Things are great!

Dear family,

Well it has been a good week here. We have been working hard and having terrible numbers, but it's alright. We don't really know what's going on, but for some reason we just can't teach lessons. But it is alright. We have another baptism set up for this week, so that's good.

I ate a mango for the first time yesterday and Elder Hansen found out how to eat them with out making a mess. Elder Hansen had to give a talk in church, thank goodness it wasn't me. I would have been done for.

We had this crazy homeless guy walking next to us yelling, We're in Bazil- PORTUGUESE!" one night. It was funny, but scary at the same time. There are alot of homeless people here and its pretty sad.

My time with Elder Poh was good. I'm thankful for my companion ha. I woke up this week with a huge moth thing on my face. I was freaking out. I made eggs for Elder Hansen last night they were pretty good I think. I've been getting eaten alive by mosquitos lately. It's killing me ha. I'm pretty tan already too most definatly more tan than lecia haha. That's a challenge. I have a pretty bad watch tan already.

O our schedule is we wake up at 6:30 work out for thirty minutes by writing in our journals and reading the Liahona then at 7 we get up shower and eat and get ready for the day. 8 personal study 9 companionship study and 11 language studay 12 is lunch always with a member if not they give us money. 1 we go to work until 9:00 we get home plan then at 9:30 I write in my journal, read the Liahona scriptures then go to bed. thats our day usually.

We arent really teaching anyone right now which sucks. We need to find people idk what's going on. But we're baptizing, so that's cool. I'm really blessed. I'm in a rich area where the food isn't weird. I get beans and rice, pasta - oh the pasta sauce is ketchup, no big deal haa um ya its good though. Oh, so this week I asked a member where he got his hot sauce cause I wanted to buy some and he just gave it to me so cool.

Yes I told Dad happy birthday and I loved my box. If you haven't sent my box yet will you put in it the scripture mastery cards in English and basically anything you think I would like please and Happy birthday Kyle. I remembered I'm good haha. well have a good week love all of you. Oh and here are some photos:

from Elder Pellegrini

First Baptism

Dear family

It's also been a crazy week here. We had zone conference on Monday. Which was cool. We had good lunch and I got my box. Thank you so much! We worked really hard this week. Oh we got 2 baptisms. It was so crazy. We taught him on Friday and challenged him to be baptized on Saturday and he accepted. So I baptized him then he baptized his daughter on Sunday. It was so crazy, it was awesome. We are going on a division this week, so i get to travel a lot is what that means. I will go to Quissima and Elder Hansen will stay there till the next day, and I'll come back to Campos with Elder Poh and we will work here till the next day when we have district meeting.

I loved my box it was like the best thing ever. Oh before i forget I would like to thank everyone that wrote me. Josh, Landon, Danielle, Elise, D Rau! Thank you, I'm writing you back today.

But ya we have had a good week, which like Dad was telling me, we will probably have a bad week this week. Ha! A lot of ups and downs ha. But ya there really isn't much going on here. Just working hard trying to learn Portuguese. Well I really don't have much to say. I'm sorry I'm a letter writing failure. I will make sure to make next week's email a lot better. I love you all! God bless you.

Elder Pellegrini

O one story There is a little boy in our ward that loves me. His name is Joao Lucas. Elder Hansen asked him if he liked him. He said, "Nao eu gousto a outro elder mais". Which in English means "no I like the other elder more". Ha but Elder Hansen thinks everyone else in the ward loves him more.

October 10, 2011

Dear Mom,

This week has been a rough week. We had probably the worst numbers in the mission. We clapped doors all week and didn’t get in anywhere. Walked for miles it seems like. Elder Hansen kept telling me dude look at it this way in 4 months I’ll be sitting on your couch drinking Mt. Dew. I was like, “This isn’t helping, ha ha! Oh, he has been thinking about being an elementry school principal. We had a really bad week. Maxwell’s mom won’t let him be baptized. That sucks! We fasted and prayed that his mom would loosen her heart to let him be baptized.

We had the best lunch ever on Sunday. I was like, this is amazing, I ate just a little because after you fast you can’t eat very much. Then they were like, “wow Elder you basically eat nothing”. I took it as a challenge, so I ate a full second plate, then they brought out the best pudding I’ve ever eaten in my whole life. Then a taxi driver gave us a ride home because we were missionary’s. We thought he was a member, but he wasn’t, he just loves God.

Speaking of God, Elder Hansen told me Brazilians love 3 things: God, Soccer and Beer and they all go together. I don’t know how, but i guess they do. Um accept the people who added me they are members from the ward. (Matt has been getting friend requests on FB from Brazilian people, I didn’t know what he wanted to do about it.)
We’re teaching Maxwell. He is good. My feet are holding up and we are going to start taking more photos this week. My package is here i should get it today when i see President Araujo. I met a guy last night from Canada, he wants to keep his English good so we’re going to talk with him. He is so funny, he is a member. This ward I’m serving in, everyone speaks English, so it’s hard to learn Portuguese. haha But it’s coming along. I just keep trying. There is a mail strike, this happens a lot apparently.

But ya I’m doing great. I am loving it here in Campos. It’s so hot and the mosquitos eat me alive. Tell Jourdyn I said hi. Tell Daniel I love him and that I hope he is doing great. I love you guys and hope you have a great week. Oh, I weigh 260 now. I remember I weighed myself in Tessa’s bathroom, I weighed 310. That’s crazy, but I love it.

Love you guys -- have a great week im praying for you.

Elder Pellegrini
GOD BE WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN.

Matt and Elder Hansen

Matt Greeting His New Companion

First full week as a missionary!

October 3, 2011

Mom,

The first session of conference was in Portuguese so I understood everything perfectly! Just kidding, didn’t understand a thing! Me and Elder Tanner’s (Matt’s MTC companion) areas are right next to each other, so we sat by each other and talked about our first two weeks in Campos. It was funny, he ate cow foot. Said it was disgusting. Then we watched the next 3 sessions in English in the family history center. Which was good. I didn’t get to watch priesthood session so when you guys get the Ensign will you send it to me?

We are teaching a few people. The only one with a date is a boy named Maxwell. He is really cool and can speak English. So I bore my testimony to him in English about the Book of Mormon. It was really cool. The girl I challenged to baptism, her mom won’t let her be baptized. She says she already has a religion. Well it’s ok someday she will hopefully be baptized.

When I first got to our apartment I thought it was so ghetto. But then it grew on me. So that’s good. I like it a lot. It’s got a big kitchen and 3 rooms. I don’t know why it has 3 rooms it’s only me and Elder Hansen. Ha!

I’m doing good. I’m trying to realize the Lord’s hand in my life and realize the Spirit and what it’s telling me to do. It’s hard to get used to. I’m trying really hard though.

But this week has just been a normal week. We have just been working hard. I had mashed potatoes and gravy yesterday. It was good. We just walk a lot. I wore a long sleeve shirt yesterday, it was all that was clean, and I sweated so much. But it was alright. I am loving it here and loving the people. Oh, Elder Hansen wants me to tell you that his birthday is on November 12, just fyi. Well I hope your week is good.

Love you guys,

Elder Pellegrini