.   Irmã Pinto and I are going to go and teach a lesson to a woman named Dolce and her mother Adelena at 7 and I won't be near a computer because Pday ends at 6h30. The Lord´s work needs to be done! Sister Davis is on her way home, you can talk to her and she'll tell you all about what we've been up to! Lot's of fun stuff. She's an amazing woman, you'll love her! She's the second best mother ever! She gave me a great inheritance also (enough clothes to keep me happy until the end of the transfer!;)). I'm really excited for her and what she's going to do at home, and really sad for me because she left me!

Speaking of which, I'm getting my new companion tonight at 8h00! You're not gonna believe who it is! Maybe the name will be familiar to Aunt Cherie. Annie Sandholtz. The one who got her clothes at Ralph Lauren. Boy, is she in for a shock with this accent! The first thing that I'm gonna say to her (in Portuguese of course, but I don't know how to spell, and so I won't embarrass myself) is 'Welcome to the Island! Ready to learn a new language?' We've both been in the mission for the same amount of time, so this is gonna be really interesting, especially since I can hardly understand them myself! Stinky accent. Talking on the phone is especially interesting! 

Well, this week was really good, and really sad too because of Sister Davis leaving. We worked hard and I finally figured out how to lead a contact. Took me long enough, but I realized that it was the reason that I wasn't happy with where I was at, and that with Sister Davis leaving I'd better figure it out. Sister Davis doesn't like contacting, but I found out that I do! Turns out I have some of you and Dad in me! Always talking to random people;). It was sad also because almost all the elders who have been in my district got transferred yesterday too. Elder Fuller got made the Executive Secretary (pois, like we didn't see that coming, he's awesome, I almost cried though when he called and said he was leaving) and then Elder Yarbourgh and Andrade got transfered too. We're getting Elder Rodriguez from the UK, an Elder Wilson who was the Executive Secretary and I don't know the others name, but he's from Cabo Verde. Elder Brooksby stayed though, so I'm glad about that. He's great, he's funny also, he always notices when Sister Davis and I have done something different in our appearance. He has lots of sisters. 

This week we had kind of a hard time with teaching, we taught firm lessons but we didn't find a lot of novos or teach a lot of lessons. It was still really good. We've still been teaching João, who is the one who gave us the potatoes last week, and this week he gave a shirts. He is really worried about Sister Davis leaving because I can't understand a word he says. He's really sweet though.

Well, I have to go, I feel bad that I'm sitting here emailing instead of helping with lunch. Sister Davis can tell you what we've been up to on Sunday. Have a great week! Força!

Love always,

Sister Wach

 

I sent this to Megan in an email (I put it in because it was soo funny):

Just think you will be able to sing the bday song right along with them.  You could get a job there (Braza Grill – a Brazillian bbq restaurant- that's where we took Ryan for his 18th bday) and speak Portuguese to all the return missionaries that come there because they miss speaking/their mission. (like dad - lol - he always makes me smile listening for people speaking Portuguese- one of the things I love about him:)

 Oh, and we skyped with one of the members there in Sao Miguel so that is how the last part goesJ  lol.  Then she responded:

 Haha, I will not be able to sing with them because the Brazilian one is different:) Tell Dad that the Pintos said his Portuguese is horrible, they said he doesn't speak Portuguese, he speaks Brasileiro haha. Oh the people here are so peculiar with their dislike of Brazil:). But I guess they're right, the difference is like British English and American, definitely different:) So, they said my Portuguese is better;)

Ricki:  We got a chuckle out of that.  Chris had a good time skpying and instant messaging with the member.  I just kept smiling.  It was a lot of fun.  Today's technology - amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!